With an increasing diverse population and a renewed emphasis on accountability for all students’ success, it is critical that teachers become familiar with and be able to apply the pedagogical research related to differentiating instruction. This course will prepare educators with the knowledge and skills to begin developing instructional designs to increase educational equity and enhance educational excellence. It is designed specifically to enable teachers to use the concept of differentiated instruction in the design, implementation, and analysis of their instructional methodology.
The course will include an investigation of the theoretical background, rationale, and principles of differentiated instruction. Teachers will examine the elements of differentiation and relate them to their classroom setting. Participants will also investigate the related areas of assessment, brain‐based learning, problem‐based inquiries, and effective learning environments.
This online course introduces participants to current brain research in neuro and cognitive science concerning teaching and learning, and suggests strategies and techniques for translating that research into effective classroom practices. The course starts with the current research on how the brain processes information. It will include the functions of the senses, working memory, long-term memory, storage, retrieval, and the development of the self-concept. The processing model becomes the basis for decisions that teachers must subsequently make to increase the probability that the classroom strategies and techniques they use are more likely to result in successful learning.
During the course the participants will discover when is the best time in a lesson to present new material, and will examine ways for improving the processing and retention of learning through chunking and rehearsal techniques. They will also learn about the power and impact of past experience in the teaching/learning process, the myths and science of lateral specialization, developing higher-order thinking skills, and the beneficial effects of arts (music movement and visual arts) instruction on developing the learner's neural networking. The course will update the participants' knowledge of how the brain learns, and debunk some of the common and persistent myths about learners and learning. There definitely will be some surprises!
This graduate course is designed to give participants a comprehensive, researched-based view of movement and kinesthetic activity as it relates to the teaching and learning process. The implications of movement and kinesthetic activity in this context will be examined from several perspectives including: why and how movement enhances the learning process and the applicability of such programs. Topics include: movement with a purpose, brain function as it relates to movement and thinking, the brain/body connection, explicit and implicit learning, attaching kinesthetic activity to content, brain breaks, the movement/reading connection, games in the classroom using movement, movement and classroom management, fitness and learning efficiency, performing arts, and making concrete application in all classrooms.
• True Colors (Lowry)--spectrum/variation of color types
• Modality preference (Dunn) -- auditory, visual, kinesthetic-tactual
• Organizational style (Gregorc) -- sequential, random
• Conceptual style (Gregorc) -- abstract, concrete
• Multiple Intelligences (Gardner) -- logical, visual/spatial, verbal, interpersonal, intra-personal, musical, naturalistic and kinesthetic
The styles of teaching and learning listed above will be especially focused on the individual teacher knowing and understanding his/her style and the impact of his/her style on student expectations, classroom management and lesson design and delivery. Course content will consider student thinking skills, cognitive processing, cooperative learning, conflict resolution, communication, and leadership.
With the pressures of meeting state standards and raising test scores, how do educators help all students learn in the digital age? Researchers at the Center for Applied Special Technologies (CAST) developed the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework to address the challenges of meeting the needs of diverse classrooms by designing a curriculum that addresses learner variability, removes barriers, and provides access to help ALL students learn.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an approach that addresses and redresses the primary barrier to making expert learners of all students: inflexible, one-size-fits-all curricula that raise unintentional barriers to learning. Learners with disabilities are most vulnerable to such barriers, but many students without disabilities also find that curricula are poorly designed to meet their learning needs.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) helps meet the challenge of diversity by suggesting flexible instructional materials, techniques, and strategies that empower educators to meet these varied needs. When curricula are designed to meet the needs of the broad middle—at the exclusion of those with different abilities, learning styles, backgrounds, and even preferences, they fail to provide all individuals with fair and equal opportunities to learn. A universally designed curriculum is designed from the outset to meet the needs of the greatest number of users, making costly, time-consuming, and after-the-fact changes to curriculum unnecessary (CAST 2009).
This course is designed to assist you in confronting those challenges and exploring the unimaginable opportunities of education for all learners in the digital age.
This online course introduces participants to current brain research in neuro and cognitive science concerning teaching and learning, and suggests strategies and techniques for translating that research into effective classroom practices. The course starts with the current research on how the brain processes information. It will include the functions of the senses, working memory, long-term memory, storage, retrieval, and the development of the self-concept. The processing model becomes the basis for decisions that teachers must subsequently make to increase the probability that the classroom strategies and techniques they use are more likely to result in successful learning.
During the course the participants will discover when is the best time in a lesson to present new material, and will examine ways for improving the processing and retention of learning through chunking and rehearsal techniques. They will also learn about the power and impact of past experience in the teaching/learning process, the myths and science of lateral specialization, developing higher-order thinking skills, and the beneficial effects of arts (music movement and visual arts) instruction on developing the learner's neural networking. The course will update the participants' knowledge of how the brain learns, and debunk some of the common and persistent myths about learners and learning. There definitely will be some surprises!
Today's classrooms include a spectrum of learners who have different levels of attention, learning, communication, and behaviors. This course is designed to offer educators a spectrum of instructional strategies. Learn how to apply research-based educational strategies to advance the knowledge and skills of your students with exceptionalities. This includes, but is not limited to students with ADHD, autism, intellectual, learning, sensory, and emotional differences. Tap into your students' strengths with appropriate interventions and curriculum practices.
This graduate course is designed to give participants a comprehensive, researched-based view of movement and kinesthetic activity as it relates to the teaching and learning process. The implications of movement and kinesthetic activity in this context will be examined from several perspectives including: why and how movement enhances the learning process and the applicability of such programs. Topics include: movement with a purpose, brain function as it relates to movement and thinking, the brain/body connection, explicit and implicit learning, attaching kinesthetic activity to content, brain breaks, the movement/reading connection, games in the classroom using movement, movement and classroom management, fitness and learning efficiency, performing arts, and making concrete application in all classrooms.
This course is designed to deepen participants understanding of both student and teacher motivation and the impact of peak performance on the classroom. Participants will extend their knowledge base about peak performance and motivation and its impact on the teaching and learning process. Participants will increase their awareness about various motivational techniques through research, literature, simulations, discussions, applications and reflections. Specific motivational and peak performance strategies will be investigated. Participants will heighten their own perspectives about motivation, and then share this knowledge with both students and colleagues to develop effective peak performance tools for use in both classrooms and personal settings.