Advanced Graduate Study (CAGS)

EDU 597  |  3 credit hours

This course explores the theories of differentiated instruction and its relationship to neuroscience. Within the course, educators analyze differentiation theories and incorporate differentiation strategies into the design of units and lessons in their own educational settings. Collegial reflection regarding the use of these differentiation strategies as well as reflecting on how differentiation is used to meet the needs of diverse learners will be a major component of the course.

EDU 598  |  3 credit hours

Educational systems have evolved into complex reflections of society, providing a system of essential services. These systems partner with other community functions in areas from economic development to social supports. Successful leaders within these systems must demonstrate ethical and moral leadership to meet the complex needs that ever-diversifying stakeholders require. This course will explore the importance of ethics in educational leadership. Participants will explore leadership frameworks that focus on personal values, beliefs, ethics, and leadership styles. They will apply such frameworks by forming personalized courses of action. Participants will also be challenged to collaborate with peers when applying ethical decision-making strategies to educational scenarios.

EDU 599  |  3 credit hours

This course centers on the principles of diversity, inclusion, and social justice. Participants will create a framework for diversity and inclusion through engagement with the literature and theories on social identity in the historic context of America. We will examine how individual differences, institutional systems, and social assumptions contribute to or inhibit cultural pluralism. Major emphasis will be placed on building skills in critical analyses of social structures, interrogating our personal and professional praxis, and expanding our knowledge base to promote social justice.

EDU 600  |  3 credit hours

This course enhances classroom-based experiences by linking them with professional research skills. Educators in this course will learn to locate and critically review a wide range of professional resources, articulate knowledge from a research-based framework, and collaborate with their peers on navigating school cultures. This course highlights the roles and responsibilities of leaders in a school setting.

EDU 690  |  3 credit hours

In this course, students will explore action research within their own work setting. Students will formulate a problem statement, conduct a literature review, design a study, and identify which data to collect for the purpose of developing an action plan. Through a systematic and collaborative process, participants will utilize action research to reflect, analyze and enhance their professional practice. Students will also develop writing skills which are important for professional communication.

EDU 695  |  3 credit hours

This course develops reflective practices that assist participants in exploring both professional and personal growth that has occurred throughout the University of New England’s MSEd program. Participants will utilize organizational tools to create a digital portfolio that reflects self-directed learning within their program experiences.

EDU 701  |  3 credit hours

This course provides the overarching context for organizational leadership. Participants consider theories and practices relating to effective and ethical leadership in organizational settings. Topics include diagnosing the work environment, decision-making, problem-solving, strategic planning, and human resource development. Students will reflect on their own leadership, observe and analyze other leaders, and explore the theories and practices that relate to the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL).

EDU 702  |  3 credit hours

This course provides a foundation of the legal underpinnings of the American education system and explores how legal decisions have had an effect on an educational system that covers lifelong learning. Specific legal principles relating to church/state issues, tort liability, teacher responsibilities, student rights and administrative concerns such as contracts and collective bargaining are examined. Participants will analyze case studies to apply their understanding and create a compendium of the laws unique to the states in which they work.

EDU 703  |  3 credit hours

Regardless of how beneficial a desired change may seem, new initiatives are often difficult to implement. This course examines change theory, studies case histories of change efforts, and reviews change strategies in order to equip students with skills for introducing effective reforms.

EDU 704  |  3 credit hours

This course examines the requirements of educational leaders engaged in supervising and evaluating educational personnel. Emphasis is given to the theory behind the practice as well as different methods and hands-on applications. Participants explore such practices as peer evaluations, self-evaluations, portfolios, and mentoring.

EDU 706  |  3 credit hours

An effective educational leader promotes the success of all students by communicating the learning community’s vision, policies, and successes to staff, students, parents, community, decision-makers, legislators, and media. This course provides 80 hours of field-based work, in which aspiring leaders will develop a plan to build and maintain partnerships with multiple constituent groups within the community in a way that positively impacts the education of students. Before registration can be made available for this course, students must complete all of the required internship paperwork. Please contact your Student Support Specialist for details.

EDU 707  |  3 credit hours

Instructional leaders must ensure that the teaching and learning taking place in a school is rigorous, relevant, and designed to meet the needs of all students. Participants will explore current models and trends in curriculum design and instructional practices with a focus on using research and data to guide decision-making about content and pedagogy. This course will also look at the role an instructional leader plays in serving as a change agent to promote best practices in a school.

