Education Curriculum & Classes

Surveys the communication skills necessary for effective classroom teaching. Emphasis is placed on developing lecture and discussion techniques, improving interpersonal communications, and public speaking skills. Strongly recommended for education majors only.

Explores some of the areas that contribute to the whole of education, with two consequences in mind. Two goals of the class are (1) to give those who may be considering a career in education some basis for making a major career decision and (2) to provide those who have elected to pursue a major in education some insights into the topics they will encounter during their preparation and subsequent classroom experiences. Selected issues and problems are considered. Required for all teaching majors. Open to all students. Field experiences required.

New Student Experience is designed to help new students at UIndy in their first semester of enrollment to develop skills and relationships that will serve them well as they pursue their degree and career goals. The course consists of a series of personal, academic, and campus success sessions designed to help new students make a successful transition to campus. The class uses a combination of in- and out-of-class programs to cover topics relating to academics, student involvement, relationships, career development, goals, diversity, wellness, campus safety, values, etc.

An introduction to the characteristics, history, and identification of students with mild disabilities. Particular attention is devoted to understanding disability as a social construct, the impact of labels on children and families, and the concepts of cultural competence and normalization. Strategies of working collaboratively with other professionals and families to optimize the outcomes of the child in the inclusive classroom and community are stressed.

This introductory literacy course offers a comprehensive exploration of literacy in diverse educational environments. Through three distinct modules, candidates will engage with various aspects of children's literature, multiple literacies, and the needs of English learners. The course emphasizes practical application, theoretical understanding, and the integration of technology and cultural awareness to enhance literacy instruction.

A course designed to enhance students’ ability to recognize and respond to different rhetorical situations and to develop effective writing processes involving pre-writing, drafting, revising, and editing. A student writer in English 101 should expect to compose and revise work in multiple genres, develop a sense of ownership and authority over their writing, and engage in inquiry-driven writing activities involving research. Students in English 101 must receive a grade of C or better to fulfill the Critical Thinking – English requirement.

Provides a foundation for the reflective teacher. Reflective teachers draw on theories and concepts from both educational and developmental psychology to plan and evaluate instruction and to be responsive to individual learners. In this course students will have an opportunity to study the field of human development and psychology as they relate to learning and teaching. The study of human development will focus on the period from birth to late adolescence. Typical development in adulthood also will be explored. Course required for all levels of licensing.

In this field experience course, students will engage in real-world engineering projects, gaining hands-on experience by designing solutions, modeling systems, prototyping, and testing their designs. They will follow the engineering design process, understanding constraints and affordances. Additionally, students will learn computer programming in various environments and apply it to model their design solutions. The culmination of the course will involve a STEM project where students will bridge the concepts learned with concurrent STEM coursework.

In this course, candidates will explore the history, issues, and challenges of inclusion as a societal ideology and one in which students with dis/abilities are educated alongside typical students in the general education classroom

ELED 305 is paired with ELED 301 and is a continuation of the tutoring experience started in ELED 302. Through this course, students will work closely with the practicum supervisor to apply the concepts of ELED 301 in an immersive school setting experience. Students will continue to design and implement research-aligned intervention lessons for the students they worked with in ELED 302. The Practicum Supervisor will provide supervision and feedback to the student as they work to apply concepts learned in ELED 301.

In this course, students will address real world problems by designing solutions, modeling systems, prototyping and testing their designs, and then iterating the process. in this way, students will experience the engineering design cycle and develop an appreciation for constraints and tradeoffs. Students will learn how to write computer software in multiple environments and apply this skill to modeling at least one of their design solutions. There will be a culminating STEM project in which students bridge the concepts from this course and the concurrent course in the STEM block.

This course provides an introduction to the scientific method through a study of the basic elements of the earth sciences - physical geography, meteorology, geology, oceanography, and astronomy. The course provides a broad understanding of the Earth system. Students learn concepts and theories pertaining to the scientific method and the earth sciences in lecture and then are expected to apply those concepts in labs and on exams. The course meets for two hours of lecture and two hours of lab each week.

An in-depth exploration of numeracy, number systems, number operations, fractions, decimals, percentages, algebraic foundations, patterns and sequences. Incorporates a constructivist approach with analysis of children’s mathematical thinking and connections to the elementary mathematics curriculum. May not count toward a mathematics major or minor.

