This course provides learners with opportunities to acquire and use graduate-level skills, including the ability to critically examine and apply relevant educational theory to professional practice. Learners develop expertise in academic inquiry and scholarly writing as well as explore the importance of multicultural perspectives and diversity in professional contexts. Finally, learners articulate and examine their professional purpose and its alignment with their specialization and career aspirations.  Must be taken during the first quarter by learners who have been admitted to the MEd in Teaching and Learning, MS in Education, MS in Education Innovation and Technology, and MS in Higher Education degree programs and the Adult Education and Higher Education Leadership and Administration graduate certificate programs. Cannot be fulfilled by transfer or prior learning assessment.

In this course, learners examine national and state learning standards related to their content area or grade level. Learners utilize research-based curriculum to craft assessments that are aligned to standards, and implement instruction that is meaningful to students and supports their academic achievement. This course requires access to a P–12 classroom and/or educational stakeholders in a P–12 school or district.

Learners in this course gain an understanding of the differences between standards, outcomes, and competencies and how they can be integrated into the curriculum. Learners build on this understanding, mapping competencies to outcomes and aligning standards to competencies and outcomes. Learners integrate competency- based curriculum and lesson planning with best-practice teaching approaches and develop competency-based classroom management techniques. This course requires access to an educational setting, students or learners, and/or classroom practitioners.

Learners in this course apply strategies for managing diverse and challenging student behaviors and develop the skills needed to create classroom environments that maximize the opportunity for each student to learn. This course emphasizes the roles, rights, and responsibilities of all stakeholders under The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and Section 504 legislation. This course requires access to a P–12 classroom and/or educational stakeholders in a P–12 school or district.

In this course, learners evaluate the ways that students and teachers become responsible digital citizens. Learners apply best practices for responsibly accessing, evaluating, and using online resources and social media, and analyze the nine elements of digital citizenship, cyber-ethics, cyber-safety, and cyber-bullying. In addition, learners evaluate ways that teachers align their lessons, objectives, and outcomes to a variety of standards for teaching and learning. Learners also explore structures and systems that can be implemented to manage a variety of devices and instructional time in a 1:1 environment. Finally, learners institute routines to increase student achievement and motivation to learn, selecting and creating a secure digital learning environment for students.

This course is an overview of graduate research methodology. Learners examine fundamental research methodologies and their respective quantitative and qualitative approaches to rigorous scholarly inquiry.

Learners in this course examine the origins and complexities of student achievement gaps within the contexts of gender, race, culture, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and language difference. Learners also explore current student achievement research and best practices and identify instructional strategies most likely to eliminate achievement disparities. This course requires access to a P–12 classroom and/or educational stakeholders in a P–12 school or district.

In this course, learners examine instruction and learning improvement strategies and collaborate with students’ families, the community, and other professionals for the purpose of improving instruction. Learners also evaluate instruction to determine how well it promotes professional teaching standards and dispositions. This course requires access to a P–12 classroom and/or educational stakeholders in a P–12 school or district.

Learners develop skills in personalizing instruction in a blended environment to leverage student engagement, motivation, and achievement. Learners evaluate the application of connectivism, constructivist instructional design, problem-based/project-based learning, and Understanding by Design as well as research-based strategies intended to increase personalization and collaboration in the classroom. Finally, learners evaluate and design formative and summative assessments and analyze the data gathered from these assessments to guide improvement in personalized learning. This course requires access to an educational setting, students or learners, and/or classroom practitioners.

In this course, learners analyze theories of constructivism and cognitive flexibility and implement adaptive learning approaches to meet the needs of diverse learners. Further, learners apply the Universal Design framework to instructional design and evaluate adaptive learning dashboards that provide continuous assessment of mastery-based learning. Learners also analyze facilitator-driven and assessment-driven systems and evaluate the effectiveness of mastery-based learning in student needs, including those of students with disabilities, English-language learners, and students who are gifted or talented. The course includes an emphasis on the purpose and impact of computer-aided instruction and assessment on student achievement in competency-based education (CBE). This course requires access to an educational setting, students or learners, and/or classroom practitioners.

