Certificate in Content Area Instruction

This foundations course in biology explores pollution as an example of a modern-day problem, one in search of a solution. Approaching pollution as a failure in systems, this course guides students in analyzing pollution and its ecological impact, human interactions and every-day phenomena, disruptions in cellular structure, and going green and attempts to repair the damage.

From the smallest cells to the biosphere and beyond, systems exist. As a way to define order and hierarchical organization, theories guide the identification of characteristics found in repeatable patterns which predict interactions between systems and their environment. This course utilizes a universal view of various systems as they relate to current problems. By examining models to diagnose potential issues, learners explore ways to solve problems while determining what and how various forces are influencing the system.

Forces act upon the world, from the flow of water to fields growing corn. Understanding the interaction of these forces generates deeper awareness of the possibilities and limitations of the underlying biological systems. By examining principles of environmental and biological sciences, learners identify evidence to support models for sustainable food supplies and types of food production, clean energy, disease control, and other current concerns influenced by human involvement.

The everyday task of living brings biology into the practical. Through the use of measurement and the interaction of energy, problems in biology are examined as they relate to distribution, complexity, and evolution. The ability to understand how energy and matter are related establishes a cause-and-effect relationship essential to understanding reactions and interactions within living organisms. Using a model-based inquiry approach, learners investigate concepts such as metabolic activity, abiotic factors, and competitive systems.

This course explores the formation of natural structures and how these form levels dependent upon the density and type of matter. In a similar fashion, man-made structures are dependent upon the relationship between the properties of materials and how those materials are expected to function. By processing information about structure and form, learners examine how the shape and substructure of objects and living things can create layers of complexity.

Change is evident across time. Using atmospheric and ecological biology as a backdrop, this course explores a variety of issues of scientific interest and social relevance that are transforming life on Earth today. Among the issues are climate change, the greenhouse effect, pollution, deforestation, and the ozone layer. The course also explains the conditions that make life possible, including the potential for life on newly discovered Earth-like planets.

This foundations course describes historical and current issues and trends impacting chemistry in today's global society. Topics include atomic and molecular structure, properties of matter, chemical bonds, conservation of matter and stoichiometry, rates of reaction, organic chemistry, thermochemistry, biochemistry, the periodic table, interactions and reactions, and chemical and physical changes.

From the contents of a beaker in a chemistry lab to the Amazon rainforests, systems exist. This course explores the importance of systems and their surroundings to thermodynamics and thermochemistry. Theories guide the identification of characteristics found in repeatable patterns which predict interactions between systems and their surroundings. Topics include open, closed, and isolated systems and the relationships among energy, heat, and work as revealed in the study of systems.

Forces of attraction are at work in chemistry. Understanding the interactions resulting from intermolecular and intramolecular forces generates deeper awareness of the possibilities and limitations of the underlying systems. Topics include the impact of chemical forces on the states of matter, boiling and melting points, vapor pressures, and viscosities. The course also explores van der Waals's forces: dipole-dipole interactions, hydrogen bonding, and London dispersion.

The everyday task of candy making brings chemistry into the practical. Through the use of measurement and the interaction of energy, sources of candy are changed yielding predictable results. The ability to understand how energy and matter are related establishes a cause-and-effect relationship essential to understanding reactions and interactions. Using a model-based inquiry approach, learners investigate key terms and concepts related to candy making and chemistry.

This course addresses the fundamental concepts of energy and heat and their association with chemical processes. Beginning with a discussion of thermodynamics in general, the course moves to application specifically related to chemical changes. Topics include atomic structure and energy levels, different forms of energy, energy scales and units, and heat and work.

This course focuses on the environmental aspects of chemistry associated with the atmosphere, soil, groundwater, and surface waters. A major focus is how to fundamentally apply chemistry concepts to environmental issues occurring within social, political, and economic contexts. Learners determine the causes of such problems and recommend evidence-based changes that could potentially be made by individuals, industries, and governments. Ethical issues also serve as a source of discussion. Topics include atomic, molecular, ionic, and radical structures, stoichiometry, gas laws, acids and bases, equilibrium, and oxidation/reduction.

