M.S. in Education

In this course, education professionals explore what it means to be a professional in today’s diverse and changing educational landscape. They examine their values, beliefs, vision, and mission, and they explore their role in the larger context of the teaching profession. They also explore the importance of collaboration in a professional learning community and the need to advocate for Education students, other educators, and the field of education. Education professionals learn how a professional stance influences student learning. Through a written reflection, they synthesize their learning throughout the course and consider how to use this knowledge to enhance professional growth and development.

The relationship between classroom curriculum, instruction, and assessment in the context of standards and accountability plays an important role in education. Education professionals in this course focus on the importance of aligning these components as well as the resulting influence on student learning. They explore learning theory, learner variables, and the need for differentiation to meet diverse learning needs. They discuss multiple purposes and methods of assessment as well as effective approaches to grading and reporting. Using their state or district standards, education professionals engage in a process for designing standards-driven classroom curriculum, instruction, and assessment that will meet the diverse learning needs of their students. (Prerequisites: Endorsement candidates must complete special education endorsement courses and receive a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher prior to moving into M.S. in Education courses.)

In this course, education professionals explore the value of linguistic and cultural diversity and the powerful learning opportunities it affords today’s classrooms and schools. They examine their attitudes, beliefs, and biases regarding linguistically and culturally diverse students, families, and communities, and they learn approaches for working together to ensure high levels of learning for all  students. Through real-world observations, they assess strategies for ensuring equitable access to high-quality learning experiences. Education professionals also explore effective practices, such as cultural responsiveness, anti-bias curriculum, differentiated instruction, and academic vocabulary development. (Prerequisites: Endorsement candidates must complete special education endorsement courses and receive a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher prior to moving into M.S. in Education courses.)

Education professionals use action research in a variety of ways to improve schools, student performance, and their own professional development and skills. In this course, education professionals examine a structured approach to the practice of action research. They learn how to address relevant problems, become involved in collaborative inquiry, use data and research to inform their practice, improve student academic success, and contribute to positive change in their classroom and school environments. Education professionals engage in reflective practices as they collect and analyze student data and develop and implement data-informed decisions/actions to improve student learning and enhance professional growth.

Education professionals learn and use research-based strategies to enhance their students’ reading proficiency and develop critical literacy skills while teaching essential content. Strategies are designed to enhance learning in science, mathematics, history, English, and other middle-level or secondary content areas.

Educators in this course gain practical experience integrating writing into content area curriculum, instruction, and assessment. They learn how to help students use writing to deepen and articulate clearly their understanding of subject matter. Educators examine and apply strategies for using various types of journals and learning logs, writing frameworks, and note-taking tools. They also develop, implement, and evaluate writing tasks to help students focus on the concepts or ideas for a specific unit of study. Additionally, a special emphasis of the course is on teaching the writing process and skills for effective writing in various genres. Educators develop plans for guiding students through prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing stages of the writing process.

In this course, education professionals develop a new, expanded definition of what it means to be literate in today’s technology-rich world. Education professionals explore the use and application of multimedia and Internet technologies that enhance learning and support collaborative problem solving in a digital information society. They learn strategies for how to prepare students across the grade levels for the complex challenges related to reading, critical thinking, researching, and communicating in the 21st century. Synthesizing course concepts, they assess curriculum standards in their area and develop an inquiry-based unit plan designed to develop their students’ information and visual literacy skills and meet a specific learning outcome or standard in their subject area.

In this course, education professionals expand their focus of technology use in the classroom by exploring instructional strategies and digital tools that facilitate content area literacy and learning. Education professionals learn how to design technology-infused projects that motivate students and help them meet specific curricular standards. They also explore developmentally appropriate ways of using multimedia and Internet technologies to bring discipline-specific concepts to life and foster interdisciplinary connections that enhance learning across the curriculum.

Educators learn and use strategies to help improve middle level and secondary students’ reading, writing, test-taking, and study skills as a way to increase their learning and achievement in the content areas.

Education professionals in this course learn to apply various technologies to enable and empower learners with diverse backgrounds, learning preferences, and ability levels. They employ digital-age solutions for differentiating instruction to meet varying needs, including assistive technologies that facilitate learning in students with special needs, programs that support English-language learners, and projects that engage and motivate gifted students. Through this course, they learn to harness the power of leading-edge technologies to increase learning and achievement for all students.

In this course, education professionals explore what it means to be a professional in today’s diverse and changing educational landscape. They examine their values, beliefs, vision, and mission, and they explore their role in the larger context of the teaching profession. They also explore the importance of collaboration in a professional learning community and the need to advocate for Education students, other educators, and the field of education. Education professionals learn how a professional stance influences student learning. Through a written reflection, they synthesize their learning throughout the course and consider how to use this knowledge to enhance professional growth and development.

The focus of teacher leadership expands from self to  students, increasing the sphere of influence of the teacher leader to the classroom context in this course. Education professionals concentrate on advancing their expertise in the field of teaching by increasing their knowledge and skills in three key areas: knowledge of learners and learning; knowledge of subject matter and curriculum goals; and knowledge of effective teaching models, strategies, and practices. They learn to apply this expertise in the classroom in ways that directly affect the learning and achievement of their  students.

Education professionals in this course are helped to create safe, supportive, and respectful learning environments that promote social-emotional development, self-responsibility, and character to optimize learning for all  students. Education professionals learn how to foster a sense of community in the classroom and develop positive relationships with and among  students. They explore skills and strategies for managing dynamic and flexible classroom structures and for teaching conflict resolution as well as for building positive relationships and engaging in effective communication and problem solving with parents and families. Applying course concepts, they also implement an instructional strategy and reflect on its efficacy in increasing student engagement in learning activities. (Prerequisites: Endorsement candidates must complete special education endorsement courses and receive a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher prior to moving into M.S. in Education courses.)

Professional educators must have the knowledge and skill to make important decisions regarding what students learn and how they will learn it to ensure student success. In this course, education professionals engage in a research-based process for designing and mapping curriculum that motivates students and promotes academic success. Beginning with the end in mind, education professionals identify clear learning goals and big ideas, create authentic assessments, and develop essential questions to guide effective instructional planning and ongoing assessments using their district or state standards and/or benchmarks. They also apply the curriculum design process to a subject area they teach, keeping in mind the influence of learning environment, family involvement, and social development on the design process.

Education professionals in this course examine the historical and contemporary perspectives on assessment, including trends in high-stakes assessment and accountability. They learn types and purposes of assessment as well as how to use assessments effectively. Education professionals also analyze strengths and weaknesses of various assessment methods and use ongoing assessments to guide decisions that will improve student performance. They explore and discuss data collecting and analysis, grading, record-keeping, and reporting. Additionally, they learn the importance of student self-assessment and the best ways to support their students in monitoring learning and reflecting on how to improve personal performance.

Education professionals use action research in a variety of ways to improve schools, student performance, and their own professional development and skills. In this course, education professionals examine a structured approach to the practice of action research. They learn how to address relevant problems, become involved in collaborative inquiry, use data and research to inform their practice, improve student academic success, and contribute to positive change in their classroom and school environments. Education professionals engage in reflective practices as they collect and analyze student data and develop and implement data-informed decisions/actions to improve student learning and enhance professional growth.

Education professionals in this course are helped to develop skills and strategies to prepare students for living and learning productively in today’s society. They complete a variety of assignments designed to provide practical application of course content, such as designing a lesson in which they integrate habits of mind with other instructional elements to achieve multiple outcomes. They also create a rubric that allows students to demonstrate learning in each area of the lesson. Additionally, they reflect on the theories, concepts, and strategies learned in the course and consider the influence of new knowledge on future personal and professional endeavors. Through this course, education professionals learn how to help students manage, motivate, and modify their own learning as a continuing lifelong process.

In this course, education professionals explore the value of linguistic and cultural diversity and the powerful learning opportunities it affords today’s classrooms and schools. They examine their attitudes, beliefs, and biases regarding linguistically and culturally diverse students, families, and communities, and they learn approaches for working together to ensure high levels of learning for all  students. Through real-world observations, they assess strategies for ensuring equitable access to high-quality learning experiences. Education professionals also explore effective practices, such as cultural responsiveness, anti-bias curriculum, differentiated instruction, and academic vocabulary development. (Prerequisites: Endorsement candidates must complete special education endorsement courses and receive a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher prior to moving into M.S. in Education courses.)

Educators must recognize the importance for all students, including students with special needs, to achieve high academic standards. In this course, education professionals examine the learning challenges of students who, by definition of federal law, have disabilities as well as those of students who have significant difficulty with learning but do not qualify for special education services. Education professionals learn how to adapt curriculum, instruction, and assessment to maximize learning for students with special needs. They also have the opportunity to evaluate and describe activities and experiences through the perspective of a student with a learning disability, thus gaining empathy and a deeper understanding of how to work with students with special needs.

The practice of differentiating instruction is a way for educators to meet diverse learning needs and preferences without having to individualize instruction for every student. In this course, education professionals learn how to differentiate five instructional elements—content, product, process, affect, and learning environment—according to  students’ interests, readiness, and learning profile. They explore flexible grouping and managing the differentiated classroom. Using their classroom curriculum, they plan and implement differentiated lessons and align them to important learning goals, essential questions, and formative and summative assessments while ensuring that their instruction includes meaningful applications of knowledge. Education professionals also learn how to draw on resources, such as staff, community members, and educators to support the “whole” child in the learning process.

In this course, educators explore their views as teachers on the value of linguistic and cultural diversity of learners. They discover the powerful learning opportunities enabled by such diversity in today’s classrooms and schools. They examine their attitudes, beliefs, and biases regarding linguistically and culturally diverse learners, families, and communities and gain knowledge of approaches for working together to help ensure high levels of learning for all students. Strategies for ensuring equitable access to high-quality learning experiences are presented. Effective practices such as cultural responsiveness, anti-bias curriculum, differentiated instruction, and developing academic vocabulary are explored.

The emphasis of this course is to highlight the need for all students, including students with special needs, to achieve high academic standards. Educators examine the learning challenges of students who, by definition of federal law, have disabilities as well as those of students who have significant difficulty with learning but do not qualify for special education services. Teacher-educators learn how to adapt and/or modify curriculum, instruction, and assessment to maximize learning for students with special needs.

