EDUC 0100. Controversies in Educational Inequality.

Educational inequality has become an increasingly common topic of public, academic, and journalistic debate. This course introduces students to ongoing social scientific debates about the sources and consequences of educational inequality such as: Do charter school provide educational access and opportunities or do they divert resources away from public schools? Does Teach for America improve student outcomes or does it exacerbate problems? Are schools the great equalizer do they amplify larger social inequalities? Each unit and class will involve significant student participation though spirited class discussion and debate.

EDUC 0120. K-12 Education Systems and Climate Change.

The effects of climate change are increasingly visible across all aspects of society. This course will explore the intersection of K-12 education systems and climate change. We will study the risks that rising temperatures and sea levels as well as extreme weather events pose to schools and learning. We will examine what schools teach students about climate science and environmental stewardship. Much of the class will focus on case studies of school systems addressing climate change through a range of initiatives such as developing environment education curriculum, investing in clean-energy infrastructure, launching community-based demonstration projects, and preparing students for the new green economy. Students will develop skills in reading, critiquing, and synthesizing academic research as well as generating evidence-based policy recommendations. We will take an applied, solutions-oriented approach to grappling with the concrete challenges schools face in advancing these efforts.

EDUC 0300. Introduction to Education and Society: Foundations of Opportunity and Inequality.

This course examines the purpose, structure, and challenges of the American educational system as well as the experiences of the diverse learners and teachers within the system. It also explores how educational institutions have served to create social mobility and opportunity, but also to perpetuate inequality across race, class, gender, and other axes of difference. The course requires no prior knowledge.

EDUC 0405. New Faces, New Challenges: Immigrant Students in U.S. Schools.

What challenges do immigrant students face in adapting to a new system of education? This course examines the educational experiences of immigrant youth and their families. Readings include key contributions by scholars across disciplines, as well as a selection of memoirs and films about the pathways newcomers take in navigating school and (trans)forming them. Enrollment limited to 19 first year students.

EDUC 0410G. The Afterschool Hours.

The family and the school are seen as the two primary institutions of childhood. But what about the space in between? Over the course of the twentieth century—once compulsory schooling became law—the way American children occupied the hours between school and home became ever more important. This course examines the literature on how youth should “best” spend their afterschool time. Looking at enrichment courses, sports, work, leisure, and more, this class introduces you to the social science method of interviewing as you learn to undertake your own original research and reflect on how you spent your own afterschool hours.

EDUC 0415. Controversies in American Education Policy: A Multidisciplinary Approach.

Education lies at the center of some of the most important– and most heated – policy debates in the United States today. Policymakers argue over a whole host of topics: what role should the government play in schooling? How should schools best educate students to succeed in the 21st century economy? Do schools reproduce structural racism and inequality in society, or are they engines of opportunity and social mobility? Should students get to choose the school they attend? In this seminar, we will examine a range of current policy debates in education using an interdisciplinary approach. The study of education sits at the intersection of many social science disciplines. We will analyze these debates from the perspective of historians, sociologists, political scientists, and economists. Enrollment is limited to 19 first year students.

EDUC 0425. The Power of Translanguaging: Sustaining Multilingualism in Schools.

This seminar course will first investigate the theoretical foundations of translanguaging practices and policy implications for translanguaging pedagogies. Then students will learn how to design culturally-responsive mini-curriculum units with strategies and resources to support translanguaging. Students will reflect on their own language practices and experiences as monolingual, bilingual, or multilingual individuals within their communities and will research connections to US schooling. We will consider translanguaging from a teaching and advocacy lens for multilingual learners and build translanguaging curriculum units that will be made accessible to teachers who work with culturally and linguistically diverse students in local schools. Proficiency in a language other than English is not a requirement; however, bilingual students and/or students studying foreign languages who would like to support our local multilingual educational community are especially encouraged to enroll in this course.

EDUC 0508. Theory and Practice of Engaged Scholarship (SOC 0310).

