Required Courses:
EDDI 500 Dimensions of Learning I (3 credits)
Participants will explore and understand this learning-centered framework for instructional planning. Dimensions translate the latest research on cognition and learning into practical classroom strategies. Participants learn how to help students develop positive attitudes and perceptions about learning, develop Habits of Mind for critical, creative and self-regulated behaviors, construct meaning for declarative and procedural knowledge and, extend and refine knowledge.
EDDI 505 Introduction to Differentiated Instruction (3 credits)
Provides an introduction to the philosophy of Differentiation. This course will examine ways that classrooms can effectively support differentiating instruction and assessment to address the complex challenges of meeting the diverse learning needs of all students. Participants will gain an understanding of the reasons and assumptions underlying differentiation and acquire the ability to identify key indicators in a classroom. Knowledge of the characteristics of students who learn at different paces and levels will be developed. Study of a variety of curriculum options, such as those of content, implementation of differentiated lessons that optimize learning for all students, including gifted students and other high-ability learners.
EDDI 510 Introduction To Gifted Education and Collaboration (3 credits)
Participants will explore the history, research and laws, and varied philosophies of gifted education. The class will also focus on developing skills in communication and collaboration to individualize instruction for gifted students. Participants will learn how to develop a support system and manage open communication among classroom teachers, special area teachers, administrators, parents and outside agencies.
Participants will explore the history, research and laws, and varied philosophies of gifted education. The class will also focus on developing skills in communication and collaboration to individualize instruction for gifted students. Participants will learn how to develop a support system and manage open communication among classroom teachers, special area teachers, administrators, parents and outside agencies.
EDDI 515 Identification & Assessment of Students in Gifted Education (3 credits)
This course will provide an overview of tools and methods for identifying and assessing students who learn at a pace and level that is significantly different from that of their classmates. Assessment tools will be examined, utilized, and evaluated. Implications for instruction will be discussed.
EDDI 520 Curriculum Development for Gifted Students (3 credits)
Focuses on methods of instruction for gifted students. Participants will develop knowledge and skills for planning, providing, coordinating and evaluating differentiated teaching and learning environments to challenge and assist gifted students in learning to their highest levels of achievement. Participants will learn how to develop a layered curriculum in order to maximize each student's growth and individual success. Instructional strategies for differentiating the key elements of content, process and products will be addressed.
EDDI 600 Practicum and Seminar in Gifted Education (3 credits)
This course involves completing a college supervised practicum experience of 50 hours teaching gifted students. The practicum is individualized and takes place during the regular school hours, near the end of the program. Students will have the opportunity to discuss and reflect on the practicum experiences in on-campus seminars.
EDDI 615 Action Research for a Differentiated Classroom (3 credits)
Focuses on the study of the background of educational research; understanding research methodologies and designs; tools and techniques of educational research; collection, treatment, analysis and interpretation of research data. The student will develop an action research project that will be implemented during their practicum.
Elective Courses:
Elective Courses:
EDDI 530 Differentiated Instruction in Mathematics K-12 (3 credits)
Differentiating instruction means providing students with multiple options for learning new information, making sense of ideas and expressing what they learn. This course will focus on helping the teacher learn approaches for differentiating mathematics instruction in the classroom. Participants will: discuss the principles of Differentiated Instruction and how they apply to math instruction, learn effective strategies for managing flexible groups, acquire ideas for providing students with a variety of options that successfully target math standards and understand how to plan strategically in order to reach the needs of diverse learners in the classroom.
EDDI 550 Dimensions of Learning II (3 credits)
Participants will continue to explore and understand this learning-centered framework for instructional planning. Dimensions translates the latest research on cognition and learning into practical classroom strategies. Participants learn how to help students use knowledge meaningfully. A focus will be on integrating Dimensions strategies into lesson and unit planning for a differentiated curriculum in order to optimize learning for all students, including those with exceptionalities.
Differentiating instruction means providing students with multiple options for learning new information, making sense of ideas and expressing what they learn. This course will focus on helping the teacher learn approaches for differentiating mathematics instruction in the classroom. Participants will: discuss the principles of Differentiated Instruction and how they apply to math instruction, learn effective strategies for managing flexible groups, acquire ideas for providing students with a variety of options that successfully target math standards and understand how to plan strategically in order to reach the needs of diverse learners in the classroom.
