ED 503: EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY
(4 Credits)
This
course introduces students to prominent research-based theories of learning and
examines the impact of these theories on students, learning and motivation,
teaching, and assessment. Students critically evaluate opposing sides of
current issues in educational psychology and articulate and defend personal positions
on these issues.
Total
Core
Credits:
54
Total Program Credits: 54
ED 511: TEACHING METHODS THROUGH DIFFERENTIATED
INSTRUCTION
(4 Credits)
This course explores major middle and
secondary school issues, providing prospective teachers with the
opportunity to reflect upon and develop their own practical
vision of building a classroom environment that effectively
promotes student learning. Focus is placed on a variety of
instructional strategies, principles, and best practices for
helping students learn in secondary school
settings.
Total
Core
Credits:
54
Total Program Credits: 54
ED 513: CHILD AND ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT
(4 Credits)
This course examines the course of normal child and adolescent development. Emphasis is placed on strategies for applying development theory to classroom management and educational practice, and understanding how development influences academic achievement. Students will learn how to apply knowledge of child and adolescent development to their teaching practice as a way to identify various student behaviors and create classroom management strategies that address those behaviors.
Total
Core
Credits:
54
Total Program Credits: 54
ED 521: READING IN THE CONTENT AREAS
(4 Credits)
This course, grounded in the theoretical bases of balanced literacy and constructivist learning, focuses on building prospective teachers’ competence in the processes of planning, implementing, and evaluating content-area literacy learning for secondary students. Students will use a standards-based approach in crafting strategies to increase reading comprehension in different content areas. Topics covered include using writing to improve reading, teaching diverse students, and using technology in reading instruction.
Total
Core
Credits:
54
Total Program Credits: 54
ED 523: RESEARCH ON EFFECTIVE TEACHING
(4 Credits)
This course acquaints students with the broad body of research on effective teaching, with an emphasis on applying research findings to students’ own classroom instruction. Students will review and synthesize the theoretical and methodological contributions of current research on a selected topic related to K–12 teaching practice.
Total
Core
Credits:
54
Total Program Credits: 54
ED 531: SECONDARY STUDENT ASSESSMENT
(4 Credits)
This course examines best practices of
assessing secondary student learning, with particular emphasis on
the relationship between assessment procedures, instruction, and
student achievement. Topics include the use of both formal and
informal assessments, norm-referenced and criterion-referenced
assessments, formative and summative assessments, and methods of
using assessment data to improve instruction and student
achievement.
Total
Core
Credits:
54
Total Program Credits: 54
ED 533: PERSPECTIVES ON DIVERSITY
(4 Credits)
This course explores the various issues of student diversity and challenges students to examine and define their own educational experiences with regard to culture and ethnicity, socioeconomic class, race, gender, religion, language, learning style, and exceptionality. Particular emphasis will be placed on the practical implications of diversity issues in classroom practice.
Total
Core
Credits:
54
Total Program Credits: 54
ED 543: EDUCATION AND PSYCHOLOGY OF EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
(4 Credits)
This course focuses on preparing prospective teachers to plan and deliver appropriate instruction for all students in diverse and inclusive classroom settings, including students with disabilities, gifted/talented students, and students with limited English proficiency. The course examines a range of learning, emotional, and physiological disabilities, the history of attitudes towards those disabilities, and the federal mandates governing them. Social issues related to students with special needs will also be explored. Additionally, the course addresses individualized education programs and the role of the teacher in implementing them.
Total
Core
Credits:
54
Total Program Credits: 54
ED 553: HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION
(4 Credits)
This course introduces philosophical
viewpoints that can affect new teachers' priorities and strategy
choices in their practice. This course will also provide a
historical perspective of how public education has become a
democratic right in the United States. Candidates will compare
and contrast philosophical theories that have driven pedagogy
over the past two centuries. Candidates will also evaluate
current research in their quest to develop as reflective and
creative practitioners in the twenty-first century
classroom.
Total
Core
Credits:
54
Total Program Credits: 54
ED 581: SECONDARY CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
(4 Credits)
This course focuses on training teachers to
organize their classroom to maximize the amount of time students
are actively engaged in learning. The foundation of the course
uses classroom-management strategies developed by leading
educators, including Harry K. and Rosemary Wong. Students will go
through online instruction and in-depth reflection, and will
demonstrate mastery of course material by designing a personal
classroom management action plan that will be easily implemented
in their classroom.