Interested students must register for SOC 0310.

EDUC 0515. Teaching LGBTQIA History.

What could a high school U.S. history class look, sound, and feel like when taught through the experiences of LGBTQIA people and communities? Students will answer this question by engaging with the theories and practices of teaching LGBTQIA history in secondary social studies and humanities classrooms. Students will be trained in curriculum design, culturally relevant pedagogies, and LGBTQIA history. Students will then create their own unit plans on a topic in LGBTQIA history that could be taught to local Providence high school students. Those interested in the humanities, teaching, and American LGBTQIA history should take this class.

EDUC 0520. Adolescent Literature.

This introductory seminar presents an overview of the historical, socio-cultural, academic, and political issues that provide context for the use and availability of adolescent literature today. Ideas that figure prominently in the course are: connections between reading and democracy and decolonizing the school curriculum. Particular attention focuses on reading engagement for adolescents, the availability of “own voices” texts, access to literacy and fluency through adolescent literature, and issues of censorship in American public school classrooms and libraries. Students in this course will develop an understanding of the place of adolescent literature in today’s curriculum debates as well as a background in choosing, reading, and analyzing the literature itself. Students design curriculum for new texts. Assignments include short weekly assignments, discussion board posts, multimedia assignments, curriculum development projects, and final paper and exhibition.

EDUC 0525. Teaching Writing to Teens: Theory and Pedagogy.

This course seeks to explore how writing is being taught in US schools, particularly under resourced schools serving students of color who are in Advanced Placement or Dual Enrollment writing classes. The course also seeks to imagine how writing could be taught from a student centered perspective and a decolonizing perspective. Students will read about the theory and practice of teaching writing and then complete a practicum where they act as writing teachers and tutors to twelfth grade students at Hope High School and Blackstone Academy who are pursuing dual enrollment college credit for their high school writing class. This integration of theory, practice and reflection allows for students to balance academic and authentic learning.

EDUC 0530. Fieldwork and Seminar in Secondary Education.

The goals of this course are: (1) to view schools in a broad context to better understand current national debates about education; (2) to investigate the structures, institutions, practices, and attitudes that enable, maintain, or mitigate disparities in education; (3) to incorporate school-based observations as a source of insights into the complexities of teaching and learning; (4) to provide structured opportunities for reflecting on the relationship between our class and real-world experiences, with the goals of deepening the understanding of course content and exploring questions of identity, agency, and social responsibility; and (5) to provide an opportunity to explore the profession of teaching.

EDUC 0540. Language and Education Policy in Multilingual Contexts.

Millions of children around the world, especially in low- and middle-income countries, begin school learning in a language to which they have had little exposure. Children who learn and are assessed in a language different from that spoken at home or in their community are more likely to drop out of school and demonstrate lower learning outcomes than their peers, on average. Designing multilingual education systems, however, is not always feasible or desirable and requires a different set of resources than monolingual systems. This course explores how multilingual countries and communities design and implement language policies, and the major factors at play when increasing the number of languages used in a school system.

EDUC 0550. Current Issues in US Higher Education.

Higher education has been considered a driver of the American Dream, a key to social mobility and economic security. Yet, higher education also face criticism as a tool for reifying social inequality and as not worth the ever-rising costs. This course explores current debates and challenges in US higher education. Our starting point will be an exploration of campus culture and norms and the work that elite colleges require to serve increasingly diverse student bodies more equitably. We will then broaden our focus to the full landscape of US higher education. Students will learn about the diversity of higher education institutions in the US and grapple with current policy debates: whether and how standardized testing should be used in college admissions, what role for-profit colleges should play, and what role the government should play in containing student debt, among others.

EDUC 0560. Cultivating STEM Identities: Teaching for Equity in the Math and Science Classrooms.

