This course is designed to give students a real-world perspective into what it is like to teach, learn, and lead in the 21st-century classroom. This course provides an opportunity for students to experience the world of the classroom and analyze the range of perspectives and topics that impact being a successful teacher, learner, and leader in the 21st century. The course will bring together a unique set of ‘voices’ from the field to explore the contemporary nature of what it is like to teach in today’s changing schools while focusing on identifying innovations that can develop students’ capacity to be agents of innovation, collaboration, and creativity.

This course will focus on establishing relationships and partnerships with diverse families. Learners will explore specific strategies for upholding cultural competence within an instructional setting. In addition, students will analyze family and community resources as well as strategies aimed at fostering a partnership with all families to promote student success.

This course will prepare participants to effectively use assessments to enhance student learning and planning for instruction. Participants will have the opportunity to examine different types of assessments and create their own assessments utilizing components of the Backward Design Model. Participants will gain experience in interpreting data to support the individual needs of students through differentiated instruction. This course will also explore the importance of using feedback to help guide instruction and for student self-assessment. Furthermore, current literature will be evaluated to examine relevant issues related to assessments. Prerequisite: EDU 673.

Strategies for English Language Learners in the content areas while maintaining a language development focus will be illustrated. Specific strategies, materials, technology, and learning activities will be examined to support learning.

In this course students will study the structure of the English language in order to better understand the difficulties that arise in learning a second language. English phonology, syntax, analysis, and application of linguistic theory will be studied.

This course will support teachers and others with the development of practical strategies and tools to support community-wide efforts to strengthen and support youth today. Advocacy for youth development as well as strategies to support youth from a wide range of backgrounds will be addressed.

This course explores strategies and techniques to support the success of language and culturally diverse students. The values, customs, and communication styles of cultural groups and their implication for teaching are considered. Research-based instructional approaches to developing English learner literacy will be examined.

In this course, learners will gain practical knowledge about the purposeful integration of technologies to enhance instruction and support diverse learners using the three principles of the Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Learners will evaluate each UDL principle to inform the use of technology in improving learner motivation, stimulating critical thinking, ensuring flexibility and promoting authentic learning experiences to support diverse learners. Prerequisite: EDU 673 or ESE 601 or ECI 601.

In previous courses, students developed an online course within a Learning Management System (LMS) using principles and strategies of quality online learning. In this capstone course, students will collect data and feedback around the online teaching and learning experience. Students will then make further improvements to their online courses based on the evaluative data. Finally, students will create a professional portfolio piece using their revised online course as a model to demonstrate the principles and strategies used in the field to ensure quality online learning. Prerequisite: EDU 601 & EDU 602.

This course examines approaches that assess student knowledge and skills in the online learning environment. Directed instruction, or objectivism, is compared and contrasted with constructivist or inquiry-based learning and assessment theories. Traditional assessment strategies are discussed as applied in directed instructional models of online learning. Nontraditional assessment approaches are explored in constructivist models, such as group products, web pages, multimedia projects, student portfolios, and student projects graded by self-report assessment instruments and rubrics. This course will focus on the use of discussions, pre- and post-testing, writing activities, graded assessments, self-grading assessments, and hands-on projects on student learning and assessment. Prerequisite: EDU 600.