Total
Core
Credits:
54
Total Program Credits: 54
ED 596: STUDENT TEACHING/INTERNSHIP I
(5 Credits)
Student Teaching/Internship I is the first part of the capstone experience for Master of Arts in Teaching teacher candidates. This extended field experience provides a laboratory in which candidates test theories they have studied, discover the strategies and styles that work best for them and their students, and practice reflective decision making. During this experience, candidates begin to develop their skills in the nine Master of Arts in Teaching program competencies and engage regularly in professional discussion of their practice with their field supervisor, school mentor or cooperating teacher, classmates, and Iowa field instructor. They also participate in teachers’ meetings, work with a variety of school staff members, and communicate with parents and caregivers. This course will be graded pass/fail.
Total
Core
Credits:
54
Total Program Credits: 54
ED 597: STUDENT TEACHING/INTERNSHIP II
(5 Credits)
Student Teaching/Internship II is an extension to the final capstone experience for Master of Arts in Teaching teacher candidates. This extended field experience provides a laboratory in which candidates test theories they have studied, discover the strategies and styles that work best for them and their students, and practice reflective decision making. During this experience, candidates engage regularly in reflective, professional discussion of their practice with field supervisors, cooperating teachers or school mentors, instructors, and colleagues, refining their philosophy of education and demonstrating the knowledge, dispositions, and professional performance that indicate proficiency in all nine program competencies. This course will be graded pass/fail.
Prerequisites Required:
ED 596
Total
Core
Credits:
54
Total Program Credits: 54
ED 586: METHODS OF TEACHING A FOREIGN LANGUAGE
(4 Credits)
This course focuses on principles, strategies, national and state standards, lesson planning, and assessment in foreign language instruction. The course will guide students through the theoretical and research-based foundations of language acquisition. Students will get the opportunity to translate some of these theoretical principles into classroom practice. The course will highlight the teacher’s role as facilitator and enable teachers to harness technology so that language instruction can be presented as authentic, functional communication that fully engages students.
ED 551: METHODS OF TEACHING SECONDARY MATHEMATICS
(4 Credits)
This course examines current research-based practices on effective math teaching and learning that are aligned to national and state standards. Students will gain experience in lesson planning and will learn about assessment techniques and teaching styles to accommodate students with different learning styles. The course presents information on technology resources for teaching mathematics. Finally, students will discuss the process of becoming an effective mathematics educator.
ED 541: METHODS OF TEACHING SECONDARY ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
(4 Credits)
This course focuses on methods of teaching the English language arts (ELA) including oral language, writing, reading, and literature. Students will learn about national and state content standards, effective instructional practices, the role technology plays in ELA instruction, and research-based assessment strategies in the field. Students will apply what they learn to create lesson plans and document how they will assess students’ growth in literacy.
ED 561: METHODS OF TEACHING SECONDARY SCIENCE
(4 Credits)
This course surveys a broad range of concepts related to teaching various scientific disciplines (e.g., biology, chemistry, and physics) to diverse learners. The course emphasizes a standards-based approach that highlights connections among current research in natural science, real-world phenomena, and classroom instruction. Students will gain experience in lesson planning and will learn about assessment techniques and teaching styles to accommodate students with different learning styles. Students will also explore what it means to become an effective science educator.
ED 571: METHODS OF TEACHING SECONDARY SOCIAL STUDIES
(4 Credits)
In this course, students will explore and develop effective strategies for teaching the core disciplines of social studies (e.g., anthropology, archaeology, economics, geography, history, law, philosophy, political science, psychology, religion, and sociology) at the secondary level. Students will incorporate best practices based on educational research, with an emphasis on helping students develop twenty-first century skills related to the core disciplines of social studies. Special attention will be given to national and state standards, state initiatives, assessment, and the use of appropriate resources, including technology, for effective social studies instruction.
ED 591: METHODS OF TEACHING VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS
(4 Credits)
This course will focus on theories, methods, and practices in visual and performing arts education. Students will gain experience in creating lessons that meet national and state standards, evaluating and choosing authentic assessment strategies, and learning how to reach diverse learners in their specialty areas. Students will incorporate best practices based on educational research and learn about the role technology can play in instruction. Students will learn about differentiating instruction, cooperative learning, collaborating with peers, and authentic activities. A chance to consider a reflective teaching practice will be provided.
Total
Core
Credits:
54
Total Program Credits: 54