This course will explore how educational experiences and beliefs about identity and power influence how we learn and teach mathematics and science. We will examine equitable, culturally responsive and sustaining teaching practices in secondary mathematics and science classrooms and how these can be utilized to cultivate students’ STEM identities. You will have an opportunity to tutor in a STEM classroom, develop and teach a lesson in our class and create a unit plan that could be implemented in a variety of contexts. This course is designed to help you gain a greater understanding of the complexities that surround teaching and learning mathematics and science in the United States.

EDUC 0610. Brown v. Board of Education and the History of School Desegregation.

Using primary and secondary sources in history, education, and law this course will explore the landmark Supreme Court case of Brown v. Board of Education which ruled school segregation was unconstitutional and the legal and policy efforts to desegregate schools and promote educational equity that followed it. We will consider the meaning, successes, and failures of school integration, the legacy of Brown for education, and consider the meaning of “equal educational” opportunity in the past and present.

EDUC 0620. Cradle of Inequality: The Role of Families, Schools, and Neighborhoods.

In this Sophomore Seminar, we will examine contours of inequality that begin in early childhood and accumulate over time, with particular focus on issues of race, class, and gender. Moreover, we will examine how these factors matter in early childhood and the role of families, schools, and neighborhoods in shaping, ameliorating, and propagating larger inequalities. Through our reading and active discussion, we will develop answers to questions that motivate much inquiry into inequality: Who gets what, and why?

EDUC 0750. Evidence and Method in Education Research.

Understanding evidence is critical to engaging as citizens and leaders the 21st century. This is particularly true in education research, policy, and practice. Recent years have seen an explosion of empirical education research, requirements that policies be evidence-based, and rapid expansion of the use of evidence in school settings. This course will introduce students to a range of methods used to generate evidence in education. It is a required course in the Education concentration.

EDUC 0800. Introduction to Human Development and Education.

Introduces students to the study of human development and education from infancy through young adulthood. This course provides a broad overview of scientific and theoretical understanding of how children develop and how research is generated in the field. Major topics include biological foundations, cognition, language, emotion, social skills, and moral understanding based on developmental theories and empirical research. We will attend to variations in cultural, ethnic, gender, socioeconomic, and other forms of human diversity in social contexts (e.g., family and schools) and how the person-context fit may influence children’s developmental trajectories. The course also covers educational contexts, processes, and outcomes.

EDUC 0815. The Craft of Teaching.

What is the "craft of teaching"? A wide variety of texts are used to investigate the complexity of teaching and learning. Considering current problems as well as reform initiatives, we examine teaching and learning in America from the perspectives of history, public policy, critical theory, sociology, and the arts. Weekly journals and reading critiques; group teaching project; final paper.

EDUC 0820. Politics and Public Education.

Who exercises power in public education? This course examines the key institutions (e.g. school districts, states, Congress, and the courts) and actors (e.g. parents, teachers, interest groups, and the general public) shaping American K-12 education in order to understand recent policy trends and their consequences for students. Major policies discussed include school finance, textbook adoption, school accountability, and school choice. Particular attention is given to the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and debates over its reauthorization. Previous coursework in American politics or public policy is suggested but not required.

EDUC 0825. Adolescence in Social Context.

What does it mean to be a teenager? Is it an age-based or social-role based distinction? Is teen angst a universal phenomenon? Do parents really just not understand? Both an individual and a collective perspective on adolescence are used to provide an understanding of how this life stage is differently experienced by youth cross-culturally. Readings include theoretical and empirical papers from such areas as psychology, sociology, anthropology, and education.We examine how local context and salient axes of social difference affect both the cultural construction of what adolescence means and how individual youth navigate their everyday lives.

EDUC 0830. Sociology of Education.

While the United States educational system is widely considered the main institution through which the nation delivers on its promise of social mobility, sociologists have long recognized that schools exacerbate – or even produce – social inequality. This course provides an introduction to the application of sociology to questions of education, with a focus on the United States education system. We will ask questions such as: What do schools teach besides academics? How do social class, gender, and racial/ethnic relations shape student experiences? How can we address critical social issues through education policy?

