This course is designed to present Education Psychology as a distinct discipline concerned with understanding the processes of learning and teaching and developing ways of improving these processes. In this course, students will identify and apply knowledge derived from the behavioral sciences to the solutions of educational problems. The course focuses on the psychology and the development of learners, psychosocial principles of learning and motivation, and their applications, and research based classroom management techniques. Emphasis is placed on effective classroom communication and interpersonal relationships. Offered fall and spring semesters.

Education 190 emphasizes concepts and skills for effective teaching. These skills include instructional techniques, research, writing, and field experiences. Students will be involved in their first 40-hour field experience. ED-190, Effective Teaching, provides a critical overview of historical, intellectual, social and political foundations of American education. Analysis of differing views on the relationship of public schools and American society is stressed. The course explores current controversies and issues that will impact schools and teachers in the years ahead. Departmental permission required. Offered fall and spring semesters.

This course is designed to build upon a basic foundation in educational technology. Future teachers develop knowledge and skills in selection, evaluation, and utilization of various instructional technologies. The application of new technologies to teaching and learning will be emphasized, along with performance-based activities in instructional design. A major portion of the course is devoted to the integration of technology-based instructional activities in the PK-12 curriculum.

This course will address the urgent need for multicultural education by covering topics such as racism, bias, and cultural information in order to help students develop strategies for creating within their classrooms knowledge of, appreciation of, and respect for diversity. Teaching strategies for English Language Learners and issues relevant to ELLs, particularly immigration and globalization, will be discussed. The course will also help students develop the knowledge base and instructional skills necessary to teach their future students basic world geography in order to understand the cultural and political effects that geography has had on the diverse cultural groups included in the American educational system.

Through this course, students must learn and be able to apply major concepts and theories related to the development of young children and they must be able to develop, implement, assess, and modify curriculum and lessons. Students must demonstrate understanding of the way in which classroom environments influence children’s learning. Students must demonstrate proficiency with Pennsylvania’s Early Childhood Learning Standards. A 30-hour field experience accompanies this course. Departmental permission is required.

This course is a study of instructional methodology in foreign language acquisition at the secondary education level. A 40-hour field experience is required. Departmental permission is required.

This course will provide students with basic concepts of literacy instruction: emphasis on the nature of literacy development; the nature of the learner; and literacy development as an interactive process. This course requires completion of a 30-hour field experience. Departmental permission is required.

The course is designed to investigate and analyze major instructional methods for teaching literacy. The material is based upon current research theories and findings and includes topics recognized by theorists and practitioners as being most critical to developing effective school literacy programs. The course will include literature based reading programs, classroom organization, and assessment. The class will also require students to become more familiar with Pennsylvania standards and anchors and apply that knowledge to their planning.

The purpose of this course is to develop knowledge and skill in classroom-based reading assessment to diagnose students’ reading strengths and needs. A range of assessment devices and their use in the diagnosis of reading difficulties will be studied. An analysis of data and the determination of instructional interventions will be emphasized.

This course will involve students in actively reading a wide range of children’s and adolescent literature accompanied with an analysis of literary elements and genre. Emphasis will be placed on instructional methods that incorporate the use of literature across the curriculum with attention given to the careful selection of books to match the instructional levels of young readers.

This course is designed to extend the foundational knowledge of reading instruction learned in ED-321: Literacy Foundations I, with an emphasis on the application of this knowledge in the design of instructional planning and delivery. Application of the course content is demonstrated in the teaching of children enrolled in the Wilkes University Reading Academy or in a regional school. The ability to develop effective reading plans and activities and apply these strategies with children in an interactive setting is the essence of this course.

This course is designed to present a study of research, concepts and methodologies pertinent to the teaching of mathematics from the PK through 4th grade levels. In this course, emphasis is placed on 1) the knowledge necessary to guide children to become mathematically literate, 2) the implementation of planning and instructional techniques based on the NCTM Curriculum Standards, the PA Academic Standards and the PDE Assessment Anchors as well as principles of the NAEYC, and 3) the use of concrete manipulation to facilitate the learning process.

