UT Dallas Syllabus For Ed4359.0t1.06s Taught by (gxd025000)

Chess in the Classroom II, Syllabus Page 1
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Syllabus
Course Overviews, Introduction and Requirements:
The Chess in the Classroom courses offered by the University of
Texas at Dallas are examples of educational theory catching up with
practice. In schools all over the United States, children are playing chess.
Chess-playing children attract media attention, improve their standardized
test scores, and are perceived by their peers, parents, and teachers as
"smart." Despite this favorable news, most American teachers have yet to
include chess in their elementary school classrooms. Chess in the Classroom
I and II, offered by the University of Texas at Dallas, give educators a
rationale and a method for incorporating chess in elementary school
classrooms.
Children Playing Chess
Chess in the Classroom I: Elementary provides a curriculum
development model for chess. In this model, humanistic and academic goals
for learners are addressed through chess. For learners, chess enables
experiences of flow and competition. Chess may help develop internal locus
of control. By tapping into visual-spatial intelligence, chess makes accessible
hierarchical reading and math concepts. Chess exemplifies how people solve
problems. As students in Chess in the Classroom I, educators create their
own curricula that include chess.
Chess in the Classroom II: Institutional and Cultural Contexts will
help teachers develop their ability to use chess in the classroom by looking
at the various roles chess plays in culture, as game, art, sport, science, and
positive and negative addiction. We will also explore the institutional aspects
of chess with a view towards giving teachers greater access to existing
resources to promote the play and study of the game of chess.

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© 2001 Tim Redman
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Chess in the Classroom II, Syllabus Page 2
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Syllabus
Chess in the Classroom I and II can be taken in
either order or together during the same semester.
Successful completion of both courses will lead to the
award of a Certificate in Chess and Education from the
University of Texas at Dallas. Taken together, the two
courses form a coherent whole that will prepare teachers
to start in-school and after-school chess activities; the
courses will also be of interest to chess coaches, chess
teachers, and parents.
The present course, Chess in the Classroom II, is
divided into two main parts. After three weeks of
introductory material, the first part of the course will
enable you to understand the cultural prestige chess
enjoys in this country and abroad, and the cultural
traditions that inform our understanding of an activity
that has multiple dimensions. The second part of the
course will enable you to understand the various

institutions in the chess world, how they interrelate, and
how they can help you with chess in your school.

© 2001 Tim Redman

Chess in the Classroom II, Unit 7 Page 3
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Syllabus
Chess in the Classroom I and II are designed for:
• elementary teachers without previous chess knowledge who wish to

introduce chess into their schools and classrooms.
• chess teachers, coaches, and parents who wish to understand the
perspectives of professional educators and help them introduce chess
into their schools.
Because you are reading this material, we assume that you believe that chess
might be helpful to elementary school students. That curiosity is the only
prerequisite for this course.
Chess knowledge is not required to begin this course. Chess examples
will be fully explained, from the rules to the strategies that apply to the
particular chess position. If you are proficient at chess, reading through the
complete explanations may provide you with novel ways to approach the
beginning chessplayers among your elementary school students. Also, the
explanations may stimulate your appreciation of the academic and
humanistic possibilities of chess. All students will work through First Lessons
of Chess©, a chess tutorial from Think Like a KingT School Chess Software
T
series, during the first three weeks of this course.

© 2001 Tim Redman

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Syllabus
Some education experts
question whether chess can be
helpful in education. On August
1, 1977, Dr. Susan Chipman of
the National Institute of
Education wrote, "Time spent
mastering chess is likely to
compete with the acquisition of
other intellectual skills. Also it is
a general finding in psychology
that the transfer of skill from one
area to another tends to be
disappointing. One is best
advised to train directly on the
skill desired." But noted
cognitive psychologist Adriaan
D. de Groot responded the

following December that while it
is true that most high level skills
(in music, mathematics, and
chess) consist of very specific
repertoires, instructing children
in the basics of chess may
promote transferable outcomes.
Through minimal chess
instruction all students gain the
basic, important, and
transferable idea of thinking
before one acts.