EDUC 0835. Comparative Education.

This course will explore education across the Global South—from adult literacy NGOs in Brazil to Syrian refugees in Turkey, to post-genocide Rwandan classrooms. While initially the international community was concerned with access to education, the main goal now is quality education, especially beyond the primary school level. Readings range from official documents by international organizations, writings by sociologists, historians, political scientists, and anthropologists.

EDUC 0860. Sports in American Society.

This course seeks to understand, analyze, and criticize sport—seen here as one of the primary institutions in the lives of Americans. Working from the basis of sporting events in the Durkheimian sense of symbolic community, we will elevate them to the status of educational and religious institutions in our everyday lives (as we interrogate them and see them in relation to these, and other, institutions as well). Using the primary lenses of gender and race this class examines sports at five different levels—professional, Olympic, NCAA, scholastic, and youth—to understand how athletics have impacted, and will continue to impact, American society.

EDUC 0870. Perspectives on Multilingual Learners in US Schools.

Students in Rhode Island’s public schools report speaking over 100 different languages and, in our urban core public schools, nearly 30% of students are designated as Multilingual Learners (MLLs). How are their languages integrated into school? This course investigates how school programs, pedagogies, and practices can either build upon or limit home languages that are inherently present in the classroom. By focusing on the experiences of MLLs in Rhode Island and the broader US public school system, we will consider these essential questions: Who are MLLs? How do historical milestones, federal laws, state policies, and pedagogical practices affect their experiences in school? What are current promising practices for MLLs? What are perspectives of students, families, educators, and policymakers concerning challenges and opportunities for Multilingual Learners?

EDUC 1050. History of African-American Education.

This course will examine the history of African-American education with particular emphasis on the twentieth century. We will explore African-Americans' experiences with schooling under slavery and segregation, the struggle for desegregation and equity North and South, and the place of education in African-Americans' quest for equal rights. We will also consider how the African-American experience with public schooling makes us rethink major narratives of American education, democracy, and equality of opportunity and how an historical understanding of these issues may help us engage contemporary debates.

EDUC 1190. Family Engagement in Education.

How do families from diverse backgrounds support their children’s schooling? What does research tell us about how families influence their children's development and educational processes? Students in this course will examine theories and research findings related to family engagement in education drawing from various social science studies. The course offers an in-depth look at focal topics across diverse groups, such as parental beliefs and practices, family processes in sociocultural cotexts, immigrant families, and elements and programs that promote family-school partnerships. This course involves students' fieldwork and engagement in the community.

EDUC 1195. What's AntiBlackness Doing in a "Nice Field Like Education".

This course considers the foundational texts that constitute the study of anti-Blackness and explores how these theoretical constructs can be applied to educational contexts, policies, reforms, and practices. We will consider the following questions: How does anti-Blackness build on and depart from other forms of racial analysis such as Critical Race Theory;? How have themes of anti-Blackness weaved through Black activists,’ educators’ and scholars’ critiques of education; Lastly, how might the study of anti-blackness provide a foundation for imagining more humane educational practices for all students?

EDUC 1220. The History of American Education.

This course is an introduction to the history of American education with an emphasis on K-12 public schooling. Using primary and secondary sources, we will explore the development of public schools and school systems, debates over aims and curriculum, conflicts over school governance and funding, and struggles for equity and inclusion over time. We will analyze the relationship between schooling, capitalism, and democracy. Finally, in exploring how different generations have defined and tried to solve educational dilemmas, we’ll consider how this history might help us approach education today.

EDUC 1225. The American Teacher: How Policy Shapes the Profession.

Teachers are critical for transforming schools and changing trajectories of students’ lives; our experiences as students and research underscores their importance in changing students’ academic trajectories. We tend to think of teachers as doing their work alone, but they are part of a greater education ecosystem. In this course, we will examine the constraints - those imposed by principals, district policy, and state and federal law - under which teachers work. What can policy makers consider as they work to improve the experience students have in the classroom, especially as we ensure that our most vulnerable students have the most effective teachers?

