Courses
EDFN A101 Introduction to Education 3 Credits
Introduces education as a possible career choice. Covers the history of American education, an examination of contemporary issues in education, and basic classroom observational techniques. Students self-assess personal profile against characteristics of effective teachers. Course includes ten hours of field experience in a P-12 setting and may require a background check.
EDFN A190 Selected Topics in Education 1-3 Credits
Examines current issues, themes, strategies, and/or trends in the field of education.
Special Note: May be repeated for a maximum of 6 credits.
EDFN A210 Assessment-Based Online Tutoring 2 Credits
Focuses on culturally responsive pedagogy and analysis and application of student achievement data to inform lesson planning and tutoring sessions. Emphasizes discussion and reflection on assessment data as it relates to online tutoring in a P-6 environment.
Prerequisites: EDEC A105 with a minimum grade of C or concurrent enrollment or EDEL A205 with a minimum grade of C or concurrent enrollment or EDFN A101 with a minimum grade of C or concurrent enrollment.
EDFN A292 Education Practicum Seminar 3 Credits
Provides an opportunity for the exchange of ideas and experiences during the practicum field placement. Students discuss and evaluate developmentally appropriate practices and reflect on ethics and professionalism using the State of Alaska Code of Ethics of the Teaching Profession.
Registration Restrictions: Admission to the School of Education
Prerequisites: EDEC A107 with a minimum grade of C or PSY A150 with a minimum grade of C.
Corequisites: EDFN A295.
EDFN A295 Education Practicum 3 Credits
Provides supervised field experience in a P-12 classroom. Students develop, implement, and evaluate elements of a comprehensive, developmentally appropriate curriculum and learning environment.
Special Note: Requires 150 hours of field experience.
Registration Restrictions: Department approval
Corequisites: EDFN A292.
EDFN A300 Philosophical and Social Context of American Education 3 Credits
Explores significant educational movements, theories, and research related to educational philosophy, sociology, and history to develop a framework for professional educational practice in Alaska. Emphasizes the importance of developing a coherent philosophy to guide teaching practice in a culturally diverse and inclusive classroom.
Registration Restrictions: Completion of Tier 1 (basic college-level skills) GER courses
Attributes: UAA Integrative Capstone GER.
EDFN A302 Foundations of Educational Technology 3 Credits
Presents skills and strategies needed to integrate technology into teaching and learning. Provides overview of issues, pedagogies, tools and skills needed to guide the effective use of technology with children. Supports appropriate use of technology in education.
Registration Restrictions: Admission to the Department of Teaching and Learning.
Prerequisites: EDEC A107 with a minimum grade of C or PSY A365 with a minimum grade of C.
EDFN A304 Comparative Education 3 Credits
Compares P-12 educational systems and issues across nations and regions, focusing on case examples representing diverse cultural, historical, and political contexts. Examines theories in comparative education; purposes of schooling; socio-cultural contexts of education; policy, curricular, and pedagogical responses to diversity issues; and organizational and structural issues.
Registration Restrictions: Completion of all GER Tier 1 (basic college-level skills) courses and junior standing.
Attributes: UAA Diversity & Inclusion GER, UAA Integrative Capstone GER.
EDFN A478 Issues in Alaska Native Education, K-12 3 Credits
History of Alaska education and current education policy with a focus on issues in Alaska Native education. Includes the study of the Alaska environment as well as the social, economic and political history of Alaska from the perspective of both Alaska Native people and immigrant residents.
Special Note: This course meets the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development Alaska Studies requirement for state certification.
Registration Restrictions: Departmental approval
Attributes: UAA Alaska Native-Themed GER.
EDFN A487 Field Experiences: Teacher Education 1-11 Credits
Field experiences in public school classrooms. Includes elementary, secondary, and physical education programs. Students gain practical experience in classroom settings. Assignments must be arranged through the College of Education.
Registration Restrictions: Departmental approval required.
EDFN A492A Connecting 21st Century Skills with Culturally Responsive Teaching 3 Credits
Educators play a significant role in the cultivation of 21st Century Skills. By weaving together the four Cs (Creativity, Communication, Critical Thinking, and Collaboration) and Culturally Responsive Teaching, it will promote a healthy and responsive learning environment to support Alaska’s children’s success. In addition, this will lead to competency and confidence in teaching.
Special Note: Must be enrolled in an internship in the School of Education.
Registration Restrictions: Registration by Instructor approval.
EDFN A601 Educational Philosophy, History and Sociology 3 Credits
Examines significant educational philosophies, historical periods, and complex sociocultural, political and policy forces that have influenced and continue to shape education. Analyzes major educational reform efforts. Explores belief systems, values, worldviews and philosophy within the context of school experiences. Encourages self-assessment and reflection with the goal of improving professional teaching practice.
Registration Restrictions: Graduate standing
EDFN A602 Foundations: Educational Psychology 2 Credits
Examines significant educational movements, theories, and research in the areas of educational psychology. Develops a framework for professional practice. Includes study of theory, development, pedagogy, and instructional practice. Focus is on the teacher's role and responsibility in lesson development, curriculum design, instructional methods, and integration of relevant educational psychology.
Registration Restrictions: Graduate standing and department approval required
EDFN A603 Foundations: Educational History and Sociology 2 Credits
Examines significant educational historical periods. Explores how the current social, political, and policy forces came into existence and how they influence the day-to-day environment of today's teacher. Includes the development of belief system and worldview through examining key school experiences. Major educational reform efforts will be analyzed.
