Students are introduced to safe school environments, data-driven decision-making strategies, practice using various assessment tools and monitoring systems for teaching and learning, and learn district, state, and federal accountability systems. Students will gain an understanding of the legal polices pertaining to classified and certificated personnel. Students will also continue to apply a system-based approach that builds coherence through the alignment of fiscal, human, and material resources to support the learning of all sub-groups of students. 

This course develops students' ability to model integrity and justice while learning and applying a variety of decision-making and problem-solving strategies. In this course, students will write a personal code of ethics that includes their moral purpose and belief system for the improvement of teaching and learning. Students will also address issues of equity such as race, language, religions, and sexual harassment. Students will learn ways to inspire and motivate others, and to effectively communicate shared decision-making outcomes to stakeholders. Students will continue to build understanding around the leadership practices that create a learning-centered and trustworthy school community that provides high levels of learning for all students. 

This course provides rich opportunities for participants to examine the impact of culturally responsive teaching within diverse learning environments to foster positive social change. Participants will adopt a cultural and global perspective of teaching and learning to understand how they can best support diverse learners and become agents of social change in their respective fields. Through scenario-based activities, participants will directly apply skills needed to make informed decisions about the design, development, implementation, and evaluation of culturally relevant instructional practices to facilitate the learning of diverse learners. Prerequisite: EDU 650.

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.