Bachelor of Science in Educational Studies Courses

An introduction to early childhood, elementary, and secondary education for students interested in teaching. Students will explore their potential for teaching in light of admission criteria and licensure requirements. Includes study of historical and social foundations of education; topics such as inquiry into the teaching and learning process, schools in a multicultural and diverse society, the profession of teaching; principles of cooperative group learning; and cultural differences, communication, and stereotyping. Fifteen hours of field experience is included.

The focus of this course is educational uses of technology. Students will explore computer applications as tools for their own learning, as well as the ethics of electronic communications, and will begin developing a Teacher Education portfolio using LiveText software.

This course provides information on the various exceptionalities and facilitates understanding of the basic special needs education services provided to children with disabilities, and includes gifted and talented. Topics include federal and state mandates, planning with parents, team approaches, teaching methodologies, and curriculum modifications and adaptations. A portfolio, reflective journal, and field experience will assist students in valuing diversity and inclusion.

A course in theories of behavior, functional behavior assessment, and the laws, policies, and ethical principles regarding the planning and implementation of positive behavior supports for students with challenging behavior.

Provide education teacher candidates an understanding of the principles of effective classroom management and an opportunity to use a range of strategies to promote positive relationships, cooperation, and purposeful learning in the classroom; grow in their knowledge on how to create learning environments that contribute to the self-esteem of all persons and to positive interpersonal relations, establish a positive climate in the classroom and participate in maintaining a positive climate in the school as a whole. Participants will professionally grow in their development of skills necessary to lead with confidence, compassion, creativeness and commitment and team planning and teaching with multi-age grouping for K – 6 diverse learners. Teacher candidates cooperatively plan and teach content and skill objectives during a special two-day clinical lab experience in a K – 6 setting with diverse learners.

The Positive Classroom and Behavior Management Strategies for the Special Education Classroom course will focus on specific classroom management styles congruent with inclusive and culturally responsive classrooms. It will also focus on learning strategies to effectively manage and teach students who exhibit high behavioral needs in a proactive, positive manner. Teacher candidates cooperatively plan and teach content and skill objectives during a field experience/lab in a birth – age 21 setting with diverse learners.

This course is designed to introduce TESL teacher candidates to fundamental theories in the field of teaching ESL. The course builds a foundation of understanding of English learners and topics impacting the academic experiences of language minority students in the United States. TESL teacher candidates will participate in a 15 hour lab field experience with focus on culturally and linguistically diverse learners.

The required preparation includes two years of HS foreign language or one year of foreign language in a post-secondary setting.

The course acquaints students with the basic theories, methods of study, and research findings on children’s and adolescents behavior and cognition. Emphasis is placed on critical thinking about claims made in this area.

Causes and consequences of prejudice, discrimination, and segregation; relationships of ethnic, racial, and religious minorities to dominant categories in the United States and globally; remedial programs to reduce racial, ethnic, and religious tensions.

Students will complete an extended supervised field experience in an organized setting serving children ages Birth – 18.

Course is repeatable up to 12 credits.

Exploration of parent-child relationships within diverse family and cultural settings. Examination of parenting styles, attitudes, and behaviors and their effects on children’s development.

Emphasis will be on constructivist approaches to hands-on creative activities, expressive arts, and discovery learning for young children that is inclusive. Facilitating children’s development through planning implementing, and evaluating learning experiences in the visual arts, music, movement, dance, and dramatic play will be the heart of this integrated curriculum course. A lab experience is included.

The course focuses on various developmentally appropriate and best curricula in the field of early childhood education in which instructional strategies, theories of curriculum development, and integrated curriculum for traditional/thematic types, to newer experimental and/or research-based models are explored. Approaches to anti-bias curriculum and inclusion of all children will be studied. A lab experience is included.

This course develops a framework for establishing and maintaining high quality programs for infants and toddlers and their families. Students will develop techniques for care giving, facilitating learning, and assessment that are developmentally appropriate and culturally sensitive. Attention to infants and toddlers with special needs is included.

This course is a study of children’s literature at pre-primary, kindergarten, and elementary levels, with emphasis on diversity.

This course is designed to provide the student with an overview of health, safety, and nutritional issues of the child from birth to grade three in preparation for a profession of working with children. The prenatal environment and its impact on the health of the individual will be given great emphasis.

This is the mathematics content course for elementary education majors, which focuses on the content areas that must be taught at the elementary school level. Topics include problem solving, numeracy, discrete math, probability, statistics, and geometry. An understanding of the underlying mathematical concepts is developed to allow students to master the associated mathematical procedures.

Note: For the BS in Educational Studies program, students may take either take MATH 129 or ED 418 to fulfill the requirement.

In order to teach young children it is necessary to be familiar with patterns of growth concerning physical, mental, social, emotional, and aesthetic development of this age group. And to know both methods and materials is essential in order to create a living/learning environment where children can experience the best possible educational program. This course requires a 15-hour field experience.

Note: For the BS in Educational Studies program, students may take either take MATH 129 or ED 418 to fulfill the requirement.

This course is a study of children’s literature at pre-primary, kindergarten, and elementary levels, with emphasis on diversity.

A course for students interested in learning to stimulate children’s creative visual expression. It is organized to develop insight into children’s expression as well as understanding and discovering their environment. Basic art concepts, motivations, developmental characteristics, and curriculum are also presented.