The practice of differentiating instruction as a way to meet diverse learning needs and preferences without having to individualize instruction for every student is explored in this course. Teacher-educators will learn how to differentiate five instructional elements—content, product, process, affect, and learning environment—according to students’ interests, readiness, and learning profile. Flexible grouping and managing the differentiated classroom will be addressed. Using their classroom curriculum, teacher-educators will plan and implement differentiated lessons and align them to important learning goals, essential questions, and formative and summative assessments, while ensuring that their instruction includes meaningful applications of knowledge. Teacher-educators also will learn how to draw on resources such as staff, community members, and students to support the “whole” child in the learning process.

In this course, educators are introduced to seven intelligent behaviors, or “habits of mind,” exhibited by effective learners. The importance of teacher-educators developing these behaviors in themselves, their students, and the learning organization is emphasized. Teacher-educators will learn how to foster the habits of mind—in self, students, and the learning organization—by employing strategies for self-directed learning, which is a lifelong learning process of self-motivation, self-management, and self-modification.

Effective principals influence the quality of teaching by understanding how to recognize outstanding teaching and facilitate improvement by communicating how and why learner-centered teaching enhances the learning outcomes of every student. This course introduces principal candidates to the latest research on education, teaching, and learning, and fosters the development of an understanding of how effective approaches to instruction are informed by research.

In this course, education professionals explore what it means to be a professional in today’s diverse and changing educational landscape. They examine their values, beliefs, vision, and mission, and they explore their role in the larger context of the teaching profession. They also explore the importance of collaboration in a professional learning community and the need to advocate for Education students, other educators, and the field of education. Education professionals learn how a professional stance influences student learning. Through a written reflection, they synthesize their learning throughout the course and consider how to use this knowledge to enhance professional growth and development.

The relationship between classroom curriculum, instruction, and assessment in the context of standards and accountability plays an important role in education. Education professionals in this course focus on the importance of aligning these components as well as the resulting influence on student learning. They explore learning theory, learner variables, and the need for differentiation to meet diverse learning needs. They discuss multiple purposes and methods of assessment as well as effective approaches to grading and reporting. Using their state or district standards, education professionals engage in a process for designing standards-driven classroom curriculum, instruction, and assessment that will meet the diverse learning needs of their students. (Prerequisites: Endorsement candidates must complete special education endorsement courses and receive a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher prior to moving into M.S. in Education courses.)

In this course, education professionals explore the value of linguistic and cultural diversity and the powerful learning opportunities it affords today’s classrooms and schools. They examine their attitudes, beliefs, and biases regarding linguistically and culturally diverse students, families, and communities, and they learn approaches for working together to ensure high levels of learning for all  students. Through real-world observations, they assess strategies for ensuring equitable access to high-quality learning experiences. Education professionals also explore effective practices, such as cultural responsiveness, anti-bias curriculum, differentiated instruction, and academic vocabulary development. (Prerequisites: Endorsement candidates must complete special education endorsement courses and receive a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher prior to moving into M.S. in Education courses.)

Education professionals use action research in a variety of ways to improve schools, student performance, and their own professional development and skills. In this course, education professionals examine a structured approach to the practice of action research. They learn how to address relevant problems, become involved in collaborative inquiry, use data and research to inform their practice, improve student academic success, and contribute to positive change in their classroom and school environments. Education professionals engage in reflective practices as they collect and analyze student data and develop and implement data-informed decisions/actions to improve student learning and enhance professional growth.

Education professionals in this course are helped to create safe, supportive, and respectful learning environments that promote social-emotional development, self-responsibility, and character to optimize learning for all  students. Education professionals learn how to foster a sense of community in the classroom and develop positive relationships with and among  students. They explore skills and strategies for managing dynamic and flexible classroom structures and for teaching conflict resolution as well as for building positive relationships and engaging in effective communication and problem solving with parents and families. Applying course concepts, they also implement an instructional strategy and reflect on its efficacy in increasing student engagement in learning activities. (Prerequisites: Endorsement candidates must complete special education endorsement courses and receive a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher prior to moving into M.S. in Education courses.)

Education professionals in this course establish a mindset for reading and literacy instruction through which they recognize the dynamic landscape of 21st-century education. They explore historical perspectives on literacy education and the social, political, economic, and cultural forces that influence today’s classroom. They learn, analyze, and apply research-based foundations of effective literacy instruction, including the five pillars of reading—phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. They explore and discuss a variety of related topics, including language development, new technologies, writing, learner diversity, assessment, and developmental approaches to instruction. Through this course, education professionals also learn the importance of collaboration, parent/family connections, data-driven decision making, and ongoing professional development.

Building a strong foundation of literacy skills and experiences in young children is critical to their success in school and in life. In this course, education professionals learn and apply a developmental approach to reading and literacy instruction in preschool through grade 3. Using the five pillars of reading—phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension—as an organizational framework, education professionals explore the characteristics of emergent, beginning, and transitional readers. They also plan and implement developmentally appropriate assessments, materials, and strategies for instruction, including effective use of current technologies. Through this course, education professionals learn the importance of effective planning and organization in the literacy classroom.

The intermediate grades present new and unique challenges to literacy learning. In this course, education professionals learn and apply a developmental approach to reading and literacy instruction for grades 4–6. Using the five pillars of reading—phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension—as an organizational framework, education professionals explore the characteristics of intermediate and advanced readers. They also plan and implement developmentally appropriate assessments, materials, and strategies for instruction. Through various conceptual and application-based assignments, they explore text structures, specialized vocabulary, content area and interdisciplinary reading, literature, reading-writing connections, critical thinking, comprehension, research and study skills, multiple literacies, and use of current technologies.

Today’s classrooms reflect the rich cultural and linguistic diversity of the world outside of school. Through this course, education professionals work toward establishing a culturally responsive classroom where literacy development can flourish for all  students. Education professionals learn and apply strategies to scaffold and support English-language learners at all levels of language acquisition. They examine the second-language acquisition process and methods to assess second-language and literacy proficiencies. Additionally, they learn to select culturally sensitive and relevant instructional materials and work with parents, community members, and other colleagues to support student success.

Today’s inclusive classrooms require teachers to become competent and confident in working with students who struggle with reading and writing. Education professionals in this course focus on accelerating the literacy development of students with reading difficulties, including students who have specific learning disabilities, and addressing the needs of  students considered gifted. They use diagnostic assessments, apply research-based strategies, and work with reading specialists/coaches and special educators to support academically diverse needs within the larger classroom context. They also explore and discuss a variety of topics, including informal and formal assessment, methods to differentiate and scaffold instruction, progress monitoring, leveling books, intervention strategies, and use of motivating texts. Additionally, education professionals learn the importance of collaboration with support resources.

In this course, education professionals explore what it means to be a professional in today’s diverse and changing educational landscape. They examine their values, beliefs, vision, and mission, and they explore their role in the larger context of the teaching profession. They also explore the importance of collaboration in a professional learning community and the need to advocate for Education students, other educators, and the field of education. Education professionals learn how a professional stance influences student learning. Through a written reflection, they synthesize their learning throughout the course and consider how to use this knowledge to enhance professional growth and development.

The relationship between classroom curriculum, instruction, and assessment in the context of standards and accountability plays an important role in education. Education professionals in this course focus on the importance of aligning these components as well as the resulting influence on student learning. They explore learning theory, learner variables, and the need for differentiation to meet diverse learning needs. They discuss multiple purposes and methods of assessment as well as effective approaches to grading and reporting. Using their state or district standards, education professionals engage in a process for designing standards-driven classroom curriculum, instruction, and assessment that will meet the diverse learning needs of their students. (Prerequisites: Endorsement candidates must complete special education endorsement courses and receive a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher prior to moving into M.S. in Education courses.)

In this course, education professionals explore the value of linguistic and cultural diversity and the powerful learning opportunities it affords today’s classrooms and schools. They examine their attitudes, beliefs, and biases regarding linguistically and culturally diverse students, families, and communities, and they learn approaches for working together to ensure high levels of learning for all  students. Through real-world observations, they assess strategies for ensuring equitable access to high-quality learning experiences. Education professionals also explore effective practices, such as cultural responsiveness, anti-bias curriculum, differentiated instruction, and academic vocabulary development. (Prerequisites: Endorsement candidates must complete special education endorsement courses and receive a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher prior to moving into M.S. in Education courses.)

Education professionals use action research in a variety of ways to improve schools, student performance, and their own professional development and skills. In this course, education professionals examine a structured approach to the practice of action research. They learn how to address relevant problems, become involved in collaborative inquiry, use data and research to inform their practice, improve student academic success, and contribute to positive change in their classroom and school environments. Education professionals engage in reflective practices as they collect and analyze student data and develop and implement data-informed decisions/actions to improve student learning and enhance professional growth.

To foster high levels of learning and achievement in math, teachers must first have a deep understanding of mathematical concepts and know how best to teach them. In this course,  teachers of K—8 mathematics are introduced to exciting ideas and practices to address their own learning and teaching of mathematics. Authentic and engaging mathematics experiences, including modeling, representing mathematical ideas in multiple ways, and identifying and addressing student misconceptions, are emphasized. Educators engage in effective practices for fostering students’ ability to reason, analyze conceptual relationships, and persist in solving challenging problems. Connections across mathematics topics, skills, and levels as well as educational policies that impact the learning and teaching of mathematics are emphasized in this course. The Common Core State Standards for Mathematics, including the Standards for Mathematical Practice , and the National Council for Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) practices are frameworks for addressing fundamental principles and skills.

Effective elementary mathematics instruction requires a deep understanding of numbers and operations and how children learn these ideas. In this course, educators extend and refine their knowledge of the structure of the base ten number system and its properties. In particular, they work with operations—deeply examining their meaning and properties—with a focus on addition and subtraction. They examine various methods of multidigit calculations, including standard algorithms, mental math, and nonstandard procedures commonly created by students. Educators build upon their own conceptual understanding through mathematical modeling and other challenging tasks to acquire a high-level understanding of these topics. Educators can also learn how to diagnose students’ understanding of the base ten number system, identify common misconceptions, and develop appropriate interventions.

Developing students’ mathematical habits of mind and leading them to become mathematical thinkers is an important goal of elementary mathematics education. In this course, educators extend their own understanding of the base ten number system and the relationships among addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Educators explore various interpretations and meanings of these operations while working with properties of multiplication, division, and proportionality. They investigate students’ misconceptions and struggles and develop effective intervention strategies. Educators further develop their own mathematical habits of mind as they engage in challenging tasks and solve real-world mathematical problems.