© 2001 Tim Redman

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Syllabus
De Groot's remarks foreshadow
concepts explored in Chess in the
Classroom I and Chess in the Classroom
II. The Chipman and de Groot
documents are available as part of the packet Chess in the
Classroom: An Answer to NIE by Harry Lyman, available
from the United States Chess Federation scholastic
research page, at www.uschess.org/scholastic/sc-
research.html.
What follows is a brief summary of de Groot's
ideas for optimally presenting chess curricula in the face
of strong objections, like those of Dr. Chipman. As you
read through de Groot's points, paraphrased below,
consider which ones might find a place in your
curriculum.
• Chess instruction requires relatively little time,
should be given in the higher grades of elementary

school by the best available methods and teachers,
with modest educational objectives in mind.
• Chess serves as another area where problem-
solving rules apply. Through exposure to problem
solving in more than one subject matter, general
heuristics will be more likely to be learned by
pupils.
• Unique learning effects of chess could be sought,
or at least effects where chess might be superior to
traditional subject matters. Those effects might be
in non-cognitive areas, and might be for some
pupils rather than all.
• In de Groot's opinion, the "few studies of
differential effects of chess instruction on the
mental development of school children ... have
serious methodological defects." Other arguments
in favor of chess are possible though, including:
1. knowledge is derived from experience, i.e.,
the enthusiasm for chess among
schoolchildren of many nations; or
2. chess is a cultural institution; or
3. chess has inspired literature, the study of
cognitive processes and the development of

artificial intelligence models; or
4. chess helps us recognize and deal with
differences among individuals, and with
winning and losing; and finally,
5. that, like physical education, an important
asset of chess is "as an instrument of moral
and reality learning and as a training field
is exactly its being a 'mere game,' i.e. a
sportive activity of relatively little
scholastic and social consequence" (de
Groot, 1981).

© 2001 Tim Redman

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Syllabus
Chess in the Classroom II textbooks:
For all students:
Vladimir Nabokov, The Defense
Don Schultz, ChessDon
U.S.C.F.'s The Official Rules of Chess, 4th edition
Fred Waitzkin, Searching for Bobby Fischer
For the graduate students:
Johan Huizinga, Homo Ludens
Chess in the Classroom II course requirements:
• Read assigned readings. Most lessons have
assigned readings, with more reading for graduate

students.
• Post answers to Discussions on the assignment
questions embedded in lessons (50% of grade).
When possible, your answers should respond to
other students' posts. All Discussion posts should
reflect your understanding of on-line lessons and
assigned readings. Tackling one lesson a week is
the required pace; see deadlines for each
assignment on the Class Calendar.
• Write two papers on assigned topics (50% of
grade). Graduate student papers are expected to
be longer than undergraduate papers and reflect a
theoretical understanding of the subjects
discussed, derived from Huizinga.

© 2001 Tim Redman

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Syllabus
By taking Chess in the Classroom II, you give
permission for your work to be incorporated wholly or in
part in future versions of this course or in materials
arising from the course, such as textbooks. Your
collaboration is part of an ongoing effort at the University
of Texas at Dallas to explore the educational benefits of
chess. Of course, if your curriculum project or other
work is used, your name and, if appropriate, your
institution, will be credited.
This course follows the fifteen-week semester of
the University of Texas at Dallas www.utdallas.edu. The
course will follow a weekly schedule similar to a
traditional class. The course is not designed to be self-
paced. Rather, the structure presumes the entire class
will proceed forward together, week by week, according
to the Class Calendar. There is a due date for each

lesson's readings, Discussion postings, and papers.
In general, each lesson will consist of assigned
readings and a requirement to post answers related to the
readings on Discussions.. YOU MUST READ EACH ON-
LINE LESSON AND THE TEXTBOOKS
THOROUGHLY. If you do not understand something,
contact the instructor at redman@utdallas.edu.

© 2001 Tim Redman

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Syllabus
Time requirements:
You should expect to spend a similar amount of
time completing this course on-line as you would spend
on the same course taught in the traditional class format.
Material that would traditionally be presented in lecture
format will be presented on-line. You will probably need
less time to go over this material than would be spent
listening to lectures. In this on-line course, more time
must be devoted to participation in conference
discussions than is traditionally spent in classroom
discussions. It takes longer to type and post than it does
to speak in a live class! Time for completion of readings
should be similar in this on-line course to an on-campus
college class. As a rough guide, you should plan to spend
about six hours per week on this course. The actual
amount of time required will vary from one student to
another.
© 2001 Tim Redman

