Course Objectives

Learning Objectives/Outcomes for the Course

The courses of the Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction share the following goals:

1. Develop high academic achievement for all children to remove the gap among racial, ethnic, cultural, linguistic, and socio economic status groups.
2. Apply research-based instructional practices that provide equitable opportunities to non-mainstream students.
3. Make connections between student outcomes and factors as they relate to issues of student diversity and equity.
4. Relate research and practice by addressing ways that evolving educational policies have affected both research and practice in the classrooms and schools.

The following Student Learning Outcomes are correlated to program level assessments and match specific standards for the program in curriculum and instruction:

• Discipline Content Knowledge - Students will demonstrate content specific knowledge and skills in the discipline.
• Curricular/Pedagogical Knowledge - Students will demonstrate curricular and pedagogical knowledge (e.g., models of teaching, curriculum design, foundations of curriculum).
• Foundations of Knowledge in the Field - Students will demonstrate foundational knowledge of the field in a historical, philosophical, and social cultural context.
• Knowledge and Skills Applied in the Field - Students will apply effective content knowledge and skills by designing and implementing a project in the field.
• Knowledge and Skills of Research - Students will demonstrate their ability to apply research knowledge and skills in diverse occupational educational settings or to solve education-related problems.
• Professional Impact in the Field - Students will demonstrate professional impact in a real world setting.
• Professional Communication - Students will demonstrate a high level of professional communication through the preparation and multi-modal delivery of ideas to peers and communities (Speaking/Reading/Writing/Presenting).

The Course Objectives of the Models and Methods in Science Education allow the course to be designed for K-12 teachers and informal science educators to be able to:

• Describe, summarize, and evaluate the conceptual and policy issues that influence science education as generally expressed by non-mainstream students. Goal 1

• Describe, summarize, and evaluate the characteristics of both students and science learning environments that have been associated with gaps in science outcomes among diverse student groups. Goal 2

• Describe, summarize, and evaluate school- and home-based factors that serve both to support and to hinder science education as related to gaps in science outcomes among diverse student groups. Goal 3
• Evaluate and apply readings from the research literature and a call to action that highlights the need for education reform to better meet the science learning needs of non-mainstream students. Goal 4

Week 1 Objectives - Due January 22 by 11:59 p.m.

• Describe and summarize data that compares the ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status of local school districts by searching through data provided by state and regional organizations.

• Discuss the data obtained about the ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status of local school districts and reflect on the evidence uncovered from your investigation of the data.

Week 2 Objectives - Due January 29 by 11:59 p.m.

• Discuss the idea of keeping in mind that demographic designations are not easily separated with a peer or peers. Respond to your peer or peers about
• Write a 250 word reflective paper that uses your experiences with different social groups in to support the term "fluid social constructions" discussed on p. 13.