Movement to Teach

Course Description: This online course is an exploration into the field of teaching and how one can pursue a career in this area. The topics range from teaching methodology, educational technology, and learning theory to evaluation criteria, professional development, and career opportunities. During the course, you will be equipped with the skills necessary to improve your teaching practice and explore new opportunities in the profession. Through interactive lectures, discussions, case studies, and assignments you will develop innovative pedagogical approaches that can be applied in any classroom context. Course Objectives:

• Understand teaching methodology & evaluate its impact on learning
• Examine various educational technologies for instruction & engagement
• Analyze learning theories as they relate to instruction design & delivery
• Develop methods for evaluating student performance
• Explore professional development options in teaching
• Recognize characteristics of effective classrooms
• Utilize strategies for working with different types of learners
• Investigate strategies for creating instructional objectives & assessments
• Discuss emerging trends in the field of education including online tools & distance learning frameworks
• Investigate current job opportunities in education & create a career path

Art to Enhance Learning

Course Description: This course is designed to provide a comprehensive overview of the benefits of incorporating art into learning. We will dive into the research that indicates arts inclusion increases science and math comprehension, how teachers can incorporate art into their classes, and how arts-based techniques can be used to engage students’ minds, bodies, and emotions in day-to-day learning experiences. Additionally, we will discuss the importance of teaching creativity alongside academics in the classroom setting and explore ways to use art as a “hook” in lessons without requiring any prior training. By the end of this course, you will understand why increased self-confidence and an improved ability to recall information are among the many reasons for introducing art in the classroom. Course Objectives:

• Explain why art can enhance learning across disciplines such as science and math
• Demonstrate various techniques for incorporating art into class activities & exercises
• Utilize arts-based strategies for engaging students’ minds, bodies & emotions
• Examine methods for the development of psychological resilience in adults through art
• Describe the advantages of teaching creativity alongside academic subjects
• Evaluate strategies for using art as a “hook” during instruction
• Identify opportunities for boosting self-confidence & understanding while teaching art
• Assess how art can help improve cognition & recall abilities when used as part of assessments or memory practice activities
• Analyze the evidence that suggests a substantial increase in arts educational experiences has remarkable impacts on student outcomes
• Investigate opportunities for promoting social-emotional development through creative expression & problem-solving with artistic works

Alternative Teaching Strategies

Course Description: This course is designed to provide an understanding of alternative teaching strategies that can help create a student-centered classroom environment. We will discuss research suggesting why traditional teaching methods are not always effective and how alternative strategies such as reflective thinking, active learning, and visual teaching can be employed instead. We will also explore ways to understand student motivation, differentiate instruction, assess learning outcomes, and build positive relationships with students. Additionally, we will examine the importance of self-efficacy in an instructor’s ability to successfully use alternative strategies for improved outcomes inside and outside the classroom. By the end of this course, you will understand how implementing creative approaches to instruction can lead to increased academic achievement through applied alternative teaching strategies. Course Objectives:

• Explain why traditional teaching methods may not always be effective when working with groups of varying abilities & needs
• Demonstrate various strategies for incorporating reflective thinking & active learning into instructional activities
• Utilize new methods for harnessing technology as a tool in connecting with students across various settings
• Examine ways to differentiate instruction in order to meet the needs of diverse learners while using alternative approaches
• Evaluate resources & techniques regarding ideas on assessment configurations appropriate for students using different pedagogical styles
• Identify opportunities for building positive relationships focused on trust & empathy while employing a mix of instructional techniques
• Analyze evidence related to improving motivation through engaging in activities in order to promote independent learning among students
• Assess effectiveness in comprehending content by utilizing visuals in conjunction with text as part of alternative teaching strategies
• Investigate obstacles associated with the implementation of these types of approaches, particularly within large classrooms or school systems
• Describe practical implications related to increasing instructor self-efficacy via the introduction & usage implementation of alternative instructional settings supported by innovative technologies

Reading Course Description: Reading is an essential skill that can be used to improve knowledge, develop understanding, and create a more informed and literate population. Our online Reading Course will provide students with an introduction to different reading strategies, from recognizing keywords in texts to understanding the structure of narrative fiction. Course Objectives:

• Learn about various types of texts and reading materials, including fiction, non-fiction, and poetry
• Understand how to read efficiently and effectively by recognizing and using keywords in the text
• Develop strategies for comprehending longer passages or works quickly and accurately
• Identify character development within stories or passages of text, as well as themes presented by the author or narrator
• Analyze cause-and-effect relationships between events described within a work of literature or another type of text
• Examine how symbols are used in certain types of text to represent ideas or emotions without being explicitly stated by the author/narrator
• Apply their understanding of language conventions when interpreting meaning from various forms of print material such as newspapers, magazines
• Develop techniques for critically analyzing written work in order to gain deeper insight into its meaning or purpose from the author's point-of-view
• Learn about various genres and styles of writing such as historical fiction/nonfiction, romanticism, and realism
• Analyze how individual works contribute to larger social movements like feminism or multiculturalism