COURSE DESCRIPTIONS MASTER IN EDUCATION (M.Ed.) PROGRAM
EDU 500 The Professional Learning Environment (4)
This yearlong course prepares students for the role of mentor by participating in
the mentor/mentee relationship from the prospective of the mentee. Students will
complete cycles of inquiry focusing on the following elements: Core academic content
and subject specific pedagogy, creating a healthy learning environment, using
technology in the classroom, and supporting equity and diversity.
EDU 505 Project Based Instruction I (2)
This course will focus on project design: brainstorming ideas for projects, mapping
content to standards, strategies for grouping students, integrating content,
developing timelines and due dates, incorporating rubrics and other assessment tools
into project work.
EDU 510 Philosophy and History of Education (2)
This course is designed to provide a foundational understanding of the field of
education in two broad but interconnected areas: the intertwined history and
philosophy of education and how these interact within their sociological and
cultural contexts.
EDU 515 Using Data, and Authentic Assessment, and Portfolios (2)
This course will focus on the power of using effective data collection and analysis
in the decision-making process. Students will examine a variety of
teacher-collected data as well as methods and purposes for school-wide data
collection. Students will collect and analyze data from classrooms and schools to
provide curriculum and program recommendations based on their findings.
EDU 520 Project Based Instruction II (2)
Teachers will deepen their understanding and knowledge of project-based work by
exploring issues of content, rigor, design, and student ownership. Using a
consultancy model, teachers will have the opportunity to reflect on past projects to
plan and improve future ones.
EDU 525 Using Research (2)
This course introduces students to the basic techniques of conducting and analyzing
educational research. The course will provide students with the basic information
needed to understand the process involved in conducting research and enable students
to read, understand, and critique the literature of educational research. EDU 530
Research Methods (2)
This course is designed to provide students with the basic information needed to
understand the processes involved in conducting the students own research
project(s). Students are exposed to applications of statistical techniques,
including descriptive, correlation, and inferential techniques as they apply to
educational research. This course will encourage contagious intellectual enthusiasm
and creativity, an orientation that requires a seriousness of purpose and reverence
for learning.
EDU 535 Literacy in the 21st Century (2)
This course offers intensive instruction in reading and language arts methods that
are grounded in methodologically sound research and includes exposure to
instructional programs adopted for use in schools.
EDU 540 Research I Design and Methods (2)
Participants design a research project. In the process, they learn to value their
own voices and the questions they generate about their professional practice.
Learning about the research process lays the foundation for using structured inquiry
as a strategy for enhancing learning environments.
EDU 550 Curriculum Foundations (2)
This course is designed to prepare students with both practical and theoretical
understanding of curriculum in schooling. The course offers a study of the various
approaches of curriculum construction, design, and organization in the schools by
examining the principles of curriculum improvement, change, and evaluation. The
focus is on the theories, research and, best practices related to planning and
developing curriculum and its implementation in schools and classrooms in order to
address the needs of students in diverse communities.
EDU 555 Curriculum Design and Technology (2)
This course engages students in the instructional design process for developing and
delivering effective learning experiences in the classroom. In collaboration with
classmates, students create technology-enhanced curricula while justifying their
design decisions.
EDU 560 Introduction to Law and Policy (2)
Students become familiar with landmark court cases, legal opinions and legal
principles relating to education law. In addition, students explore the political
processes involved in policy and legislative formation at the local, state, and
federal levels.
EDU 565 Equity and Diversity in Educational Instruction (2)
This course explores the implications of culture particularly the relationship
between home culture and school culture for teaching and learning.
Participants consider the background experiences, skills, languages and abilities of
diverse student groups, and discuss pedagogical approaches that provide both access
and challenge for diverse learners. In particular, the course will focus on how
teacher and student expectations affect student achievement.
EDU 570 Financing and Business (2)
This course examines school and district finance and budgeting. The course will
also explore fiscal relationships to county, state and federal agencies, as well as
budget control, school revenues and expenditures and budgetary procedures and
processes.
