Curriculum | Course Descriptions | Textbooks
SPEB 656 Collaboration and Adaptation
Students will study and practice several strategies necessary to integrate individuals with disabilities into general learning environments. This course develops advanced skills for selecting appropriate strategies and materials based upon a better understanding of the learning environment, classroom demands and learning characteristics of the student. Theory and practice will focus on modifying instructional methods, curricular materials and the environment; modification of state and local assessments; effective collaboration and co-teaching; and fostering positive interactions between students with and without disabilities.
EDUB 532 Tools and Techniques in Assessment
Students will gain expertise in the use of assessments in the context of both educational decision-making and as a tool for enabling students to better understand the meaning of academic success. After developing a better understanding of how various types of assessments can be aligned with course objectives and instructional standards, students will construct assessments applicable to their current teaching environments. Students will develop a balanced perspective emphasizing that no single assessment methodology is inherently more or less appropriate. This perspective lays the foundation for selecting the most appropriate assessment tool for reporting student achievement, including standardized testing, portfolios and other alternative methods.
EDUB 530 Rethinking Curriculum
Students will explore the relationship of historical and contemporary approaches to curriculum in light of the specific social, historical and economic contexts in which they evolved. Based on that foundation, the student will consider contemporary issues related to curriculum, such as the impact of recent research on student achievement, and of a diverse student population, as well as the associated implications for curriculum development and implementation.
EDUB 539 Multicultural Perspectives and School Climate
Students will better understand the impact of cultural issues on student learning. Specifically, this course examines the nature of cultures as a context for multicultural teaching; explores core values of multicultural education in relation to curriculum models, school conditions and climates and learning styles theory. Students will be better able to integrate theories related to the meaning of culture, race, cultural assimilation, pluralism and the nature of prejudice into teaching strategies appropriate for the diverse learners which they teach. Students will gain a practical awareness of the ways in which theories of ethnic identity development, the dynamics of race relations, and guidelines for understanding cultural differences actually manifest themselves in the classroom.
EDUB 528 Learning Theories, Motivation and Technology
Students will be better able to design learning opportunities for K-12 students of all types based upon respected theories of learning and motivation. Skills associated with the use of learning technologies and computers to enhance learning in a constructivist classroom will be developed. Students will increase their awareness of the research related to human, legal and equity issues concerning the use of computers and related technologies in educational settings.
EDUB 537 Diagnoses and Assessment in Reading
Students will develop the ability to create, administer, and interpret a wide variety of informal classroom assessments and standardized literacy assessments. The focus will be on using assessments to screen, diagnose and plan remediation for students who are struggling with literacy development. Students will practice test administration and diagnosis with developmental and remedial students, demonstrating the ethics of testing procedures and report preparation.
SPEB 649 Psychology and Characteristics of Students with Disabilities
Students will study the etiology, characteristics and impact of the 13 major disability categories identified in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) on development, learning and the behavior of students at preschool, elementary, middle, secondary, and post-secondary levels. Special attention will be given to learning disabilities, emotional/behavioral disorders, mental retardation, attention deficit disorder, autism, other health impairments, orthopedic impairments and traumatic brain injury. Through case studies and individual research, students will become familiar with issues within and across these disability categories. In addition, they will develop an increased sensitivity to the perspective of the individual with disabilities and the impact of the diagnosis on the family. Students will identify resources and sources of current information/research on the various disabilities.
EDUB 541 Developmental and Remedial Materials and Resources in Reading
Students will develop a solid foundation for successful literacy instruction through investigation of current philosophies and practices. This foundation will be based on examination of developmental and remedial materials, including basal programs, leveling systems, scope and sequence, and supplementary sources and materials. Focusing on their own teaching situations, students will develop guidelines for evaluating and selecting materials for classroom and small group use. This course will identify the characteristics of successful reading professionals and the resources they use, including: professional journals, national and state standards, professional organizations, and on-line resources. Attendance at a professional reading conference is a recommended field experience.
EDUB 542 Developmental and Remedial Instructions and Support in Reading
Students will develop additional reading instruction methodologies by examining various individualized and group instructional interventions and programs, becoming familiar with and evaluating exemplary and controversial programs through a field experience visitation and considering current research, trends and issues in literacy instruction. In addition, students will gain expertise in techniques for facilitating staff development and support of other reading professionals.
SPEB 659 Managing Challenging Behavior
Students will identify appropriate non-aversive, least intrusive management procedures when presented with a variety of behavioral problems including challenging behavior. They will consider strategies for individual behavior management, crisis prevention, conflict resolution, and the effective use of reinforcement. Then focusing on the classroom, students will better understand various strategies and techniques to arrange and modify the learning environment to facilitate learning according to students’ emotional, social and behavioral needs. Students will then practice what they have learned through case studies which require development and implementation of functional assessments and behavior intervention plans.
EDUB 606 Research
Students will gain assistance in becoming better readers of and critical thinkers about both quantitative and qualitative educational research and testing. After an overview of fundamental educational statistics, students will examine research studies in education, assess their importance and apply resulting information to practical school situations, including curriculum and program development. In preparation for actually conducting an applied research study, students will identify accepted steps in qualitative and quantitative research methodologies.
EDUB 669 Applied Field Research
Students will apply current knowledge and past research to problems of professional practice. Focused on their own classroom and/or educational environment, students will identify a problem of significance and interest. Students will then conduct an appropriate research project, ending with a research document which includes: problem definition and hypothesis; a review of the literature, data collection instrumentation and results; as well as a proposed solution and implementation strategies.
