Education Course Descriptions

ED 200SL Foundations of Teaching and Learning

This is the first course in the undergraduate teacher licensure program and is designed to explore education and teaching as a profession. The philosophical, historical, legal, and societal aspects of education in the United States will be stressed. The course also will offer a look at the contemporary issues that affect students and schooling. Fundamental curriculum design based on an understanding of the relationships among assessment, instruction, and student academic progress will also be addressed. Field experience/service learning: 10 hours. Prerequisite: 24 or more earned credit hours. Designation: INQ. (3)

ED 254 Technology for the K-12 Classroom

An introductory, hands-on course designed to prepare pre-service teachers to use the current technologies that are found in the K-12 classroom. Additionally, students will be prepared to meet the technology standards set for teachers. Prerequisite: a grade of C or better in ED 200SL. (3)

ED 301 Foundation of Literacy Development

This course is designed to provide an understanding of how children develop language and grow into literacy. The nature of reading, writing, and language acquisition is emphasized and an examination of second-language learners and cultural diversity are included. Field experience: 10 hours. Prerequisite: ED 200SL with a grade of C or better. Liberal Arts Core/University Requirements Designation: INQ. (3)

ED 323 Literacy Instruction: Diagnosis and Corrective Strategies

This course focuses on the characteristics of reading disabilities, the identification/analysis of reading disabilities, and intervention strategies appropriate for students with reading disabilities. Additionally, the class will address the prevention of reading failure and strategies for the collection and analysis of reading behavior. Field experience: 20 hours. Prerequisites: a grade of C or better in ED 200SL and ED 309. (3)

ED 329 Collaborative Models for Special Education

This course is designed for students to learn collaboration and communication skills and models within special education settings, which include families, community agencies, and nondisabled peers. Assistive and instructional technology that is used to gain access into the general curriculum is also addressed. Field experience: 10 hours. Prerequisites: a grade of C or better in ED 200SL and ED 309. (3)

ED 337 Literacy in the Content Areas

This course helps students develop the background knowledge and instructional strategies needed to become effective teachers of literacy within their chosen content areas. Topics will include an overview of theoretical models of the reading process as well as practical strategies for developing reading comprehension, vocabulary knowledge, and study skills. The Virginia Standards of Learning are used as the framework for this course. Field experience: 20 hours. Prerequisites: grade of C or better in ED 200SL and ED 309. (3)

ED 338 Secondary Education: Curriculum and Methods

This course provides a sound foundation in the principles of effective curriculum development and instructional delivery for students who are preparing to teach in today’s diverse classrooms at the secondary level. Field experience: 20 hours. Prerequisite: a grade of C or better in ED 200SL. (3)

ED 339 Individualized Education Programs and Strategies for the General Curriculum

Designed for students to become knowledgeable about individualized education program (IEP) implementation in a K-12 setting. This includes demonstrating the use of assessment tools to make decisions about student progress within the general education curriculum; teaching remediate deficits in academic areas; understanding the scope and sequence of the SOLs; promoting high academic, social, and behavior standards; and implementing and monitoring IEP-specified accommodations within the general education classroom. Field experience: 10 hours. Prerequisites:  ED 200SL  (3),  and admission to the teacher education program.

ED 345 Transition, Family, and Community Services for Individuals with Disabilities

This course is designed to provide educators with a broad overview of the rationale for career and transition programming critical to the development of children and youth with disabilities and to present the various program options that are currently available. The knowledge and understanding of the importance of counseling and working with families of students with disabilities will be explored. The availability of community resources to assist both parents and children with disabilities will also be discussed. Prerequisites: a grade of C or better in ED 200SL and ED 309. (3)

ED 351 Assessment to Support Learning in K-12

This course is designed to help students select and develop curriculum and expand the skills needed to appropriately assess learning in K-12 classrooms. Students will learn to administer and analyze results of externally produced and teacher-produced assessments in order to set goals for achievement and to design instruction that will help K-12 learners meet set goals. The course will focus on the design and use of appropriate assessment instruments to meet the needs of all learners and on the accountability issues that surround assessment in K-12 schools. Field experience: 10 hours. Prerequisite: a grade of C or better in ED 200SL. (3)

ED 355 Literacy Instruction for Diverse Learners: PK-2

This course introduces pre-service teachers to the teaching of reading by exploring the nature of the reading process and the major approaches and skills needed to enhance literacy learning in the classroom for PK-2 students. Various strategies for teaching spelling, writing, vocabulary, and comprehension, as well as creative arts and technology, to reinforce the development of early literacy skills for diverse classrooms are emphasized. Field experience: 20 hours. Prerequisite: a grade of C or better in ED 200SL. (3)

ED 356 Literacy Instruction for Diverse Learners: Grades 3-6

Using the Virginia Standards of Learning as the framework, students will explore the relationships among reading, writing, speaking, and listening in the context of an upper-elementary classroom. Various strategies for teaching writing, spelling, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension will be emphasized. Assessment strategies are examined to aid with differentiating instruction and meeting student strengths and needs. Field experience: 20 hours. Prerequisites: a grade of C or better in ED 200SL. (3)

ED 357 Teaching Social Studies and Visual Arts

This course is designed to familiarize students with history and social studies instruction in elementary classrooms and methods of integrating social studies with other content areas. Emphasis is placed on developing planning and using assessment strategies that help teachers differentiate instruction through the use of multiple instructional models and developing strategies to help children understand their world through literature, art, music, drama, and dance. Supervised field experience will provide the opportunity to observe strategies that are introduced. Field experience: 10 hours. Prerequisites: a grade of C or better in ED 200SL and ED 309. Liberal Arts Core/University Requirements Designation: WI. (3)