Building a strong foundation of literacy skills and experiences in young children is critical to their success in school and in life. In this course, education professionals learn and apply a developmental approach to reading and literacy instruction in preschool through grade 3. Using the five pillars of reading—phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension—as an organizational framework, education professionals explore the characteristics of emergent, beginning, and transitional readers. They also plan and implement developmentally appropriate assessments, materials, and strategies for instruction, including effective use of current technologies. Through this course, education professionals learn the importance of effective planning and organization in the literacy classroom.

The intermediate grades present new and unique challenges to literacy learning. In this course, education professionals learn and apply a developmental approach to reading and literacy instruction for grades 4–6. Using the five pillars of reading—phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension—as an organizational framework, education professionals explore the characteristics of intermediate and advanced readers. They also plan and implement developmentally appropriate assessments, materials, and strategies for instruction. Through various conceptual and application-based assignments, they explore text structures, specialized vocabulary, content area and interdisciplinary reading, literature, reading-writing connections, critical thinking, comprehension, research and study skills, multiple literacies, and use of current technologies.

Today’s inclusive classrooms require teachers to become competent and confident in working with students who struggle with reading and writing. Education professionals in this course focus on accelerating the literacy development of students with reading difficulties, including students who have specific learning disabilities, and addressing the needs of  students considered gifted. They use diagnostic assessments, apply research-based strategies, and work with reading specialists/coaches and special educators to support academically diverse needs within the larger classroom context. They also explore and discuss a variety of topics, including informal and formal assessment, methods to differentiate and scaffold instruction, progress monitoring, leveling books, intervention strategies, and use of motivating texts. Additionally, education professionals learn the importance of collaboration with support resources.

In this course, education professionals explore what it means to be a professional in today’s diverse and changing educational landscape. They examine their values, beliefs, vision, and mission, and they explore their role in the larger context of the teaching profession. They also explore the importance of collaboration in a professional learning community and the need to advocate for Education students, other educators, and the field of education. Education professionals learn how a professional stance influences student learning. Through a written reflection, they synthesize their learning throughout the course and consider how to use this knowledge to enhance professional growth and development.

The relationship between classroom curriculum, instruction, and assessment in the context of standards and accountability plays an important role in education. Education professionals in this course focus on the importance of aligning these components as well as the resulting influence on student learning. They explore learning theory, learner variables, and the need for differentiation to meet diverse learning needs. They discuss multiple purposes and methods of assessment as well as effective approaches to grading and reporting. Using their state or district standards, education professionals engage in a process for designing standards-driven classroom curriculum, instruction, and assessment that will meet the diverse learning needs of their students. (Prerequisites: Endorsement candidates must complete special education endorsement courses and receive a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher prior to moving into M.S. in Education courses.)

In this course, education professionals explore the value of linguistic and cultural diversity and the powerful learning opportunities it affords today’s classrooms and schools. They examine their attitudes, beliefs, and biases regarding linguistically and culturally diverse students, families, and communities, and they learn approaches for working together to ensure high levels of learning for all  students. Through real-world observations, they assess strategies for ensuring equitable access to high-quality learning experiences. Education professionals also explore effective practices, such as cultural responsiveness, anti-bias curriculum, differentiated instruction, and academic vocabulary development. (Prerequisites: Endorsement candidates must complete special education endorsement courses and receive a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher prior to moving into M.S. in Education courses.)

Education professionals use action research in a variety of ways to improve schools, student performance, and their own professional development and skills. In this course, education professionals examine a structured approach to the practice of action research. They learn how to address relevant problems, become involved in collaborative inquiry, use data and research to inform their practice, improve student academic success, and contribute to positive change in their classroom and school environments. Education professionals engage in reflective practices as they collect and analyze student data and develop and implement data-informed decisions/actions to improve student learning and enhance professional growth.

As new and emerging technologies transform the landscape of education, the possibilities for learning and discovery grow exponentially. Through this course, education professionals examine the history and evolution of technology in society and its influence on education. Education professionals explore technology as a vehicle for broad access, and they employ a variety of digital-age tools, including social networking, interactive learning tools, and collaboration software, to inspire and motivate today’s learners. They also explore and discuss ethical considerations, responsible use, and cyber safety issues. Through practical applications, such as designing a lesson that incorporates blogs, wikis, or podcasts, they gain hands-on experience integrating technology into the classroom.

Education professionals in this course explore various learning theories and research on how the brain processes information as well as how they can use this knowledge to support the use of technology in the classroom. They explore and evaluate various technologies, such as computer-mediated instruction and virtual learning environments, as means to foster learner-centered classrooms where students are motivated. Education professionals also learn how to support and enhance instructional practices using technology and how to integrate developmentally-appropriate practices in teaching and learning with the latest digital resources available. Applying course concepts, they revise a lesson plan to support and facilitate student engagement using technology-based cognitive tools.

In this course, education professionals develop a new, expanded definition of what it means to be literate in today’s technology-rich world. Education professionals explore the use and application of multimedia and Internet technologies that enhance learning and support collaborative problem solving in a digital information society. They learn strategies for how to prepare students across the grade levels for the complex challenges related to reading, critical thinking, researching, and communicating in the 21st century. Synthesizing course concepts, they assess curriculum standards in their area and develop an inquiry-based unit plan designed to develop their students’ information and visual literacy skills and meet a specific learning outcome or standard in their subject area.

In this course, education professionals expand their focus of technology use in the classroom by exploring instructional strategies and digital tools that facilitate content area literacy and learning. Education professionals learn how to design technology-infused projects that motivate students and help them meet specific curricular standards. They also explore developmentally appropriate ways of using multimedia and Internet technologies to bring discipline-specific concepts to life and foster interdisciplinary connections that enhance learning across the curriculum.

Education professionals in this course learn to apply various technologies to enable and empower learners with diverse backgrounds, learning preferences, and ability levels. They employ digital-age solutions for differentiating instruction to meet varying needs, including assistive technologies that facilitate learning in students with special needs, programs that support English-language learners, and projects that engage and motivate gifted students. Through this course, they learn to harness the power of leading-edge technologies to increase learning and achievement for all students.

Through this course, education professionals consider the future of teaching and learning, discover promising trends in technology, and investigate opportunities to become leaders in the field of technology and learning. They consider how to address school-wide challenges, such as limited resources and resistance to change, and they explore skills and strategies, such as grant writing and leading change. Additionally, they complete a capstone project that demonstrates their ability and willingness to become advocates and change agents who use technology to address challenges and create opportunities within the field of education.

In this course, education professionals explore what it means to be a professional in today’s diverse and changing educational landscape. They examine their values, beliefs, vision, and mission, and they explore their role in the larger context of the teaching profession. They also explore the importance of collaboration in a professional learning community and the need to advocate for Education students, other educators, and the field of education. Education professionals learn how a professional stance influences student learning. Through a written reflection, they synthesize their learning throughout the course and consider how to use this knowledge to enhance professional growth and development.

The relationship between classroom curriculum, instruction, and assessment in the context of standards and accountability plays an important role in education. Education professionals in this course focus on the importance of aligning these components as well as the resulting influence on student learning. They explore learning theory, learner variables, and the need for differentiation to meet diverse learning needs. They discuss multiple purposes and methods of assessment as well as effective approaches to grading and reporting. Using their state or district standards, education professionals engage in a process for designing standards-driven classroom curriculum, instruction, and assessment that will meet the diverse learning needs of their students. (Prerequisites: Endorsement candidates must complete special education endorsement courses and receive a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher prior to moving into M.S. in Education courses.)

In this course, education professionals explore the value of linguistic and cultural diversity and the powerful learning opportunities it affords today’s classrooms and schools. They examine their attitudes, beliefs, and biases regarding linguistically and culturally diverse students, families, and communities, and they learn approaches for working together to ensure high levels of learning for all  students. Through real-world observations, they assess strategies for ensuring equitable access to high-quality learning experiences. Education professionals also explore effective practices, such as cultural responsiveness, anti-bias curriculum, differentiated instruction, and academic vocabulary development. (Prerequisites: Endorsement candidates must complete special education endorsement courses and receive a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher prior to moving into M.S. in Education courses.)

Education professionals use action research in a variety of ways to improve schools, student performance, and their own professional development and skills. In this course, education professionals examine a structured approach to the practice of action research. They learn how to address relevant problems, become involved in collaborative inquiry, use data and research to inform their practice, improve student academic success, and contribute to positive change in their classroom and school environments. Education professionals engage in reflective practices as they collect and analyze student data and develop and implement data-informed decisions/actions to improve student learning and enhance professional growth.

Education professionals in this course are helped to create safe, supportive, and respectful learning environments that promote social-emotional development, self-responsibility, and character to optimize learning for all  students. Education professionals learn how to foster a sense of community in the classroom and develop positive relationships with and among  students. They explore skills and strategies for managing dynamic and flexible classroom structures and for teaching conflict resolution as well as for building positive relationships and engaging in effective communication and problem solving with parents and families. Applying course concepts, they also implement an instructional strategy and reflect on its efficacy in increasing student engagement in learning activities. (Prerequisites: Endorsement candidates must complete special education endorsement courses and receive a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher prior to moving into M.S. in Education courses.)

Educators must recognize the importance for all students, including students with special needs, to achieve high academic standards. In this course, education professionals examine the learning challenges of students who, by definition of federal law, have disabilities as well as those of students who have significant difficulty with learning but do not qualify for special education services. Education professionals learn how to adapt curriculum, instruction, and assessment to maximize learning for students with special needs. They also have the opportunity to evaluate and describe activities and experiences through the perspective of a student with a learning disability, thus gaining empathy and a deeper understanding of how to work with students with special needs.

Education professionals learn and use research-based strategies to enhance their students’ reading proficiency and develop critical literacy skills while teaching essential content. Strategies are designed to enhance learning in science, mathematics, history, English, and other middle-level or secondary content areas.

Educators in this course gain practical experience integrating writing into content area curriculum, instruction, and assessment. They learn how to help students use writing to deepen and articulate clearly their understanding of subject matter. Educators examine and apply strategies for using various types of journals and learning logs, writing frameworks, and note-taking tools. They also develop, implement, and evaluate writing tasks to help students focus on the concepts or ideas for a specific unit of study. Additionally, a special emphasis of the course is on teaching the writing process and skills for effective writing in various genres. Educators develop plans for guiding students through prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing stages of the writing process.

