Educational Studies

All Courses

Educ225: Education and Social Justice (SI) [top]

Critical examination of the social, cultural, political and economic forces that influence school policies and practices. Analysis of the challenges and opportunities teachers confront as they respond to the needs of all students irrespective of their social class, gender, ethnicity, ability, and/or sexual orientation. Required field experience. Prerequisites: None.

Offered each semester.

Educ255: Studying Children and Adolescents in Context [top]

The development of children and adolescents within the context of the family, schools, culture, and society. Attention to individual differences and atypical or exceptional development among children and adolescents; practical implications for supporting their development in schools. Required field experience. Prerequisites: ED 225 recommended.
Offered each semester.

Educ 260: Middle School Philosophy [top]

Cognitive and psychosocial issues of early adolescence, and their implications for grades 5-8 organization, curriculum, professional collaboration, and family engagement. Required course for middle grades endorsement. The Required field experience. Prerequisites:Educ 225 & Educ 255. May be taken before or after student teaching. Concurrent enrollment in Educ 303, 305, 315, 325, 335 or 350 permitted with permission of department chair. Concurrent enrollment in Educ 255, 360 or 362 is prohibited.

Offered each semester.

Educ 250/350/450 Independent Study [top]

An opportunity for students to deepen their concepts of educational topics and issues not offered through regular courses, primarily through intensive library research. Arranged to meet individual needs. May be repeated if project is different. Prerequisite: consent of supervising faculty member.

Offered on request.

Educ 270/370/470: Special Topics in Educational Studies [top]

Focused exploration of varied topics relevant to Educational Studies. Courses have included Children and Families with Special Needs, School and Community, Images of Children and Film, and Globalization and Youth Advocacy. Topics will vary each year. Course may be repeated if content is not duplicated. See current Program of Classes to determine if this course fulfills general education requirements. May count toward interdisciplinary major and minor.

Offered annually.

Educ 271 Teaching and Learning with Technology [top]

Educational technologies and their applications in K-12 classrooms, including instruction, assessment, and research. Attention to technological skills, trends, and curricular, pedagogical and ethical issues involved in the use of technology in schools. Prerequisites: Educ 225 or permission of instructor. May be taken concurrently with other Educational Studies courses.

Offered annually.

Educ 272 Multicultural Children�s Literature [top]

Exploration of multicultural children�s literature through analyses of themes, characters, and narratives.  Examination of how the members of various cultures are portrayed and the ways in which literature can help children develop an understanding for different perspectives, customs, and beliefs.  Books and stories will be examined for cultural authenticity, perspective (insider or outsider), stereotyping, and cultural group representations. No prerequisites.

Offered in alternate years, May Term.

Educ 276: Environmental Education for Youth [top]

Environmental education (EE) is at the heart of efforts to cultivate an appreciation of the natural world, raise environmental consciousness, and solve environmental problems. Future teachers, environmental advocates, and other community and youth leaders will consider the philosophies, theories, and history of EE and their implications for environmental education with youth in formal and informal settings. Local field trips to nature centers and other area sites. No prerequisites.

Offered May Term.

Educ 303: Integrating Fine Arts Across the Curriculum [top]

Concepts, materials, and pedagogies in the visual arts, music, drama, and dance throughout the elementary and middle school curriculum. Emphasis upon giving developmentally and culturally diverse learners the opportunities to develop their artistic creativity and appreciate the aesthetic values of movement, music, theater, and the visual arts. Required field experience. Prerequisites:Educ 225 and 255 and acceptance to the Teacher Education Program. May be taken concurrently with other curriculum courses and/or Educ 260.

Offered annually.

Educ 305: Curriculum and Pedagogy in the Natural Sciences [top]

Instructional strategies for promoting and assessing scientific inquiry, thinking and reasoning, and literacy with elementary and middle school students. Attention to fundamental concepts and skills across life, physical, environmental, earth and space sciences. The integration of science learning across the curriculum and both local and global applications of scientific knowledge and skills. Required field experience. Prerequisites: Educ 225 and 255 and acceptance to the Teacher Education Program.

Offered each fall.

Educ 315: Curriculum and Pedagogy in Social Studies [top]

Course emphasizes creating opportunities for learning social studies content, skills, and processes from diverse perspectives and in meaningful ways across grades K-8. Focus on integration of social studies and language arts skills and strategies to design, implement and assess research-based curriculum. Attention to creating a learning environment, long-term planning, best practices, and educational materials. Taken concurrently with Educ 335. Required field experience. Prerequisites: Acceptance to the Teacher Education Program.

Offered each spring.

Educ 325: Curriculum and Pedagogy in Mathematics [top]

Constructivist approaches to the teaching of mathematics in grades K-8. Emphasis on problem solving, reasoning, multiple representations, manipulatives, discourse, technology integration and interdisciplinary teaching. Curricular planning, assessment, and research addressing the needs of all students to promote social justice. Required field experience. Prerequisites: Acceptance into the Teacher Education Program, Math 106 or 161, or 165.

Offered each fall.

Educ 335: Curriculum and Pedagogy in Language Arts [top]

Examination of reading, writing, speaking and listening as meaning-making processes in elementary and middle schools. The assessment of students� learning styles and literacy skills in making decisions about students� literacy needs. Attention to using and evaluating texts and curriculum materials. Reflection on the teaching and learning approaches that engage students and promote social justice. Required field experience. Prerequisites: Acceptance to the Teacher Education Program.

Offered each spring.

