Primary Education Licensure Program

This course explores the profession of education and examines the state, federal and institutional standards that guide the profession. Students will examine the psychological, sociological, and philosophical foundations of education as they relate to learning. Topics of discussion and analysis include the development of individual differences; atmosphere of respect; understanding students' needs grouping, education of minorities; how the teacher creates instructional opportunities that are equitable and adaptable to diverse learners; exploring the components of individual and group motivation and behavior to create a learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning and self-motivation.

This course provides students the opportunity to develop an understanding of the philosophical, historical, and legal foundations of special education as well as an understanding of the characteristics of learners who have special needs; explore and define the concepts of special education in schools and society, and acquire knowledge about the legal and procedural aspects of special education and develop an understanding and respect for individual needs and diversity. Students relate multicultural issues, beliefs, and practices to the needs of the student with mild/moderate disabilities, explore crisis intervention/prevention models and strategies and examine conflict resolution. This course presents students with the opportunity to develop an understanding of the issues relating to developing and encouraging positive social interaction skills, issues relating to the diverse emotional needs of students with mild/moderate disabilities, and issues relating to student behavior.

This course provides an in-depth exploration of lesson planning techniques, equipping pre-service teachers with the skills to design effective and engaging lessons for diverse student populations. Students will examine and apply various lesson planning models, such as direct/explicit instruction, concept attainment, concept development, vocabulary acquisition, and cooperative learning. Advanced lesson planning models will be introduced, including the integrative model, inquiry-based learning, project-based learning, inductive model, and Socratic seminar. Students will apply knowledge of information processing and social cognitive theories to lesson plans to improve student attention, engagement, and acquisition of knowledge. Emphasis will be placed on writing and delivering lessons aligned with educational standards, integrating assessments, and incorporating best practices to create dynamic and inclusive learning experiences. By the end of the course, students will evaluate and develop lesson plans using multiple instructional models.

This course is designed to emphasize the connectivity of technology to the classroom and the general curriculum. Students will explore programs that will aid them in classroom management, data collection, student-produced work, creating instructional tools, and administration of classroom responsibilities. Students will develop products that can be used to support their teaching and the learning process of their students.

This course is designed to equip students with the essential skills to effectively evaluate and implement various classroom assessment techniques. Students will explore a comprehensive range of assessment methods, including diagnostic, formative, and summative assessments, to understand their characteristics, purposes, strengths, and limitations. Emphasis will be placed on the selection and creation of reliable assessments that synchronize with instructional objectives and cognitive demands, utilizing both traditional and innovative digital tools. Participants will learn to critically analyze assessment data to gauge teaching effectiveness and make informed instructional decisions. This course also focuses on the development of valid and reliable grading rubrics to ensure consistent and objective evaluation of student work. Additionally, students will gain skills in interpreting results from standardized tests to refine teaching practices and enhance educational outcomes. Through these activities, students will cultivate a deep understanding of assessment as a tool for both guiding and improving student learning and instructional strategies.

This course is required for students seeking an American Education Studies Bachelor's Degree or students seeking a Resident Educator license. This course focuses on the principles and theories which influence teaching and learning in the PK-12 classroom. Students will develop an understanding of the range of individual differences in the classroom and their implication on instruction and classroom environment.

This course is required for prospective teachers seeking the Resident Educator License. The course examines all aspects of instructional planning and examines the common strategies teachers employ to conduct their lessons. It assumes students have a deep understanding of the content they will teach and an extensive understanding and appreciation of the students with whom they will work. The overriding purpose of the course resides in the transformation of content and behavioral objectives into sequences of instructional activities that make it accessible to students.

This course provides students the opportunity to develop skills in planning and managing the teaching and learning environment; managing student behavior and social interaction skills; communicating effectively; developing collaborative partnerships; and demonstrating professionalism and ethical practices. Students become familiar with daily management skills, safety and health issues in the classroom, creating and modifying a supportive learning environment, and behavior management skills. The course also focuses on the development and interaction of the educational team on methods and models of collaborative practices with parents, students, educational personnel, and members of the community and incorporates this into the instructional process.