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Syllabus
Grading Information:
The grading scale for Chess in the Classroom II
will be broken down into two parts: fifty percent of the
course grade will be made up of the two papers. The
other fifty percent is made up of up to four weekly
assignments, each of which falls into a different category.
The first category is composed of a warm-up assignment,
the second is one or more assignment questions,
embedded in the lesson itself, that requires posting to the
"Discussion" area of the course (as mentioned above), the
third is "Webquest" (where the assignment involves
searching for chess-related material on the Internet), and
the fourth is a group assignment.
Each of the first three exercises, the warm-up,
assignment questions, and Webquest assignments, are
similar to participation grades. On each of these three,
the student can receive credit (one point) for that

assignment; if not done satisfactorily, they will receive no
points. The group assignment is slightly different, the
student has the possibility of receiving zero, one, or two
points on it. Thus the total possible amount of points for
the week is five (where each point is one percentage point
of your semester grade). At the end of the semester, the
best top ten weeks will be selected out of the total number
of weeks that include these four assignment groups, and
these weeks' grades will be summed up (for a total
maximum possible of fifty points).

© 2001 Tim Redman

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Syllabus
Course Calendar:
Symbols used throughout the calendar:
All students (undergraduate and

graduate):
CD: ChessDon by Don Schultz
ORC: USCF's Official Rules of Chess, 4th

edition
SBF: Searching for Bobby Fischer by Fred

Waitzkin
TD: The Defense by Vladimir Nabokov
Graduate Students only:
HL: Homo Ludens by Johan Huizinga
Full listing:
Weekly
Weekly
reading
Week reading Assignments/Papers
(All
(Graduate)
students)
Weekly
1 None None
Assignments
2 None None Weekly
Assignments
SBF: pp. 3- Weekly
3 HL: vii-27
55 Assignments
SBF: pp. Weekly
4 HL: 28-45
56-131 Assignments
SBF: 132- Weekly
5 HL: 46-75
226 Assignments
TD: chs. 1- Weekly
6 HL: 76-88
5 Assignments
TD: chs. 6- Weekly
7 HL: 119-135
10 Assignments
TD: chs. Weekly
8 HL: 119-135
11-14 Assignments
CD: pp. 11- Weekly
9 HL: 136-157
115 Assignments
CD: pp. Weekly
10 HL: 158-172
116-235 Assignments
CD: pp. Weekly
11 HL: 173-194
236-333 Assignments
ORC: v-vi,
Weekly
12 ix-xviii, HL: 195-213
Assignments
154-218
ORC: 219- Weekly
13 None
235 Assignments
Weekly
14 None None
Assignments

© 2001 Tim Redman

Chess in the Classroom II
End of Lesson
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lesson.
© 2001 Tim Redman

Week 1
Lesson reading(s)
None
(All students)
Lesson reading(s)
None
(Graduate students)
(Warm-up Activity from page 6 of Lesson 1)
What do you picture when the word "chess" is used? Use

the phrase chess game in a sentence starting "The chess
game . . . ." then adding a verb and finishing the sentence.
Write it down. What do you picture when the word
chessplayer is used? Describe what you see. Write it down.
Warm-up Activity
Look at television or a movie or the newspaper or a
(0 or 1 points)
magazine for an image of chess, and describe it. Write
down your description. Are there any words or ideas that
you associate with chess? Write down a list of three. Send
all that you wrote to the group. (You will receive either 0 or
1 for this and every other activity that is completed in the
first week, namely in the Sunday through Saturday time
period after the start of Spring semester on January 11.)
(Individual Activity from page 6 of Lesson 1)
Explore the University of Texas TeleCampus site

(www.telecampus.utsystem.edu) and look at some of its
features, like the newsletter. Report any problems you had
in navigating the site and how you worked around them.
For example, the first time I tried to visit the UT
Individual Activity TeleCampus site, I entered the following url:
(0 or 1 points) www.telecampus.edu, which seemed logical. I was asked to
choose between English and French, which struck me as
odd. English and Spanish I would have understood as a
good choice for Texas, but English and French?!? Then I
noticed that I was at the telecampus of the University of
New Brunswick in Canada! I tried adding utsystem to the
url, and it worked. I got to the portal of the UT
TeleCampus. (0 or 1)
(Webquest from page 10 of Lesson 1)
Using a search engine, such as Google, on the worldwide

web, do a search for "chess in schools." How many sites are
Webquest (0 or 1
there? Visit some of them until you find one you like and
points)
one that you dislike. Send the urls (address, usually
beginning http://www. . . .), and a summary of the site,
including what you liked or disliked to the group (two
paragraphs). (0 or 1)
(Group Activity from page 10 of Lesson 1)
Start or participate in a threaded discussion in which you