Learners investigate solution-oriented coaching models and techniques. Learners evaluate and implement coaching models, planning strategies for professional growth, setting goals, monitoring progress, and identifying accountabilities in order to determine the effectiveness of assessment and evaluation models that aim to strengthen the knowledge, skills, dispositions, and classroom practices of teachers. Learners also review comprehensive performance assessment and evaluation systems that provide targeted support, assistance, and professional growth opportunities based on teachers’ individual needs as well as the needs of their students, schools, and districts. This course requires access to an educational setting, students or learners, and/or classroom practitioners.

Learners in this course formulate a research-based professional vision for curriculum design and develop a curriculum for a specific content and grade-level application using computer-based curriculum mapping applications. Learners who have taken ED8533 should not take ED5533. Rather, they should choose any other graduate-level education course to fulfill their specialization requirements.

Learners design instructional models and assessment strategies that meet the diverse needs of P–12 students. Learners analyze the theory and research supporting innovative instructional models and assessment strategies and use them to develop specific content area and grade-level applications. Learners also investigate current and emerging issues and trends related to instructional models and assessment strategies. Prerequisite(s): ED5533.

In this course, learners analyze theories of constructivism and cognitive flexibility and implement adaptive learning approaches to meet the needs of diverse learners. Further, learners apply the Universal Design framework to instructional design and evaluate adaptive learning dashboards that provide continuous assessment of mastery-based learning. Learners also analyze facilitator-driven and assessment-driven systems and evaluate the effectiveness of mastery-based learning in student needs, including those of students with disabilities, English-language learners, and students who are gifted or talented. The course includes an emphasis on the purpose and impact of computer-aided instruction and assessment on student achievement in competency-based education (CBE). This course requires access to an educational setting, students or learners, and/or classroom practitioners.

In this course, learners collaborate to develop curriculum that improves student achievement. Learners participate in collaborative skill development activities, including coaching and mentoring, team building, and developing communities of practice. Learners also engage in simulated case studies to complement the practical experience they gain during the course. This course requires access to a P–12 classroom and/or educational stakeholders in a P–12 school or district. Prerequisite(s): ED5533.

Learners analyze systems for building, supporting, and sustaining collaborative learning by evaluating structures and systems that leverage technology to provide opportunities for collaborative learning and professional collaboration. Learners identify theories, research, and models that support collaborative learning and professional learning communities and investigate how to create opportunities for students and teachers to work collaboratively within live and virtual settings.

Learners in this course examine theories, concepts, definitions, and models associated with the improvement of curriculum and instruction. Learners collect and organize research, analyze and report data, and complete a program evaluation that demonstrates the integral role of program evaluation in curriculum and instruction improvement. This course requires access to a P–12 classroom and/or educational stakeholders in a P–12 school or district. Prerequisite(s): ED5533.

This course serves as the capstone course for the Curriculum and Instruction specialization and constitutes the last course in the Curriculum and Instruction master’s program. The purpose of this capstone course is to consolidate and link content and concepts from various courses in the Curriculum and Instruction specialization. Learners serve 45 practicum hours in a site-based setting, demonstrating their proficiency by designing a project which incorporates the five course competencies. Throughout the course, learners maintain a reflection journal and activity log to document progress and challenges in their practicum. Learners also populate and organize their Professional Showcase Portfolio. For MS Curriculum and Instruction learners only. Grading for this course is S/NS. This course requires access to a P–12 classroom and/or educational stakeholders in a P–12 school or district. Prerequisite(s): A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better and the completion, submission, and approval of a practicum application. Please refer to practicum and internship Campus resource pages for information regarding application due dates and site and supervisor guidelines. ED5006; ED5010; ED5501 or EDT5140 or EDT5142 or EDT5150; ED5500 or EDT5130; ED5503 or EDT5122; ED5504; ED5533; ED5534 or EDT5142; ED5535 or EDT5126; ED5538. Cannot be fulfilled by transfer or prior learning assessment.