EdSE600: History and Philosophy of Education and Special Education
This course focuses on historical and philosophical underpinnings of modern educational theory and practice; ancient Greek, early Jewish, Christian, and Muslim writings on education; philosophical developments in the Renaissance, Reformation, revolutionary, and modern periods; social, cultural and ideological forces that have shaped educational policies in the United States; and current debates on meeting the wide range of educational and social-emotional needs of students from diverse communities. Attention also is directed to the role of technology in education and society at large, as well as to critical thinking skills and information literacy.
3 credits
SpEd602: Introduction to Teaching Students with Disabilities
This course focuses on historical background of current approaches to teaching children with disabilities; special education and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; current theories and methodologies in work with students with disabilities; inclusion and the concept of the least restrictive environment; early intervention; special education, curricula, classroom management, and use of technology; educational challenges and instructional approaches with children with mental retardation, physical and sensory impairments, language delays, emotional disturbance, and learning disabilities; special attention to work with children with autism; application of principles of differentiated instruction; and an introduction to approaches and debates on reading and language arts instruction for native English speakers and English language learners.
3 credits
EdPs620: Child Development and Learning in Cultural Context
This course focuses on the nature of physical, cognitive, emotional, social, and moral development from birth through adolescence, with implications for learning and teaching; major orientations in the study of child development, including Vygotsky’s and the neo-Vygotskian theories of child development and learning; periods of child development from birth through adolescence, seen in socio-cultural context, with implications for learning and teaching; integration of theory and research findings from the fields of developmental and educational psychology; and exploration of multicultural contexts for growth, development, and learning with diverse student populations.
3 credits
EdSE640: Assessment of Individual Differences in General and Special Education: A Socio-Cultural Perspective
This course focuses on assessment in general education and special education of individual differences in intelligence, learning potential, personality, motivation, and school achievement; management of data from assessment and monitoring of student progress; characteristics of standardized tests; the role of educational testing in program design and informing instruction, particularly for students with disabilities, including children with autism; assessment of young children; use of achievement tests; introduction to dynamic (or interactive) assessment; differences between static and dynamic assessment; the use of teacher-made informal tests; opportunity to observe and practice use of achievement tests and curriculum-based assessment approaches in classrooms.
3 credits
EdSE650: Educational Technology in General and Special Education
This course focuses on the design and use of computers and other technological devices that facilitate communication, learning, and related functions in educational contexts for children in general and special education; use of technology to foster access to curriculum for all students; technology for use in fostering literacy and remediating reading disabilities; special applications with computers in the classroom; information literacy; use of technology for children with autism; and recent developments in the field of assistive technology for students with disabilities.
3 credits