discuss what you found from the webquest. Read what
others are saying and post your own comments in response.
Stay on track and be positive! These will be evaluated by
Group Activity (0, me on a week-by-week basis, and given a score of 0 or 1 or
1, or 2 points) 2. Thus each week will have activity points worth anywhere
from 0 (complete non-participation) to 5 (thoughtful and
courteous participation). Since everyone has a bad week
from time to time (me too), at the end of the course I will
take the scores from your best 10 weeks, add them together,
and give a grade based on a curve which will count as 50%
of your final course grade.
Paper due this week
(email to the None
instructor)
Week 2
Lesson reading(s)
None
(All students)
Lesson reading(s)
None
(Graduate students)
(Warm-up activity from page 7 of Lesson 2)
Name and visualize some chess pieces. Without reference

to a chess set or books, name as many of the pieces as you
can. Write them down. Then write down what images or
associations come to mind for each piece: in the form of
complete sentences, if possible, e.g., When I think of the
____, I picture _____. When I think about the ______ , I
think it can best be described by the following adjectives:
_________, _______, and _______. Send what you wrote
to the group. During the next week, be on the lookout for
Warm-up Activity
chess sets: in stores, in catalogs, in magazines, maybe even
(0 or 1 points)
at your house. Find one unusual set and describe its
"theme," e.g., somewhere in my attack there is a chess set I
was given back in 1972, depicting the presidential race at
the time, Richard Nixon vs. George McGovern. The "kings"
were Nixon and McGovern, the Republican "pawns" were
little elephants, the Democratic "pawns" were little
donkeys, etc. Send your description, one paragraph long, to
the group. (Score 0 or 1. Don't worry about grammar,
spelling, or punctuation. What's important is to complete
the warm-up activity in the first week and read what others
have posted for their response.)
Go to a library or other reference source and read about the

history of the game of chess. When and where did it
Individual Activity originate? When and where did it spread, i.e., in what other
(0 or 1 points) countries did it become popular? Are there any ideas or
images or terms that were added to the game of chess by a
particular culture? Write two or three paragraphs
summarizing the results of your research, and send them to
the instructor. (0 or 1)

Webquest (0 or 1 web, do a search for "chess sets." How many sites are
points) there? Visit some until you find one you like and one you
dislike. Send the urls (address, usually beginning
http://www. . . .) and a summary of the site including what
you liked or disliked to the group (two paragraphs). (0 or 1)

talk about what you found from the Webquest. Read what
Group Activity (0,
1, or 2 points)
Stay on track and be positive and polite! In particular, I
would like you to discuss what the various kinds of sets and
pieces you found, what materials they are made from, and
what they symbolize. (0, 1, or 2)
Paper due this week
(email to the None
instructor)
Week 3
Lesson reading(s)
SBF: pp. 3-55
(All students)
Lesson reading(s)
HL: vii-27
(Graduate students)
Picture in your mind a chess club and/or a chess tournament

-- it doesn't matter whether you have seen them or not.
Describe it one paragraph and write it down and/or save it.
Warm-up Activity Picture in you mind some chessplayers and describe them:
(0 or 1 points) how old are they, how are they dressed, what do they look
like? Write down your description in one paragraph and/or
save it. Send both paragraphs to your group. (Score 0 or 1.
Don't worry about grammar, spelling, or punctuation.
What's important is to complete the warm-up activity this
week and read and respond to what others have posted.)
Individual Activity Go to a library or other reference source and read about

(0 or 1 points) Bobby Fischer. Write two or three paragraphs summarizing
the results of your research, and send them to the instructor.
(0 or 1)

web, do a search for Josh Waitzkin. Visit some of the sites
Webquest (0 or 1
(don't neglect "push hands" tai chi!). Find one that you like
points)
and one that you dislike. Send the urls (address, usually
beginning http://www. . . .) and a summary of the site
(Group Activity from page 14 in Lesson 3)

Group Activity (0, talk about your readings for this week. What struck you?
1, or 2 points) What did you like? What did you disagree with? Is there
any passage you didn't understand? Read what others are
saying and post your own comments in response. Stay on
track and be positive and polite! (0, 1, or 2)
Paper due this week
(email to the None
instructor)
Week 4
Lesson reading(s)
SBF: pp. 56-131
(All students)
Lesson reading(s)
HL: 28-45
(Graduate students)
Complete the following two sentences and then expand

each one into a paragraph: "Chess is a game that . . . ." and
Warm-up Activity
"Chess is different from other games because . . . ." Send
(0 or 1 points)
both paragraphs to your group. (Score 0 or 1. Don't worry
about grammar, spelling, or punctuation. What's important
is to complete the warm-up activity this week and read and
respond to what others have posted.)
Using a library or other reference source, do some reading

about games in general. What games do you like? What
games do you not like? Why? What about computer games?
Individual Activity
(The field of computer game design is burgeoning and has
(0 or 1 points)
even been the occasion for two academic conferences and
the creation of a scholarly journal. If this interests you, go
to http://gamestudies.org for a sense of what is being said
about them.) Write your thoughts in a couple of paragraphs
and send them to the instructor. (0 or 1)