This course is meant for students who are on the apprenticeship pathway only. This course provides students the opportunity to develop skills in planning and managing the teaching and learning environment; managing student behavior and social interaction skills; communicating effectively; developing collaborative partnerships; and demonstrating professionalism and ethical practices. Students become familiar with daily management skills, safety and health issues in the classroom, creating and modifying a supportive learning environment, and behavior management skills. The course also focuses on the development and interaction of the educational team on methods and models of collaborative practices with parents, students, educational personnel, and members of the community and incorporates this into the instructional process.

This course is meant only for those students enrolled in a licensure program due to assignments and program assessments that require a clinical field experience placement. This course will provide students with the opportunity to explore research and theory on the effectiveness of differentiated classrooms; examine the importance of differentiating instruction for today's diverse student population; recognize the need to increase variety in teaching, learning, and assessment to respond to individual student needs; utilize strategies including assignment tiering, graphic organizers, critical thinking skills, reflection and assessment strategies customized for a mixed-ability classroom; diagnose student needs and prescribe tasks that create better matches between learning needs and preferences and plan and implement methods appropriate for assessing individual learning needs in a performance-based curriculum.

This course is meant for students who are on the apprenticeship pathway only. This course will provide students with the opportunity to explore research and theory on the effectiveness of differentiated classrooms; examine the importance of differentiating instruction for today's diverse student population; recognize the need to increase variety in teaching, learning, and assessment to respond to individual student needs; utilize strategies including assignment tiering, graphic organizers, critical thinking skills, reflection and assessment strategies customized for a mixed-ability classroom; diagnose student needs and prescribe tasks that create better matches between learning needs and preferences and plan and implement methods appropriate for assessing individual learning needs in a performance-based curriculum.

The PK12 Reflection and Seminar is the in-class seminar portion of the student teaching experienced designed to meet the requirements for the Resident Educator License. The seminar provides teacher candidates with an opportunity to continue developing the skills needed to become a reflective practitioner based upon their practicum experience in the field component of student teaching.

This course is meant for students who are on the apprenticeship pathway only. The PK12 Reflection and Seminar is the culminating course of the apprentice experience designed to meet the requirements for the Resident Educator License. The seminar provides apprentices with an opportunity to continue developing the knowledge and skills needed to become an informed and reflective practitioner in preparation for their first year of teaching. Apprentices will become familiar with the Ohio Standards for the Teaching Profession, Ohio's Professional Code of Conduct, Ohio's Teacher Evaluation System, and Ohio's Standards for Professional Development.

This course is meant only for those students enrolled in a licensure program due to assignments and program assessments that require a clinical field experience placement. It presents an overview of language arts for all PreK through Grade 5 learners. Teacher Candidates will examine the continuum of state standards-based skills, curricular components and organization, and diverse learning challenges as they relate to developing and implementing developmentally appropriate lessons and units of study. Candidates will develop positive dispositions toward literacy and foster supportive environments for literacy development of all learners, including children with disabilities and English language learners. Contemporary research on theoretical perspectives and best practices, as well as practical application, are embedded in this course to ensure a balanced approach to the most effective instructional practices for PreK-Grade 5 learners.

This course is meant only for those students enrolled in a licensure program due to assignments and program assessments that require a clinical field experience placement. The course examines the kinds of curricular themes, problems, and issues that are appropriate for candidates in the elementary education program and is based upon appropriate developmental theory. Learned societies and other research literature have also been used to provide the basis for the selection of curriculum and teaching strategies. The emphasis is a hands on approach to inquiry. The course provides candidates the framework for implementing the Ohio Science Standards.

