Master of Education: Teaching-Special Education

This course serves as a solid basis for the topics and activities that will be presented in each candidate's program of study. The significance of the structures, theories, philosophies, various pedagogical approaches, basic research designs, and educational paradigms necessary in order to develop a productive educational climate will be presented, and the effect of these on enhancing the social, emotional, physical, and psychological aspects of K-12 students will be carefully considered. Effective use of technology as a tool in educational situations will be emphasized. Candidates will discuss preliminary plans for on-site K-12 activities that are required later in the program, and will submit a written plan that describes their specific career interests, strategies to meet goals, and evaluative measures for these goals, including an outline for the final project to be submitted at the end of the degree program.

This course examines issues relating to the skills that promote equal learning opportunities in the classroom, including effective approaches to working with colleagues, staff, parents, and students who are culturally, ethnically and socio- economically diverse. Interpersonal communication skills – to include speaking, listening, reading, and writing - and their effect on individuals, organizations, and communities will be discussed. Topics examined include ethnic, cultural, gender, class, religious, and linguistic diversity, as well as human exceptionality. The use of technology as an aid to effective communication will be presented. Laws and issues that have a bearing on curriculum and instruction for exceptional students will be examined.

This course examines the particular role of the classroom educator in understanding a systematic approach to planning curriculum and instruction for academically diverse learners. This approach to effective instruction will focus on the classroom factors relating to the nature of the student and the essential meaning of the curriculum. Particular emphasis will be placed on classroom elements that the educator can differentiate – or modify – to increase the likelihood that each student will learn as much as possible, as efficiently as possible. This would include the areas of content, process, products, affect and learning environment. Additionally, there are three core student characteristics that educator must consider when creating curriculum and instruction: readiness, interest, and learning profile. The idea of differentiating instruction to accommodate the different ways that students learn involves a hefty dose of common sense, as well as sturdy support in the theory and research of education.

This course focuses on the methods, tools, and devices used in research in education, as well as the development of skills, insights, and understandings basic to performing research. The course presents vocabulary, principles, definitions and methods of educational research that allows students to understand the logic of conducting educational research, plan a research study and how to formally conduct and report research findings. Students will also learn to interpret, critique, and study the application of research findings of others in educational settings. In addition, while students will explore several research methods and be able to design a research proposal that could be implemented in their administrative/teaching/counseling environment.

This course explores how technology may be used as a tool in the 21st Century classroom to facilitate changes in the ways teachers teach and students learn, and ultimately to stimulate positive changes in education. It also examines how educators can increase their own productivity by using technology for communication and collaboration among colleagues, staff, parents, students, and the larger community. Candidates will examine the benefits and possible drawbacks of technology use in their classrooms and learn how to integrate technology effectively into their teaching as a means to promote student learning. Candidates will discover how technology can be an engaging and effective tool in the classroom. Candidates will also have the opportunity to learn how to incorporate the latest technology and software into the curriculum to support learning. This course addresses the standards developed by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). It also incorporates 21st Century Learning Skills. The importance of ICT (information and communication technologies) literacy is emphasized.

This course examines a framework to address the emerging issues and trends in administration and supervision that have the potential to significantly influence the future direction of education. It describes how the educational leader can address emerging issues and trends, build the necessary leadership competence to respond to these issues and trends, and develop into a more accountable leader who can deal effectively with the need for school reform. Time will be spent studying the effects of media on student learning, taking into account that the K-12 students of the 21st Century are “digital learners” whose learning styles are likely to be quite different from those of K-12 teachers. Research, study, discussion, and writing assignments will enable candidates in this course to systematically analyze various issues and trends such as accountability, privatization, national standards, voucher plans, organizational change, the diverse school community, community resources and partnerships, marketing strategies and process, and other topics.