Covey's principle of "beginning with the end in mind" sets the stage for developing competencies in using different language strategies to convey meaning, relevance, and purpose for reading and writing within various genres. By exploring theories for developing and interpreting concepts, learners establish a vehicle for integrating content across disciplines as a way to interpret, synthesize, and respond to issues experienced by various audiences. Emphasis is placed on argumentative, informative/explanatory, narrative, and other forms of writing, their structure, and appropriateness to various audiences.

This course aids in understanding the influences on creation of thought and perspective as reflected in personal expressions and professional expectations. By examining literary and commercial works on the same topic, learners consider how personal or professional perspectives can take a dramatic shift depending upon environmental influences and delivery approaches impacting comprehension. Understanding the drama of a personal story gives expression to the human experience.

This course investigates the societal factors impacting literary expression including class, politics, gender, and globalization, as expressed in music, digital devices, images, film, and other technologies. From wars to social media, an understanding is gained of how these have influenced changes in the English language over time, as a backdrop for responding and reflecting upon personal and professional fulfillment.

This course introduces the impact of language in personal and public writing and speaking — including uses of propaganda, contradiction, letters, novels, journalism, poetry, theater, and visual media – on social and political change, including insurrection, legislation, and military conflict. To accomplish a purpose for communicating to a selected audience, the structure and conventions of language are examined.

This course defines ways media has served as a conveyance of ideas, generating responses from the town crier to digital devices. By exploring the theories and psychological factors of developing and interpreting meaning, learners engage in forms of communication based upon research into the patterns of language, ways to determine accuracy and truth, and a best-fit approach for a selected audience.

This course selects influential works from pivotal moments in history which shaped the course of human interaction. "The pen is mightier than the sword" has given way to the tweet of thumbs. Through research, learners explore how the Library of Congress determines what to archive, identifies significance, and sorts content. The nature of new literacies frame the study of exemplary writers and the descriptive writing process.

This course focuses on ways historians view ideas while utilizing a variety of theories and frameworks which define an approach to thinking. With the goal of communicating ideas gathered from research using professional methodologies, emphasis is placed on a historiographical perspective to identify patterns in human behavior, the cause and effect of events. Through academic studies of the past and the application of course theories to public history, students will focus on various approaches to study and teaching of the past.

Roads connect more than trade goods as cultures, ideas, and people groups move along pathways. By investigating the impact of historical routes on the growth of the United States within geographical and economic contexts, learners explore cross-cultural encounters and the influence of trade and exploration via the Old North Trail, the Mississippi River, the Erie Canal, the Transcontinental Railway System, and Route 66 among others. Exploration of pathways into space and the oceans and experiential learning situations are designed to bring historical concepts into 21st century application.

New ideas ignite revolutions across time and location, influential individuals and ideas, cultures and communities. Individuals and groups promote reform, share the emergence of new media, and capitalize on how ideas develop into action. Through the study of various revolutions, the course offers innovative approaches for investigating how past and present civic responsibilities determine the course of a community, country, or global problems and their outcomes.

This course explores the big ideas of history which have shaped Western thought including the concepts of freedom, justice, equality, and liberty. Using primary documents, ideologies are contrasted from a range of perspectives, including political, social, professional, and personal. Through critical analysis, the lives of those who have influenced change are examined in light of issues such as immigration across time or the impact of education.

This course uses the early history of the United States as a framework to examine the development of its government and culture. Consideration is given to special problems including the causes of war, the benefit of diplomacy, and social movements which have changed to course of nations. Through primary documents, records and images, key pieces of legislature, and the reactions of the populace students explore innovative ways to understand and teach American history and culture.

