Master of Education in Educational Practice Online - 36 Credits

GED 621

A Prologue to Contemporary Educational Practice

3 credits

This course supports the constructivist philosophy of student-centered elementary instruction and relevant, meaningful learning. Students will further develop and apply their understanding of teaching strategies that will serve to maximize the potential of each child through learning models that are specifically organized around content, competencies, communication, collaboration, and connectivity.

Each student will be required to design a thematic, interdisciplinary instructional model organized around a global issue that demonstrates how such important issues can be used to define meaningful, worthwhile, and effective learning contexts that address the achievement of core curriculum content standards and meet the needs of a diverse group of learners in the classroom.

GED 622

Collaborative Teaching Concepts

3 credits

The role of the professional educator is changing and collaboration is becoming an increasingly more important component. The course addresses the purpose and scope of co-teaching situations, examines several of the collaborative models that educators engage in, and explores the interpersonal and communicative skills inherent in the effective collaboration. This is about general education teachers, special education teachers, and special education support personnel working together in a classroom to meet the need of diverse learners. Topics covered in this course include various collaboration models, inclusive practices, technology support for students with special needs, working with paraprofessionals, and administrative support for inclusion practices. This course prepares teachers to meet the challenges of the current educational climate in which collaborative teaching is a common occurrence, as well as challenging them to develop solutions to common collaborative teaching concerns.

GED 623

Assessment and Evaluation:
Relevant Instructional Design Models

3 credits

This course is designed to introduce the concepts of student assessment and evaluation, and their importance in the field of education. The course provides a theoretical and practical foundation for teachers with emphasis on the relationship among assessment, teaching, and learning, and the implications for standards-based classroom instruction.

Students will become knowledgeable as to current trends in assessment, types of assessments and their characteristics and uses, the testing program in New Jersey, analyzing and using assessment data, developing performance objectives outcomes and assessment plans to evaluate lessons and student learning, and developing a classroom-based assessment program and grading/record-keeping system. The course takes an in-depth look at authentic assessment in the context of learning theory, effective educational practices, and the constructivist classroom.

In addition, students will be able to better understand and apply their knowledge of ISTE, NCTM, NCTE, NJCCCS and other important standards of learning.

GED 624

Teachers as Change Agents and Educational Researchers

3 credits

This course is designed to introduce the concepts of different types of research and their importance in the field of education. The course will provide a theoretical and practical foundation for teachers with emphasis on the relationship among leadership; action research; teaching and learning; and their implications for classroom instruction.

Students will gain further insight into characteristics of effective instruction and further enhance their ability to serve as effective teacher leaders in the Information Age. Course objectives will be organized within three specific areas of study: teacher leadership, action research, and effective instruction in a standards-based model.

GED 625

Curriculum Design and Development

3 credits

This course examines the nature and development of curriculum, assessment procedures and strategies within a contemporary context. Models for curriculum design will include critical thinking, cooperative learning, constructivist instructional strategies and brain-based concepts. Performance based tasks and assessments will be an additional focus. Issues relating to 21st century learning environments that include relevance and rigor within the context of authentic intellectual work will be addressed. Students will develop a personal view of how to develop curriculum in the twenty-first century using appropriate research methods.

GED 626

Educational Technology Integration Strategies

3 credits

This course serves to increase the individual awareness and competencies of teachers and educational leaders as it relates to the seamless integration of technology. The essential characteristics of the 21st century learner and learning environment provide the rationale of the need for effective technology integration strategies. Students are provided the opportunity to use state of the art educational technologies, such as online 3D MUVE (multi-user virtual environments) or simulations, and Web-based e-learning technology applications within their professional practice. Specific functionalities of these innovative technologies will be utilized within an authentic and practical instructional context.