Course participants will develop instructional and leadership skills needed for teaching students with special learning needs, as well as students at-risk for academic and social failure. The concepts of teacher collaboration, least restrictive environment, accommodations and modifications, confidentiality, behavior management, identification, and giftedness will be reviewed using authentic case studies. Participants will reflect upon how these concepts drive instructional practices in today’s challenging classroom environment. Using the cases as a launching point, teachers will be given the opportunity to participate in on-line discussions regarding beliefs, best practices, challenges, and current research.

This course addresses legal trends and issues related to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), including the identification process that schools must follow: child study, assessment, eligibility, IEP development, and placement. Educators will analyze the legal requirements as defined in IDEA, specifically, the Free and Appropriate Education (FAPE) requirement, the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) requirement, and the development of Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), and consider the changes of IDEA 2004. Using the cases as a launching point, teachers will participate in on-line discussions regarding beliefs, best practices, challenges, and current research.

This course examines behavior management practices within general and special education classrooms. Cases focus on behavior management strategies for special learners with a range of disabilities from learning disabilities to emotional behavioral disorder (EBD) to autism. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) regulations, state and district policies, and ethical principles regarding behavior management practices will be introduced. The cases in this course depict problems and opportunities related to classroom management, individual behavior management strategies and systems, functional behavioral assessments, developmentally appropriate behavior management goals, and zero tolerance policies. Course participants will develop instructional and leadership skills needed for teaching students with special learning needs, as well as students at-risk for academic and social failure.

This course explores accommodations and modifications for special learners within the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) and enhances regular and special educators’ understanding of how best to address the individual needs of special learners. Cases and readings focus on the creation of appropriate accommodations, the integration of accommodations into a general education classroom, the legal requirement for accommodations, and the roles of the general and special education teachers within the LRE. Course participants will contribute to on-line discussions regarding beliefs, best practices, challenges, current research, and ways these affect their own teaching practice.

This course examines curriculum, instruction, and assessment in the context of various standards and accountability and their relationships to improvement in student learning, based on sound pedagogical approaches. It explores theories, methods, and procedures underlying the development and design of instruction and also the interrelationships among curriculum, instruction, and assessment. The methodology for developing curriculum which will meet the needs of a heterogeneous student body, including the special needs of exceptional students, is presented. The importance of alignment to learning outcomes and the necessity for valid assessments are discussed. Methods of record keeping, grading, and reporting; use of assessment data; and test preparation are presented; and implementation issues related to accountability, planning, and collaboration are addressed. The use of technology to assist with accurate assessments is presented.

This course examines classroom-management models and theoretical and empirical approaches to classroom management. The course helps candidates develop appropriate classroom-management decision making and problem solving skills, explores the merits and limitations of each classroom-management model, and examines the rationale when each approach to classroom management could be most appropriately implemented. The course also presents concepts of extrinsic and intrinsic motivation; the concept of self-motivation; assertive, positive, and cooperative discipline; and examines the relationships among classroom environment, classroom behavior, and learning. In this course s will focus on implementing interventions for preventing and managing routine and disruptive discipline problems in a practical manner to include establishing effective classroom rules and procedures, relationships, role of parents, and helping students contribute to a positive learning environment that is relevant to their lives. Information provided in this course is directly linked to the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC) standards.

This course is designed to give regular education teachers strategies to use in academically and culturally diverse classrooms. Using case studies as a launching point, course participants will examine the complexities of balancing the needs of gifted education, general education, special education, and culturally diverse students in a standards-driven climate. Use of tiered assignments, alternative assessments targeting different intelligences, and other modifications will be evaluated, implemented, and refined. Course participants will collaborate to address beliefs, best practices, challenges, current research, and ways to apply them to their own teaching practice.

Accomplished teachers have a rich understanding of the subject(s) they teach and the associated content area pedagogical practices. In this course candidates will assess their teaching practice in the context of previous coursework, observational experiences, and candidate teaching. They will apply content area knowledge to contemporary theory through the development of artifacts and reflective pieces related to praxis. Candidates will also engage in discourse related to emerging social and philosophical issues in teaching to prepare them to be informed practitioners. This course will focus on action research in a classroom situation. Its purpose is to inform candidates with respect to ongoing pedagogical practices.