USF's WebQuest 

Teacher's Page

WebQuest Title:      

The Civil Rights of the Mentally Ill

Dear Colleague:       

This website is intended to compliment the study of dysfunctional behavior. The unit should include the limitations and stigmatization of labeling someone with characteristics of abnormal behavior. This webquest focuses students on the violation of civil rights and marginalization of those who have been diagnosed with a mental illness.

Author:        David ValdÈz

Date:           April 1, 2006

Unit Summary:
    Goals/Objectives:

NCSS Themes:            V.        Individuals, Groups, and Institutions

                                    VI.              Power, Authority, and Governance

X.        Civil Ideals and Practices

 Florida Sunshine State Standards: 

• SS.B.2.4.1       The student understands how social, cultural, economic, and environmental factors contribute to the dynamic nature of regions.
• SS.C.1.4.3       The student understands how the overall design and specific features of the Constitution prevent the abuse of power by aggregating power at the national, state, and local levels; dispersing power among different levels of government; and using a system of checks and balances (e.g., federalism).
• SS.C.1.4.4       The student understands the role of special interest groups, political parties, the media, public opinion, and majority/minority conflicts on the development of public policy and the political process.
• SS.C.2.4.3       The student understands issues of personal concern: the rights and responsibilities of the individual under the U.S. Constitution; the importance of civil liberties; the role of conflict resolution and compromise; and issues involving ethical behavior in politics.
• SS.C.2.4.7       The student knows the points at which citizens can monitor or influence the process of public policy formation.

Goals/Objective:

1.)        The student will be able to describe at least one criteria used to determine whether a behavior warrants the label of ëabnormalí.

2.)        The student will be able discuss at least one difficulty encountered when labeling someone with a mental disorder.

3.)        The student will be able to describe the violations of personal liberties of those suffering with mental disorders often marginalized in the        

            American society.

4.)        The student will be able to list at least one community resource that advocates the rights of mental health patients.

5.)        The student will be able to describe at least one treatment strategy employed by clinicians in order to aid those with a mental illness.

 Days:        Five days (three block units)
 

Content:  

The content for this unit will focus on the psychology of dysfunctional behavior. In particular, students will encounter the difficulties of determining abnormal behavior and the challenging nature of labeling someone with a mental disorder. The unit will also focus students on the repercussions that follow from the stigma of being labeled with a mental disorder, including limitations to treatment and violations to personal rights.

 Methods:        Lecture

                        Interactive Discussion

Cooperative Learning

Internet Webquest

Group Presentations

Power Point Presentation

Class Readings

Written Assessments

WebQuest  Summary:
    Goals/Objectives:

NCSS Themes:            V.        Individuals, Groups, and Institutions

VI.              Power, Authority, and Governance

X.        Civil Ideals and Practices

 Florida Sunshine State Standards: 

• SS.C.1.4.3       The student understands how the overall design and specific features of the Constitution prevent the abuse of power by aggregating power at the national, state, and local levels; dispersing power among different levels of government; and using a system of checks and balances (e.g., federalism).
• SS.C.1.4.4       The student understands the role of special interest groups, political parties, the media, public opinion, and majority/minority conflicts on the development of public policy and the political process.
• SS.C.2.4.3       The student understands issues of personal concern: the rights and responsibilities of the individual under the U.S. Constitution; the importance of civil liberties; the role of conflict resolution and compromise; and issues involving ethical behavior in politics.

 Goals/Objectives: 

1.)        The student will be able to describe at least one civil right which is often threatened when someone is diagnosed with a mental disorder. 

2.)        The student will be able to identify at least one community/national resource that acts as an advocate to protect the rights of the mentally ill. 

3.)        The student will be able to discuss the controversial relationship between those who have been diagnosed with a severe mental disorder and the right to express personal freedoms.

