Summer Teachers Academy - 2008 Courses

2008 Programs
2008 Courses
Application

The following courses will be offered during the 2008 Summer Tearchers Academy. The information in italics indicates the dates and time of course meetings. All classes will meet at RMU's campus in Moon Township.

EDUC6000Critical Issues Affecting American Education
This course focuses on the historical, political, economic, legislative, technological, social and educational events and leaders that have affected education in the 20th century. The course provides participants the opportunity to identify and research the pros and cons of major contemporary issues and events affecting education, formulate a positive attitude toward change, understand their own philosophy of education, suggest needed changes in curricula and recommend appropriate teaching strategies to deal with issues and events. (3 credits)
Offered during Session I of the STA Master of Science in Instructional Leadership (Summer 1) and on Wednesdays from 6-10 p.m. during the eight-week session starting May 27.

EDUC6010Theories of Learning and Instruction
This course concentrates on the presentation, illustration and comparison of major contemporary learning theories. The course provides the opportunity to apply the theories in an integrated fashion through in-class discussions and a series of case studies that are organized around the following: cognitive strategies, positive attitudes and motivation to learn; retention of verbal information; and intellectual skills. Sensitivity to individual differences among diverse learners is emphasized through the study of topics such as learning styles, multiple intelligence and cultural differences as they may affect the learner. A major course requirement is to develop instructional strategy plans that take into account individual differences and the major theories of learning. (3 credits)
Offered during Session I of the STA Master of Science in Instructional Leadership (Summer 1) and on Tuesdays from 6-10 p.m. during the eight-week session starting May 27.

EDUC6020Assessment/Educational Statistics
This course is divided into two major learning outcomes. The first is measurement and evaluation to assess outcomes of learning, including: the assessment process; constructing classroom tests; judging and evaluating the quality of tests; and an interpretation of test results. The second focus is on understanding statistics and their role in informal classroom and professional research studies. Topics include parametric and non-parametric classical decision theory plus linear regression analysis. This segment prepares participants for research if they elect to go on to the doctoral level of education. (3 credits)
Offered during Session II of the STA Master of Science in Instructional Leadership (Summer 1) and on Mondays from 6-10 p.m. during the eight-week session starting May 27.

EDUC6030Introduction to the Theory and Practice of Online Education (online)
This course provides an overview of the e-learning environment including: competing visions of online education, commercial software, professionally developed courseware and online providers, and Web-based online resources. The course also involves students in hands-on projects related to the application of e-learning strategies and skills. This course is appropriate for elementary, secondary, and college educators, trainers in development and/or human resources, and others interested in online education. There are no prerequisite courses, but basic computer literacy skills are required. (3 credits)
Offered fully online during the eight-week session staring May 27.

EDUC6040The Learning Environment
This course creates an analytical classroom environment where teachers participate in teaching clinics and interact with professional peers, teaching professors and clinical specialists. The course is designed to stimulate K-12 classroom teachers to create exemplary learning environments. Students interact with practitioners from various social, legal and educational agencies; link with primary, middle and secondary schools; and increase their multicultural awareness and knowledge base. (3 credits)
Offered during Session II of the STA Master of Science in Instructional Leadership (Summer 2) and on Wednesdays from 6-10 p.m. during the eight-week session starting May 27.

EDUC6060Curriculum Design and Development
This course concentrates on the development of effective, practical techniques for establishing curricula for use in a standards-based education environment. The course examines the theoretical dimensions of curriculum development and a 10-step curriculum planning process model demonstrating how teachers and school districts can be accountable for the achievement of student outcomes. The 10-step process assists in planning how to solve real or simulated curricular problems. Topics such as curriculum integration, collaborative learning and authentic assessment are addressed to show their connection to curriculum development and standards-based education planning. (3 credits)
Offered during Session II of the STA Master of Science in Instructional Leadership (Summer 1) and on Thursdays from 6-10 p.m. during the eight-week session starting May 27.

