2021-2022 Course List

The focus of this course is reading as it applies to middle and secondary schools. Current issues and trends in reading will be examined. This includes best practice methodologies including a balanced approached to literacy. The course will develop student knowledge of phonemic awareness and decoding skills, fluency, vocabulary development, and text comprehension in content area literacy.

Teacher candidates will further develop processes for creating and sustaining a classroom learning environment that fosters and enables success for all learners. Teacher candidates will develop communities of learners by constructing effective physical environments and interpersonal relationships. Teacher candidates will effectively communicate and interact with diverse families, school colleagues, and representatives from community agencies to support and enhance student engagement and learning. The level of expected performance is in accordance with graduate level.

The course guides K-12 teacher candidates through the design, implementation, and assessment of a standards-based curriculum. Analysis of standards, creation of assessments, design and delivery of instruction are integrated with field-site placements. In order to understand the contextual considerations of instructional design and implementation, the course also examines the changing needs of middle and high school students in the context of best instructional practices and philosophies of successful middle and high schools. The level of expected performance is in accordance with graduate level expectations.

The research process is one that is complicated, and nonlinear, and very often difficult for students to understand and see its strengths and weaknesses. This course will introduce students to research methodologies as applied to research and evaluation. The course will focus on developing skills and applying different methodologies in a research plan.

Designed to provide a learning experience in utilizing techniques and procedures in scholarly writing.

Classroom teachers will learn how to conduct research in their classrooms that is designed to improve student learning.

Learners will develop effective and equitable instruction to improve student achievement through differentiated, critical thinking, cooperative, and problem-based curriculum and instruction. Learners will learn about and apply best practices to meet the needs of diverse student populations through increased student-teacher, student-student and student-community relationships. Learners will explore, recognize, and mitigate personal and cultural biases in instruction practices in order to apply effective and equitable student-centered learning.

Selected topics explored for secondary teaching. May be repeated.

Learners will develop expertise using technology tools to address individual learner needs. In this course, learners will explore the assumptions, biases and limitations of integrating technology tools, and the implications of those for teaching and student learning. Through the use of technology integration frameworks, learners will evaluate implications of both access and opportunity of using technology teaching, learning, and assessment. This course will also explore ways in which technology can both be an avenue towards social justice in education and how technology can exacerbate inequities.

The trends format provides teachers and others opportunity to study recent research and current developments with an interdisciplinary nature to include a variety of topics. This course may be in a shortened hands-on format. May be repeated.

This course will examine, acquire, evaluate and use reference media sources to meet the information needs of a media center's clientele. Participants will examine and review bibliographic resources and their relationship to instruction and instructional in-service. Emphasis will be placed on reading, discussing, selecting, and evaluating resources in the context of curricular issues, cooperative endeavors with other libraries and trends in the information and reference services field.

Students will learn and practice selecting, evaluating, and using print, audiovisual and electronic media for children in grades K-6. Participants will learn to identify and discuss a variety of genre; using reviewing sources and selection tools; identify major children's book awards; research authors and books; become knowledgeable about current issues such as censorship; locate and prepare a multiple format mediaography of children's materials and demonstrate curricular uses of this media.

This course will provide the students with a philosophical, professional, and practical framework for the integration of computer technology into differentiated instruction in the K-12 classroom using integrated instruction and web-based software. Students will explore learner characteristics, student needs and elements of differentiated instruction and will design and implement differentiated technology-integrated lesson plans.

KSP 630 (3) Materials for Young AdultsThis course covers developmentally appropriate library and information services for young adults, ages 11-18 with an emphasis on literature and the uses of literature in schools and libraries. The course includes material on non-book services, programming, and other services specific to this age group.

In this course knowledge and skills are applied and assessed directly in a field setting. The course is designed to guide K-12 and 5-12 teacher candidates through the design, implementation, and assessment of a standards-based curriculum from the analysis of standards, creation of assessments, design and delivery of assessments in a field-site.

The course will examine the role of the school librarian in the literacy development process. This process includes the ability to read, write and interact across a range of platforms, tools and media. The roles of the school librarian as teacher, instructional partner, information specialist, and program administrator will be addressed.

Students will identify, analyze, and evaluate the processes and strategies necessary for creating and maintaining technology system administration, including: documentation, financial planning, hardware and software, roles necessary for successful implementation. Students will research, design, and create technology plans using data driven decision making strategies, processes and procedures.

Learners will explore, recognize, and mitigate personal and cultural biases in their learning environment assessment practices. Learners will use technology to align their assessments with state or national standards to develop clear and compressive learning goals which support equitable learning opportunities. Learners will create and align assessments, communicate results to learners and stakeholders, and use results to support learners¿ continuous growth.

This course will include analysis, synthesis, application, and evaluation of approaches to design in education. Learners will critically review design models and technology use as applied in education and the research that supports them to analyze how design can reduce barriers to learning and can increase equitable access to learning. Learners will analyze and apply design models and technology use to evaluate, adapt, and create student-centered learning experiences and instructional materials. Learners will analyze and apply strategies for teaching a design-based approach to problem solving and inquiry.

This course explores family, community, societal, and cultural influences in educating diverse student populations. Learners will examine theory and a range of strategies to develop equitable school, family, and community partnerships. Learners will identify strategies to collaborate with diverse stakeholders and develop asset-based frameworks to engage collaborative partnerships. Learners will explore and recognize organizational and cultural barriers to collaborative family and community partnerships.

Critical study of current research, issues, and teaching strategies related to secondary education in a shorten period of time. May be repeated.

This course is designed to provide inexperienced and experienced educators with greater insight into the unique position of the middle school in the U.S. system of public education. Throughout the course students will explore topics of concern regarding middle school education.

Special teaching projects of an experimental or creative nature in the students' field of preparation.

This 40 hour field experiences will provide opportunities for practicing teachers with a current MN Teaching license to put theory into practice in a K-12 environment. During field experiences candidates will become familiar with specific school-related issues, technologies, strategies to assist students in learning and apply strategies to help students study and learn within the classroom environment.

Learners will use theories and research-based methods to examine and align curriculum, standards, instruction, and assessment to meet the needs of a diverse student population.Learners will explore, recognize, and mitigate personal and cultural biases in curriculum. Learners will develop cohesive curriculum, instruction, and assessment which aligns to school improvement plans and/or mission and learning principles.