This course will explore integrating technology and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles into a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) framework to improve student outcomes. Participants will gain an understanding of MTSS and UDL and how they can e implemented in a classroom or school setting, as well as explore various technological tools and strategies that can be used t support MTSS and UDL implementation.

This field experience is designed to provide hands-on learning opportunities for special and general education students, focusing on integrating technology and Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) principles within the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework. Participants will work closely with educators and students in classroom settings to apply the concepts learned in the course and gain practical experience.

Examines the impact of our nation's increasingly diverse society on schools. Course provides an overview of the various cultural characteristics of students and how these differences have an impact on student behavior and achievement in the school environment. The course also explores the interaction of teacher and student value systems regarding culturally different learners as a basis for fostering sensitivity to and respect for cultural differences. Course required of all levels of teacher licensure.

In this course, we will focus on curriculum, instruction, and assessment in early childhood literacy education. Topics will include oral language development and vocabulary acquisition, print concepts and the literacy print environment, and beginning readers’ development of phonemic and phonological awareness, phonics understanding, comprehension, fluency, and writing. Emphasis will be placed on science of reading-aligned instructional approaches.

ELED 205 is paired with ELED 201 Design/Teach Primary Literacy. Through this course students will work closely with the practicum supervisor to apply the concepts of ELED 201 in an immersive school setting experience. The Practicum Supervisor will provide supervision and feedback to the student as they work to apply concepts of primary literacy instruction.

An in-depth exploration into the fundamental concepts of elementary number theory, ratios and proportions, percentages and interest, statistics, and probability for elementary teachers. Incorporates a constructivist approach with analysis of children’s mathematical thinking and connections to the elementary mathematics curriculum. May not count toward a mathematics major or minor.

This course is a survey of Social Studies content. The course explores areas such as: civics/government, economics and world history before 1700.

This 3-credit hour course will focus on providing non-majors (mostly elementary education majors) with an overview of essential biological concepts: scientific inquiry, biological chemistry, cell structure and function, genetics, evolution, classification,diversity of living organisms, and ecology that connect to education life science standards. Students will complete chapter textbook guided readers in a flipped classroom style course, create daily mind-maps from children's non-fiction books, and engage in a variety of in-class content manipulatives to assist with learning and understanding the biological concepts. This course will also engage students to think like a scientist through a semester long discovery science ecosystem project.

This course focuses on literacy learning and instruction in the intermediate grades. Incorporating the science of reading, the course will explore explicit, hands-on instruction in phonics, linguistics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Emphasis will be placed on research-aligned instruction paired with informal and formal literacy assessments.

This course is paired with ELED 203 Design/Teach Intermediate Literacy. Through this course students will work closely with the practicum supervisor to apply the concepts of ELED 203 in an immersive school setting experience. The Practicum Supervisor will provide supervision and feedback to the student as they work to apply concepts of intermediate literacy instruction.

This course provides future elementary teachers with foundational knowledge and skills to effectively integrate health, wellness, and physical education into their classrooms. Students will explore the human body systems and principles of human growth and development, including nutrition and common illnesses. The course emphasizes motor skills, movement concepts, and strategies for promoting physical fitness and lifelong wellness. Students will learn to design and evaluate engaging, developmentally appropriate activities, focusing on safety, etiquette, and social responsibility. Additionally, students will develop instructional and assessment strategies that align with state and national standards, fostering critical thinking, problem-solving, and responsible health and fitness behaviors among young learners.

Survey of the major themes in world history since 1700. Special attention is given to providing students with a basic framework of chronology and geography for understanding these themes, for appreciating the interaction among civilizations and cultures over time, and for acquiring a familiarity with the historical roots of contemporary global realities.

An in-depth exploration into the fundamental concepts of geometry for elementary teachers, including the geometry of shape, measurement, and transformation. Experiences with units of measure in the metric and U.S. customary systems, unit conversions, congruence, perimeter, area, volume, figures in one, two, and three dimensions; transformational geometry, symmetry, similarity, and tessellations. Incorporates a constructivist approach with analysis of children’s mathematical thinking and connections to the elementary mathematics curriculum. May not count toward a mathematics major or minor.

Designed for the classroom teacher, an introduction to art fundamentals with methods, materials, and rationale for integrating art into the elementary curriculum. Must be taken concurrently with student teaching.

