Master's in Curriculum and Instruction: Course Descriptions

EDUG 547 - Basic Principles of Curriculum and Instructional Methods
The goal of this course is to provide a forum for educators to examine their beliefs, ideas and practices about curriculum and instruction. Much of the course will involve comparing the beliefs, ideas and practices of professional educators and instructional theorists related to the following fundamental questions of schooling: 1) How do children learn? 2) How should we teach? 3) What knowledge is of most worth? 4) How should subject matter be organized? 5) How should we assess what children know and understand?

EDUG 584 - Advanced Human Growth & Development
An examination of the interaction among biological, psychological, social, and cultural factors that influence human development and learning over the life span. The implications of developmental differences across the lifespan for educators are discussed.

EDUG 509 - Movements in Education
The goal of this course is to examine the beliefs, idea and practices of the major educational movements and how these movements continue to influence contemporary practices in curriculum and instruction. The course will also evaluate the influence of political, social and economic forces on major movements in education and the response of "critical pedagogues" to contemporary trends in schooling.

EDUG 502 - Anthropology and Sociology of Education
The anthropological approach to the study of schools; how an anthropological framework can provide insight into the nature of education and classroom interaction in cultural, economic, political, religious and social contexts. In addition, this course will examine the sociological foundations of the development of education. Special consideration will be given to schools as communities of learners. This course examines theory and research in educational anthropology and sociology.

EDUG 522 - Curriculum Integration of Educational Technology
This course is designed to introduce practical and theoretical integration of technology into the P-12 curriculum, with an emphasis on content-appropriate planning, teaching, assessment and management strategies, evaluation of educational technology tools, and the design of technology-enhanced environments for new teaching and learning roles.

EDUG 526 - Literacy Issues for Curriculum Leaders
This course provides an overview of the contemporary issues related to literacy instruction in K-12 settings. Topics examined include theory into practice, literacy learning for culturally and linguistically diverse populations, supporting use of paraprofessionals, professional developments, research-based strategies, and literacy assessment.

EDUG 548 - Instructional Methods and Program Evaluation
The focus of this course is on problematic instructional issues that arise during the school year. The course will provide school leaders with a process for assessing the origins of an instructional problem and the development of an instructional plan to address any unexpected curricular or instructional problem that is serving as an obstacle to student achievement. Students will be required to design a plan of action reflecting a research-based approach to a curricular or instructional problem and prepare presentation of the plan of action to a board of education.

EDUG 512 - Assessment of Instruction and Learning
This course is designed to address the assessment and evaluation of student progress toward meeting targeted standards, learning objectives, and competencies. The development of interpretive skills across learning objectives will be stressed. Topics addressed include: standards-based assessment, standardized tests and interpreting their results, performance assessment, portfolio assessment, self-evaluation, and dissemination of assessment results.

EDUG 513 - Educational Research Design and Development
This course initiates the graduate study research requirement. Course content differentiates the foundational assumptions, elements, methods and designs of educational research through both qualitative and quantitative paradigms. A statement of original research inquiry, a literature review, and a plan for investigating a research problem are developed.

EDUG 549 - School Improvement: Process and Program Evaluation
The focus of this course will be on the implementation of the school improvement process mandated by state legislation. The course will examine the theories and practices associated with the school improvement process in Illinois and other school improvement models throughout the country. Students will be required to perform an "audit" of a school improvement document and evaluate the effectiveness of the school improvement process in Illinois.

595: Graduate Seminar: Integrating Curricular Theory into Practice
Integration of the theories of curriculum and instruction, learning, growth and development, the implementation of technology and research, and the application of assessment into the practice of developing and delivering an effective curriculum for K-12 classroom, college and other educational arena.