    Days:        One period for webquest
 

    Content:   

The included resources in the webquest will lead students to a variety of websites that ask students to consider the violations of rights of those who have been diagnosed with a mental disorder. The sites include patient advocacy resources, sites which justify the need to limit the personal freedoms of those with mental disorders, and the US Bill of Rights. Students, therefore, are presented with a variety of resources for both arguments and are asked to evaluate the positions in light of the US Bill of Rights.

    Methods:     

Students will use designated websites to gather material in order investigate the violations of rights of mental health patients. The websites will ask students to consider a variety of opposing sources to determine if those with mental illnesses are treated fairly.

Teachers Resources

Unit Information:
    

Background Resources

Web-based Subject Matter Content

A practical link for the teacher, this site is the publisherís resource for one of the textbooks used in the second-year of study. The link provides resources for the teacher to better understand the difficulty in labeling a person with a dysfunctional behavior. In addition, as the teacher utilizes supplemental resources (i.e. overheads, handouts, etc.) he or she will find this link helpful to assist in assembling meaningful content. http://www.ryerson.ca/~glassman/abnormal.html

This site is maintained by the US Department of Justice. The teacher will find the links especially valuable as he or she begins to research the extent to which civil rights are marginalized to the mentally ill. The site emphasizes links to litigation and civil rights of convicted criminals. The teacher will find the link to ëDisability Rights Sectioní helpful as he or she researches the background of the rights of the mentally ill. http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/mgmtndx.htm

Maintained by the National Coalition of Mental Health Professionals and Consumers, the document describes eleven of the most common unethical practices imposed upon patients who suffer from mental illness. This site may help teachers to facilitate questions that engage the students and to focus their attention on details that might escape most of us who never think about violations to personal rights and liberties. http://www.nomanagedcare.org/eleven.html

Web Pedagogy Content

Especially designed for teachers who may be unfamiliar with the format and function of a webquest, this website is helpful to understand the webquest process. Maintained by a school district in South Carolina, the site also provides examples to teacher-created websites that illustrate to teachers the versatility of creative webquests. The site provides guidance on how to brainstorm ideas for other webquests and a design template to assist teachers. http://www.spa3.k12.sc.us/WebQuests.html

Based on a rubric of 50 points, the site is helpful for teachers who are interested in evaluating the value of a webquest. For teachers who may be just beginning to utilize the benefits of a webquest into their curriculum, this site provide guidelines for gauging the cognitive benefits of a webquest, as well as the most meaningful ways to evaluate student-learning. As teachers develop their own webquests, the rubric guides the teacher to consider significant components necessary for a successful webquestsósuch as quality of resources, relevance, and aesthetic appeal. http://edweb.sdsu.edu/webquest/webquestrubric.html

This site is maintained by Scholastic Inc. As teachers become interested in integrating technology into the classroom, this article is a practical resource to guide teachers in how to prepare a classroom for computer usage. The article offers teachers points of consideration for setting up computers in a classroom, how to manage time, and suggestions for becoming familiar with technology tools. http://teacher.scholastic.com/professional/teachtech/techsetup.htm

This is an excellent resource for teachers interested in learning how to integrate technology, especially the Internet, into classroom curriculum. Beyond webquests, this site provides teacher guidance on how utilize PowerPoint, MS Word, and definition of technical terms for teachers beginning the use of technology. The site also provides class materials that the teacher may find useful to distribute to students who may also need greater computer literacy. http://www.lausd.k12.ca.us/lausd/resources/integration/

Unit Lesson Sequence
 

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Day 1    Back to Top
Lesson Plan Outline

Method (Attention Getter, Lecture, Callout Group, etc)	Content/Key Ideas/Concepts/Facts	Materials (Transparencies, audio, handouts, etc)
(Set Induction) Journal Question	Build on prior knowledge to introduce topic. This writing activity facilitates a discussion in order to investigate the difficulties in labeling dysfunctional behavior.	Why makes someone ëabnormalí?
Lecture	Information on historical background of dysfunctional behavior	PowerPoint
Cooperative Learning	Ask students to individually write down three criteria they believe could be used to define abnormal behavior. Tell them that they will be using their criteria to determine the relative mental health of a case study you are going to give them. Give them time to think critically about the case. Suggest that the students use the prompt "Behavior might be considered psychologically disordered if it is . . ."	Handout 1
Individual Reading	Homework: Read pp 356-363	Glassman: Approaches to Psychology