EDU 600 Mentoring, Coaching and Evaluating Instruction (4)
This year-long course provides students with training and experience in mentoring
colleagues through complete cycles of inquiry focusing on the following elements:
Core Academic Content and Subject-Specific Pedagogy, Creating a Healthy Learning
Environment, Using Technology in the Classroom, Supporting Equity and Diversity,
Supporting English Learners, and Supporting Students with Special Needs. Students
will explore the best practices in mentoring across content areas.
EDU 605 Professional Productivity (2)
This course explores the issue of productivity in education including professional
responsibilities in publishing and presenting scholarly work. The use of journals,
conferences, and other professional discourse opportunities will be examined.
EDU 650 Research II Application (2)
Using what was learned in Research I Design and Methods, students will conduct a
pilot research project based on a topic of their choosing. Students will also learn
about various data analysis techniques and begin to link their findings to their
essential questions and the relevant research literature. This pilot project will
set the stage for the Masters thesis project students will undertake in their
second year of the program.
EDU 660 Masters Thesis Project (6)
In this course, students will complete their action research thesis project.
Course Sequence
Pioneer?University Course?Schedule?for?the?20092011?Cohort Time?of?Year?
Classroom?Course? Overlay?Course EDU?505 ?7/27? 31/09?
Project?Based?Instruction?I?(2) EDU?500 ?8/4,?9/8, 10/20,?12/1,?1/26,
3/2,?4/20,?5/25? ? Professional?Learning?Environment (4) EDU?510 ?8/6,?8/13,
8/20,?8/27?&?9/3?? Philosophy?and?History?of Education?(2) EDU?515 ?9/10,?9/17,
9/24,?10/15?&?10/22? Using?Data,?Authentic?Assessment, and?Portfolios?(2)
EDU?520 ?10/29, 11/5,?11/12,?11/19?& 12/3? Project?Based?Instruction?II?(2)
EDU?525 ?12/10, 12/17,?1/14,?1/21, 1/28? Using?Research?(2) EDU?530 ?2/4,?2/11,
2/18,?2/25,?3/4? Research?Methods?(2) EDU?535 ?3/11,?3/18, 4/8,?4/15?&?4/22?
Literacy?in?the?21st?Century?(2) EDU?540 ?4/29,?5/6, 5/13,?5/20?&?5/27?
Research?I?(2) EDU?600 ??7/27,?7/29, 9/14,?11/9,?1/18, 2/22,?4/12?&?5/17? ?
Mentoring,?Coaching,?&?Evaluating Teachers?(4) EDU?650 ?8/5,?8/12,
9/21,?10/26?&?11/30? ? Research?II?(4) EDU?660 ?12/7, 12/14??
Further?meetings?will?be?scheduled with?advisor? Thesis?(6) EDU?550 ?8/19,?8/26,
9/2,?9/9?&?9/16? Curriculum?Foundations?(2) EDU?555 ?10/14,
10/21,?10/28,?11/4?& 11/11? Curriculum?Design?&?Technology (2) EDU?560
??12/2,?12/9, 12/16,?1/13?&?1/20? Introduction?to?Law?and?Policy?(2) EDU?565
??1/27,?2/3, 2/10,?2/17?&?2/24? Equity?and?Diversity?in?Educational
Instruction?(2) EDU?570 ?3/3,?3/10, 3/17,?4/7?&?4/14? Finance?and?Business?(2)
EDU?605 ?4/21,?4/28, 5/5,?5/12?&?5/19? Professional?Productivity?(2)
Total?Units??28+18?=?46?Units
Regular?Courses?meet?on?Thursday?5:00?p.m.??9:30?p.m.?plus?10?hours?by?arrangement?
with?small?cohort.
Overlay?Courses?meet?on?Tuesday?5:00?p.m.??9:30?p.m.??plus?20?hours?by?arrangement?
with?small?cohort.