EDU 709  |  3 credit hours

This course traces the historical background and development of school finance acts and examines the intent, concepts and relationship inherent in these acts. Processes by which state subsidies are computed, allocated and distributed are considered. Budget and expenditure practices in relation to these acts are illustrated. Emphasis is placed on helping students develop a clear conceptual understanding of the overall methods by which state aid is provided to local school systems. Readings, research, and other assignments are designed to acquaint students with school finance practices in their respective states and local school districts.

EDU 715  |  3 credit hours

This course will include: an overview of organizational theories and systems; the inclusion of organizational theory in the educational change process; the functions, objectives, development, and assessment of strategic plans; and the relationship between strategic planning and budget development.

EDU 720  |  3 credit hours

Federal and state laws, regulations, and judicial decisions relating to the education of students with special needs in inclusion classrooms are analyzed. Key legal provisions, such as free appropriate public education, least restrictive environment, and due process are examined. Methods of conflict resolution and mediation as well as ethical standards are examined. Students are required to apply what they learn as they research and analyze case scenarios.

EDU 721  |  3 credit hours

This course introduces learners to the use of technology in the inclusive education of individuals with disabilities. Methods and techniques for evaluation and determination of appropriate uses of assistive technology are addressed. A range of assistive and inclusive technologies are covered as well as teaching strategies that support the implementation of technologies. Using technology in universally designed educational environments is examined. Participants will be expected to have access to and use selected teaching and learning technologies with learners with disabilities in inclusive settings.

EDU 722  |  3 credit hours

This course focuses on assessment approaches for identifying students with disabilities and assessing progress toward learning goals and standards. Participants examine formal assessment tools and procedures used in the diagnosis of disabilities and identification of the instructional and behavioral needs of students. Participants will explore a range of student strengths and exceptionalities as they determine best educational practices to meet the needs of all learners in the least restrictive setting.

EDU 723  |  3 credit hours

This course provides the time and resources to delve deeply into strategies for teaching students in the inclusion classroom. Participants will evaluate strategies to determine the best practices available to meet their professional needs. Students will collate their new learning into a user-friendly tool tailored to their own teaching circumstances. Rarely do educators have the opportunity for such sustained exploration of meaningful research-based strategies that can have a direct impact on differentiated teaching and learning.

EDU 725  |  3 credit hours

This course will help participants identify and prioritize essential behavioral skills in their work with students. They will explore how to model, teach and nurture behavioral skills and analyze differentiation strategies as Tier 1 of a Positive Behavior Intervention and Support model and prepare for intervention and monitoring at Tier 2 and Tier 3. The course will engage participants in addressing factors that influence a school’s response to behavioral considerations such as available resources, parent collaboration, school, and community culture.

EDU 726  |  3 credit hours

This course will focus on the use of data to create inclusive environments for all students. Participants in this course will apply the components of the Continuous School Improvement Framework (Plan-Implement-Evaluate-Improve). Participants will use data readily available in their classroom, school, or district. Several protocols for analysis will be used. Themes will include using data to support a shared vision and using data to examine school core values.

EDU 727  |  3 credit hours

This course will deepen the participants’ understanding of the factors that affect a learner’s ability to access their education. Participants will explore the current research in neuroscience and its connection to social and emotional learning. Participants will review and understand practical strategies to address the social and emotional learning needs of all learners and develop a social and emotional learning plan including the development of self-regulation skills in all learners.

EDU 730  |  3 credit hours

This course explores Universal Design for Learning (UDL). It addresses the elements of effective design for learning variability across educational settings including those found in K-12, higher education and corporate environments. Participants will explore and practice designing meaningful learning experiences that meet the needs of all learners.

EDU 740  |  3 credit hours

This course will address the foundational knowledge that teachers of literacy need in order to understand the reading and writing process for students. In this course, teachers will be exposed to major theories, research, and best practices in the literacy field. Teachers will be asked to draw upon this theoretical and practice knowledge to think about issues of practice. Through engaging inquiry units, teachers will become active participants in developing a strong foundational base for literacy instruction for all learners in their classrooms.

EDU 741  |  3 credit hours

This course focuses on the use of assessments to determine a learner’s reading and/or writing skills. Students in this course will examine, create, evaluate, and reflect on a variety of literacy assessments as they are directly connected to data-driven instruction and literacy achievement. Each course module will engage students in a range of literacy assessments and how to use resulting data to inform instruction of subject area content as well as develop and deepen literacy skills. Course participants will be engaged in the research around assessment types as well as how to modify assessments and instruction to meet the needs of diverse learners.