Educ 351: Middle School Mathematics [top]

Curriculum and pedagogy in mathematics specific to middle grades 5-8. In-depth attention to grades 5-8 mathematics content, mathematical reasoning and problem solving and learning goals from a constructivist perspective. Required of elementary and secondary teacher education candidates seeking an endorsement to teach mathematics at the middle school level. Required field experience. Prerequisites: Educ 255 and Educ 225, and Math 106, 161, or 165. Must be taken concurrently with Educ 325 or 260.

Offered each fall.

Educ 360: Curriculum and Pedagogy in Humanities and Social Sciences [top]

Principles of curriculum development, and analysis of pedagogical theory and practice in middle and high schools. Study of curriculum planning, instructional strategies, and assessment, with attention to creating positive learning environments responsive to the individual needs and abilities of all students. Concurrent enrollment in 360 D1, D2, or D3 is required. Required field experience (50 hours minimum). Prerequisites: Acceptance to the Teacher Education Program and four courses in the major. Taken semester prior to student teaching.

Offered each spring.

Educ 360D1: History Curriculum and Instruction [top]

Weekly seminar taken concurrently with Educ 360. Specific attention to curricular and pedagogical issues in history and the social sciences, with a particular focus on upon teaching with primary sources, analyzing social science data and the presentation of relevant concepts including time, causality, power, authority, and spatial and environmental influences upon human behavior. Offered each spring.

Educ 360D2: English Curriculum and Instruction [top]

Weekly seminar taken concurrently with Educ 360. Specific attention to the presentation of literary text, facilitation of discussions of literature, analysis of appropriate communication strategies, use of writing and literacy circles and assessment of students� written work, appropriate use of media and technology to facilitate instruction. Offered each spring.

Educ 360D3: K-12 Foreign Language Curriculum and Instruction [top]

Weekly seminar taken concurrently with Educ 360. Specific attention to theories of second language acquisition, the needs of second language learners including facilitation of oral and written communication, use of the target language to teach about relevant customs, political and social institutions, career options, appropriate use of the media, technology and other resources to facilitate instruction.

Offered each spring, as needed.

Educ 362: Curriculum and Pedagogy in Mathematics and the Natural Sciences [top]

Examination of curriculum development and pedagogical theory and practice in middle and high schools. Study of curriculum planning, implementation, and assessment, with attention to creating positive learning environments responsive to the individual needs and abilities of all students. Concurrent enrollment in 362A1, A2, or A3 is required. Prerequisites: Admission to the Teacher Education Program and four courses in the major. Required field experience (50 hours minimum). Taken semester prior to student teaching. Offered each spring.

Educ 362A1: Mathematics Curriculum and Instruction [top]

Weekly seminar taken concurrently with Educ 362. Curriculum and pedagogy specific to high school mathematics, emphasizing mathematical reasoning and problem solving, multiple representations, and technology integration from a constructivist perspective. Offered each spring, as needed.

Educ 362A2 Biology Curriculum & Instruction [top]

Weekly seminar taken concurrently with Educ 362. Specific attention to pedagogies of scientific inquiry and reasoning, including constructivist approaches to teaching and learning life science concepts and skills, laboratory experiences and relevant technologies. Offered each spring, as needed.

Educ 362A3: Chemistry Curriculum & Instruction [top]

Weekly seminar taken concurrently with Educ 362. Specific attention to pedagogies of scientific inquiry and reasoning, teaching and learning concepts and skills in the discipline of chemistry, including laboratory experiences and relevant technologies. Offered each spring, as needed.

Educ 362A4: Physics Curriculum & Instruction [top]

Weekly seminar taken concurrently with Educ 362. Specific attention to pedagogies of scientific inquiry and reasoning, teaching and learning concepts and skills in the discipline of physics, including laboratory experiences and relevant technologies. Offered each spring, as needed.

Educ 372: English Language Learners [top]

Investigation of the needs and challenges faced by English language learners. Emphasis on understanding students from different cultures, theories of second language acquisition, ways to support English language development, teaching academic content, and effectively engaging families of English Language Learners in the education process. Field placement in a bilingual school setting or in an adult E.S.L. class. Prerequisites: Educ 225 and 255 or consent of instructor.

Offered in alternate years, fall.

Educ385: Travel Seminar [top]

Travel with a faculty member and fellow students. Includes independent projects, daily journal, and field trips to schools, cultural centers, museums, and/or other sites of interest. May be repeated if itinerary is different. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
Offered occasionally.

Educ 397/497: Internship [top]

Individually designed field experience in an educational, community, or social service setting. Prerequisites: Junior/senior standing and consent of supervising faculty member. Offered as needed.

Educ 490/491/492: Student Teaching [top]

Full time immersion and induction into the range of experiences associated with public school teaching under the guidance and direction of a cooperating teacher and university supervisor. Concurrent attention to documenting teaching competencies and gathering evidence for the Senior Portfolio. Discussion of potential teacher inquiry projects and social justices issues confronted by teachers. Concurrent enrollment in a weekly seminar is required. Prerequisites:100 hours of field experience and acceptance to Student Teaching. May not be taken concurrently with any other course. Refer to the Teacher Education Handbook for more information. Chicago placement option. Offered each fall.

Educ 498: Educational Inquiry (WI) [top]

Capstone course revisiting social justice issues in education. Student led and collaborative research within classroom, school, and community contexts, culminating in a public presentation. Includes extensive literature review. Completion of senior portfolio. Optional field experience. Prerequisites: Educ 490, 491, or 492 (exceptions for 9thsemester student teachers and interdisciplinary majors and minors). Offered each spring.