ED 378 and ED 379 Teaching Mathematics and Science

This course is designed to help students develop an understanding of how elementary children develop math and science knowledge and skills. This course also supports the development of appropriate attitudes and instructional strategies to teach math and science in grades PK-6, with a focus in overcoming errors and misconceptions. Applied methods for teaching elementary math and science will be demonstrated using manipulatives, natural objects, technologies, and other tools of science and measurement while implementing engineering and design activities through project-based learning, an inquiry model. Field experience: 20 hours. Prerequisites: a grade of C or better in ED 200SL and ED 309. (6)

ED 366 Secondary Teaching Methods in Science

Pre-service teachers will engage in integrating content and professional and pedagogical knowledge and skills to devise learning experiences that are meaningful to secondary students. Utilizing investigations, central concepts of the content area, and inquiry, this course will allow students to explore topics in curriculum, assessment, and classroom procedures and resources. Incorporation of national, state, technology, and college- and career-ready performance expectations will be addressed. Field experience: 20 hours. Prerequisite: a grade of C or better in ED 200SL and ED 309. (3)

ED 367 Secondary Teaching Methods in History and Social Science

Pre-service teachers will engage in integrating content and professional and pedagogical knowledge and skills to devise learning experiences that are meaningful to secondary students. Utilizing investigations, central concepts of the content area, and inquiry, this course will allow students to explore topics in curriculum, assessment, classroom procedures, and resources. Incorporation of national, state, technology, and college- and career-ready performance expectations will be addressed. Field experience: 20 hours. Prerequisite: grade of C or better in ED 200SL and ED 309. (3)

ED 368 Secondary Teaching Methods in English

Pre-service teachers will engage in integrating content and professional and pedagogical knowledge and skills to devise learning experiences that are meaningful to secondary students. Utilizing investigations, central concepts of the content area, and inquiry, this course will allow students to explore topics in curriculum, assessment, and classroom procedures and resources. Incorporation of national, state, technology, and college- and career-ready performance expectations will be addressed. Field experience: 20 hours. Prerequisite: a grade of C or better in ED 200SL and ED 309. (3)

ED 369 Secondary Teaching Methods in Mathematics

Pre-service teachers will engage in integrating content and professional and pedagogical knowledge and skills to devise learning experiences that are meaningful to secondary students. Utilizing investigations, central concepts of the content area, and inquiry, this course will allow students to explore topics in curriculum, assessment, and classroom procedures and resources. Incorporation of national, state, technology, and college- and career-ready performance expectations will be addressed. Field experience: 20 hours. Prerequisite: a grade of C or better in ED 200SL and ED 309. (3)

ED 421 Project

The project is an investigation of a selected topic in the major emphasis area under the direction of a faculty advisor. It is intended to demonstrate the ability to conduct independent research and present the results in writing of commendable quality. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. (3-9)

ED 433 Research

A student in this course will conduct collaborative research under the direction of a faculty member. Prerequisite: application and approval of department chair. Liberal Arts Core/University Requirements Designation: EXP. (1-6)

ED 449 Strategies for Behavior Management for the Special Educator

This course is designed to help future special education teachers identify, record, evaluate, and intervene with special education students who are accessing the general curriculum of the school. The course teaches behavior management assessments, techniques, and interventions for special educators within schoolwide, classroom, and individual settings, including functional behavioral assessment. Developing classroom and individual behavior management plans will be emphasized. Prerequisite: permission of the ECE Office. Corequisite: for special education licensure students, ED 460SE. (3)

ED 452 Managing the K-12 Classroom

This course is designed for students to learn principles and best practices of effective classroom management techniques, individual intervention strategies, and classroom community building in developmentally appropriate ways within the K-12 setting. Students will also learn about diverse approaches for effective classroom management based on behavioral, cognitive, affective, social, and ecological theory and practice. Corequisite: ED 460E or ED 460S. Prerequisite: permission of ECE Office. (3)

ED 460E Student Teaching: PK-6

Student teaching is the supervised clinical experience in an elementary (PK-6) school site for 14 weeks. Readings, seminar attendance, and completion of a teacher work sample and professional portfolio are required. Prerequisites: Students must apply for student teaching, fulfill all admission requirements as outlined in the University Catalog and Undergraduate Handbook, and obtain permission of the ECE Office. Corequisite: ED 452. Liberal Arts Core/University Requirements Designation: EXP. (6)

ED 460S Student Teaching: Secondary

Student teaching is the supervised clinical experience in a school site (grades 6-12) for 14 weeks. Readings, seminar attendance, and completion of a teacher work sample and professional portfolio are required. Prerequisite: Students must apply for student teaching, fulfill all admission requirements as outlined in the University Catalog and Undergraduate Handbook, and obtain permission of the ECE Office. Corequisite: ED 452. Liberal Arts Core/University Requirements Designation: EXP. (6)

ED 460SE Student Teaching: Special Education

Student teaching is the supervised clinical experience in a school site (K-12) for 14 weeks. Readings, seminar attendance, and completion of a teacher work sample and professional portfolio are required. Prerequisite: Students must apply for student teaching, fulfill all admission requirements as outlined in the University Catalog and Undergraduate Handbook, and obtain permission of the ECE Office. Corequisite: ED 449. Liberal Arts Core/University Requirements Designation: EXP. (6)

ED 480 Senior Seminar

This course examines ways to integrate learning across content areas and to use research in the problem-solving process. Students will evaluate research and design an applied research project for an appropriate area of interest. A written proposal and an oral presentation of the research project will be required. Prerequisite: senior status and admission to the teacher education program. Prerequisite: EN 102. Liberal Arts Core/University Requirements Designation: DSINQ, WI. (3)