Course Overview
This course lays a foundation for future studies through the introduction of learning theory and methodology, and through practical application of the various practices required in a typical JIU distance-learning course of study. The course introduces candidates to:
- Instructional methods of a typical JIU distance-learning course of study
- Various learning theories and instructional methodologies applied to educational practice
- Instructional methods used for lesson planning in educational practice
- Primary sources for instructional purposes, including those found in the Library of Congress
The course project, Lesson Plan Portfolio: Integrating Learning Theory into Practice (teachers) or Curriculum Guide Portfolio: Integrating Learning Theory into Practice (educational administrators), consists of multiple lesson plans/curriculum guides designed for social studies or science instruction, each utilizing a particular instructional methodology. When the project is complete, the candidate will have a guide to classroom application with concrete examples.
This course does not include a required field-based activity.
Course Learning Objectives
- Apply the instructional practices of distance learning used by JIU to a practical course of study.
- Identify, access, and employ in a lesson plan primary sources of information that can be utilized by K-12 students to access information concerning social studies, science, or other content areas.
- Define and describe various fundamental educational theories.
- Define and describe various fundamental instructional methods.
- Demonstrate responsiveness to the needs and experiences students bring to the classroom, including those based on culture, community, ethnicity, economics, linguistics, and innate learning abilities.
- Relate various fundamental theories of learning with practical instructional methods.
- Apply various fundamental instructional methods to practical applications for social studies, science, or other content area instruction in K-12 grades.
- Use an instructional method for social studies, science, or other content area of instruction in K-12 grades to design a lesson plan (teacher) or curriculum plan (administrator).