Webquest (0 or 1 web, do a search for Bruce Pandolfini. Visit some of the
points) sites. Find one that you like and one that you dislike. Send
the urls (address, usually beginning http://www. . . .) and a
summary of the site including what you liked or disliked to
the group (two paragraphs). (0 or 1)

talk about your readings for this week with particular
reference to the definition of play offered by Huizinga.
Group Activity (0, Does it also cover the game of chess? How so? Does it miss
1, or 2 points) any features of chess that don't fit into the definition? What
are they? Use evidence from Searching for Bobby Fischer
and your own experiences as evidence to support your
views. Read what others are saying and post your own
comments in response. Stay on track and be positive and
polite! (0, 1, or 2)
Paper due this week
(email to the None
instructor)
Week 5
Lesson reading(s)
SBF: pp. 132-226
(All students)
Lesson reading(s)
HL: 46-75
(Graduate students)
(Warm-up activity from page 1 of Lesson 5)
Think of a definition and some examples for the word "art."

Complete the following sentences: "Some examples of art
works are . . . .", "When I look at a work of art, I feel . . . .",
Warm-up Activity
"Artists are different from the rest of us because they . . . ."
(0 or 1 points)
Expand each of the sentences into a short paragraph and
send the paragraphs to your group. (Score 0 or 1. Don't
worry about grammar, spelling, or punctuation. What's
important is to complete the warm-up activity this week and
read and respond to what others have posted.)

about art in general or some specific art like painting or
Individual Activity
music. In particular try to answer the questions: "How is art
(0 or 1 points)
classified according to periods and styles?" "What are the
usual terms for classifying art?" Write your thoughts in a
couple of paragraphs and send them to the instructor. (0 or
1)

web, do a search for an arts organization or an artist. It
might be a symphony or a museum. It might be a painter
Webquest (0 or 1
like Georgia O'Keefe or Picasso, or a musician like Diana
points)
Ross or George Gershwin. Find one that you like and one
that you don't like. Send the urls (address, usually
beginning http://www. . . .) and a summary of the site

reference to the question of whether chess has aesthetic
value. In particular, Waitzkin seems to believe that
Group Activity (0,
professions of the beauty of chess usually camouflage
1, or 2 points)
defeat or a sense of time wasted. Is art a waste of time?
\should we pursue more practical goals instead? Use
evidence from Searching for Bobby Fischer and your own
experiences to support your views. Read what others are
Paper due this week
(email to the None
instructor)
Week of 6
Lesson reading(s)
TD: chs. 1-5
(All students)
Lesson reading(s)
HL: 76-88
(Graduate students)
Questionnaire: What is your favorite sport? Do you watch

sports on television? Which ones? Have you attended sports
Warm-up Activity events? Which ones? Are you an active player in one or
(0 or 1 points) more sports? Which? Name some sports heroes. Send your
responses to your group. (Score 0 or 1. Don't worry about
grammar, spelling, or punctuation. What's important is to
complete the warm-up activity this week and read and

about sports -- the sports section of your newspaper is a
Individual Activity
good place to look. Start to collect the various verbs that
(0 or 1 points)
sportswriters employ to describe victory or defeat. Write
your thoughts about the language of sports reporting in a
couple of paragraphs and send them to to the instructor. (0
or 1)

Webquest (0 or 1 web, do a search for information about the Olympic Games
points) -- how they are organized, who runs them. Try to find some
news reports from last August about the proposal to have
mandatory drug testing in chess. Send your findings to the
group, citing the urls you found most useful. (0 or 1)

reference to the question of whether chess is a sport. In
particular, I want you to discuss whether or not the idea of
Group Activity (0, agon (struggle, contest) with its inevitable winners and
1, or 2 points) losers, is the only model we have for judging sports and
games. Could there be other, less competitive models we
might use in teaching and participating in sports and
games? Use citations from the readings and your own
experiences as evidence to support your views. Read what
Stay on track and be positive and polite! (0, 1, or 2)
Paper due this week
(email to the None
instructor)
Week 7
Lesson reading(s)
TD: chs. 6-10
(All students)
Lesson reading(s)
HL: 119-135
(Graduate students)
What do you picture when the word scientist is used? Use