EDUC 1230. Applied Statistics for Ed Research and Policy Analysis.

This course provides an accelerated introduction to applied statistics for conducting quantitative research in the social sciences, with a focus on education policy. Students will become acquainted with the fundamentals of probability, statistical inference, data visualization, and multivariate regression. Concepts and methods are taught using real-world examples with multiple opportunities for students to apply these methods in practice. The course uses the statistical software program, STATA.

EDUC 1240. Using Qualitative Research Methods.

Designed for sophomores or juniors concentrating in education studies, but also open to other undergraduates interested in qualitative research methods. Through readings, class exercises and discussions, and written assignments, examines issues related to the nature of the qualitative research methods that are commonly used in education, psychology, anthropology, and sociology.

EDUC 1250. Policy Implementation in Education.

This course provides an analytical foundation for students who are interested in education policy implementation, with particular emphasis racial and economic equity. We begin by centering the importance of school equity in the lived experiences of students on the margins. From there, we draw on social science research to examine the strengths and limitations of education governance structures at the federal, state, and local level that dictate how policy is implemented. We, then, examine major policy reform issues through the lens of evidence-based research. Ultimately we explore ways to generate governance and policy solutions in order to improve schools in our most vulnerable communities.

EDUC 1289. Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Child Development.

This course will focus on the role of culture in child development from infancy to young adulthood. Contemporary theories and empirical research will be reviewed to examine various topics and domains of development. Major topics include childrearing, parental beliefs and parenting styles, cognition, self, affect, moral development, views of intelligence, knowledge, and learning, and beliefs about school. Prior course work in psychology or human development in education is required, such as EDUC 0300, EDUC 0800, CLPS 0610 or CLPS 0620. Instructor permission required.

EDUC 1300. Schools as Sites of Social Welfare: An Exploration of the Role of Social Workers in Schools.

This course offers an orientation to schools as a nexus for social workers engaging with youth. Students in this course will gain a nuanced perspective and understanding of the needs of marginalized youth and come to understand schools as sites of social welfare. Students will dissect some of the challenges that young people in schools encounter throughout their lived experiences such as educational disabilities and learning challenges, healthcare disparities, and the challenges of living in poverty. Students will evaluate schools as sites of intervention where social workers collaborate with other professionals at the micro and macro level to improve youth conditions related to human development in order to enhance educational achievement and overall well-being.

EDUC 1310. Inside Higher Ed: Sex, Class, and Admissions.

This course introduces students to the sociological study of higher education in the United States. In this seminar, our primary focus will be to engage with the current debates, issues, and problems associated with higher education. Among the questions we will explore are: What is hook-up culture, and can you “opt-out”? What is the purpose of higher education, and how does our background impact how we answer this question? Who are the biggest beneficiaries of affirmative action? Are legacy students and athletes advantaged in the admissions process? Which students are most likely to participate in class discussion? And how does gender matter for who does and does not participate? Who is best served by higher education institutions?
This class is not just about reading research. You will be required to actively discuss and reflect on your collegiate experiences with your classmates.

EDUC 1320. Turning Hope into Results: The Policy Ecosystem of the Providence Public Schools District.

The Providence Public School District (PPSD) serves approximately 22,000 students and their families. This course will examine the policy ecosystem around the district, which-as a result of a 2019 review-is currently undergoing transformational change to provide students with the world-class education they deserve. This course will build students’ knowledge of PPSD’s history and organizational context. Students will also learn to analyze the district’s policy environment while considering the voices of relevant community members. In order to do this, students will learn the national context for specific topic areas such as teacher policy, curriculum and instruction, family engagement, and school culture. As a Community-Based Learning and Research course, students will be involved in both community collaborations and course assignments that will encourage reflection on the relationship between their classroom learning and their role and experiences working with a community partner.

