Individual Education Courses

The course is designed to provide information for driver education instructor candidates that will prepare them to address substance use/abuse with students as it applies to drive education issues. Candidates will explore issues such as legal consequences of alcohol and drug use/abuse as it impacts driving and licensing, basic alcohol, drug pharmacology, and the application of critical thinking and problem solving skills concerning methods used to incorporate drug education into driver education programs.

The course is designed to provide information and resources which will prepare driver education instructor candidates to address issues and accommodations related to teaching students with disabilities how to drive safely. Candidates will explore topics associated with the challenges related to driving with disabilities, locate information related to specific developmental disabilities and their impact on the novice driver, develop a resource base of information concerning driving strategies to be used in teaching students with disabilities, identify driving adaptations necessary to accommodate the individual challenges of students with disabilities, evaluating adaptive driving products, implement teaching techniques used to address accommodations necessary to assist students with disabilities, and provide information to parents of students with disabilities concerning parent directed intervention materials used to conduct effective supervised driving practice.

Exemplary teaching is a lifelong journey that requires an understanding of oneself, a constant refining of skills and practices, and a quest for information to enhance knowledge. The candidate explores his/her personal and professional philosophies of education through the analysis of classroom practice, personality preferences, generational differences, and communication style. This course examines the pedagogical and curricular requirements of learning by exploring meaningful classroom interactions between educators and learners and integrates theory and research-based practices for optimal student academic growth.

Today’s teachers must have a working knowledge of how to integrate technologies into their teaching routines. This ‘hands-on’ course provides that knowledge. The course includes a review of technology trends in education and an overview of the uses of technology in today’s workplace. The candidate practices using technologies to create instructional resources for use in the classroom. Additionally, the candidate will learn the power of technology by actually ‘plugging in’ and communicating with each other, the instructor, and contacts worldwide through the Internet.

This course explores the unique composite of students in today’s classroom. To develop the best learning environment and curriculum for students, practices must be informed by knowledge of current challenges faced by the students. This course will cover the wide variety of student characteristics and/or subgroups we see in classrooms that are a part of the American education system. The topics that will be interconnected include the impact of home, society and school on health, mental health, attitudes, behaviors, and especially on academic behavior.

The world in which we live is a global one which is characterized by the technological advancements, vast explosions of knowledge and changing societal and economic realities. In order for students in the United States to be able to compete in such a complex and ever-changing environment, educators must develop curriculum that encourages the intellectual preparation of our K-12 students to meet the challenges of this new and exciting world. This course will explore the interrelationship of the academic disciplines and how their integration can lead to a better intellectual understanding and growth of students in the classroom as well as in the world in which they live. The candidate, in the course, will examine instructional designs and how to use them in integrating curriculum.

Candidates will examine the connections between assessments and instruction. In collaboration with their peers, they will discriminate between formal, informal, and authentic assessments weighing the purposes, strengths, and weaknesses of each. Throughout the term, candidates will design assessments and explore and evaluate assessment data that will lead to stronger alignment between stated standards, objectives, assessments and their school community of learners. Furthermore, the candidate will develop strategies to address the role of power in the use and abuse of assessments in a broad spectrum of school environments.

Every student in preschool through high school has a unique learning journey. Educators have an opportunity to teach a diverse classroom of students every time a lesson is taught. Students in a classroom may include students diagnosed with a disability, or at-risk for developing a disability, and may include students who are gifted or talented, or those who are considered English Language Learners. The concepts of the strengths-based strategies of neurodiversity in the classroom will be investigated and applied in course information. This course will include exploring and choosing evidence-based curriculum and instructional practices for these unique learners. The candidate will develop an understanding of the current instructional practices for defined by Educational and Special Education law and the importance of working collaboratively with teacher teams, parents, and students.