In this course, educators integrate technology into research-based instructional models and strategies to develop higher levels of literacy and facilitate more effective content area learning. Educators develop and assess activities designed to expand the learning community across boundaries through the application of information literacy skills, such as Internet searching and critically evaluating online resources. They also collaborate with other educators to develop an internet workshop to engage students in using information literacy skills. Educators have the opportunity to reflect on theories, concepts, and strategies presented in the course to determine how they can most effectively use this knowledge to benefit their students and further their professional development.

Educators learn and use strategies to help improve middle level and secondary students’ reading, writing, test-taking, and study skills as a way to increase their learning and achievement in the content areas.

In this course, education professionals explore what it means to be a professional in today’s diverse and changing educational landscape. They examine their values, beliefs, vision, and mission, and they explore their role in the larger context of the teaching profession. They also explore the importance of collaboration in a professional learning community and the need to advocate for Education students, other educators, and the field of education. Education professionals learn how a professional stance influences student learning. Through a written reflection, they synthesize their learning throughout the course and consider how to use this knowledge to enhance professional growth and development.

The relationship between classroom curriculum, instruction, and assessment in the context of standards and accountability plays an important role in education. Education professionals in this course focus on the importance of aligning these components as well as the resulting influence on student learning. They explore learning theory, learner variables, and the need for differentiation to meet diverse learning needs. They discuss multiple purposes and methods of assessment as well as effective approaches to grading and reporting. Using their state or district standards, education professionals engage in a process for designing standards-driven classroom curriculum, instruction, and assessment that will meet the diverse learning needs of their students. (Prerequisites: Endorsement candidates must complete special education endorsement courses and receive a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher prior to moving into M.S. in Education courses.)

In this course, education professionals explore the value of linguistic and cultural diversity and the powerful learning opportunities it affords today’s classrooms and schools. They examine their attitudes, beliefs, and biases regarding linguistically and culturally diverse students, families, and communities, and they learn approaches for working together to ensure high levels of learning for all  students. Through real-world observations, they assess strategies for ensuring equitable access to high-quality learning experiences. Education professionals also explore effective practices, such as cultural responsiveness, anti-bias curriculum, differentiated instruction, and academic vocabulary development. (Prerequisites: Endorsement candidates must complete special education endorsement courses and receive a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher prior to moving into M.S. in Education courses.)

Education professionals use action research in a variety of ways to improve schools, student performance, and their own professional development and skills. In this course, education professionals examine a structured approach to the practice of action research. They learn how to address relevant problems, become involved in collaborative inquiry, use data and research to inform their practice, improve student academic success, and contribute to positive change in their classroom and school environments. Education professionals engage in reflective practices as they collect and analyze student data and develop and implement data-informed decisions/actions to improve student learning and enhance professional growth.

Education professionals in this course are helped to create safe, supportive, and respectful learning environments that promote social-emotional development, self-responsibility, and character to optimize learning for all  students. Education professionals learn how to foster a sense of community in the classroom and develop positive relationships with and among  students. They explore skills and strategies for managing dynamic and flexible classroom structures and for teaching conflict resolution as well as for building positive relationships and engaging in effective communication and problem solving with parents and families. Applying course concepts, they also implement an instructional strategy and reflect on its efficacy in increasing student engagement in learning activities. (Prerequisites: Endorsement candidates must complete special education endorsement courses and receive a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher prior to moving into M.S. in Education courses.)

To foster high levels of learning and achievement in math, teachers must first have a deep understanding of mathematical concepts and know how best to teach them. In this course,  teachers of K—8 mathematics are introduced to exciting ideas and practices to address their own learning and teaching of mathematics. Authentic and engaging mathematics experiences, including modeling, representing mathematical ideas in multiple ways, and identifying and addressing student misconceptions, are emphasized. Educators engage in effective practices for fostering students’ ability to reason, analyze conceptual relationships, and persist in solving challenging problems. Connections across mathematics topics, skills, and levels as well as educational policies that impact the learning and teaching of mathematics are emphasized in this course. The Common Core State Standards for Mathematics, including the Standards for Mathematical Practice , and the National Council for Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) practices are frameworks for addressing fundamental principles and skills.

Understanding rational numbers is the foundation for understanding other critical mathematic concepts and their application to everyday life. In this course, middle-level mathematics teachers explore exciting ideas to help students determine appropriate operations for solving problems and becoming more proficient in working with factors, multiples, fractions, decimals, percents, and negative numbers. Teachers develop problem-based activities to engage students in using common algorithms and other mathematical reasoning and sense-making strategies for adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing rational numbers. Strategies for estimation and using the number line to represent and solve problems are also provided in this course.

Understanding the relationship among geometry and measurement and solving problems using day-to-day real life experiences can motivate and guide students’ thinking and reasoning around these concepts. In this course, middle mathematics teachers learn strategies to connect geometric thinking and measurement to other topics and develop their own conceptual understanding of geometry and measurement by learning what it means to estimate and measure attributes of objects and how to develop fundamental measurement concepts and skills. In this course educators are challenged and supported as they engage in opportunities to foster students’ mathematical processes, proficiencies, and habits of mind around the concepts of shape, spatial relationships, and measurement, including estimation.

Algebra builds on a strong understanding of arithmetic and its properties in the real number system. Middle mathematics teachers have opportunities to move beyond the traditional teaching of algebra to the idea of algebraic thinking as an important component of all mathematics and everyday life. The use of tools, such as manipulative materials, calculators, and other emerging technological resources, provides educational professionals with concrete examples of how to incorporate the Common Core Standards for Mathematical Practice into their teaching. The goal of this course is to deepen educators’ understandings of the role algebra plays in problem solving and decision making so that they can apply this knowledge to support their students in developing similar knowledge and understandings. Educators explore a range of topics, including reasoning and sense-making; various types of functions; multiple uses of variables; pattern recognition; mathematical modeling; estimation; and the development of linear functions from rates, ratios, and proportional reasoning.

Understanding data, probability, and statistics is critical to making sense of the vast amounts of information available in today’s world. This course provides authentic contexts for collecting, representing, and interpreting data and reinforces essential number concepts in promoting students’ ability to think statistically. Middle mathematics teachers focus on using data as a context for developing a variety of mathematical topics and as an important step toward understanding statistical ideas and processes. The goal of this course is to develop educators’ understanding and pedagogical practices so that they can promote their students’ ability to use data, probability, and statistics to better understand real-world issues and to solve a wide range of relevant and engaging problems in many contexts.

In this course, education professionals explore what it means to be a professional in today’s diverse and changing educational landscape. They examine their values, beliefs, vision, and mission, and they explore their role in the larger context of the teaching profession. They also explore the importance of collaboration in a professional learning community and the need to advocate for Education students, other educators, and the field of education. Education professionals learn how a professional stance influences student learning. Through a written reflection, they synthesize their learning throughout the course and consider how to use this knowledge to enhance professional growth and development.

The relationship between classroom curriculum, instruction, and assessment in the context of standards and accountability plays an important role in education. Education professionals in this course focus on the importance of aligning these components as well as the resulting influence on student learning. They explore learning theory, learner variables, and the need for differentiation to meet diverse learning needs. They discuss multiple purposes and methods of assessment as well as effective approaches to grading and reporting. Using their state or district standards, education professionals engage in a process for designing standards-driven classroom curriculum, instruction, and assessment that will meet the diverse learning needs of their students. (Prerequisites: Endorsement candidates must complete special education endorsement courses and receive a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher prior to moving into M.S. in Education courses.)

In this course, education professionals explore the value of linguistic and cultural diversity and the powerful learning opportunities it affords today’s classrooms and schools. They examine their attitudes, beliefs, and biases regarding linguistically and culturally diverse students, families, and communities, and they learn approaches for working together to ensure high levels of learning for all  students. Through real-world observations, they assess strategies for ensuring equitable access to high-quality learning experiences. Education professionals also explore effective practices, such as cultural responsiveness, anti-bias curriculum, differentiated instruction, and academic vocabulary development. (Prerequisites: Endorsement candidates must complete special education endorsement courses and receive a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher prior to moving into M.S. in Education courses.)

Education professionals use action research in a variety of ways to improve schools, student performance, and their own professional development and skills. In this course, education professionals examine a structured approach to the practice of action research. They learn how to address relevant problems, become involved in collaborative inquiry, use data and research to inform their practice, improve student academic success, and contribute to positive change in their classroom and school environments. Education professionals engage in reflective practices as they collect and analyze student data and develop and implement data-informed decisions/actions to improve student learning and enhance professional growth.

To foster high levels of learning and achievement in math, teachers must first have a deep understanding of mathematical concepts and know how best to teach them. In this course,  teachers of K—8 mathematics are introduced to exciting ideas and practices to address their own learning and teaching of mathematics. Authentic and engaging mathematics experiences, including modeling, representing mathematical ideas in multiple ways, and identifying and addressing student misconceptions, are emphasized. Educators engage in effective practices for fostering students’ ability to reason, analyze conceptual relationships, and persist in solving challenging problems. Connections across mathematics topics, skills, and levels as well as educational policies that impact the learning and teaching of mathematics are emphasized in this course. The Common Core State Standards for Mathematics, including the Standards for Mathematical Practice , and the National Council for Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) practices are frameworks for addressing fundamental principles and skills.

Education professionals can investigate the nature and history of science and the role science plays in 21st-century life. They can discover unifying themes across all areas of science such as scientific inquiry, systems and energy, models and scale, constancy and change, ecology and the environment, and form and function. Education professionals can explore environmental science and apply the scientific tools of inquiry, discovery, hypothesis, and theory to facilitate their own learning in science and to foster engaging and motivating scientific learning in their students.

Education professionals can examine various physical phenomena (e.g., light, sound, heat, magnetism, and motion) in this course. They engage in authentic, active learning experiences that advance their knowledge about these phenomena and model creative teaching approaches that can be used to engage their students in powerful learning about the physical sciences. The practical application of theories and concepts will be emphasized.

Education professionals take a future-focused view of science while developing their skills in science education during this course. Trends, issues, challenges, and opportunities related to science and its role in schools, society, and the workplace will be explored. Topics include genetic engineering, biotechnologies, environmental issues such as climate change and global warming, and the call for education in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). Education professionals engage in professional discourse to grapple with uncertainties, and learn how scientific principles can be used to advocate for authentic social change.