 

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Day 2    Back to Top
Lesson Plan Outline

Method (Attention Getter, Lecture, Callout Group, etc)	Content/Key Ideas/Concepts/Facts	Materials (Transparencies, audio, handouts, etc)
(Set Induction) Journal Question	Build on prior knowledge to introduce topic. This writing activity facilitates a discussion in order to investigate the difficulties in labeling dysfunctional behavior.	What are the pros and cons of classifying abnormal behaviors with a system such as DSM-IV?
Lecture	Continue slides from PowerPoint Presentation	PowerPoint Conít.
Video/ Interactive Discussion	Except from Discovering Psychology: Video 21- Psychopathology Paused frequently to engage in discussion with students.	Learner.org (Zimbardo)
Cooperative Learning	This activity is suited for an abnormal or psychopathology course. No materials are needed. The instructor must devote time out of class coaching student volunteers and must be willing to set up appointments with other professionals whom the volunteers will interview. Volunteers will present skits in the day that the disorder they have researched is being introduced by the instructor.	Handout 2
Individual Reading	Homework: Read pp 363-370	Glassman: Approaches to Psychology

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Day 3    Back to Top
Lesson Plan Outline

Method (Attention Getter, Lecture, Callout Group, etc)	Content/Key Ideas/Concepts/Facts	Materials (Transparencies, audio, handouts, etc)
(Set Induction) Journal Question	Build on prior knowledge to introduce topic. This writing activity facilitates a discussion in order to investigate the difficulties in labeling dysfunctional behavior.	What type of stigmas exists for someone labeled with a mental disorder?
(Research & Technology) WebQuest	Encourages students to investigate the ethics and limitations of labeling someone with a mental disorder, focusing on individual liberties and personal rights.	WebQuest
Cooperative Learning	Measuring social avoidance and distress. This scale attempts to determine the level of anxiety people feel in social situations and the extent to which they avoid these situations.	Handout 3
Individual Reading	Homework: Read pp 374-380	Glassman: Approaches to Psychology

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Day 4    Back to Top
Lesson Plan Outline

Method (Attention Getter, Lecture, Callout Group, etc)	Content/Key Ideas/Concepts/Facts	Materials (Transparencies, audio, handouts, etc)
(Set Induction) Journal Writing	Build on prior knowledge to introduce topic. This writing activity facilitates a discussion in order to investigate the difficulties in labeling dysfunctional behavior.	In what ways do personality disorders differ from other mental illnesses? In what ways are they similar?
Cooperative Learning	Promoting Greater Understanding of Abnormal Behavior. The purpose of this activity is to promote support for individuals with specific psychological disorders, in particular schizophrenia.	Handout 4
Group Presentations/ Informal Assessment	In-class time for students to prepare brief presentations on discussion questions. These will help students to review for the essay portion of the formal assessment. Divide students into groups of five to prepare responses/presentations on critical thinking questions.	Handout 5
Class Discussion	Review content for formal assessment. Finish any remaining PowerPoint Slides.

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Day 5    Back to Top
Lesson Plan Outline

Method (Attention Getter, Lecture, Callout Group, etc)	Content/Key Ideas/Concepts/Facts	Materials (Transparencies, audio, handouts, etc)
Formal Assessment	Students will sit for a 50 multiple choice question examination for the first hour and then respond to an extended-response essay for the second essay.	Handout 6
	Essay Prompt: Discuss the strengths and limitations of applying the DSM criteria to someone suffering from an abnormal behavior.

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Students WebQuest :