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For information specific to a given term including the academic calendar and exam schedules, visit the Elon OnTrack site. By choosing Search for Sections, you can search for courses offered in a given semester with times and instructors.
Education course descriptions and prerequisites are shown below.
This course is designed to introduce students to the cultural, social, historical, legal and philosophical foundations of education. Students examine critical issues that impact education in the 21st century. An integrated field experience enables students to analyze a variety of perspectives on the purposes of education and instructional practices related to classroom management, learning environment and meeting the needs of learners who are diverse in culture, language and ability. Students will develop skills in critical thinking, leadership, observing, interviewing, reading, writing and oral communications. Offered fall, winter and spring.
This course is designed specifically for potential teacher candidates who seek admission to teacher licensure programs housed within School of Education. The course seeks to prepare emerging teachers with the writing skills necessary for communicating effectively with students, parents, colleagues, academic and professional communities and the public at large. Additionally, the course teaches English grammar as a knowledge base that both informs and improves the style of academic and professional writing. Potential teacher candidates shall demonstrate grammar competency for the purpose of being admitted to teacher education if they successfully complete this course. Offered fall and spring.
This course integrates the two primary goals of enhancing students’ personal comfort with and aptitude for mathematical and scientific concepts and supporting early childhood learning and application of math and science in everyday contexts. Topics will include concept acquisition and development including number, measurement, space, and hypothesis generation. Application of mathematical and scientific concepts in various socio-cultural contexts will be emphasized. Offered in the fall.
This course examines the methods used to conduct basic education research. Emphasis is placed on the use of research in practice-related settings indicative of early childhood to secondary educators. The course acquaints students with a basic theoretical understanding of research, practical aspects of conducting research, and ethical and diversity considerations inherent in the proper implementation of research. Prerequisite: MTH 112 or 212. Offered in the fall.
This course is a study of children's literature as a basis for meaningful learning experiences and for stimulating a love of reading in elementary-grade students. It will explore a broad range of reading materials in various genres and formats and help the student learn to asses the components of worthy, developmentally appropriate literature. Over the course of this semester, a student will become familiar with popular authors and illustrators, while considering ways to excite children's interest in reading. Students will be asked to respond deeply and critically to their own reading experiences in order to understand how children's literature can connect with its audience and illuminate and enhance any course of study. Although this is NOT a methods or a reading course, future teachers will begin to develop the knowledge, skills and dispositions to use books effectively with children. Prerequisite: EDU 211 or permission of instructor.
These courses are inquiry-based seminar courses that are designed to give teacher candidates the necessary knowledge, skills and dispositions to explore issues pertinent to effective citizenship in general, and education in particular, in the 21st century. The seminars are organized around four broad, interdisciplinary themes grounded in the liberal arts and selected as being representative of the major challenges facing citizens of the 21st century: equity and social justice, aesthetics and creative endeavor, nature and the environment, global awareness and interdependence.
This course is designed to provide an introduction to curriculum development and assessment for infants and toddlers, both with and without developmental delays. Students will learn how to plan, implement, and evaluate developmentally appropriate learning environments and activities. Emphasis is placed on natural settings (e.g., homes, child care centers, community settings), and on authentic methods for assessing development (e.g., play-based assessment, observation, anecdotal records, rating scales). Students will learn about evidence-based practices and decision-making for facilitating infant and toddler development. Special attention will be paid to the role that socio-cultural context plays in the emergent math and literacy skills of young children. Partnering with families to promote children’s development is an underlying tenet of this course. Students will be required to make connections between theory and practice through an associated practicum. Prerequisite: PSY 245, EDU 211, EDU 295. Offered spring.
Students learn how to investigate, evaluate and select content, methods and materials used in organizing and teaching language arts and social studies in elementary school. They develop appropriate curricula and examine personal beliefs and dispositions. They design and implement differentiated lessons based on state standards and develop technology-enhanced, project-based learning units. They gain a sound pedagogical knowledge base, an understanding of the importance of inquiry and professionalism and have opportunities to participate in a community of learners. A concurrent practicum offers opportunities to apply concepts and skills. Prerequisites: EDU 211, PSY 321, CIS 220. Co-requisites: EDU 323, 315, 301 and admission to teacher education program. To be taken no earlier than junior year. Offered fall and spring.