the word scientist in a sentence starting "The scientist . . . .",
then use a verb as the next word, such as the verb
performed or developed or conducted, then finish the
Warm-up Activity
sentence. Write it down. What do you picture when the
(0 or 1 points)
word science is used? Describe what you see. Write it
down. Look at television or a movie or the newspaper or a
magazine for a story involving science, and describe it.
Write down your description. Are there any words or ideas
that you associate with science? Write down a list of four or
five. Send what you have written to the group.
(Individual Activity for this lesson is composed of a series
of questions that are embedded directly in the text. Send
your answers to these questions, all together, to the
instructor.
Question #1 (from page 2 of Lesson 7)
Soviet world-champion Mikhail Botvinnik [photo]

advocated a scientific approach to chess, not surprising
since he himself was a scientist by profession! People
commonly associate chess with logic, rigor, difficulty, and
intelligence, all characteristics also associated with science.
Chess world champion Emmanuel Lasker was a friend of
Albert Einstein, with whom he discussed the theory of
relativity. German players of the late nineteenth and early
twentieth century, such as world champion Steinitz and
grandmaster Aron Nimzovich attempted to define the
scientific laws of the game of chess. To what extent can
chess be considered a science?
Individual Activity My venerable (1967) Random House Unabridged

(0 or 1 points) Dictionary defines science as "1. A branch of knowledge or
study dealing with a body of facts or truths systematically
arranged and showing the operation of general laws." Chess
would probably be considered a science under this
definition: it is a branch of study or knowledge, and chess
players try to learn, test, and discover general laws
governing chess play: a bishop is better than a knight in
open positions; a knight is better than a bishop in closed
positions. But not many people would consider chess
players scientists. Why not?
Let's try a compromise definition. The study and play of

chess resembles the study and play of science (Yes, that's
right, the play of science. Let's start emphasizing the role of
play in creativity, discovery, and learning.). Chess and
science are both logical; they are both absorbing
occupations; they both involve a systematic accumulation
of knowledge based on hypotheses and testing. So let's try a
tentative definition and say that chess is much like science.
Can we think of some examples?
(Webquest from page 23 in Lesson 7)
Webquest: Using the worldwide web, collect reports on the

match between World Champion Kramnik and Fritz that
Webquest (0 or 1
was held at the beginning of 2002 in Bahrain, or look back
points)
at media reports on the various matches between World
Champion Kasparov and IBM's Deep Blue. Send a
summary (one paragraph) to the group. Make sure to
include the urls of sites that you found useful.
(Group Activity from page 23 in Lesson 7)
Group activity: assuming that a chess rating over a period

Group Activity (0,
of months is a reliable measurement of human cognition
1, or 2 points)
(which might either increase or decrease) design an
experiment with humans using chess outcomes to measure
performance.
Paper due this week
(email to the None
instructor)
Week 8
Lesson reading(s)
TD: chs. 11-14
(All students)
Lesson reading(s)
HL: 119-135
(Graduate students)
What things can cause addictions? Make a brief list. Picture

in your mind an addict. Describe that person's appearance
and actions. What is our society's view of addiction?
Warm-up Activity
Combine you answers to these questions into two
(0 or 1 points)
paragraphs and send them to your group. Read and respond
to what others have written. (Score 0 or 1. Don't worry
about grammar, spelling, or punctuation. What's important
is to complete the warm-up activity this week and read and

Individual Activity about addiction. Is there a difference between psychological
(0 or 1 points) addiction and physical addiction? Can you give an example
of each kind? (The former will be harder.) Write what you
have learned in a couple of paragraphs and send them to the
instructor. (0 or 1)

Webquest (0 or 1 web, do a search for information about addictions. What
points) programs exist to help people overcome addiction? Do any
involve chess? You might want to look at the Inner City
Games Foundation. Send your findings to the group, citing
the urls you found most useful. (0 or 1)

Group Activity (0,
reference to chess as a positive or negative addiction. Use
1, or 2 points)
citations from the readings and your own experiences as
evidence to support your views. Read what others are
Paper due this week
(email to the None
instructor)
Week 9
Lesson reading(s)
CD: pp. 11-115
(All students)
Lesson reading(s)
HL: 136-157
(Graduate students)
(Advanced Webquest from page 2 of Lesson 9)
Find the website for the World Chess Federation (FIDE)