EDU 742  |  3 credit hours

This course focuses on research-based study skills and strategies for providing literacy instruction within the classroom content area. Educators will learn to integrate literacy and study skills instruction in their classrooms while designing reading assignments that afford students access to the concepts in the text. Concepts and strategies presented are relevant to the needs of ESL students.

EDU 743  |  3 credit hours

The reading-writing connection will be the focus of the course. Educators will have the opportunity to explore this connection through the examination and application of successful instructional strategies and activities. Educators, regardless of the level or content they teach, will be provided with tools that will help to maintain learners’ literacy development as they read and write to learn, or learn to read and write.

EDU 744  |  3 credit hours

This course will address how to engage in differentiated literacy practices to meet the needs of diverse learners. Educators will be immersed in the foundational knowledge that will aid them in creating effective instruction that will assist students who need support in their literacy development. The readings and coursework will explore how to approach literacy challenges from the classroom and school levels in a systematic way as well as incorporating a culturally responsive approach to pedagogy.

EDU 746  |  3 credit hours

This course will focus on the leadership skills that the professional will need as a Reading Specialist/Literacy Coach. Specifically, this course will explore the coaching relationship and how to work collaboratively to plan, implement, and supervise literacy programs at the individual, classroom, school, and district-wide level. Focus will also be on facilitating a literate environment, working with literacy in a diverse society, and developing leadership skills. This course will also fulfill the requirements that many states have for course work in Administration and Supervision of Reading and Language Arts Programs.

EDU 747  |  3 credit hours

This course will focus specifically on meeting the needs of students whose native language is not English. Topics will include sociocultural factors, second language acquisition and development, emergent and experienced reading and writing development for English learners, multiple test sources, text analysis, process writing, conversational, academic, and content language considerations, assessment types and techniques, language arts resources, and effective instructional strategies and models. This course will help prepare future Reading Specialists to work with this growing population and to support teachers who have students from different linguistic backgrounds.

EDU 748  |  3 credit hours

This course is designed to straddle the disciplines of regular and special education. Students will explore the implementation of multi-tier approaches to the early identification and support of students with learning and behavior needs and ways to differentiate instruction. The course attends to the collaboration that takes places between regular and special education teachers when assessing and planning instruction for all students in an inclusive setting.

EDU 749  |  3 credit hours

In conjunction with EDU 750, this course is the first of two practicum courses that closely examine a wide range of assessment and instructional methods to support literacy development of struggling learners. Students in this course work closely with an onsite mentor, a learning community of students and a UNE instructor. This collaboration will support students as they develop relationships with K-12 students who struggle in literacy. Experiences in the course include working in a one-on-one tutorial setting, administering a variety of reading diagnostic assessments, and collaboratively creating and implementing literacy programming that builds on diagnosis with the goal of moving learners forward in their literacy growth. This course meets most states’ requirements that a 6 credit practicum be part of an approved graduate program. Before registration can be made available for this course, students must complete all of the required internship paperwork.

EDU 750  |  3 credit hours

In conjunction with EDU 749, this course is the second of two practicum courses that closely examine a wide range of assessment and instructional methods to support literacy development of struggling learners. Students in this course work closely with an onsite mentor, a learning community of students and a UNE instructor. This collaboration will support students as they develop relationships with K-12 students who struggle in literacy. Experiences in the course include working in a one-on-one tutorial setting, administering a variety of reading diagnostic assessments, and collaboratively creating and implementing literacy programming that builds on diagnosis with the goal of moving learners forward in their literacy growth. This course meets most states’ requirements that a 6 credit practicum be part of an approved graduate program.

Before registration can be made available for this course, students must complete all of the required internship paperwork. Please contact your student support specialist for details.

EDU 791/792  |  3 credit hours

Internship is a self-designed experience that consists of 150 hours (10 hours/week for 15 weeks) at a site outside of your regular work environment. The design of the internship must focus on the intern’s leadership skills as described in the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders as well as the collection of artifacts and data that demonstrate the intern’s use of those skills. This course is a requirement of State of Maine Building Administrator Certification (040). Before registration can be made available for this course, students must complete all of the required internship paperwork.