Students learn how to investigate, evaluate and select content, methods and materials used in organizing and teaching mathematics and science in the elementary school. They develop appropriate curricula and examine personal beliefs and dispositions. They design and implement differentiated lessons based on state standards and develop technology-enhanced, project-based learning units. They gain a sound pedagogical knowledge base, an understanding of the importance of inquiry and professionalism and have opportunities to participate in a community of learners. A concurrent practicum offers opportunities to apply concepts and skills. Prerequisites: EDU 211, MTH 208, 209, PSY 321, CIS 220. Co-requisites: EDU 323, 315, 301 and admission to teacher education program. To be taken no earlier than junior year. Offered fall and spring.
This course is designed to give students a basic understanding of the purpose, use, and interpretation of educational assessments. An emphasis is placed on classroom assessment – monitoring progress, evaluating student products and performances, and constructing reliable measures of achievements. Consideration is also given to the interpretation and communication of both individual and aggregated assessment results. Prerequisite: EDU 211 or SOC 243, PSY 321. Offered fall and spring.
This course involves the study of the fundamental processes by which a child learns to read both linear and nonlinear communication. Attention is given to readiness factors, vocabulary development, word attack, comprehension skills, assessment, writing and reading, interest in reading, the interrelatedness of all areas of the language arts to the reading process, and the integration of technology into the development of literacy. A variety of methodologies and instructional strategies are presented focusing on providing balanced reading instruction to meet diverse student strengths and needs including language experience, phonics, reading for meaning, literature circles, reading workshop, basal book, electronic book discussions, technology projects and monitoring reading progress. Prerequisites: EDU 211, PSY 321 and admission to the teacher education program. Co-requisite: EDU 311 or 312. Offered fall and spring.
The focus of this course is on planning and modifying elementary classroom instruction to address the needs of children who, for a variety of reasons, experience difficulty in acquiring basic literacy skills. Emphasis is placed on using assessment of children’s strengths and weaknesses to guide instructional decision making. Students practice administering a variety of diagnostic tools, interpreting the data, and using the information to design and, when warranted, modify instruction. They acquire skills necessary to design explicit, systematic instruction in phonemic awareness, decoding, spelling, reading fluency, vocabulary, reading comprehension and writing. Prerequisites: EDU 211, PSY 321 and EDU 323, admission to the teacher education program. Co-requisite: EDU 411 or 412. Offered fall and spring.
This course is designed to develop teacher candidates' understanding of literacy in the middle grades. Participants will explore instructional approaches to support students in developing literacy skills and strategies with an emphasis on literacy in the content areas. Students will consider the theory and practice of adolescent literacy in the various disciplines and the fact in making appropriate choices in methods and materials for diverse student populations and support of struggling students. Current research of the developmental, cognitive and instructional best practices in the field is highlighted. A field based component will be incorporated in the class. Prerequisites: EDU 211 or SOC 243 and admission to teacher education program.
This course explores collaboration with parents and/or other family members with intra-and inter-agency teams as a basic framework to prepare students for leadership roles in the field of early childhood education. The emphasis is on the importance of communication, teaming, and the assimilation of knowledge related to family/community partnerships; issues dealing with diversity; planning, implementing, and evaluating programs for all learners. Offered spring.
This course will help teachers and practitioners who work on behalf of young children ages (birth through kindergarten) to understand the importance of social and emotional well-being and development. Class sessions will focus on effective classroom methods to prevent emotional and behavioral disorders through the development of healthy social and emotional skills in early childhood learners. Topics such as the development of a positive self-image; childhood protective factors such as attachment; self-control; initiative; resilience; positive early relationships; and establishing the human connection between self and others will also be explored. Offered spring.
This course addresses the evolution of the field of special education, its philosophical and theoretical foundations, legal underpinnings, and current trends and controversies. Emphasis is on acquiring a broad knowledge base regarding the characteristics of students with exceptional learning needs and the process and procedures for providing special education. Consideration is given to how issues of human diversity impact families, cultures and schools and how these issues affect delivery of special education services. Prerequisites: EDU 211 or SOC 243 and admission to the teacher education program. Offered fall.
This course focuses on the important aspects of establishing a healthy, positive classroom environment that promotes academic growth as well as social development, for all school-age children and adolescents, including exceptional learners. Prerequisites: EDU 211 and admission to the teacher education program. Offered winter and spring.
