Courses
EVS 3100 Reading Fundamentals #1: An Introduction to Scientifically-Based Research © - 2undergraduate hours - Prof. Mick Jackson, Ed.D.
An Introduction to Scientifically-Based Research, the first in a three-course series on effective reading instruction, was designed to give background on Reading First as it applies to the No Child Left Behind federal legislation. The course discusses the research that supports scientifically-based research as it applies to phonetically-based instruction, assessment, and evaluation. The course explores myths and misconceptions concerning reading instruction and remediation. It also presents an evaluation checklist designed to assess the effectiveness of your current reading program. The goal of the course is to present you with research, trustworthy evidence, and background information that support the need for a reading program that is based on scientific research and proven methods.
EVS 3110 Reading Fundamentals #2: Laying the Foundation for Effective Reading Instruction © - 2 undergraduate hours - Prof Mick Jackson, Ed.D.
Reading Fundamentals #2: Laying the Foundation for Effective Reading Instruction, the second course in this three-course series is designed to lay the foundation for effective reading instruction. As part of this course, you will learn about the elements of effective instruction. It is important that all teachers have a firm understanding of effective instructional procedures. Teachers benefit, and more importantly, students benefit, both in terms of their behavior and their academic performance. Further, you will learn about the importance of reading instruction and read some sobering statistics on reading performance in this country and what happens when individuals are not proficient in reading.
EVS 3120 Reading Fundamentals #3: The Elements of Effective Reading Evaluation & Assessment © - 3 undergraduate hours - Prof Mick Jacson - Ed.D.
Fundamentals #3: The Elements of Effective Reading Evaluation & Assessment will focus on learning to read, reading to learn, and an introduction to reading assessment. As part of these two key areas of reading instruction, the five elements of effective reading instruction will be highlighted, including definitions, implications for instruction, and future directions. These five elements include instruction in: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and text comprehension. Further, we discuss information on teacher preparation in learning about comprehension strategy instruction and reading instruction, as well as how to integrate computer technology into the classroom. Additionally, the course will provide information on important assessment terms and definitions and will explore how reading assessment fits within the Reading First Program. This analysis includes specific recommendations on 29 reading assessments. Finally, the course describes how teachers can conduct pivotal curriculum-based measurement procedures in their classrooms.
EVS 4100 Attention Deficit Disorder: Information & Interventions for Effective Teaching – 2 undergraduate hours - Prof Mick Jackson, MS
This course will help the learner achieve a better understanding of ADD and intervention strategies to facilitate positive student change. Taught by Mick R. Jackson MS/ED, this course covers the history of the disorder, accepted methods to assess and identify students with the disorder, and various methods, medications, and strategies that are currently used to treat it. For situations in which services beyond what can be provided in the classroom are required, the referral process for getting help for the student will be addressed. Reference materials include a list of resources for both teachers and parents who would like more help or information about ADD or ADHD.
EVS 4110 Behavior Is Language: Strategies for Managing Disruptive Behavior – 3 undergraduate hours - Prof Mick Jacson, MS
This course is designed to give the learner a new perspective on student behavior and effective tools to facilitate positive student change. Taught by Mick R. Jackson, MS/ED, this course provides a developmental framework to help the learner understand what students are trying to communicate through the "language" of their behavior. Topic covered include behavioral techniques and intervention strategies that remediate disruptive behaviors, reduce power struggles while increasing classroom control, reduce educator workload, and help prevent burnout. After successfully completing this course, the educator and his/her students will be better equipped to find and implement creative, effective solutions to behavioral problems.
EVS 4120 Child Abuse: Working with Abused and Neglected Children – 2 undergraduate hours - Prof Joan Halberstadt, MS
Designed to help the learner identify and effectively teach students affective by child abuse and/or neglect, this course covers how to recognize the signs of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, and physical and emotional neglect in students. It also discusses the specific factors that exist in families who abuse or neglect their children. A major emphasis in this course is to help the participant understand the special learning needs of abused or neglected children and how to meet those needs in the regular classroom. Working with parents and community agencies is also emphasized.
EVS 4130 Infant and Toddler Mental Health: Issues and Information for Educators – 2 undergraduate hours - Prof Melissa Brandy, MA
This course is designed to help educators achieve a better understanding of infant and toddler mental health, child development, and strategies that can be used to promote positive relationships with children and their families. This course provides information that will help the learner understand and identify his or her role as a child care provider, educator, and early childhood professional. Infant and Toddler Mental Health provides research-based information on child development, attachment, temperament, and curriculum. This course also lists resources for both teachers and parents who would like more help or information about infant and toddler mental health.
EVS 4140 Traumatized Child: The Effects of Stress, Trauma and Violence on Student Learning – 2 undergraduate hours - Prof Joan Halverstadt, MS
The course is designed to help classroom teachers, school counselors, and other educational personnel gain strategies to reach and teach students who have been affected b y stress, trauma, and/or violence. Participants will learn the signs and symptoms of stress and trauma and explore how stress, violence, and trauma affect a student’s learning, cognitive brain development, and social-emotional development. The short and long term consequences of being exposed to stress, trauma, or violence, as well as the social and family causes, will be reviewed. The dynamics of domestic violence and community violence are also discussed as well as the educator’s role in the intervention and prevention of violence.
EVS 4150 Early Childhood Program Planning – 2 undergraduate hours - Aumony Dahl, M.Ed.