Advanced
and try to get an idea of how it is organized and run. Using
Webquest (0, 1, or 2
Google, find out what FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov's
points)
other job is. Since his name is transliterated from the
(0, 1, or 2 points for
Russian, you might try variant spellings. Look at
the second half of
www.chesscafe.com for articles expressing opinions about
the course)
FIDE. Search through past issues. This search is difficult,
so start early and share what you find with the group! (0, 1,
or 2 points)
(Threaded Discussion from page 3 of Lesson 9)
On the basis of what you have found from your advanced

webquest, discuss some of the issues facing FIDE today.
Talk about the roles it plays; in particular look at the
Commission for Assistance to Chess Developing Countries
Threaded
(CACDEC). Don't neglect Don's book in this discussion.
Discussion (0, 1, 2,
Graduate students are expected to incorporate Huizinga into
or 3 points)
their discussion whenever possible. In this regard you might
consider relating his discussion of the original Olympic
Games with FIDE's Chess Olympiad held every two years
(the next one will be in Bled).
As always, grammar, spelling, punctuation are not taken
into account in these discussions. (0, 1, 2, or 3 points)
Paper #1: Based on the readings we have done so far and
you own observations, define some of the characteristics of
chess players. What are the good ones? What are the bad
ones? Ben Franklin said that chess improves human
character. Do you agree with him or disagree with him?
Support your opinions by brief quotes from the readings or
discussions. For undergraduates: the paper should be four to
Paper due this week six pages long (double-spaced), i.e., from 1000-1500 words.
(email to the For graduates: the paper should be six to eight pages long
instructor) (double spaced), i.e., from 1500-2000 words, and must
include citations from Huizinga. For all: If you would like
me to read you paper in draft form, before the due date,
send it to me as a Word attachment to an e-mail (or some
other word processing software that I can open).
Paper is due by the end of the last day of the week ( due
before 12:00 a.m. on March 24 ).
Week 10
Lesson reading(s)
CD: pp. 116-235
(All students)
Lesson reading(s)
HL: 158-172
(Graduate students)
Advanced
Webquest (0, 1, or 2 Look at www.chesscafe.com for articles expressing
points) opinions about USCF. Search through past issues. This
(0, 1, or 2 points for search is difficult, so start early and share what you find
the second half of with the group! If you have a strong stomach, you might
the course) look at the discussion group rec.games.chess.politics, but be
warned! (0, 1, or 2 points)

webquest, discuss some of the issues facing USCF today.
Talk about the roles it plays; in particular look at the work
Threaded
of the Scholastic Committee and the Scholastic Council.
Don't neglect Don's book in this discussion. Graduate
or 3 points)
students are expected to incorporate Huizinga into their
discussion whenever possible, though in this particular case
it might be difficult to find connections. As always,
grammar, spelling, punctuation are not taken into account in
these discussions. (0, 1, 2, or 3 points)
Paper due this week
(email to the None
instructor)
Week 11
Lesson reading(s)
CD: pp. 236-333
(All students)
Lesson reading(s)
HL: 173-194
(Graduate students)
Advanced Look at www.texaschess.org for information about a state

Webquest (0, 1, or 2 chess association. Search for the websites for other state
points) (0, 1, or 2 associations. Look at www.dallaschess.com for information
points for the about a city chess club. Search for the websites of other city
second half of the chess clubs (don't forget the Marshall and the Manhattan
course) Clubs mentioned by Waitzkin!). This search is difficult, so
start early and share what you find with the group! (0, 1, or
2 points)

webquest, discuss some of the issues facing state chess
associations and city chess clubs today. Talk about the roles
Threaded they play; in particular look at the work of these groups in
Discussion (0, 1, 2, the area of scholastic chess. Don't neglect Don's book in
or 3 points) this discussion, and don't forget Waitzkin either.
their discussion whenever possible, though in this particular
case it might be difficult to find connections. As always,
Paper due this week
(email to the None
instructor)
Week 12
Lesson reading(s)
ORC: v-vi, ix-xviii, 154-218
(All students)
Lesson reading(s)
HL: 195-213
(Graduate students)
Advanced
Look at www.chessintheschools.org for information about a
not-for-profit group using tax-deductible contributions to
points) (0, 1, or 2
support chess in inner-city New York. Search for the
points for the
websites for other such groups, for example, the Seattle
second half of the
Chess Foundation or the U.S. Chess Trust. This search is
course)
difficult, so start early and share what you find with the
group! (0, 1, or 2 points)