This course examines critical issues in teaching in the contemporary secondary school, including literacy needs within content area classes and approaches to organizing and managing classroom environments. In order to better understand these and other problems of achievement and behavior, students will use collaborative teacher research methods to begin answering these highly contextualized problems of practice. This course provides an additional lens on the substantial field experience shared with content area methods classes. Prerequisite: SOC 243. Offered fall.
This course develops the knowledge and skills necessary for assessing and teaching a wide range of children, including dual language learners and those with exceptionalities, in preschool and kindergarten. Candidates are taught how to use analysis of assessment outcomes in the design of effective and developmentally appropriate instructional practices. Emphasis is placed on content and integration of curriculum for emergent mathematics, science, social studies and the arts. Methodology, pedagogy, organization of instruction and learning environments, positive child guidance and prescriptive instructional planning are explored while consistently highlighting the role of socio-cultural context in learning. The course will examine state curriculum guides, their relationship to instructional planning and state and local education agencies’ assessments. Practicum is included. Prerequisite: EDU 310. Offered fall.
Students learn how to investigate, evaluate and select content, methods and materials used in organizing and teaching language arts and social studies in the elementary school. They develop appropriate curricula and examine personal beliefs and dispositions. Building on knowledge acquired in PLT I, students design and implement integrated technology-enhanced, problem-based learning units, incorporating the elements of Universal Design (UD). National standards provide the context. They gain a more in-depth pedagogical knowledge base, a deeper understanding of the importance of inquiry and professionalism and have additional opportunities to participate in a community of learners. A concurrent practicum offers opportunities to apply concepts and skills. Prerequisite: EDU 312. Co-requisites: EDU 302 and 324. Offered fall.
Students learn to investigate, evaluate and select content, methods and materials used in organizing and teaching mathematics and science in the elementary school. They develop and implement appropriate curricula and examine personal beliefs and dispositions. Building on knowledge acquired in PLT I, students design and implement integrated technology-enhanced, problem-based learning units, incorporating the elements of Universal Design (UD). National standards provide the context. They gain a more in-depth pedagogical knowledge base, a deeper understanding of the importance of inquiry and professionalism and have additional opportunities to participate in a community of learners. A concurrent practicum offers opportunities to apply concepts and skills. Prerequisites: EDU 311 and admission to teacher Education program. Co-requisites: EDU 302 and 324. Offered fall.
In this study of the content and organization of the English curriculum with emphasis on methods and materials used in teaching literature, language skills and composition, students review print and non-print media, create lesson and unit plans, lead classroom discussions and conduct teaching demonstrations. Public school classroom observation and assistance are required. Prerequisites: EDU 211 or SOC 243, PSY 321. Offered fall semester.
Students study the objectives and content of the mathematics curriculum in grades 6-12, including the materials, techniques and methods of evaluation used in teaching mathematics in middle and high school grades. A practicum in the public schools is required. Prerequisites: EDU 211 or SOC 243, PSY 321. Offered fall semester.
Students develop, select and evaluate content, methods and materials used in teaching science at the middle or high school level. Study examines current trends in teaching the natural sciences and addresses safety concerns. Observations and practicum in middle and/or high schools required. Prerequisites: EDU 211 or SOC 243, PSY 321. Offered fall semester.
This study of the materials and methods of teaching social studies emphasizes planning, organization, objectives and evaluation. Public school practicum required. Prerequisites: EDU 211 or SOC 243, PSY 321. Offered fall semester.
This study of the content and organization of the foreign language curriculum in the public schools emphasizes methods and materials used in teaching at all levels (K-12) and covers how teaching the four basic skills and the target culture varies at each level. Students discuss theories of planning, instruction, choice of materials and evaluation, and gain practical experience by participating in a public school classroom. Prerequisites: EDU 211 or SOC 243, PSY 321. Offered fall semester.
This course provides teacher candidates with knowledge required to design assessment plans for students with exceptional learning needs. Consideration is given to legal policies and ethical principles in regard to the administration and interpretation of assessment procedures. Candidates learn to evaluate standardized assessment instruments in terms of reliability, validity and adequacy of norm sample and to collaborate with families and other professionals to gather information and share assessment results. Prerequisites: EDU 211 or SOC 243, admission to the teacher education program. Offered spring.