EDUC6080Special Learning Problems
This course focuses on different learning problems of students in the elementary and secondary schools, including students who cannot achieve to grade level because of specific learning problem(s) and students who should be achieving at much higher levels than their present grade level. The course provides a background of knowledge of these specific learning problems, methods of identifying (diagnosing) the problems, and approaches or strategies to remediate and/or enrich the student within the framework or the particular content area of choice in the school system. New legal reforms and rights of exceptional people are explored and students adapt teaching strategies and environments to meet the legal rights of exceptional people. (3 credits)
Offered during Session I of the STA Master of Science in Instructional Leadership (Summer 2) and on Mondays from 6-10 p.m. during the eight-week session starting May 27.

EDUC6090Learning Systems/Instructional Decision Making
This course focuses on the importance of making instructional decisions that are research-based and data-driven. Students explore a variety of learning systems and teaching techniques such as cooperative learning, mastery learning, inter-disciplinary teaming and instruction based on learning styles. The importance of developing a process for selecting the appropriate techniques based on instructional needs and assessment data is emphasized. Utilizing nontraditional assessment and translating it into usable data will dictate instructional decisions that students make involving their own classrooms. Students present the results of their studies in a paper suitable for publication. (3 credits)
Offered during Session I of the STA Master of Science in Instructional Leadership (Summer 2) and on Thursdays from 6-10 p.m. during the eight-week session starting May 27.

EDUC6100Multimedia Design
This course explores issues in the design and implementation of multimedia projects for teaching, including hardware and software consideration, problems and concerns. Instructional design principles provide a basis for software use. Multimedia projects allow individuals to practice the principles of analysis and design in relation to a teaching and learning application relevant to individual situations and needs. (3 credits)
Offered on Thursdays from 6-10 p.m. during the eight-week session starting May 27.

EDUC6110Computers in the Classroom
This course is an introduction to the methods and techniques of teaching with the computer. The course focuses on utilizing computers and peripheral hardware and software in an instructional setting, including networking and systems security. It emphasizes developing teachers' abilities so they can use computer technology to improve teaching and learning in the classroom and lead other teachers to do the same. Emphasis is on using computers and multimedia hardware and software to promote the development of higher-level thinking in all content areas. Computer testing and computer-assisted instruction are covered. The relationship of the computer to education and society is discussed. (3 credits)
Offered during Session II of the STA Master of Science in Instructional Leadership (Summer 2) and on Tuesdays from 6-10 p.m. during the eight-week session starting May 27.

EDUC6120Instructional Leadership/Management
This course emphasizes the theory, resources and techniques to develop the leadership, communication and management skills that teachers need to work with and lead various educational constituencies in a variety of forums, such as one-to-one meetings, small groups, committees, conferences and public meetings. Students focus on the nature of leadership, communication and management; their definitions; and their various styles. In addition, students adapt leadership, communication and management strategies and techniques to achieve desired outcomes in diverse situations. Students relate course topics to school and teaching experiences through individual and group activities. (3 credits)
Offered on Mondays from 6-10 p.m. during the eight-week session starting May 27.

EDUC6130Internet/Basic Web Page Design
This course is designed to introduce and prepare students with the research process in education, including identifying and stating the research problem, reviewing the literature, collecting and analyzing the data, planning the research design, reporting the findings and writing the report. Students review and analyze the research of others with an emphasis on adequacy of design, appropriateness of the analysis and generalization of the results. (3 credits)
Offered fully online during the eight-week session starting May 27.

EDUC6210Internet/Basic Web Page Design
This course gives participants the opportunity to learn proven strategies for finding useful information on the Web and for incorporating the Internet into classroom instruction. Participants will learn to download applications and use them to enhance their Internet and web design experiences. Basic HTML concepts will be taught, and all participants will create a web page using an HTML editor. (3 credits)
Offered fully online during the eight-week session starting May 27.