Measurement and geometry are often challenging topics for elementary students, but they represent some of the most visible uses of mathematics in students’ day-to-day lives. In this course, educators learn strategies for connecting these topics to other mathematical concepts, including fractions, decimals, and the number system. In geometry, educators move beyond strategies for developing a familiarity with basic shapes and their properties to explore higher-order tasks that involve geometric thinking, measurement concepts, and proportional relationships. Using data as a context to support students’ learning of these mathematical ideas, educators have the opportunity to explore real-world problems and collect, represent, and interpret data.

Understanding fraction concepts is a critical foundation for learning about proportional relationships and developing algebraic concepts. In this course, educators learn how to extend students’ knowledge of whole numbers and basic operations—addition, subtraction, multiplication, division—to fractions and decimals. Educators learn instructional practices to help students understand, represent, develop, and engage in rational number operations with meaning, proficiency, and precision. They also investigate ways to foster deep conceptual understandings of ratios, rates, and proportional relationships, thus building in students the critical skill of proportional reasoning. Educators consider how proportional reasoning builds a bridge to the study of other important mathematical topics, including geometry, measurement, and data as well as the use of proportionality as a connecting thread throughout the elementary and middle math curriculum.

In this course, education professionals explore what it means to be a professional in today’s diverse and changing educational landscape. They examine their values, beliefs, vision, and mission, and they explore their role in the larger context of the teaching profession. They also explore the importance of collaboration in a professional learning community and the need to advocate for Education students, other educators, and the field of education. Education professionals learn how a professional stance influences student learning. Through a written reflection, they synthesize their learning throughout the course and consider how to use this knowledge to enhance professional growth and development.

The relationship between classroom curriculum, instruction, and assessment in the context of standards and accountability plays an important role in education. Education professionals in this course focus on the importance of aligning these components as well as the resulting influence on student learning. They explore learning theory, learner variables, and the need for differentiation to meet diverse learning needs. They discuss multiple purposes and methods of assessment as well as effective approaches to grading and reporting. Using their state or district standards, education professionals engage in a process for designing standards-driven classroom curriculum, instruction, and assessment that will meet the diverse learning needs of their students. (Prerequisites: Endorsement candidates must complete special education endorsement courses and receive a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher prior to moving into M.S. in Education courses.)

In this course, education professionals explore the value of linguistic and cultural diversity and the powerful learning opportunities it affords today’s classrooms and schools. They examine their attitudes, beliefs, and biases regarding linguistically and culturally diverse students, families, and communities, and they learn approaches for working together to ensure high levels of learning for all  students. Through real-world observations, they assess strategies for ensuring equitable access to high-quality learning experiences. Education professionals also explore effective practices, such as cultural responsiveness, anti-bias curriculum, differentiated instruction, and academic vocabulary development. (Prerequisites: Endorsement candidates must complete special education endorsement courses and receive a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher prior to moving into M.S. in Education courses.)

Education professionals use action research in a variety of ways to improve schools, student performance, and their own professional development and skills. In this course, education professionals examine a structured approach to the practice of action research. They learn how to address relevant problems, become involved in collaborative inquiry, use data and research to inform their practice, improve student academic success, and contribute to positive change in their classroom and school environments. Education professionals engage in reflective practices as they collect and analyze student data and develop and implement data-informed decisions/actions to improve student learning and enhance professional growth.

Education professionals in this course are helped to create safe, supportive, and respectful learning environments that promote social-emotional development, self-responsibility, and character to optimize learning for all  students. Education professionals learn how to foster a sense of community in the classroom and develop positive relationships with and among  students. They explore skills and strategies for managing dynamic and flexible classroom structures and for teaching conflict resolution as well as for building positive relationships and engaging in effective communication and problem solving with parents and families. Applying course concepts, they also implement an instructional strategy and reflect on its efficacy in increasing student engagement in learning activities. (Prerequisites: Endorsement candidates must complete special education endorsement courses and receive a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher prior to moving into M.S. in Education courses.)

To foster high levels of learning and achievement in math, teachers must first have a deep understanding of mathematical concepts and know how best to teach them. In this course,  teachers of K—8 mathematics are introduced to exciting ideas and practices to address their own learning and teaching of mathematics. Authentic and engaging mathematics experiences, including modeling, representing mathematical ideas in multiple ways, and identifying and addressing student misconceptions, are emphasized. Educators engage in effective practices for fostering students’ ability to reason, analyze conceptual relationships, and persist in solving challenging problems. Connections across mathematics topics, skills, and levels as well as educational policies that impact the learning and teaching of mathematics are emphasized in this course. The Common Core State Standards for Mathematics, including the Standards for Mathematical Practice , and the National Council for Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) practices are frameworks for addressing fundamental principles and skills.

Effective elementary mathematics instruction requires a deep understanding of numbers and operations and how children learn these ideas. In this course, educators extend and refine their knowledge of the structure of the base ten number system and its properties. In particular, they work with operations—deeply examining their meaning and properties—with a focus on addition and subtraction. They examine various methods of multidigit calculations, including standard algorithms, mental math, and nonstandard procedures commonly created by students. Educators build upon their own conceptual understanding through mathematical modeling and other challenging tasks to acquire a high-level understanding of these topics. Educators can also learn how to diagnose students’ understanding of the base ten number system, identify common misconceptions, and develop appropriate interventions.

Developing students’ mathematical habits of mind and leading them to become mathematical thinkers is an important goal of elementary mathematics education. In this course, educators extend their own understanding of the base ten number system and the relationships among addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Educators explore various interpretations and meanings of these operations while working with properties of multiplication, division, and proportionality. They investigate students’ misconceptions and struggles and develop effective intervention strategies. Educators further develop their own mathematical habits of mind as they engage in challenging tasks and solve real-world mathematical problems.

Measurement and geometry are often challenging topics for elementary students, but they represent some of the most visible uses of mathematics in students’ day-to-day lives. In this course, educators learn strategies for connecting these topics to other mathematical concepts, including fractions, decimals, and the number system. In geometry, educators move beyond strategies for developing a familiarity with basic shapes and their properties to explore higher-order tasks that involve geometric thinking, measurement concepts, and proportional relationships. Using data as a context to support students’ learning of these mathematical ideas, educators have the opportunity to explore real-world problems and collect, represent, and interpret data.

Understanding fraction concepts is a critical foundation for learning about proportional relationships and developing algebraic concepts. In this course, educators learn how to extend students’ knowledge of whole numbers and basic operations—addition, subtraction, multiplication, division—to fractions and decimals. Educators learn instructional practices to help students understand, represent, develop, and engage in rational number operations with meaning, proficiency, and precision. They also investigate ways to foster deep conceptual understandings of ratios, rates, and proportional relationships, thus building in students the critical skill of proportional reasoning. Educators consider how proportional reasoning builds a bridge to the study of other important mathematical topics, including geometry, measurement, and data as well as the use of proportionality as a connecting thread throughout the elementary and middle math curriculum.

Education professionals are introduced to Walden University and to the requirements and skills needed for successful participation in an online curriculum, such as the use of Internet tools, e-mail, electronic mailing lists, Web browsers, and other critical tools in this course. Education professionals work toward building a foundation for academic and professional success as scholar-practitioners and social change agents. They explore resources used throughout the program, and they engage in course assignments focused on the practical application of professional writing, critical-thinking skills, and the promotion of professional and academic excellence.

Education professionals are provided with an overview of educational technology for classroom integration based on current literature and research in this course. Through conceptual and application-based assignments, education professionals practice evaluating educational technologies to attain learning goals; developing lesson plans or units based on Bloom’s Taxonomy; and selecting appropriate software applications, programs, or support materials that enhance students’ learning environment. They also explore criteria and analysis for selecting educational software, correct uses of various activities in educational software to improve the learning process, and research methods using the Internet.

In this course, education professionals gain an understanding of early adolescence in contemporary society and knowledge of the social, emotional, physical, intellectual, and moral development of early adolescence. They learn how to apply major concepts, principles, theories, and research in teaching and interactions with young adolescents. They also engage in assignments designed to provide authentic context to course content, such as an inquiry project though which they observe students or interview young adolescents to determine their perspectives on life and school. Moreover, education professionals develop a presentation designed to inform parents about key information on the development of young adolescents in middle school programs.

Each level of education requires special consideration and focus based on grade-specific student needs. Students in the middle grades must prepare for transition into high school, focus on state-required achievement exams, and develop skills to help them adapt to the transformation into young adulthood. Education professionals are provided with information to gain an understanding of these needs through exploration of the major concepts, principles, theories, and research on which current middle-level education is based. Education professionals consider philosophical foundations and essential components of middle level education used in a variety of school settings. Coursework emphasizes team teaching for improving student outcomes, including varied use of time within the school, team, and classroom.

Through this course, education professionals gain practical insight into the curriculum of middle school as well as the process by which it is designed, integrated, implemented, and evaluated. They learn major concepts, principles, theories, models, standards, and research related to middle-level curriculum, which they can use in their own classrooms. They apply course concepts and theories to practical assignments, such as a research summary on exemplary components of a middle-level curriculum, the development of a hypothetical democratic classroom, the foundation for an integrative unit, and a fully integrated unit that represents multiple concepts and skills from different subject areas that relate to a chosen theme.

he focus of this course is on current pedagogical theories, instructional strategies, and best practices for teaching young adolescents in middle grades. Education professionals engage in assignments designed to provide practical application of content on such topics as instructional technology, research strategies, learning styles and multiple intelligence theory, cooperative learning structures and service learning, and instructional best practices in social equity and justice. They also have the opportunity to revise and reflect on their integrated unit, which they designed in a previous course. Through these activities, education professionals gain the knowledge and experience needed to create developmentally responsive curriculum, instruction, and assessment to promote high levels of learning in the middle grades.

In this course, education professionals gain a comprehensive understanding of major concepts, principles, theories, and research related to middle-level assessment. They investigate and assess the theory of middle-level assessment, and they research, create, and evaluate methods of assessment and evaluation for the middle-level classroom. Education professionals engage in various course assignments that emphasize performance assessment and evaluation strategies, rubrics, and multiple intelligence theory. Demonstrating their knowledge and ability to apply course content in the classroom, school, and community, they explain implications of standards-based reform as it relates to authentic assessment in the middle grades. They also develop a position paper to persuade faculty and administration to implement student-led conferencing and create a brochure for parents highlighting important information regarding assessment and evaluation.