Registration Restrictions: Graduate standing and department approval required
EDFN A621 Culture, Language and Literacy 3 Credits
Examination of the theoretical underpinnings of bilingual/cross-cultural and English as a second language (ESL) education as they apply to literacy issues. Special attention is given to research findings on first and second language acquisition and subsequent implications for the teaching of reading and writing.
Registration Restrictions: Graduate standing in the College of Education
EDFN A622 Philosophy of Education 3 Credits
Basic philosophic concepts and their historical development; philosophy applied to education and related issues and problems; examination of contributions of outstanding educators.
Registration Restrictions: Graduate standing in the College of Education
EDFN A631 Advanced Educational Psychology 3 Credits
Human emotional, mental, physical and social development. Emphasis on individual differences. Assumes one previous course in human development, educational psychology, and teaching experience.
Registration Restrictions: Graduate standing in the College of Education
EDFN A636 Innovations in Teaching and Learning 3 Credits
Significant and emerging theories of teaching and learning. Reviews current educational reform efforts and examines the research base of each initiative to assess potential effectiveness.
Registration Restrictions: Graduate standing
EDFN A641 Place, Culture and Responsibility 3 Credits
Immerses students in local heritage, culture, landscapes, opportunities and experiences as the foundation for the study of interdisciplinary learning and curriculum. Emphasizes place-based learning through participation in community advocacy and activism.
Registration Restrictions: Graduate standing in the School of Education and department approval.
EDFN A645 Culturally Sustaining Literacy for P-6 English Language Learners 3 Credits
Examines how children learn language and become literate in their first and subsequent languages. Integrates structure of language and its application to the development and assessment of language and literacy for English language learners including Alaska Native populations. Explores implications of culturally sustaining pedagogy on academic literacy practices.
Registration Restrictions: Graduate standing, department approval and admission to the Language Education Graduate Certificate program
EDFN A646 Culturally Sustaining Instruction in Science, Technology Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) 3 Credits
Focus on assessment and science inquiry methods to promote science literacy and academic English proficiency for linguistically diverse students (including Alaska Native populations). Both Alaska Native and Western ways of knowing about the environment are addressed throughout this course. Discusses the cognitive academic language demands of school science. Integrates research-based science teaching strategies for supporting academic language development, including reading, writing, oral language, and auditory comprehension skills.
Registration Restrictions: Graduate standing, department approval and admission to the Language Education Graduate Certificate program
Prerequisites: EDSY A668.
Corequisites: EDFN A689.
EDFN A647 Developing Literacies Across the K-12 Continuum 1 Credit
Analysis and evaluation of current learning theory, models, and best practices for developing literacies, including visual, literary, and performing arts, in order to design appropriate pedagogy across the K-12 continuum.
Registration Restrictions: Departmental approval required.
Prerequisites: EDFN A478 with a minimum grade of D and EDFN A602.
EDFN A649 Capstone Seminar: Inquiry in Teaching and Learning 2 Credits
Sharing, analysis, reflection, and presentation of theory-based classroom inquiry conducted during the MAT program. Interns will self-assess their classroom experiences and develop their educational philosophies in light of standards, research, and current educational trends and perspectives.
Registration Restrictions: Departmental approval required.
EDFN A654 Brain, Mind, and Education 3 Credits
Critically examines research from various fields including neurobiology and psychology. Students will evaluate the research for potential implications for and applications to educational settings.
Registration Restrictions: Graduate standing.
EDFN A670 Current Topics in Education 1-3 Credits
Study of specific current issues, techniques and trends affecting educators.
Special Note: May be repeated for credit with a change of subtitle. Restricted enrollment may apply; see advisor for applicability to degree program.
Registration Restrictions: Faculty permission.
EDFN A689 Action Research Experience: Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy for English Language Learners in P-6 Clas 1-6 Credits
Action research project in P-6 classroom to support the development of academic language proficiency and culturally sustaining pedagogy with an emphasis on theory-based inquiry into teaching and learning with English language learners and Alaska Native children.
Registration Restrictions: Department approval and admission to the Language Education Graduate Certificate program
Prerequisites: EDSY A668.
Corequisites: EDFN A646.
EDFN A691 Current Topics in Second Language Education 1-3 Credits
Focuses on second-language education, based on current research and first-hand experience from successful, established programs. Intended for administrators; early-childhood, elementary, secondary modern language or ESL teachers; and others planning to implement a second-language education program or currently participating in an established program.
Registration Restrictions: Graduate standing; basic fluency in a second language desirable.
EDFN A695 Internship 1-9 Credits
Supervised internship in a K-12 public school. Includes periodic on-campus seminars that emphasize theory-based inquiry into teaching and learning.
Special Note: This course operates in accordance with the K-12 school year calendar, not the university academic year calendar. Placement is arranged and supervised by the university in partnership with staff from the public school site. Partners may limit registration. Completion of 9 credits is required for the MAT.
Registration Restrictions: Departmental approval
Prerequisites: EDFN A601 with a minimum grade of C and EDFN A602 with a minimum grade of C and EDFN A603 with a minimum grade of C.
EDFN A698 Individual Research 1-6 Credits
As directed by graduate committee.
Registration Restrictions: Faculty permission.
EDFN A699 Thesis 1-6 Credits
As directed by graduate committee.
Registration Restrictions: Faculty permission.