Education

This course is a study of human development from infancy through death. The course applies learning theory to life-span development to promote self-understanding and to provide preparation for working with individuals, families, groups, and communities. Must receive a grade of B- or better in order to take EDUC 242.

This course focuses on areas of knowledge in the liberal arts that approach learning through a process of inquiry and questioning from a variety of disciplines. Areas were chosen to give students a broad understanding of the liberal arts. A variety of instructional strategies and methods will be used to promote active inquiry into learning during class time.

This course will delve into the role that the teachers and students play in the classroom. It intends to provide the learner with opportunities to explore, analyze compare and contrast different models of teaching and learning. It also provides learners opportunities discover what educational purposes the range of teaching and learning approaches can serve and how it can help create a multidimensional and differentiated learning environment for students. The course assumes, identifies, and uses a body of scholarly knowledge and research appropriate for study and application to the profession of college/university teaching. Topics examined include learning and diversity, teaching models and strategies, teacher and student behaviors and learning outcomes, and instructional improvement strategies.

This course will provide the learner with opportunities to research a variety of education institutions at all levels to gain an understanding of program planning and assessment. The learner will discover the variety of Stakeholders at all levels within and outside the organization, including students, administrators, employers, legislators, and the public, expect institutions to demonstrate that their programs accomplish desired goals and that processes are in place to support data-driven improvement. The learner will engage in program planning and assessment which will lead to strategic strategies for improvement within a determined program. Learners will gain a better understanding for how assessment data may be used for accountability and for institutional improvement.

This course focuses on a critical examination of current issues influencing early and middle childhood education. Topics include both historical and contemporary views of childhood education, as well as social, educational and economic policies that shape the practices within schools. Students are assessed by their contribution to the class discussions throughout the semester. A variety of instructional strategies are used to promote active inquiry into learning during class time.

This course is designed to inform the learner of using research and data to make decisions in their institution. The learner will explore strategies for putting into practice data-informed, decision-making processes. The learner will research how and why data driven decision making has been credited with improving teacher quality, improving curriculum, promoting parental involvement, & narrowing the achievement gaps amongst various student populations. Projects will include collecting appropriate data, analyzing the data appropriately, determining the right people and/or venues to receive the data, and using the data make key improvements in educational programs.

This course is an introduction to basic statistical techniques used in educational research. This course covers descriptive statistics, and inferential statistics through one-way ANOVA. Attention is given to ethical issues involved in statistical interpretation of data. This course will also provide an examination of various types of research design and important issues in design and statistical analysis. Learners will propose research projects as an application of principles covered in the course.

This course focuses on current special education topics and professional development issues that impact the educator, interactions with students, parents and other professions (including the development of communication and consultation skills). A variety of instructional strategies and methods will be used to promote active inquiry into learning during class time.

This course will investigate the characteristics of the adult learner. Adult learners have traits that set them apart from ‘traditional’ school or college learners. All adults come to courses with a variety and range of experiences, both in terms of their working life and educational backgrounds. This impacts on how and why they participate in learning. Multiples stages of an adult learner’s life will be investigated which will include their perspectives on learning, motivation, and diverse backgrounds.

This course will cover areas concerning the work of curriculum directors, general supervisors, special supervisors, and department heads; study of supervisory methods current plans for staff utilization and use of instructional materials; and stress on evaluation of educational programs and the effects of supervision.

This course provides a survey of current knowledge on individuals with disabilities within the context of human growth and development across the life span. Content includes historical factors, legislation, etiology, characteristics, needs, educational strategies, including existing and emerging technologies, assessment and support services of/for individuals with disabilities ranging from mild, moderate to severe levels of varying disabilities. The course will study the impact of disabilities on academic and social/emotional performances. A 10 hour field experience is required.

Field and clinical experiences provide opportunities for teaching candidates to apply knowledge, skill and dispositions in a variety of settings appropriate to the content and level of each program of study. Field and clinical experiences are approved and completed under the direction of the institution of higher education and cooperating teacher(s).

This course will provide an overview of administrative theory, tools, and technology; educational leadership; legal issues; organizational and community relationships; political structures; and program development, evaluation, and accountability. Duties of the trustees and administrators in relation to the daily operations of a higher education facility will be explored.

This course is to examine major trends and current issues in American higher education. It focuses on historical, social, organizational, curricular, accountability and budgetary aspects of colleges and universities in the United States. It also addresses the internationalization of higher education in specific regions outside the United States

The course focuses on the fundamentals of planning, design and production of instructional multimedia tools. Laboratory activities cover interrelationships of communication theory; selection, utilization and production of materials, the use of media and the operation of equipment. There are opportunities for students to practice and use educational media and equipment in a cooperative, multicultural, learning environment and in various micro-teaching situations.

This course focuses on multicultural perspectives in education. This course is designed to prepare individuals associated with education to meet the needs of culturally, linguistically, ethnically, or economically diverse (CLEED) classrooms. It is required of all MAT program participants. The course content includes: 1.) African-American cultures, 2.) Asian cultures, 3.) Hispanic cultures, 4.) Native American cultures, 5.) European cultures, 6.) teaching strategies for ethnic studies, 7.) multicultural education as an academic discipline, and 8.) religious differences in culture. A variety of instructional strategies and methods will be used to promote active inquiry into learning during class time.

Students are introduced to two research approaches that are used in special education research: quantitative methods and qualitative methods. Students conduct an extensive review of literature in an area of interest and make a formal oral presentation about their literature review.

This course is the capstone experience for the Master of Arts in Teaching in Education. All MAT candidates are required to complete an Action Research Paper. The purpose of preparing a master’s research paper is to give candidates experience in carrying out the kind of research that is expected throughout their professional career. Through this process, the faculty expects each candidate to demonstrate his/her ability to work independently on a problem and to document his/her familiarity with the literature in the field of study, a command of the techniques and principles of research, and the ability to form valid generalizations from the research data. Candidates work independently under the supervision of their project advisor.