Each arts discipline can add richness to the learning environment. Education professionals in this course work toward sharpening their basic knowledge and skills in the arts. They engage in conceptual and practical assignments, applying theory into practice and focusing on all areas of the arts, including music, dance, drama, and visual arts. Education professionals learn to weave the arts through the middle-level curriculum to contribute to student learning and motivation. They assess, modify, and adapt lesson plans to include the arts. They also have the opportunity to research and evaluate resources for integrating the arts across middle-level education.

The purpose of this course is to enhance the content knowledge of current or future middle-level teachers while increasing their understanding of how middle-level students best learn mathematics. Education professionals examine international mathematics studies, national achievement tests, and national standards, and they evaluate their teaching preparedness according to these standards. They engage in a variety of content-based application assignments to sharpen their own mathematics skills, on such topics as front-end estimation, table and graph analysis, and functional relationships. They also consider and describe learning activities that would help students develop a deeper understanding of mathematics problems and principles.

Education professionals in this course focus on principles and content standards defined and described by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) and the International Reading Association (IRA). They learn that English language arts should be taught in a manner consistent with the constructivist view of learning and teaching within a culturally diverse and global society. Through weekly assignments and discussions, education professionals examine the characteristics of an effective teacher and a dynamic classroom; explore the role of motivation, comprehension, and engagement in helping students acquire 21st-century literacy skills; synthesize information on diversity and consider ways to make all students feel competent and capable; assess the effectiveness of 21st-century resources in motivating students; and evaluate the impact of new learning.

The purpose of this course is to enhance the content knowledge of middle-level teachers while increasing their understanding of how middle-level students best learn science. Education professionals examine national standards and evaluate their own classroom according to these standards. They explore research-based assessment practices, analyze factors of motivation and engagement, consider what they can do to help students develop productive learning habits, and identify rudiments of differentiated instruction. They also have the opportunity to sharpen their awareness of critical issues in the science classroom, such as laboratory safety. Synthesizing course concepts and the fundamentals of education planning, education professionals demonstrate their understanding through the development of a formal science unit of study.

The principles and standards underlying the essential characteristics of social studies described by the National Council for the Social Studies are covered in this course. Education professionals in this course develop the understanding that social studies should be taught in a manner consistent with the constructivist view of learning and teaching within a culturally diverse and global society. They discuss standards of instruction, preview assignments and strategies, diversity in the classroom, and metacognition. Applying course concepts and national standards, education professionals develop a unit plan of instruction that is interdisciplinary in nature and contains examples of best practices related to content standards in social studies and other subject areas.

What are some of the performance standards, specialized skills, and professional dispositions required of middle-level specialists to teach young adolescents successfully? Education professionals in this course have the opportunity to answer this question as they apply theory to practice while developing and refining the knowledge and skills required of the middle-level educator. They analyze how they have met performance standards, develop their own view of middle-level reform, and conceptualize the role and responsibility of middle-level professionals. They prepare their culminating portfolio, consider their professional development needs and their role as a middle-level advocate, and analyze a case study simulation of a middle school to practice using evaluation criteria. They also reflect on and summarize their personal growth in the program in terms of student achievement, and they develop goals and strategies to address areas for improvement in their current school setting.

In this course, education professionals explore what it means to be a professional in today’s diverse and changing educational landscape. They examine their values, beliefs, vision, and mission, and they explore their role in the larger context of the teaching profession. They also explore the importance of collaboration in a professional learning community and the need to advocate for Education students, other educators, and the field of education. Education professionals learn how a professional stance influences student learning. Through a written reflection, they synthesize their learning throughout the course and consider how to use this knowledge to enhance professional growth and development.

In this course, education professionals explore the value of linguistic and cultural diversity and the powerful learning opportunities it affords today’s classrooms and schools. They examine their attitudes, beliefs, and biases regarding linguistically and culturally diverse students, families, and communities, and they learn approaches for working together to ensure high levels of learning for all  students. Through real-world observations, they assess strategies for ensuring equitable access to high-quality learning experiences. Education professionals also explore effective practices, such as cultural responsiveness, anti-bias curriculum, differentiated instruction, and academic vocabulary development. (Prerequisites: Endorsement candidates must complete special education endorsement courses and receive a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher prior to moving into M.S. in Education courses.)

Education professionals use action research in a variety of ways to improve schools, student performance, and their own professional development and skills. In this course, education professionals examine a structured approach to the practice of action research. They learn how to address relevant problems, become involved in collaborative inquiry, use data and research to inform their practice, improve student academic success, and contribute to positive change in their classroom and school environments. Education professionals engage in reflective practices as they collect and analyze student data and develop and implement data-informed decisions/actions to improve student learning and enhance professional growth.

Professional educators must have the knowledge and skill to make important decisions regarding what students learn and how they will learn it to ensure student success. In this course, education professionals engage in a research-based process for designing and mapping curriculum that motivates students and promotes academic success. Beginning with the end in mind, education professionals identify clear learning goals and big ideas, create authentic assessments, and develop essential questions to guide effective instructional planning and ongoing assessments using their district or state standards and/or benchmarks. They also apply the curriculum design process to a subject area they teach, keeping in mind the influence of learning environment, family involvement, and social development on the design process.

Education professionals in this course examine the historical and contemporary perspectives on assessment, including trends in high-stakes assessment and accountability. They learn types and purposes of assessment as well as how to use assessments effectively. Education professionals also analyze strengths and weaknesses of various assessment methods and use ongoing assessments to guide decisions that will improve student performance. They explore and discuss data collecting and analysis, grading, record-keeping, and reporting. Additionally, they learn the importance of student self-assessment and the best ways to support their students in monitoring learning and reflecting on how to improve personal performance.

The practice of differentiating instruction is a way for educators to meet diverse learning needs and preferences without having to individualize instruction for every student. In this course, education professionals learn how to differentiate five instructional elements—content, product, process, affect, and learning environment—according to  students’ interests, readiness, and learning profile. They explore flexible grouping and managing the differentiated classroom. Using their classroom curriculum, they plan and implement differentiated lessons and align them to important learning goals, essential questions, and formative and summative assessments while ensuring that their instruction includes meaningful applications of knowledge. Education professionals also learn how to draw on resources, such as staff, community members, and educators to support the “whole” child in the learning process.

Effective professional development is foundational in improving a school system’s ability to raise student achievement. Education professionals in this course examine the history and research that supports the need for ongoing professional learning for teachers, principals, and all adults who interact with students in P–12 schools. They use case studies of schools and districts that have achieved results to learn the standards of exemplary professional-development programs and analyze the attributes necessary for success. Education professionals also have the opportunity to explore the roles and responsibilities of professional developers inside and outside the classroom as well as career paths for developing leadership skills in the area of adult and student learning.

Professional development that ensures quality teaching for all students is based on a model of continuous improvement that is data-driven and grounded in research-based practices. In this course, education professionals examine a variety of professional-development models and select and plan the most appropriate approach to support their goal. Using adult-learning theory as a foundation, education professionals explore models of adult learning and change and cycles of improvement. They also design strategies to build strong professional-development programs that include planning, delivering, following-up, and evaluating influence on teacher practices and student learning.

Evaluating the influence of professional-development efforts is crucial to ongoing success. Education professionals in this course explore systemic and comprehensive approaches for linking professional learning to student learning and using data to make informed decisions on how to improve the practices of educators and assess the influence on student learning. Using logic theories, they learn how to collect and analyze data from student work and teacher practice to make informed decisions that lead to continuous improvement. They engage in coursework that emphasizes communicating and disseminating results to multiple constituents within the school system. They also focus on system approaches that promote shared leadership in continuing, improving, and sustaining effective professional development at the district, school, and classroom levels.

Delivering and sustaining professional development requires an understanding of culture and change. In this course, education professionals develop skills to set expectations, facilitate professional learning, support individual growth, and build collaborative teams. Using change theory, they learn to monitor and support adult learning by organizing professional learning communities that focus on student needs and school goals. They explore strategies for delivering and providing continuous follow-up and support of professional learning. Education professionals also learn how to use collaboration, facilitation, coaching, and mentoring skills to involve colleagues, staff, families, and other key stakeholders in making decisions that are based on research-based practices and support a culture of learning that involves educators, students, parents, and community.

The relationship between classroom curriculum, instruction, and assessment in the context of standards and accountability plays an important role in education. Education professionals in this course focus on the importance of aligning these components as well as the resulting influence on student learning. They explore learning theory, learner variables, and the need for differentiation to meet diverse learning needs. They discuss multiple purposes and methods of assessment as well as effective approaches to grading and reporting. Using their state or district standards, education professionals engage in a process for designing standards-driven classroom curriculum, instruction, and assessment that will meet the diverse learning needs of their students. (Prerequisites: Endorsement candidates must complete special education endorsement courses and receive a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher prior to moving into M.S. in Education courses.)

Education professionals use action research in a variety of ways to improve schools, student performance, and their own professional development and skills. In this course, education professionals examine a structured approach to the practice of action research. They learn how to address relevant problems, become involved in collaborative inquiry, use data and research to inform their practice, improve student academic success, and contribute to positive change in their classroom and school environments. Education professionals engage in reflective practices as they collect and analyze student data and develop and implement data-informed decisions/actions to improve student learning and enhance professional growth.

In this course, education professionals explore the value of linguistic and cultural diversity and the powerful learning opportunities it affords today’s classrooms and schools. They examine their attitudes, beliefs, and biases regarding linguistically and culturally diverse students, families, and communities, and they learn approaches for working together to ensure high levels of learning for all  students. Through real-world observations, they assess strategies for ensuring equitable access to high-quality learning experiences. Education professionals also explore effective practices, such as cultural responsiveness, anti-bias curriculum, differentiated instruction, and academic vocabulary development. (Prerequisites: Endorsement candidates must complete special education endorsement courses and receive a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher prior to moving into M.S. in Education courses.)

Education professionals in this course are helped to create safe, supportive, and respectful learning environments that promote social-emotional development, self-responsibility, and character to optimize learning for all  students. Education professionals learn how to foster a sense of community in the classroom and develop positive relationships with and among  students. They explore skills and strategies for managing dynamic and flexible classroom structures and for teaching conflict resolution as well as for building positive relationships and engaging in effective communication and problem solving with parents and families. Applying course concepts, they also implement an instructional strategy and reflect on its efficacy in increasing student engagement in learning activities. (Prerequisites: Endorsement candidates must complete special education endorsement courses and receive a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher prior to moving into M.S. in Education courses.)