The purpose of this course is to inform and actively involve prospective teachers in the most developmentally effective methods for teaching language arts at the early childhood and elementary school levels. The course focuses on the language arts skills of writing, speaking, listening, viewing, and reading with emphasis on the writing process, literature-based lesson planning, and integrated language arts approaches. The incorporation of children’s literature and the study of various genres are fundamental to this course.

This course acquaints students with guidelines for use of developmentally appropriate formal and informal assessment for early childhood education and early intervention programs. Feature are commonly used standardized evaluation instruments, tests aligned with PA Early Learning Standards, as well as systems of authentic assessment.

This course will address a number of different professional areas both of theoretical importance and practical significance. Assessment concepts will provide a framework to critically analyze any assessment, whether commercial of teacher-made. Practical skills will enable the pre-service teacher to assess a wide variety of learning goals and teaching experiences within cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains. Finally, these assessment concepts and skills will be examined within the context of Pennsylvania Academic Standards and the Pennsylvania mandated assessment (PSSA).

This course is designed as an exploration of the importance of the arts in the development of children in the cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains. Students will discover how the arts are related to our natural and manmade environments and learn specific teaching methodologies that foster creativity and the integration of the arts with other subject areas.

In this course, students will gain an understanding of teaching Social Studies at the early childhood and elementary school levels. Students will develop their personal philosophy of the purpose of Social Studies, review National curriculum guidelines and PA state standards, and explore a variety of teaching strategies.

This course presents a study of the methods and curriculum for teaching science to young children. Emphasis is placed on instruction that is activity oriented and leads to the development of science process skills, problem-solving strategies, and well-developed conceptual frameworks.

The activities required for this course are aimed to meet the pedagogical needs of the middle level and the secondary science teacher. Emphasis is on content organization, teaching strategies, evaluation of existing curricular materials, literature research, and understanding the cognitive components of science learning, familiarity and competence with current teaching technology and current national and state standards. Additional emphasis will be placed on specific strategies for classroom management to aid the participants in becoming effective middle level and secondary classroom teachers. Department permission is required.

This course will address the educational perspectives that pertain to middle level (grades 4-8) and secondary (grades 7-12) instructional methodologies, curriculum, and classroom management, including strategies for transition, inclusion, and differentiation as recommended by the National Middle School Association and the Pennsylvania Department of Education. A 40-hour practicum is required. Departmental permission is required.

This course is designed to provide literacy instruction theory and skills for teaching content area subjects in grades 4 through 12. The course’s strategy-based approach includes developing vocabulary, evaluating reading materials, constructing meaning in texts, developing comprehension skills, and learning techniques for the adaptation and development of study materials to address the diverse reading levels of students in middle level and secondary schools.

This course provides a study of instructional methodology in the concentration area of Social Studies at the middle and secondary level with a 40-hour field practicum. Departmental permission is required.

This course is designed for students to establish and maintain a positive social context for learning in Pre-K through grade 4 education by applying developmentally appropriate motivational and management strategies. Researchers and theories will be identified, analyzed, evaluated, and demonstrated.

Student teaching is the capstone learning experience for prospective teachers. Student teachers are assigned to work with experienced classroom teachers. Under supervision, they assume responsibility for teaching and for managing a classroom. Conferences are regularly scheduled with cooperating teachers and college supervisors. In addition to fieldwork, students attend regularly scheduled seminars designed to facilitate the integration of theory and practice. As part of the seminar experience, the student teachers receive workshop training in areas such as classroom management strategies and techniques, health and emergency guidelines, legal, ethical, and professional issues, and in career and certification procedures. In addition, the Gardner’s Issues in Education Forum Series offers candidates workshops and lectures based on current topics in teaching and learning. Departmental permission is required.

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