EDDI 550 Dimensions of Learning II (3 credits)
Participants will continue to explore and understand this learning-centered framework for instructional planning. Dimensions translates the latest research on cognition and learning into practical classroom strategies. Participants learn how to help students use knowledge meaningfully. A focus will be on integrating Dimensions strategies into lesson and unit planning for a differentiated curriculum in order to optimize learning for all students, including those with exceptionalities.
EDDI 555 Gifted Representation in Contemporary Society (3 credits)
This course will examine the various representations of giftedness in US literature, film and television. From John Nash to Jimmy Neutron and everything in between, the gifted have been romanticized, criticized, and stereo-typified. We will examine to what extent these representations of giftedness are accurate, off-base and uniquely American. Ultimately, this course will investigate what impact these representations of giftedness have on our gifted students and what can be done to frame giftedness in a positive light in a society that often portrays it as a negative.
EDDI 556 Art Integration in the Differentiated Classroom (K-12) (3 credits)
Participants will develop skills and strategies in adapting differentiated lessons utilizing the visual arts. Integration of art history, creative process and production will result in meaningful and connected experiences for K-12 students. Participants will explore and extend themes and content relative to their own disciplines while modeling and assessing their own creative outcomes.
EDDI 560 Experience & Adventure: A Model for Differentiation (3 credits)
Through direct experience, fieldwork and investigative research, students in this course will learn about the ways in which experiential learning can create opportunities for differentiation both in and out of the classroom. Students will participate in several learning models that lend themselves to managing the needs of a diverse student population. Students should be prepared for active learning in the outdoors and the local community, as well as in the classroom. Finally, students will carry out independent research to explore their own application of experiential and adventure education in their classrooms.
EDDI 575 Enhancing the Differentiated Classroom through Creativity (3 credits)
This course will offer students the opportunity to learn about the field of Creativity and current research supporting its value in enhancing the learning environment. Participants will discuss and experience ways to nurture teacher creativity to better prepare them to recognize and support creativity in students. Activities and resources to develop creativity will be explored and evaluated.
EDDI 585 Integrating Technology in the Differentiated Classroom (3 credits)
This course introduces educators to technology that can be used to support, supplement and deliver differentiated content and assessment in the mixed ability classroom. The benefits and challenges of incorporating technology will be considered while participants learn how to integrate technology into their curriculum. Participants will gain hands-on experience using technological strategies for differentiation that will engage learners of all styles, ranging from new uses for basic software applications and online collaboration, to the production of multimedia.
EDDI 590 Using Primary Sources as an Inquiry-Based Tool for Differentiation (3 credits)
This course focuses on inquiry-based instruction utilizing primary sources for gifted students. Participants will develop knowledge and skills relating to primary sources and inquiry-based learning that will enable planning, providing, coordinating and evaluating differentiated teaching and learning environments to challenge and assist gifted students in learning to their highest levels of achievement. Participants will learn how to implement a layered curriculum, which will differentiate instruction in order to maximize each student’s growth and individual success. Instructional strategies incorporating primary sources for differentiating the key elements of content, process and products will be addressed. ON-LINE
This course focuses on inquiry-based instruction utilizing primary sources for gifted students. Participants will develop knowledge and skills relating to primary sources and inquiry-based learning that will enable planning, providing, coordinating and evaluating differentiated teaching and learning environments to challenge and assist gifted students in learning to their highest levels of achievement. Participants will learn how to implement a layered curriculum, which will differentiate instruction in order to maximize each student’s growth and individual success. Instructional strategies incorporating primary sources for differentiating the key elements of content, process and products will be addressed. ON-LINE
EDR 509 Teaching Literacy with Diverse Populations (3 credits)
Strategies for effective literacy instruction with diverse populations will be examined. These include researched-based approaches for special education students, ESL/LEP students, as well as gifted and talented students. Candidates will examine how to match instruction to students’ needs as well as how to incorporate differentiated instruction in a classroom. Multicultural literature and literature that deals with specific disabilities will be examined.
Strategies for effective literacy instruction with diverse populations will be examined. These include researched-based approaches for special education students, ESL/LEP students, as well as gifted and talented students. Candidates will examine how to match instruction to students’ needs as well as how to incorporate differentiated instruction in a classroom. Multicultural literature and literature that deals with specific disabilities will be examined.
SPE 590 Effective Family Collaboration (3 credits)
Addresses issues central to successful work between schools and parents, legal issues, effective communication, family systems theory, facilitation of parent meetings and solution-focused models of intervention are addressed. Multicultural issues, sibling issues, community resources and general education involvement are emphasized.