In this course, education professionals explore what it means to be a professional in today’s diverse and changing educational landscape. They examine their values, beliefs, vision, and mission, and they explore their role in the larger context of the teaching profession. They also explore the importance of collaboration in a professional learning community and the need to advocate for Education students, other educators, and the field of education. Education professionals learn how a professional stance influences student learning. Through a written reflection, they synthesize their learning throughout the course and consider how to use this knowledge to enhance professional growth and development.

The relationship between classroom curriculum, instruction, and assessment in the context of standards and accountability plays an important role in education. Education professionals in this course focus on the importance of aligning these components as well as the resulting influence on student learning. They explore learning theory, learner variables, and the need for differentiation to meet diverse learning needs. They discuss multiple purposes and methods of assessment as well as effective approaches to grading and reporting. Using their state or district standards, education professionals engage in a process for designing standards-driven classroom curriculum, instruction, and assessment that will meet the diverse learning needs of their students. (Prerequisites: Endorsement candidates must complete special education endorsement courses and receive a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher prior to moving into M.S. in Education courses.)

In this course, education professionals explore the value of linguistic and cultural diversity and the powerful learning opportunities it affords today’s classrooms and schools. They examine their attitudes, beliefs, and biases regarding linguistically and culturally diverse students, families, and communities, and they learn approaches for working together to ensure high levels of learning for all  students. Through real-world observations, they assess strategies for ensuring equitable access to high-quality learning experiences. Education professionals also explore effective practices, such as cultural responsiveness, anti-bias curriculum, differentiated instruction, and academic vocabulary development. (Prerequisites: Endorsement candidates must complete special education endorsement courses and receive a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher prior to moving into M.S. in Education courses.)

Education professionals use action research in a variety of ways to improve schools, student performance, and their own professional development and skills. In this course, education professionals examine a structured approach to the practice of action research. They learn how to address relevant problems, become involved in collaborative inquiry, use data and research to inform their practice, improve student academic success, and contribute to positive change in their classroom and school environments. Education professionals engage in reflective practices as they collect and analyze student data and develop and implement data-informed decisions/actions to improve student learning and enhance professional growth.

Education professionals in this course are helped to create safe, supportive, and respectful learning environments that promote social-emotional development, self-responsibility, and character to optimize learning for all  students. Education professionals learn how to foster a sense of community in the classroom and develop positive relationships with and among  students. They explore skills and strategies for managing dynamic and flexible classroom structures and for teaching conflict resolution as well as for building positive relationships and engaging in effective communication and problem solving with parents and families. Applying course concepts, they also implement an instructional strategy and reflect on its efficacy in increasing student engagement in learning activities. (Prerequisites: Endorsement candidates must complete special education endorsement courses and receive a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher prior to moving into M.S. in Education courses.)

Education professionals can investigate the nature and history of science and the role science plays in 21st-century life. They can discover unifying themes across all areas of science such as scientific inquiry, systems and energy, models and scale, constancy and change, ecology and the environment, and form and function. Education professionals can explore environmental science and apply the scientific tools of inquiry, discovery, hypothesis, and theory to facilitate their own learning in science and to foster engaging and motivating scientific learning in their students.

Education professionals can examine various physical phenomena (e.g., light, sound, heat, magnetism, and motion) in this course. They engage in authentic, active learning experiences that advance their knowledge about these phenomena and model creative teaching approaches that can be used to engage their students in powerful learning about the physical sciences. The practical application of theories and concepts will be emphasized.

Education professionals take a journey of discovery and explore the components of the living world, including plants, animals, fungi, and other organisms as well as their ecology in this course. They can learn about the controversy that persists in the scientific community about what makes an organism alive and discover how organisms interact with each other and their environments. Education professionals use inquiry methods to develop learning experiences to engage their own students in exploring these ideas in the classroom.

Education professionals can investigate timeless questions about how the Earth fits into time and space. Explorations will span from ocean depths to the breadth of the universe in this course. They examine earthly and other-world phenomena, such as weather, climate, volcanoes, earthquakes, planetary systems, and supernovae, and explore the similarities and differences between this world and other worlds. Transferring this scientific knowledge to classroom instruction will be emphasized.

Education professionals take a future-focused view of science while developing their skills in science education during this course. Trends, issues, challenges, and opportunities related to science and its role in schools, society, and the workplace will be explored. Topics include genetic engineering, biotechnologies, environmental issues such as climate change and global warming, and the call for education in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). Education professionals engage in professional discourse to grapple with uncertainties, and learn how scientific principles can be used to advocate for authentic social change.

In this course, education professionals explore what it means to be a professional in today’s diverse and changing educational landscape. They examine their values, beliefs, vision, and mission, and they explore their role in the larger context of the teaching profession. They also explore the importance of collaboration in a professional learning community and the need to advocate for Education students, other educators, and the field of education. Education professionals learn how a professional stance influences student learning. Through a written reflection, they synthesize their learning throughout the course and consider how to use this knowledge to enhance professional growth and development.

The relationship between classroom curriculum, instruction, and assessment in the context of standards and accountability plays an important role in education. Education professionals in this course focus on the importance of aligning these components as well as the resulting influence on student learning. They explore learning theory, learner variables, and the need for differentiation to meet diverse learning needs. They discuss multiple purposes and methods of assessment as well as effective approaches to grading and reporting. Using their state or district standards, education professionals engage in a process for designing standards-driven classroom curriculum, instruction, and assessment that will meet the diverse learning needs of their students. (Prerequisites: Endorsement candidates must complete special education endorsement courses and receive a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher prior to moving into M.S. in Education courses.)

In this course, education professionals explore the value of linguistic and cultural diversity and the powerful learning opportunities it affords today’s classrooms and schools. They examine their attitudes, beliefs, and biases regarding linguistically and culturally diverse students, families, and communities, and they learn approaches for working together to ensure high levels of learning for all  students. Through real-world observations, they assess strategies for ensuring equitable access to high-quality learning experiences. Education professionals also explore effective practices, such as cultural responsiveness, anti-bias curriculum, differentiated instruction, and academic vocabulary development. (Prerequisites: Endorsement candidates must complete special education endorsement courses and receive a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher prior to moving into M.S. in Education courses.)

Education professionals use action research in a variety of ways to improve schools, student performance, and their own professional development and skills. In this course, education professionals examine a structured approach to the practice of action research. They learn how to address relevant problems, become involved in collaborative inquiry, use data and research to inform their practice, improve student academic success, and contribute to positive change in their classroom and school environments. Education professionals engage in reflective practices as they collect and analyze student data and develop and implement data-informed decisions/actions to improve student learning and enhance professional growth.

Powerful internal and external forces affect the leadership capacity and influence potential of special educators. In this course, education professionals examine internal variables, such as their emotional, spiritual, mental, and physical health. They also consider external variables, including current trends and issues related to medicine, neuroscience, research, law and governance, and technology. Moreover, education professionals explore the influence of these variables on teaching and learning and on enhancing their leadership capacity.

Special educators understand the breadth and depth of each disability and they continually expand their knowledge and skills related to the impact of cognition, behavior, sensory input, and physical/health issues on learning and teaching. Education professionals in this course examine disabilities beyond the surface level of definitions, characteristics, and common understandings to a deeper, life-encompassing, and future-planning perspective. Through this course, education professionals further their ability to advocate for individuals with disabilities and for the field of special education.

Teaming, partnerships, and collaboration are practices that special educators must embrace and continually hone and refine. Education professionals in this course explore the attitudes, skills, and dispositions that foster healthy and productive collaborative relationships, which are essential for working with teams to provide services for individuals with disabilities. They also examine the benefits and challenges of collaborating with others to maximize the learning potential of every student.

Providing accommodations and differentiating instruction are essential practices for special educators. In this course, education professionals learn advanced research-based approaches for designing, adapting, prescribing, and delivering instruction in the content areas, with special emphasis on progress monitoring. They also examine content-area standards and curriculum, focusing on the goal of designing standards-based, individualized instruction that is functional, appropriate, and systematic.

Reading, writing, and communicating are literacy competencies that impact the quality of life for all people, especially individuals with disabilities; however, learning and behavioral disabilities often have a major influence on literacy development, thus requiring special educators who are well-versed in this area of learning and teaching. In this course, education professionals learn to identify reading and writing disabilities and collaborate with others to devise appropriate and effective interventions, including the use of assistive technologies. They engage in a variety of conceptual and application-based assignments that emphasize progress monitoring and ongoing assessment of literacy skills, strategies, and dispositions.

Behavior impacts human development at all ages and stages of life and is typically a matter of concern for individuals with disabilities. Education professionals in this course focus on understanding, assessing, managing, teaching, and monitoring behavior. They also review classroom and school management strategies, and they explore in greater depth individual functional analysis and individual behavior management plans, focusing on the goal of transition planning.

In this course, education professionals explore what it means to be a professional in today’s diverse and changing educational landscape. They examine their values, beliefs, vision, and mission, and they explore their role in the larger context of the teaching profession. They also explore the importance of collaboration in a professional learning community and the need to advocate for Education students, other educators, and the field of education. Education professionals learn how a professional stance influences student learning. Through a written reflection, they synthesize their learning throughout the course and consider how to use this knowledge to enhance professional growth and development.

The relationship between classroom curriculum, instruction, and assessment in the context of standards and accountability plays an important role in education. Education professionals in this course focus on the importance of aligning these components as well as the resulting influence on student learning. They explore learning theory, learner variables, and the need for differentiation to meet diverse learning needs. They discuss multiple purposes and methods of assessment as well as effective approaches to grading and reporting. Using their state or district standards, education professionals engage in a process for designing standards-driven classroom curriculum, instruction, and assessment that will meet the diverse learning needs of their students. (Prerequisites: Endorsement candidates must complete special education endorsement courses and receive a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher prior to moving into M.S. in Education courses.)

Education professionals are introduced to the concept of teacher leadership and its value in the field of education today in this course. They engage in personal assessment and analysis so that they may cultivate the dispositions and attitudes of a teacher leader for the purpose of effecting positive change in their learning communities. They also learn the critical importance of expanding their knowledge of educational research and theory to guide leadership decisions that effectively address today’s educational challenges. Education professionals complete coursework that emphasizes self-examination and self-perceptions with regard to teacher leadership.