GED 627

Action Research Based Thesis

3 credits

This course serves as a pre-requisite to the school based research project and thesis. Students will examine current research on educational change, qualitative, quantitative, and technological methodologies in school-based action research, and various school improvement and change models. Students will learn how to evaluate school programs for continuous improvement, including curricular and instructional practices, professional development, athletics, co-curricular, technology, support services, and community involvement. Students will extend and reinforce their knowledge, skills, and competencies related to professional and educational practice through identification and preliminary research of an authentic school-based problem, which will be developed and completed during the implementation and thesis segment of the program.

GED 629

Applications of Contemporary Educational Practice

3 credits

Pre-requisite: A Prologue to Educational Practice

This course supports the constructivist philosophy of student-centered instruction and relevant, meaningful learning. Students will continue to develop and apply their understanding of teaching strategies that will serve to maximize the potential of each child through learning models that are specifically organized around elementary level content, competencies, communication, collaboration, and connectivity.

Each will be required to design a thematic, interdisciplinary instructional model organized around a global issue that demonstrates how such important issues can be used to define meaningful, worthwhile, and effective learning contexts that address the achievement of core curriculum content standards and meet the needs of a diverse group of learners in the elementary classroom.

GED 633

The Art and Science of Teaching & Learning:
Brain Compatible Practices For the Elementary Classroom

3 credits

The art and science of teaching is addressed in this course within the context of brain compatible learning environments and strategies at the elementary level. The recent research on learning and the human brain is translated into effective classroom practices and strategies that will serve to meet the needs of all of our young learners. This course provides students with information and practical applications that are supported by extensive research on developmental learning. The biology of readiness, critical and sensitive windows for learning, nutrition and the development of memory space will be addressed and linked to effective instructional practices in the classroom.

GED 634

Innovative Approaches to Elementary Literacy Instruction

3 credits

This course reviews literacy instruction at the elementary level within the context of the cognitive, affective and psycho-motor domains. This cutting edge course introduces participants to the latest research on brain-based reading connections. Participants will discover answers to questions and issues relating to readiness, phonological awareness, meta-cognition, meta-linguistics, concept imagery and comprehension. An in depth review of five critical factors (phonemic awareness, phonics instruction, vocabulary instruction, fluency instruction and comprehension strategies) will be provided within the context of the latest research on the human brain.

Diagnostic and early intervention strategies that are brain compatible will be emphasized throughout this program. Students will also gain additional knowledge and competencies in the critical area of information literacy. Specifically, they will discover ways to help elementary age children locate relevant information in an efficient manner, understand and evaluate information and use the information to solve a problem. Clear communication of that information will be emphasized.

GED 636

Innovative Approaches to Elementary Mathematics/Science Instruction

3 credits

In science, inquiry refers to "the activities of students in which they develop knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas, as well as an understanding of how scientists study the natural world." (National Research Council. 1996. National science education standards.) Once the domain of the science and mathematics disciplines, inquiry-based instruction can also refer to the diverse ways that any discipline can be explored. In this course, you investigate the use of inquiry-based techniques in many curricular and instructional areas. You will explore ideas, issues, and practices in an inquiry-based classroom. As a result of this course, you will be able to apply your knowledge to your own classroom activities by analyzing and evaluating activities, and developing activities and assessments, describing inquiry-based methods to your colleagues, investigating the use of inquiry-based techniques with special needs populations and recognizing that inquiry-based learning occurs outside as well as inside the classroom.

GED 638

Action Research Based Thesis Implementation

3 credits

This course is designed to introduce the concepts of research, specifically applied research/action research, and their importance in the field of education. The course will provide a theoretical and practical foundation for teachers with emphasis on the research; action research; teaching and learning; and their implications for classroom instruction. Students will gain further insight into characteristics of effective research, and further enhance their ability to serve as effective teacher researchers in the Information Age. Models of research that best serve teacher practitioners will be examined and applied. Students will complete a research project within the context of their professional working environment. The emphasis of the project is the improvement of student achievement. The research project will be supported with a thesis that describes the various chapter of the specific research project.