Elements of Chemistry and Physics is a one-semester integrative chemistry and physics course intended primarily for elementary education pre-service students who wish to learn fundamental principles relating to the structure of matter, energy transformations, motion of objects and waves, and the forces of nature (ASTA/NSTE Disciplinary Core Ideas: Matter and Its Interactions, Motion and Stability-Forces and Interactions, energy, Waves, and Their Applications). Students will learn these fundamentals through active participation in "hands-on, minds-on" group activities. While doing the activities, the students will demonstrate scientific habits and gain insight into the nature of science. (Cross-listed as CHEM-100.) Elements of Chemistry and Physics does not fulfill requirements for a chemistry or physics major or minor.

This course will focus on the integration of STEM content into curriculum design. Candidates will explore classroom organization and curriculum development for elementary classrooms while engaging in hands-on STEM activities. Methods for promoting, designing, and implementing inquiry into various types of instruction will also be addressed. Corequisite is ELED 251, and prerequisites are ELED 202, 203.

This field experience course is designed to immerse candidates in integrating STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) content into curriculum design for elementary classrooms. Candidates will explore strategies for organizing classrooms and developing a curriculum that fosters inquiry-based learning in STEM subjects. This course emphasizes hands-on STEM activities, problem-based and project-based learning, mathematics and science inquiry, and the use of technology to support and assess student learning. Candidates will apply research-based learning theories to create effective STEM learning environments that engage students, stimulate critical thinking, and facilitate deep understanding. STEM activities, lessons, and units developed during the course will align with Common Core State Standards, Next Generation Science Standards, and Indiana Academic Standards. Successful completion of this course is a requirement for elementary (primary and intermediate) licensure.

In ELED 300, students will learn foundational concepts of literacy assessment, including the various types and purposes of assessments, principles of test construction and test statistics. Students will learn to administer, analyze and interpret a variety of literacy assessments and use those assessment results to design research-aligned literacy intervention for students who are experiencing literacy difficulty. Students will focus on science of reading-aligned instructional approaches in combination with student motivation, choice, and voice. Emphasis will be placed on high-quality teacher-child relationships and positive perceptions of all children in order to individualize and differentiate.

ELED 302 is paired with ELED 300. Through this course, students will work closely with the practicum supervisor to apply the concepts of ELED 300 in an immersive school setting experience. Students will administer a battery of literacy assessments to 2 students in grades K - 6 and then use those assessment results to design and implement research-aligned intervention lessons for those students. The Practicum Supervisor will provide supervision and feedback to the student as they work to apply concepts learned in ELED 300.

ELED 306 is paired with ELED 300. Through this course, students will work closely with the practicum supervisor to apply the concepts of ELED 300 in an immersive school setting experience. Students will administer a battery of literacy assessments to 2 students in grades K-6 and then use those assessment results to design and implement research-aligned intervention lessons for those students. The Practicum Supervisor will provide supervision and feedback to the student as they work to apply concepts learned in ELED 300.

Working in a K-6 classroom, candidates will implement their Passion Project. Candidates guide their students through an inquiry-based learning experience where the students will problem-solve, synthesize, and reflect upon learning. Simultaneously, candidate will self-reflect. Using peer observation protocols, candidates will engage in gathering and analyzing classroom data. Candidates will present the peer observer with a focus question to guide the peer observation. Particular attention will be given to student learning and instructional methods. Peer observers will collect focus data and meet with the candidate to review and reflect upon the data. Candidates will use the data to inform future lessons.

The Lecture/Performance Series is an opportunity for students to attend programs of intellectual and/or cultural significance outside of the normal classroom setting. The format of the Lecture/Performance Series is designed to give students some choice in the events they attend and to provide for flexibility in scheduling. Varied events are scheduled throughout the semester. These events vary in length from one to three hours. To earn .5 hour of academic credit, a student must attend a total of 10 events. Requirement details are available on the UIndy intranet at my.uindy.edu.

Designed for the classroom teacher, an introduction to music fundamentals with methods, materials, and rationale for integrating music into the elementary curriculum. Skill development in playing classroom instruments, note reading, and singing. Prerequisite: Junior standing or consent of instructor.

Presents a framework for creating an instructional environment based on positive behavior support and school-wide discipline. Knowledge and skills of proactive classroom management to promote the academic, behavioral, and social success of students is presented. These approaches range from the techniques of self management to collaborative problem solving. Functional assessment and analysis as methods to determine causes of challenging behavior and academic failure are stressed. An overview of conflict resolution curricula is provided as are strategies to manage and prevent school-based needs. Course required for a special education license in mild interventions. Field experience required.