This course, Program Planning, has been divided into four chapters. The first chapter will discuss numerous considerations for planning and implementing a comprehensive, research-based curriculum for young children. Various perspectives on the history and theory behind early childhood education and child development will be examined, in addition to discussing various forms of diversity among children. We will also discuss what curriculum is, and identify guidelines presented by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) for appropriate curriculum for young children through eight years of age. We will take an overall look at the basic steps for creating an appropriate curriculum, planning a daily schedule, and creating lesson plans and activities for early childhood programs. In addition to focusing our attention on appropriate curricular approaches, we will touch briefly on several curricular approaches to avoid.
Each chapter contains additional handouts or attachments that cover specific topics from the chapter in greater depth. They are provided for you to read, ponder, and apply to the early childhood education setting in which you work. Some of the topics are intended for you, as the professional, while others are intended for you to pass on to parents, when appropriate.
While the first chapter of the course provides an overview of general considerations and approaches for early childhood curriculum, assessment, and evaluation, later chapters of the course will take a more in-depth look at appropriate curriculum for various age groups such as infants & toddlers, preschoolers, and primary school children. Curricular considerations for integrating specific content areas such as language and literacy, math and science, and social studies and expressive arts will also be discussed.
This course is geared for professionals serving children and youths presenting behavior problems in the school or community. This course focuses on cognitive and cognitive-behavioral interventions with an emphasis on teaching students how to change and manage their own behavior. Since previous knowledge and understanding of traditional behavioral concepts and strategies is required, it is strongly recommended that you take an introductory behavior management course to learn the basic terms and concepts of behavior management prior to taking this “advanced” course.
This course is designed to give you a better understanding of school violence and increase your intervention strategies. Taught by Dr. Michael Sedler, this course provides an over view of violence and the motivational purposes behind aggression. The correlation and impact of the media, community, and family upon violence is investigated. You will learn identification and intervention approaches to working with out-of-control behaviors. In addition, you will receive information about the national resources available for both parents and teachers. Upon successful completion of this course, you will have a better understanding of violence and the motivations behind the use of violence, as well as specific strategies to minimize the occurrence of violence in a school and community.
This course describes Autism and Asperger’s Disorder, including characteristics of these disorders, associated learning styles, communication weaknesses, and various intervention strategies. The course helps you make sense out of why individuals with Autism spectrum disorders act the way they do, and what you can do to enhance more appropriate behavior. This course lists resources for educators, related service personnel, and parents who want more help or information on Autism and Asperger’s Disorder.
This course is designed to further develop the conceptual and technical skills required by teachers to help them identify their educational goals, and implement meaningful instructional strategies for effective learning by students with special needs. The focus of this course will therefore be on assessment for instructional programming. The course will outline procedures for designing or selecting, administering and interpreting, a variety of informal assessment measures typically used in schools. The presentation of assessment information in an acceptable format to parents and teachers will also be addressed.
This interactive course is designed to help special and general educators gain a better understanding of inclusion, one of the current educational reform movements that advocates educating students with disabilities in the general education classroom. Upon course completion, you will be able to define key concepts and terms, identify and describe federal legislature and course cases, and list and describe the federal definition of students entitled to special services. This course will also help you identify the roles and responsibilities of educators in providing special services to students educated in inclusive classrooms.
This course describes diverse theoretical approaches to handling learning disabilities in the classroom. Taught by Dr. Bob Pillay, this course lays the foundation for sensitive, appropriate assessment and evaluation of students. In addition, this course covers program planning and implementation, stresses the importance of a close, positive partnership with parents or alternative caregivers, and explores methods for ensuring that the home-school axis is effective and meaningful. You will also learn about major trends and unresolved issues in the field of learning disabilities.
This course is designed to give you the knowledge, tools, and dispositions to effectively facilitate a diverse classroom. This course will help you understand and identify differences in approaches to learning and performance, including different learning styles and ways in which students demonstrate learning. An emphasis in this course will be on understanding how students’ learning is influenced by individual experiences, talents, disabilities, gender, language, culture, family and community values. You will be challenged to apply knowledge of the richness of contributions from our diverse society to your teaching field.
Understanding Aggression includes topics on violence, aggression in the classroom, youth gangs, aggression in sports and on television, how drugs and alcohol play a role in aggression and violence, and “hot spots” that tend to breed aggression and violence. The course helps school personnel become more aware of the causes of aggression and ways to evaluate the aggression and intervene before the aggression turns to violence in the schools. The course also speaks about aggression in our communities through driving, dating, sports, television, music and how these issues are dealt with in modern society.
EDU 8130 Drugs and Alcohol in School: Understanding Substance Use & Abuse (2 graduate credits) - Dr. Casey Johnson
Take this course to gain a more comprehensive understanding of alcohol, drugs, and their influences in your classroom. This course provides a contextual framework for understanding what students may be experiencing either through their own substance use or from a substance use of persons close to them. Taught by Casey Jackson, this course provides a basic historical perspective of substance use along with the biological, psychological, and social factors that comprise the disease of addiction. Upon course completion, you will better understand the complex dynamics that contribute to this biological and social phenomenon.
EDU 8160 Talented and Gifted Education: Working with High Achievers (2 graduate credits) - Dr. Karen Lea
Talented and gifted education provides information on the history of the exceptional in relation to education, current law, and accepted methods for referral, assessment, and identification of these students. The course also covers major program models and methods of differentiating instruction to meet the rate and level of learning of those students identified. The course gives you an understanding of ways to meet the affective needs of the gifted and talented student in the regular classroom. This course also lists resources for teachers and parents who would like more information about the talented and gifted.