This course provides a foundation for middle level (6-9) education majors with concentrations in math, science, social studies and language arts. The course explores the unique physical, intellectual, social and personal characteristics of the young adolescent (age 10-14) with implication for curriculum development and instruction. Emphasis is on young adolescent learning needs, middle school philosophy and organization, classroom diversity with emphasis on students with limited English proficiency, responsive curriculum design and scholarly research related to issues of diversity, access to learning, and literacy; management of the learning environment; and professional leadership. Prerequisites: EDU 211, admission to the teacher education program. Offered spring.
This course is designed for middle grades majors (6-9) with concentration areas in math, science, social studies and language arts. The course builds upon and extends the foundational experiences in EDU 441 through in-depth exploration of theory as related to young adolescent learning; focused inquiry, collaboration and teaching on middle level interdisciplinary teams; service learning instructional design; scholarly research related to issues of diversity, access to learning, and literacy; and management of the learning environment and professional leadership. Prerequisite: EDU 441. Offered fall.
In this course, teacher candidates become familiar with the theory and research base on effective instructional techniques for children with exceptional learning needs. They learn how to apply specific methods that involve explicit, systematic and intensive instruction to help children with learning difficulties acquire foundational skills in reading and language arts. Candidates learn to use curriculum-based assessment as a basis for planning, monitoring and modifying instruction. Prerequisites: EDU 211 or SOC 243, admission to the teacher education program. Offered fall.
This course focuses on effective teaching and learning strategies for adolescents with mild to moderate learning needs. The course emphasizes strategies that reflect a cognitive/ meta-cognitive instructional approach to learning. Consideration is given to the use of technology as a tool for learning and to the assessment of strategy effectiveness by monitoring student progress. Teacher candidates learn to consider learning environments, cultural, linguistic and socioeconomic factors in addition to student abilities in their selection and use of strategies. Prerequisites: EDU 211 or SOC 243 and admission to the teacher education program. Offered fall.
This course is designed to prepare teachers to work effectively in today’s increasingly inclusive and diverse classrooms, providing historical, philosophical and practical approaches to issues surrounding five diversities: (1) racial, cultural and ethnic, (2) linguistic, (3) socioeconomic, (4) gender and (5) (dis)ability. A 30-hour field placement in a diverse secondary classroom provides real world experience for students to wrestle with assumptions, theories and data about how diversity impacts educational opportunity and student achievement. Prerequisite: SOC 243.
This course is designed to prepare elementary and middle grades teacher candidates to work effectively in inclusive classrooms. Candidates gain historical and philosophical perspective to effectively instruct students from diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds, religions, genders and abilities. Candidates gain knowledge of the Exceptional Children's (EC) referral process and the skills to effectively teach EC and other diverse groups. Elementary and middle grades majors only. Prerequisites: EDU 211, admission to the teacher education program.
This course is a study of language and literacy development for a wide range of children, including dual language learners and those with exceptionalities. Emphasis is placed on scientific research and developmental theories for language acquisition and literacy learning and the relationship between oral language and the reading and writing process from birth through kindergarten. Prevention of reading difficulties is reviewed in detail. Prominence is given to cognitive and socio-cultural perspectives of literacy learning. Students will learn to integrate language and literacy into the curriculum in authentic ways. Offered fall.
This course provides students with a general overview of special education for young children. Topics include assessment procedures, referral processes, legislation, and service delivery models. Students will learn the characteristics of various disabilities and research-based intervention practices in inclusive and separate settings. The importance of a family systems approach for educating young children will be explained, with special emphasis on serving families from culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Offered fall.
This course will focus on connecting the science of early childhood development with real world application of program design and implementation. It includes an analysis of how federal, state and local policies impact early childhood programs and acquaints students with the advocacy process as a means to influence policy decisions based on the science of early development. Offered winter.
Teacher candidates experience the classroom full time for one semester, with periodic conferences with the university supervisor(s) and classroom teacher(s). The student becomes acquainted with the duties and observes the methods and activities of an experienced teacher, with gradual induction into full-time teaching responsibilities. Prerequisites: EDU 211 or SOC 243 and grade(s) of C or better in appropriate methods course(s). Co-requisite: EDU 303. Offered fall and spring.
Students engage in undergraduate research under the direction of an education department faculty member. Maximum of eight semester hours total credit. Prerequisites: Eligibility as determined by the undergraduate research guidelines of Elon University and approval by the department.