Prepares candidates to teach Mathematics in grades K through 6. emphasis is placed on creating classrooms that encourage exploration and communication of ideas relating to numbers patterns, shapes, and space. Special attention is given to methods that promote algebraic, geometric, and statistical reasoning, as well as computational thinking. Design-thinking, problem solving, critical thinking and cooperative learning structures are studied; how to use formal and informal assessments to support student learning; ways to incorporate technology and professional resources for STEM education are addressed. This course is required for elementary licensure.

This course is paired with ELED 275, Teaching Math Elementary Grades. Through this course students will work closely with the practicum supervisor to apply the concepts of ELED 275 in an immersive school setting experience. The Practicum Supervisor will provide supervision and feedback to the student as they work to apply concepts of mathematics. Emphasis is placed on creating classrooms that encourage exploration and communication of ideas relating to numbers patterns, shapes, and space. Special attention is given to methods that promote algebraic, geometric, and statistical reasoning, as well as computational thinking.

In ELED 301, we will focus on intervention with children experiencing literacy difficulties for a variety of reasons. Candidates will use the principles of UDL to design and differentiate curriculum and assessments in order to build the literacy skills for all learners, including students with mild disabilities, high abilities, twice exceptional, and multilingual learners. Special emphasis will be placed on dyslexia/dysgraphia, language-based disabilities, multilingual learners, and other common neuro-divergences in the elementary literacy classroom (e.g., autism, ADHD, behavioral difficulties). Students will focus on science of reading-aligned instructional approaches in combination with student motivation, choice, and voice. Emphasis will be placed on high-quality teacher-child relationships and positive perceptions of all children in order to individualize and differentiate.

This course is paired with ELED 301 Reading Intervention. Through this course students will work closely with the practicum supervisor to apply the concepts of ELED 301 in an immersive school setting experience. The Practicum Supervisor will provide supervision and feedback to the student as they work to apply concepts of reading intervention.

See Religion options

This course is a survey of selected topics for elementary education majors on the development of Indiana and United States history through Reconstruction.

The Lecture/Performance Series is an opportunity for students to attend programs of intellectual and/or cultural significance outside of the normal classroom setting. The format of the Lecture/Performance Series is designed to give students some choice in the events they attend and to provide for flexibility in scheduling. Varied events are scheduled throughout the semester. These events vary in length from one to three hours. To earn .5 hour of academic credit, a student must attend a total of 10 events. Requirement details are available on My UIndy.

Students develop the Exit From Program Portfolio, a requirement for passing student teaching. Course required for all levels of teacher licensure. Enroll concurrently with first student teaching placement. Prerequisite: Completion of all education requirements (elementary) or all education requirements (secondary/all-grade).

This course examines the dynamics of empowerment as a means of developing effective school-family-community partnerships. Starting from a "system of care" perspective, this course will explore effective strategies for supporting families as they negotiate educational challenges and for promoting collaboration among the various professionals serving learners and their families.

Candidates will use their STEM transdisciplinary knowledge to develop a curricular unit and instructional lessons plans by examining curricular maps, analyzing scope and sequences, and unpacking literacy and STEM content standards.

This course is paired with ELED 351, Teaching and Designing Transdisciplinary STEM. Through this course students will work closely with the practicum supervisor to apply the concepts of ELED 351 in an immersive school setting experience. The Practicum Supervisor will provide supervision and feedback to the student as they work to apply concepts of mathematics. Lessons that integrate cross-curricular learning will be the point of this course.

See Philosophy & Ethics options

See Literature options

KINS-101 meets the criteria for achieving competency in the Health & Physical Education General Education Core. This one-hour course introduces students to the eight dimensions of wellness and assists the student in determining his or her own overall wellness level. This course is approached with a multi-dimensional view of wellness inclusive of all eight components: physical, mental, social, spiritual, intellectual, environmental, occupational and financial. The concept of BALANCE is the overall goal to every day living, every day function and in people's everyday outlook. Balance is attained through high levels of understanding and being active in EACH dimension of wellness. Student-selected physical activity-based sessions are also included in this course with yoga/pilates, strength training, cardio/strength or cardio/team sports as options. Lab fee: $20.

Study of classroom organization and curriculum development in theatre education. Students learn to design and implement a variety of instructional and assessment strategies. Activities relate research and theory of teaching methodology to practical problems faced in the field. Must be taken concurrently with student teaching.