Graduate Courses

This course focuses on developing conceptual, experiential, & pedagogic knowledge in five historical dance education traditions: Graham, Hawkins, Dunham, Horton, & Taylor, & 2 modern fusion techniques that incorporate working with differently abled populations. The course will introduce students to the theories & kinesthetic ideas of each of these choreographer/educators, & students will work closely with the accompanist to learn techniques of accompaniment for these styles. Students will investigate the concepts & constructs of a dance “technique” & what purpose technique classes serve to the dancer & choreographer, including the use of technology & assessment to enhance student experience & comprehension.

Students explore vernacular and theatrical jazz dance rooted in the Africanist aesthetic in historical and cultural context, and its relevance to education across the sectors (k-12, post-secondary, independent schools of dance). Emphasis is on experiencing the jazz dance continuum in movement, and deconstructing pedagogical approaches to technique, improvisation, and academic content.

This course provides a laboratory environment where students learn to record, arrange, and produce their own high-quality performance videos using low-cost home equipment and software. The class culminates in each student building a website and internet presence that showcases the content created throughout the course.

This is a semester-long seminar for students in the Honors Program in the Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders. The seminar has three main objectives: (a) provide a forum where students engage in a serious intellectual discussion about the process of conducting independent
research, (b) provide guidance and structure to students in the process of conducting their independent research projects, and (c) prepare students for presentation of their honors thesis in a professional forum. All honors students must have a research mentor and This is a semester-long seminar for students in the Honors Program in the Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders. The seminar has three main objectives: (a) provide a forum where
students engage in a serious intellectual discussion about the process of conducting independent research, (b) provide guidance and structure to students in the process of conducting their independent research projects, and (c) prepare students for presentation of their honors thesis in a professional forum. All honors students must have a research mentor and approved research project prior to registering for the course.

This year-long course sequence will foster the career development of graduate students who have an aptitude for research and will provide a framework for faculty-mentored student research. Admission to the course is restricted to students who are selected based on competitive applications. Students will develop and implement a research study, analyze the data, and culminate the project with a written paper and oral presentation.

This module challenges students to consider how teachers re-purpose and re-
contextualize content within frameworks and approaches including an equity-centered Design Thinking framework and Universal Design for Learning. This course examines the historical and cultural underpinnings of curricular frameworks and explores how to re-shape curriculum and integrate arts to affirm a range of student identities and abilities.

Explores scientific research on how children learn to read and spell, with a focus on teaching and assessing diverse learners in early stages of literacy. Emphasis on foundational reading skills: spoken language, print concepts, phonological awareness, phonics, vocabulary, and spelling. Students learn effective instructional methods for teaching reading and writing in ways that meet the needs of multilingual learners and students with disabilities. While foundational skills are essential, the ultimate goal is to support independent, fluent reading for meaning.

In elementary school, social studies plays an integral role in students’ sense of
identity and community. Here we explore civic engagement, communities, global awareness, history, current events, and culture. We consider the place and meaning of social studies education and connect content to the needs and diversity of students with IEPs and multilingual learners. We consider diverse perspectives of content, critique and create materials and plans for constructing social studies learning environments that integrate engagement with communities
and families.

In this module, emerging teachers are prepared to teach math to diverse learners in
various grades. We examine theoretical and practical issues with an emphasis on creating classroom communities where students develop a positive disposition towards the subject. Attention focuses on the development of number sense and student habits to engage productively in mathematical sense-making and problem-solving. We explore pedagogically driven models of learning, use multiple lenses to construct practical, grounded, and equity-based approaches to teaching math.

his module focuses on creating safe, inclusive, culturally responsive learning
environments for all students. We analyze classroom/school culture, climate, routines, strategies, and environmental design of classrooms, and explore the role and responsibilities of teachers providing special education and related services to students with disabilities. Interns explore models of inclusion, develop respect and rapport with students, support high expectations for all students, collaborate with families and professionals, and create caring classrooms for diverse

Introduction to the organizational dynamics of colleges & universities. Beginning with a review of organizational theory, students will review the various types of college structures (universities, four-year colleges, community colleges, for profit colleges.) Students will study key functional areas: finance; enrollment management; academic affairs; student services & explore how these areas are affected by governance & managerial approaches. Assignments will include case studies that present examples of strategic planning & management challenges.

Module builds on previous units’ focus on knowing learners & the contexts where they learn to develop students’ understanding of their obligations to their diverse learners, & of their teaching environments. Students will be encouraged to explore more complex understandings of teaching & learning than those they may have acquired in their own schooling. They will learn classroom management & self-assessment skills & identify the teaching assets they bring to classroom environments, including their content knowledge & previous leadership experiences

This course introduces fundamentals of curriculum planning and development for students with disabilities. Residents will learn how to collaboratively develop, modify, and adapt curricula for students with disabilities in a range of educational settings in teams with general education interns. Residents will also learn to individualized education plans (IEPs) to drive curricular design, implementation, and assessment. Our focus is on middle, high school, and transition-aged youth who are in separate and inclusive learning environments.

This course introduces fundamentals of curriculum planning and development for a specific set of learners. Focus will be on creating content-rich curricula that provide culturally relevant learning experiences for students with disabilities and enable them to connect meaningfully to other content areas and experiences outside the classroom. The focus on development of curricula that meet content area standards will address students’ varied learning needs; providing individualized instruction (including use of IEPs in the classroom).

This course focuses on assessment as an integral dimension of teaching and
learning. Our goals are to examine the role of assessment in designing and implementing IEPs for students with disabilities, and apply evidence-based assessment practices to address learning outcomes and enhance understanding for all students. This course encourages interns to examine the uncertainty that lies at the heart of teaching, and to identify practices that promote equitable
learning opportunities for all.

This module focuses on assessment. Topics include formal classroom assessment (for example, tests, writing assignments, & projects); informal classroom assessment (as carried out in classroom discussions, monitoring of small groups, one-on-one observations & discussions, & students’ self-assessment & peer assessment); grading; external standardized assessment. The module also includes preparation for the MAT program summative assessment

This culminating module focuses on a year-long participatory action research
(PAR) journey. PAR is characterized by a collaborative process of inquiry and action for change in response to organizational or community challenges. Interns engage in a cycle of inquiry that focuses on the process of designing, creating, implementing, and practice radical listening, and being mindful learners and leaders. Interns are encouraged to reflect on the process and how it helped them develop student leadership, advocacy and voice as leaders.

This culminating module focuses on participatory action research (PAR), which is one of the programmatic themes. PAR is characterized by a collaborative process of inquiry & action for change in response to organizational or community problems. Interns will learn how to design, create, implement, participate in, & present a PAR program of research focuses on a content area problem as well as learn how to keep the everyday world problematic, how to practice radical listening, & how to be a mindful learner.

Expands your knowledge of how to teach students to comprehend texts, with specific focus on knowledge-building, vocabulary, and writing. Examines how students grow into independent readers and writers able to navigate complex texts and academic language. Focus on strategies to support their abilities to express themselves in writing and communicate in today’s digital world and on why students struggle with reading comprehension and how to provide effective support. Literacy is explored as a cross-disciplinary tool for thinking, learning and doing.

Teaching for understanding in each content area requires building students’ abilities to read & write in their discipline. Topics include differences in texts & purposes for reading & writing across disciplines; integrating literacy into lesson planning; specific methods to support literacy; developing academic language; & approaches for teaching students with diverse literacy skills & experiences. In cross-disciplinary & discipline-specific teams, students will gain skills in planning, implementing, and improving their reading & writing instruction.