webquest, discuss programs supported by tax-deductible
chess associations today. Talk about the roles they play; in
Threaded particular look at the work of these groups in the area of
Discussion (0, 1, 2, scholastic chess. Do any of these groups have programs that
or 3 points) might help you with your own school chess program?
their discussion whenever possible, though in this particular
case it might be difficult to find connections. As always,
Paper due this week
(email to the None
instructor)
Week 13
Lesson reading(s)
ORC: 219-235
(All students)
Lesson reading(s)
None
(Graduate students)
Advanced
Webquest (0, 1, or 2 Look at www.amchess.org for information about the use of
points) (0, 1, or 2 chess in supporting educational goals. Look at
points for the http://arvida.dade.k12.fl.us/chess/ for information about the
second half of the Miami-Dade Scholastic Chess Association. Try to find
course) other relevant sites. This search is difficult, so start early
and share what you find with the group! (0, 1, or 2 points)

webquest, discuss programs for chess in school that might
help you with you own school chess program. Using the
USCF's Guide to Scholastic Chess, revised and relevant
research on the effects of chess on children's learning and
Threaded
self-esteem, start to make a case for the use of chess in your
school. Graduate students are expected to incorporate
or 3 points)
Huizinga into their discussion whenever possible. Most
relevant will by his discussions of paidia, how the Greek
word skole turned into school (and what it lost in the
process), and any reflections you might have arising from
Huizinga about the uses of play in school. As always,
Paper due this week
(email to the None
instructor)
Week 14
Lesson reading(s)
None
(All students)
Lesson reading(s)
None
(Graduate students)
Advanced
points) (0, 1, or 2
None
points for the
second half of the
course)
Threaded
Discussion (0, 1, 2, None
or 3 points)
Paper #2: Prepare a memo in which you propose the
establishment of a chess class to be taught during school
and a chess program that will be held either after school,
before school, or during the lunch hour. You should discuss
the benefits of these activities, explain what resources
Paper due this week (money, time, etc.) you will need, detail what equipment
(email to the you will need to buy and where you will get it, what help
instructor) you might get from the chess community, and anything else
you think relevant to persuading the school administration
to start chess at school.
Paper is due by the end of the last day of the week ( due
before 12:00 a.m. on April 28 ).

UT Dallas Syllabus For Ed4359.0t1.06s Taught by (gxd025000)

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Chess in the Classroom II, Syllabus Page 1

The Chess in the Classroom courses offered by the University of

Texas at Dallas are examples of educational theory catching up with

Chess-playing children attract media attention, improve their standardized

include chess in their elementary school classrooms. Chess in the Classroom

I and II, offered by the University of Texas at Dallas, give educators a

rationale and a method for incorporating chess in elementary school

Children Playing Chess

Chess in the Classroom I: Elementary provides a curriculum

problems. As students in Chess in the Classroom I, educators create their

own curricula that include chess.

Chess in the Classroom II: Institutional and Cultural Contexts will

of chess with a view towards giving teachers greater access to existing

resources to promote the play and study of the game of chess.

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either order or together during the same semester.

Successful completion of both courses will lead to the

award of a Certificate in Chess and Education from the

University of Texas at Dallas. Taken together, the two

courses form a coherent whole that will prepare teachers

to start in-school and after-school chess activities; the

courses will also be of interest to chess coaches, chess

teachers, and parents.

The present course, Chess in the Classroom II, is

divided into two main parts. After three weeks of

introductory material, the first part of the course will

enable you to understand the cultural prestige chess

enjoys in this country and abroad, and the cultural

traditions that inform our understanding of an activity

that has multiple dimensions. The second part of the

course will enable you to understand the various

how they can help you with chess in your school.

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• elementary teachers without previous chess knowledge who wish to

Chess knowledge is not required to begin this course. Chess examples

beginning chessplayers among your elementary school students. Also, the

explanations may stimulate your appreciation of the academic and

series, during the first three weeks of this course.

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question whether chess can be

helpful in education. On August

1, 1977, Dr. Susan Chipman of

the National Institute of

Education wrote, "Time spent

mastering chess is likely to

compete with the acquisition of

other intellectual skills. Also it is

a general finding in psychology

that the transfer of skill from one

area to another tends to be

disappointing. One is best

advised to train directly on the

skill desired." But noted

cognitive psychologist Adriaan

D. de Groot responded the

is true that most high level skills

(in music, mathematics, and

chess) consist of very specific

repertoires, instructing children

in the basics of chess may

promote transferable outcomes.