Education professionals address teacher leadership in the context of advancing the expertise and leadership of peers, thereby expanding education professionals’ spheres of influence beyond the walls of the classroom. They explore mentoring and coaching models designed to promote the professional growth of their colleagues. They learn and apply skills for mentoring novice teachers and for engaging in coaching relationships with peers at all stages of the teacher development cycle. Through conceptual and application-based activities, education professionals address various forms of collaboration with colleagues, focusing on interpersonal and communication skills.

Education professionals in this course are helped to create safe, supportive, and respectful learning environments that promote social-emotional development, self-responsibility, and character to optimize learning for all  students. Education professionals learn how to foster a sense of community in the classroom and develop positive relationships with and among  students. They explore skills and strategies for managing dynamic and flexible classroom structures and for teaching conflict resolution as well as for building positive relationships and engaging in effective communication and problem solving with parents and families. Applying course concepts, they also implement an instructional strategy and reflect on its efficacy in increasing student engagement in learning activities. (Prerequisites: Endorsement candidates must complete special education endorsement courses and receive a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher prior to moving into M.S. in Education courses.)

Education professionals use action research in a variety of ways to improve schools, student performance, and their own professional development and skills. In this course, education professionals examine a structured approach to the practice of action research. They learn how to address relevant problems, become involved in collaborative inquiry, use data and research to inform their practice, improve student academic success, and contribute to positive change in their classroom and school environments. Education professionals engage in reflective practices as they collect and analyze student data and develop and implement data-informed decisions/actions to improve student learning and enhance professional growth.

In this course, education professionals explore the value of linguistic and cultural diversity and the powerful learning opportunities it affords today’s classrooms and schools. They examine their attitudes, beliefs, and biases regarding linguistically and culturally diverse students, families, and communities, and they learn approaches for working together to ensure high levels of learning for all  students. Through real-world observations, they assess strategies for ensuring equitable access to high-quality learning experiences. Education professionals also explore effective practices, such as cultural responsiveness, anti-bias curriculum, differentiated instruction, and academic vocabulary development. (Prerequisites: Endorsement candidates must complete special education endorsement courses and receive a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher prior to moving into M.S. in Education courses.)

The focus of teacher leadership expands from self to  students, increasing the sphere of influence of the teacher leader to the classroom context in this course. Education professionals concentrate on advancing their expertise in the field of teaching by increasing their knowledge and skills in three key areas: knowledge of learners and learning; knowledge of subject matter and curriculum goals; and knowledge of effective teaching models, strategies, and practices. They learn to apply this expertise in the classroom in ways that directly affect the learning and achievement of their  students.

The sphere of influence for education professionals is extended from working with peers to engaging with stakeholders throughout the greater school community in this course. Education professionals learn the processes, benefits, and challenges of building and working in learning communities to identify issues and solve problems that affect student learning and achievement. They consider professional growth and development as an integral part of various types of school improvement processes. Additionally, they engage in a variety of practical assignments, such as an analysis of their own school’s development of mission, vision, values, goals, and communication elements as a professional learning community.

Educators must recognize the importance for all students, including students with special needs, to achieve high academic standards. In this course, education professionals examine the learning challenges of students who, by definition of federal law, have disabilities as well as those of students who have significant difficulty with learning but do not qualify for special education services. Education professionals learn how to adapt curriculum, instruction, and assessment to maximize learning for students with special needs. They also have the opportunity to evaluate and describe activities and experiences through the perspective of a student with a learning disability, thus gaining empathy and a deeper understanding of how to work with students with special needs.

In this course, educators explore their views as teachers on the value of linguistic and cultural diversity of learners. They discover the powerful learning opportunities enabled by such diversity in today’s classrooms and schools. They examine their attitudes, beliefs, and biases regarding linguistically and culturally diverse learners, families, and communities and gain knowledge of approaches for working together to help ensure high levels of learning for all students. Strategies for ensuring equitable access to high-quality learning experiences are presented. Effective practices such as cultural responsiveness, anti-bias curriculum, differentiated instruction, and developing academic vocabulary are explored.

The focus of teacher leadership is expanded in this course from self to students, increasing the sphere of influence of the teacher-leader to the classroom context. Educators concentrate on advancing their expertise as teaching professionals by increasing their knowledge and skills in three key areas: knowledge of learners and learning; knowledge of subject matter and curriculum goals; and knowledge of effective teaching models, strategies, and practices. Teacher leaders apply this expertise in the classroom in ways that directly impact the learning and achievement of their students.

In this course, the sphere of influence of teacher-leaders is extended, from working with peers to engaging with stakeholders throughout the greater school community. Teacher-leaders learn the processes, benefits, and challenges of building and working in learning communities to identify issues and solve problems that impact student learning and achievement. Professional growth and development are addressed as an integral part of various types of school improvement processes.

The emphasis of this course is to highlight the need for all students, including students with special needs, to achieve high academic standards. Educators examine the learning challenges of students who, by definition of federal law, have disabilities as well as those of students who have significant difficulty with learning but do not qualify for special education services. Teacher-educators learn how to adapt and/or modify curriculum, instruction, and assessment to maximize learning for students with special needs.

In this course, education professionals explore what it means to be a professional in today’s diverse and changing educational landscape. They examine their values, beliefs, vision, and mission, and they explore their role in the larger context of the teaching profession. They also explore the importance of collaboration in a professional learning community and the need to advocate for Education students, other educators, and the field of education. Education professionals learn how a professional stance influences student learning. Through a written reflection, they synthesize their learning throughout the course and consider how to use this knowledge to enhance professional growth and development.

The relationship between classroom curriculum, instruction, and assessment in the context of standards and accountability plays an important role in education. Education professionals in this course focus on the importance of aligning these components as well as the resulting influence on student learning. They explore learning theory, learner variables, and the need for differentiation to meet diverse learning needs. They discuss multiple purposes and methods of assessment as well as effective approaches to grading and reporting. Using their state or district standards, education professionals engage in a process for designing standards-driven classroom curriculum, instruction, and assessment that will meet the diverse learning needs of their students. (Prerequisites: Endorsement candidates must complete special education endorsement courses and receive a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher prior to moving into M.S. in Education courses.)

The practice of differentiating instruction is a way for educators to meet diverse learning needs and preferences without having to individualize instruction for every student. In this course, education professionals learn how to differentiate five instructional elements—content, product, process, affect, and learning environment—according to  students’ interests, readiness, and learning profile. They explore flexible grouping and managing the differentiated classroom. Using their classroom curriculum, they plan and implement differentiated lessons and align them to important learning goals, essential questions, and formative and summative assessments while ensuring that their instruction includes meaningful applications of knowledge. Education professionals also learn how to draw on resources, such as staff, community members, and educators to support the “whole” child in the learning process.

Education professionals use action research in a variety of ways to improve schools, student performance, and their own professional development and skills. In this course, education professionals examine a structured approach to the practice of action research. They learn how to address relevant problems, become involved in collaborative inquiry, use data and research to inform their practice, improve student academic success, and contribute to positive change in their classroom and school environments. Education professionals engage in reflective practices as they collect and analyze student data and develop and implement data-informed decisions/actions to improve student learning and enhance professional growth.

Education professionals in this course are helped to create safe, supportive, and respectful learning environments that promote social-emotional development, self-responsibility, and character to optimize learning for all  students. Education professionals learn how to foster a sense of community in the classroom and develop positive relationships with and among  students. They explore skills and strategies for managing dynamic and flexible classroom structures and for teaching conflict resolution as well as for building positive relationships and engaging in effective communication and problem solving with parents and families. Applying course concepts, they also implement an instructional strategy and reflect on its efficacy in increasing student engagement in learning activities. (Prerequisites: Endorsement candidates must complete special education endorsement courses and receive a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher prior to moving into M.S. in Education courses.)

Education professionals are introduced to the concept of teacher leadership and its value in the field of education today in this course. They engage in personal assessment and analysis so that they may cultivate the dispositions and attitudes of a teacher leader for the purpose of effecting positive change in their learning communities. They also learn the critical importance of expanding their knowledge of educational research and theory to guide leadership decisions that effectively address today’s educational challenges. Education professionals complete coursework that emphasizes self-examination and self-perceptions with regard to teacher leadership.

In this course, education professionals gain a historical and cultural perspective of K–12 English-language learners. They explore concepts, theories, research, and first and second language acquisition differences to understand and teach this diverse group of  students. Education professionals also examine their own attitudes, beliefs, and biases and learn the importance of developing culturally responsive learning environments. They also learn the value of working collaboratively with families and school staff to support the needs of all students in the general classroom.

Education professionals in this course learn effective instructional skills and strategies to teach English as a second language in the K–12 classroom. Through conceptual and practical discussions and activities, they learn strategies and techniques to help students develop listening, speaking, reading, writing, and vocabulary skills in a variety of English-language learning environments. They also examine a range of language-learning programs, such as dual language immersion, transitional bilingual education, and structured English immersion. Additionally, education professionals learn to apply theories of second-language learning, literacy development, and standards-based teaching strategies to provide productive learning environments for English-language learners in general classroom settings.

Making academic content accessible and comprehensible for English Language Learners requires specific strategies that K-12 teachers need to know and be able to do. By focusing on academic language, content acquisition, the use of adaptive technology, and English language models including Specifically Designed Academic Instruction in English (SDAIE), teachers learn practical ways to meet content standards for students with diverse needs, learning styles, and abilities.  This course also addresses ways to prepare lessons that integrate both content and literacy objectives to better enhance the English language development of their English Language Learners.

This course introduces a variety of formative and summative assessment tools to inform instruction and identify and evaluate language proficiency levels of English Language Learners in K-12 classrooms. Teaching professionals utilize assessment strategies designed to measure listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Topics include an overview of the challenges and issues teachers face, including language bias and testing, the inappropriate placement of English Language Learners, and the role of standards and high-stakes testing. Teachers will be able to interpret quantitative and qualitative assessment data results of both formal and informal assessments.

Reading, writing, and communicating are literacy competencies that impact the quality of life for all people, especially individuals with disabilities; however, learning and behavioral disabilities often have a major influence on literacy development, thus requiring special educators who are well-versed in this area of learning and teaching. In this course, education professionals learn to identify reading and writing disabilities and collaborate with others to devise appropriate and effective interventions, including the use of assistive technologies. They engage in a variety of conceptual and application-based assignments that emphasize progress monitoring and ongoing assessment of literacy skills, strategies, and dispositions.