This course is meant only for those students enrolled in a licensure program due to assignments and program assessments that require a clinical field experience placement. Presents an overview of social studies for all PreK through Grade 5 learners. Teacher Candidates will examine the kinds of curricular themes, learning challenges, and standards issues as they relate to developing and implementing developmentally appropriate lessons and units of study to teach social studies knowledge and skills to early childhood learners. Learned societies and other research literature have also been used to provide the basis for the selection of this curriculum and for the materials, teaching strategies, differentiation methods and assessment techniques that are included as part of the course.

This course is meant only for those students enrolled in a licensure program due to assignments and program assessments that require a clinical field experience placement. This course examines the kinds of curricular themes, problems, and issues that are appropriate for children in the elementary block and is based upon appropriate developmental theory. Learned societies and other research literature have also been used to provide the basis for the selection of this curriculum and for the materials, teaching strategies and assessment techniques that are included as part of the course.

The professional growth and development practicum is the field portion of the student teaching experience designed to meet the requirements for licensure. The practicum is an in-depth clinical laboratory experience that provides opportunities to observe, analyze, plan, and practice teaching methods in a school setting. The experience enables the teacher candidate to move through stages of increased responsibilities under the guidance and with the support of a cooperating teacher and a university supervisor.

This course is designed for students preparing for PK-5 Early Childhood Education. It is focused on the emergent learner, specifically in Pre-kindergarten, and the literacy knowledge and skills that are the foundation of reading and writing in grades K-5. Keeping in mind that PreK is not a universal mandate for all students before entering Kindergarten, this course will also serve as a guide for teaching literacy skills to students who may have had little literacy exposure before their first year of formal education.

This course is required for prospective teachers seeking the Resident Educator Early Childhood License, the Resident Educator Middle Childhood License, and the Resident Educator Intervention Specialist License. The course comprehensively explores effective literacy instruction techniques, focusing on phonemic awareness, phonics, morphology, syntax, and structured language instruction. Through a series of modules, students will expand their understanding of these concepts' theoretical foundations and practical applications, learning to design, implement, and assess language and literacy lessons for diverse learners. Emphasis is placed on understanding the importance of phonics, word awareness, syntax, high-frequency words in literacy development, and strategies for supporting English Language Learners.

This course is required for prospective teachers seeking the Provisional Early Childhood License, the Provisional Middle Childhood License, or the Provisional Intervention Specialist License. The course examines the development of communication skills in early learners, from listening and speaking to reading and writing. It presents frameworks aligned with the science-based principles of early literacy development, encompassing components of Structured Literacy, incorporating evidence-based strategies that promote effective reading and writing instruction.

This course is required for students who are seeking the Resident Educator Early Childhood License, the Middle Childhood Licensure, or the Intervention Specialist License. This course provides a comprehensive exploration of literacy assessment techniques and instructional strategies essential for effective reading instruction. Students will engage in hands-on activities to analyze various reading assessment data, including phonological awareness, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension, to inform instructional decision-making. Through a combination of readings, discussions, simulations, and practical assignments, students will develop the knowledge and skills necessary to assess diverse learners' reading abilities and plan targeted interventions aligned with best practices in literacy instruction. Topics covered include the Outcomes-Based Model, Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), assessment types, progress monitoring tools, and evidence-based instructional approaches. Additionally, students will explore the role of phonemic awareness, orthographic mapping, word recognition, and vocabulary development in reading instruction. This course emphasizes the importance of ongoing assessment, differentiation, and collaboration with colleagues and families to support students' literacy development across grade levels and diverse learning environments.

This course explores the foundational principles and evidence-based practices essential for effective literacy instruction in today's diverse classrooms. This course equips future educators with the knowledge and skills necessary to foster literacy success for all learners, from early childhood to adolescence. Through a comprehensive exploration of the science of reading, explicit instruction techniques, and the diverse landscape of children's and adolescent literature, students will gain invaluable insights into the intricacies of literacy acquisition and instruction.