Issues of critical importance to teachers make the news almost every day. Teachers must work collaboratively in recognizing the issue(s) that impact teaching and learning, what foundational causes are present, and the solution(s) to restore the order of the educational environment. Understanding the arguments, pro and con, that drive these issues is part of what it means to be a professional educator today. This course is designed to assist CIED candidates in identifying issues in schools, researching the cause or causes, and developing possible solutions using the Approach to Critical Issue Solving. The candidates will also explore the concept of change and being a change-agent in the school.

This course is an introduction to multicultural education including an examination of cultural identities and special education. The course studies learner needs and instructor engagement within the broader contexts of the classroom, namely institutional and social contexts that carry unique histories, policies, and social relations that are specific to the geographical location. The course encourages teacher leadership in the area of reciprocity and witnessing to the community in order to address social implications of learning to extend the focus beyond maximizing student learning and potential. An emphasis is placed on specific strategies for adapting instruction and current practices and policies in order to meet the needs of all students in an inclusive classroom setting.

The candidate will gain an understanding of the mental, physical, emotional, and social characteristics of early adolescents. In addition, he/she will study issues that have an impact on the adolescent’s educational development and improve conceptual understanding of the purpose, curriculum, and special programs in middle-school.

The READ candidate will have a thorough understanding and framework concerning the foundational theories, process, and methodologies impacting reading instruction required for today’s diverse K-12 student population. To understand current reading theory and the historical foundation; the candidate will explore the increasing complexities of current thought within the discipline, including implementation of the Common Core State Standards. The impact of technology, as well as multicultural factors, will be explored in depth throughout the course. The candidate will reflect upon personal beliefs about reading and reading instruction in conjunction with the examination of current research and related introspection.

Introduction to genres of children’s and young adult literature. Embracing the Common Core State Standards, the course includes methodology in the use of websites and a wide range of high-quality multicultural literature for all grade levels. Technology will be utilized in learning to locate, evaluate, and use literature applicable for K-12 students of all abilities, ages, and ethnic backgrounds. The candidate will gain a thorough understanding of how cultural, linguistic, and ethnic diversity influences reading, as well as the relationship between vocabulary development and reading comprehension. The course also includes strategies for modeling and sharing the value of reading and writing for actual, real-life experiences, instilling the concept of becoming lifelong learners.

This course is designed to immerse teachers in global experiences related to critical issues in education including the sociopolitical, cultural, transformational, and economic impact on teaching and learning. Understanding the factors that drive these issues is part of what it means to be a professional educator today. The course is designed to engage candidates in research inquiry, analysis, and solutions for global issues related to P-12 education. The course equips teachers to process transformation through critical thinking, collaboration, and an examination of the impact of social, spiritual, educational, and economic influencers on individuals and on society as a whole.

In this course, the candidate will receive an introduction to language and linguistics for the K-12 classroom. The course will focus, but not exclusively, on the English language. The ESL candidate will be introduced to the traditional structure of linguistics (phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, language change) and the contextual structure of linguistics (discourse, dialect, variation, language and culture, the politics of language). Such concepts as language and brain development, language acquisition, and second language learning will be presented.

This course provides an overview of different methods, materials, and techniques used in bilingual teaching. Candidates will explore various instructional theories, approaches, and methods for preparing materials for the language learning and teaching environment including how to prepare and facilitate bilingual programs. Attention is not only given to the principles of material development, but also to the practical use of developing culturally competent language learners in a linguistically-diverse world.

The course consists of teaching and demonstrating vital and practical applications and necessary steps in administering emergency first aid care to an injured person, including the issues related to bleeding, shock, splinting, bandaging, and CPR methodology. Appropriate certification may be achieved upon satisfactory completion of this course.

SPED 601 – Characteristics of Students with Disabilities • 3 hours Candidates will examine characteristics of individuals identified with disabilities, including levels of severity and their influence on development, behavior and learning. This course will address state and federal regulations; issues and trends in schools including, health care needs, sensory processing, motor development, and self-care skills; school/home/employment partnerships and transition procedures. Students will identify assessment and evaluation requirements and understand the process of writing Individualized Education Programs and transition plans.