Without history, understanding current issues is problematic. This course probes leadership skills within historical problems as a way to support critical and creative thinking, problem solving, and writing skills by investigating political murders, the art of political persuasion, civic disobedience and the influence of institutions such as the Supreme Court and governmental agencies. American and world texts are used as the narrative for change. Newspaper clips, photographs, political cartoons, and other media become perspectives to view the legacy of history.

This course enables learners to integrate simple and complex algebra, geometry with trigonometry, and statistics in a coherent manner to solve real-life problems. An emphasis is placed on exploring related concepts and common threads that appear throughout mathematics.

This course emphasizes strategies for mathematical modeling of problems in real-life situations. The six steps of mathematical modeling are used to apply theories and techniques from dynamic systems, statistics, differential equations, game theory, chaos theory, algebraic theory, number theory, and linear, quadratic, exponential, and logarithmic regression models to solve problems.

Learners utilize integrated approaches and key strategies to solve real-life problems while applying tools from calculus, linear algebra, geometry, and functions. Practical problem-solving settings involving motion, light, music, and exponential decay are investigated using strategies such as looking for clues, developing a plan, and checking for mathematical and practical accuracy during the process.

This course challenges learners to investigate historical aspects of mathematics as they relate to theories and numbers. Different perspectives are explored as seen in the development and applications of elementary and abstract algebra, Euclidean and non-Euclidean geometry, and elementary trigonometry and hyperbolic functions. Investigating significant contributions to historical aspects establishes an appreciation for mathematics as a global experience while helping students to understand the changes in fundamental constructs.

Covering many topics students wished they had learned about equations, this course enables learners to explore commonly used equations while deviating from algorithmic use and seeking a deeper understanding. The Pythagorean Theorem, Quadratic Formula, rate of change, matrices, and linear, quadratic, cubic, radical, exponential, and logarithmic functions are analyzed. Emphasis is placed on examining the often overlooked links among equation, algorithm, concept, and application.

This course uses statistical methods to guide learners to discover, identify, and bring culturally significant aspects of mathematics to the forefront of curricula. The course addresses social issues surrounding mathematics and ways mathematics can be used to make meaning of social issues. Students will use mathematical methods such as ANOVA and statistical tests to explore issues such as gender, race, culture, socioeconomic status, institutional theory, and age.

Distinguishing between intelligence and the intellect, this course establishes a foundation for examining the role that the intellect, with specific focus on cognition, plays in learning, growth and development, and daily life. Theories of intelligence, including cognitive intelligence and emotional intelligence, are examined in the context of the performance of the intellect. Topics include constructivist and neo-constructivist theories of cognitive development; processes and strategies related to decision making, problem solving, and creative thinking; and the structural features of language, the processes of language acquisition, and the relationship between language and thought.

This course explores the nature of psychological theories and how they relate to real-world applications and explanations of psychological phenomena. Specifically, learners trace the historical development of major ideas in psychology and the work of Freud, Jung, Erikson, Skinner, Piaget, and Thorndike, and others. Students gain an understanding of psychological research and basic quantitative and qualitative methods psychologists use to gather and analyze evidence. Emphasis is placed on the emergence of psychology as an empirical science, ethical considerations in psychological research, the use of reference materials and electronic technologies, and the communication of psychological information in written form.

Principles create a framework for testing the value of information and ideas. Knowing is an intellectual process which shapes daily actions and how individuals relate to the world. This course explores principles, evaluating their performance as an aid to selection of enduring guidelines for making personal and group decisions. Topics include the characteristics of memory, memory storage and retrieval, and factors interfering with the retention and retrieval of memories, and the theories and primary internal and external factors impacting motivation.

This course investigates the role of neuropsychology in the context of socio-psychological development with specific focus on the context of socioemotional learning. The distinction between neuroscience and psychology frames the investigation of the course, especially in terms of physiological factors that influence brain development across the lifespan. Learners also explore how the nervous, endocrine, and sensory systems interface and affect thinking, memory, personality, development, and behavior. The effects of alcohol and drugs on consciousness are also discussed.

