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Education Department
Course Descriptions

All courses are 3 credits unless otherwise indicated.

EDU 200. Foundations of Education
Introductory course designed for students who are considering teaching as a career. Current practices are considered from the perspectives of history, educational philosophy, school organization, and social trends and issues. Explores relationships between student characteristics, curriculum models, and teacher roles in contemporary schools.

EDU 203. Teaching Students with Special Needs.
The education of exceptional studnets: historical, philosophical, educational, and legal issues. Current practices in assessment, diagnosis, and teaching. Designed for teacher preparation, in-service and recertfiication.

EDU 205. Assessment of Students
Selection, administration, diagnosis, evaluation, and reporting of results of standardized tests. Informal measurement techniques for exceptional children. Designed for teacher preparation, in-service and recertfiication.

EDU 210. Processes and Acquisition of Reading.
This course is intended for students seeking the Elementary or Early Childhood Associate of Arts in Teaching and for in-service teachers and career changers. Students will develop an understanding of the language and cognitive precursors to the reading acquisition process. Students will demonstrate a knowledge of phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, comprehension and fluency in developing readers.
 
EDU 211. Instruction of Reading.
This course is intended for in-service teachers and career changers. The course focuses on the teaching of reading from pre-kindergarten through 8th grade. Students will develop and use a variety of developmentally appropriate word recognition and reading comprehension strategies. Students will examine a balanced literacy program which fosters phonemic awareness, phonics, comprehension, and fluency.

EDU 212. Assessment for Reading Instruction.
This course is intended for elementary in-service teachers and career changers. Students will expand their understanding of appropriate assessment practices and apply these practices to literacy assessment. Students will learn a variety of assessment tools and techniques for the elementary classroom. For each type of assessment presented, students learn administrative procedures, explore strengths and limitations of the instrument or techniques, and practice developing instructional implications from results.

EDU 213. Materials for Teaching Reading.
This course is intended for in-service elementary teachers and career changers. It introduces students to a variety of materials to be used for the purposes of developing phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, comprehension, and fluency. Student will be able to select and evaluate materials as well as utilize the expertise of parents and other members of the community to help fulfill goals of the reading program.

EDU 214. Teaching Reading in the Content Areas- I
This course (along with EDU 215) meets the reading requirements for Maryland secondary certification. It is designed for post-bachelor's students who are seeking initial teaching credentials at the high school level. It focuses on reading processes and development of reading proficiency. Specific topics include: purposes and types of reading, methods of assessing reading, strategies for skill development, student-centered reading instruction, and affective dimensions of reading.

EDU 215. Teaching Reading in the Content Areas-II
This course expands on the content of EDU 214 with more focus on reading skills and instruction. Emphasis is placed on teaching secondary students to learn from text.

EDU 220 Special Education Methods-Birth through 12th Grade
Students will understand and use a variety of organization, teaching, and classroom management strategies. The course will focus on effective practices in different settings with all disability groups, as well as collaboration with other involved professionals and parents.

EDU 221 Special Education Methods-Birth through 8th Grade
Students will review and demonstrate a variety of teaching techniques and learn to use assessment data to create and use both an IFSP and IEP.

EDU 222 Special Education Methods- 6th through 12th Grade.
Students will review/demonstrate a variety of teaching techniques. Special focus is given to transition education and services for adolescents.

EDU 223 Special Education Assessment Part I Birth-12th Grade
This course provides the opportunity for students to develop the knowledge and skills for selecting, administering, interpreting, diagnosing, reporting, using assessment data, monitoring and evaluating the instructional program. Legal perspectives, technical aspects of assessment tools, accommodations, computer as a tool for assessment, and nondiscriminatory testing will be examined.

EDU 224 Special Education Assessment Part II Birth-12th Grade
Students develop knowledge and skills in assessment, administration, interpretation, programming and alignment of test data with teaching standards. Trends in informal assessment, observation techniques, family assessment, vocational assessment, work sample analysis, task analysis, protfolios and teacher made tests will be explored.

EDU 233. Field Experience for Foundations of Education
1 credit
This course is required for elementary education students. It is optional but recommended for all others taking EDU 200. Students will engage in guided observation in local elementary, middle, and high schools for a total of fifteen hours. Students attend a seminar every other week. The Field Experience component of the course is an opportunity to observe local teachers in action at three different levels and become familiar with instructional methods, classroom management techniques, and educational issues.

EDU 234 Field Experience for Teaching Students with Special Needs.
1 credit
This course is required for education majors. Students will engage in guided observations of special education practice in local public schools for a total of fifteen hours. They will assist model teachers as requested. Prerequisites: EDU 203 or Concurrent

EDU 235 Field Experience for Educational Psychology.
1 credit
Students will engage in guided field observations of the teaching and learning process. They will spend at least fifteen clock hours in a school at the level at which they want to be certified. Students will attend a seminar at PGCC every other week. The Field Experience is an opportunity to apply concepts learned in the PSY 206 course to processes of teaching and learning at a local school. Students may also provide assistance to classroom teachers as requested. This course is required for education majors. Prerequisite. or concurrent:. PSY 206.

EDU 240. Elementary Methods.
This class focuses on strategies of teaching in the elementary grades and knowledge of the theory and research supporting those strategies. Opportunities for practice of planning and delivery of instruction will be provided. A goal of this course is to develop the habit of reflective practice and to foster collaborative problem solving with others. This course meets the Maryland State Department of Education Teaching Methodology requirement for initial certification in Elementary Education.

EDU 250. Secondary Methods.
This course is designed to enable prospective secondary level teachers to plan, design, and conduct effective instruction based on knowledge of theory and research-based practices, local and national standards and goals, and trends in educational assessment and practice. Supplemental topics include: classroom management, multiculturalism, and inclusion of students with special needs. This course meets the Maryland State Department of Education Teaching Methodology requirement for initial certification in Secondary Education.