This course provides learners with insights into the nature of psychology as a profession, the opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge of the theoretical and research basis of current issues in psychology, and the links between theoretical developments and professional practice. Topics include challenges associated with providing services to complex populations; the ethical responsibilities of practitioners; stress and strategies for its alleviation; definitions and characteristics of psychological disorders and their treatment; primary internal and external factors affecting motivation, and political, social, economic, and medical issues related to mental health and behavioral disorders in contemporary society. Comparisons are made between cognitive/perceptual psychology, abnormal psychology, and social psychology. These subfields are related to careers in psychology and the tools and theories used by various psychologists to determine and interpret personality and individual differences.

Utilizing theories and principles, this course addresses the stages of human development, factors associated with personality development, and critical issues related to human development from infancy through adulthood. These concerns are woven into physical and social, affective and cognitive domain changes influenced by family dynamics, education, relationships, and individual perspectives. This course addresses the impact of change across time and circumstances as a way to guide life choice responses. Topics include emotions and their effects on perception, cognition, and behavior; the development of moral reasoning, and the effects of heredity and environment on human and personality development.

Utilizing theories, standards, and practices in the field, learners explore contemporary issues in sociology using an experiential approach guided by research. Through analysis and evaluation of behavior, social issues are investigated which shape understanding of personal, social, national and global relationships, processes, and interactions. Learners analyze the nature, dimensions, causes, and characteristics of selected social problems of major interest. Consideration is given to theories, research, and programs for prevention and treatment.

Culture is an aspect of human interaction. It is a collection of values, attitudes, behaviors, and social mores expressed by individuals within a society, organization, institution, or country. The underlying philosophy or principles a culture holds are examined in this course to understand how productivity, performance, and personal and professional relationships are established and maintained. These include the influence of organization and power structures and control systems, which incorporate procedures and processes along with routines and individual stories. Emphasis is placed on collaboration with stakeholders, data analysis and interpretation, its influence on culture, the impact of instructional models, and the role of social-emotional learning.

This course explores the nature of sociological theories and how these relate to real-world applications and explanations of social phenomena. Specifically, learners trace the historical development of major ideas in sociology and the work of important sociologists. Students gain an understanding of sociological research and basic quantitative and qualitative methods sociologists use to gather and analyze evidence and how to analyze and interpret data presented in graphic formats. Emphasis is placed on the emergence of sociology as a social science, ethical considerations in sociological research, the use of reference materials and electronic technologies, and the communication of sociological information in written form.

This course addresses the development of personal identity and sense of self and the ways in which social groups and institutions impact individual and social needs and provide a context for social interactions. The effects of social, cultural, and economic factors on individual values, beliefs, and attitudes and group dynamics are explored. Topics include race, ethnic, and gender relations and the impact of stereotyping, ethnocentrism, acts of altruism, and discrimination on group interactions; formal organizations and factors influencing their evolution, and the characteristics of bureaucracies. Emphasis is placed on the basic social institutions of family, economics, religion, education, health and medicine, and politics.

This course addresses the causes, functions, and effects of social stratification and inequality, including social class, gender, race, ethnicity, and age. Students explore theoretical explanations of deviance, normality, and crime in social and cultural contexts and the sources of conformity, social order, and social control from a global perspective in different types of societies. Current topics include male-female differences and gender issues; aging and the sociology of death and dying, and the types and functions of social mobility in contemporary world societies.

The purpose of this course is to understand the theories, forms, development, and consequences of social and political collectiveness and movements on contemporary social life and how they are related to the changing nature of society. Topics include birth, death, migration, and other demographics; reasons for population growth and decline; the social and cultural effects of urbanization and industrialization; causes of conflict; the role of the mass media; modernization, and globalization and their impacts on contemporary societies. Connections are made to social psychology and other fields of study, such as economics, business, and government.