EDUC 1330. Social Psychology of Race, Class, and Gender.

This seminar is designed to give participants an understanding of how members of multiple social groups experience race, class, and gender and how these identities serve as axes of stratification. Through this course, I am hopeful and confident that you will learn to apply the “sociological imagination” to educational issues relating to race, class, and gender. This means understanding race, class, and gender as social constructs, learning how they exist within social structures and institutions, and how their structures and functions influence an individual’s perceptions of self and others. Also, we will learn how scholars examine the interconnections between race, class, and gender, the different methodological approaches these scholars take, and issues in studying these social categories simultaneously. In exploring these concepts, we will learn to be critical consumers of research, especially in the public sphere.

EDUC 1340. Economics of Education.

The course will introduce students to the toolkit of applied microeconomics for thinking about, developing, and analyzing education policy. Rather than focus on abstract theory, the course aims to introduce students to economic concepts and thinking via their application to current education policy debates. We will begin by examining the linkages between educational achievement and economic outcomes for individuals and the economy as whole. The course will then survey a range of systemic, organizational, and personnel reforms in education with a focus on U.S. preK-12 public schools. We will review the empirical evidence for each reform and discuss which of these reforms hold promise for improving public education. Understanding and critiquing the experimental, quasiexperimental and descriptive research methods used in the empirical literature will play a central role in the course.

EDUC 1475. The Big IDEA: The Complexities of Gifted and Special Education.

This course introduces students to the historical foundations, policy framework, efficacy research, and ongoing controversies in gifted and special education. Gifted and special education are hot-button policy issues and affect the experiences of all students in U.S. schools. In the U.S., 15% of students receive special education services, and 6% receive gifted education services. Some of these students are educated with their peers, and some are educated in school settings that can cost over $500,000 relative to an average spending of $17,000 per pupil nationally. There are many complex issues related to gifted and special education. At the end of this course, students will have a deep understanding of gifted and special education and be positioned to continue engaging on these issues in future studies. The course requires no prior knowledge.

EDUC 1490. Discipline and Punish: Historical Insights on School Punishment.

School discipline has played a key function in broader efforts to maintain social order. This seminar traces historic processes and recurrent themes that have contributed to the punitive direction of school discipline reform. We will take seriously factors such as race, gender and class in the school punishment phenomenon and consider how reformers, students, and educators have experienced and shaped policies related to punishment and criminality. We will also consider debates surrounding, discipline reform, and police abolition in schools. By the end of the course students should be able to engage with the historical and theoretical debates, synthesize claims made in readings and evaluate evidence used in the text. Relatedly students will be expected to effectively communicate and make analytic connections in writing and in class discussions.

EDUC 1540. Creating Schools.

In this course we will design a school and the school system in which it lives to meet educational goals for students. To inform this process, we will discuss current standards for school and alternative goals, as well as current school structures such as courses, assessments, and teaching requirements, and potential alternative practices. We will directly consider heterogeneity and inequality and how to build a system that is responsive to multiple dimensions of diversity.

EDUC 1600. Education, the Economy and School Reform.

This seminar examines the linkages between educational achievement and economic outcomes for individuals and nations. We study a range of system, organizational, and personnel reforms in education by reviewing the empirical evidence and debating which reforms hold promise for improving public education and closing persistent achievement gaps. Understanding and critiquing the experimental, quasi-experimental and descriptive research methods used in the empirical literature will play a central role in the course. Prerequisites: Education and PP concentrators, EDUC 0840 and EDUC 1230 (or equivalent); Economics concentrators, ECON 1110 or ECON 1130, and ECON 1620. Enrollment limited to 20.

EDUC 1610. Critical Black Masculinities and Education.

This course is intended for advanced undergraduate to engage and apply critical theories of Blackness and masculinities to illuminate complexities across topics within educational research, policy, and practice. This course unpacks the various ways that masc-identifying people leverage, experience, and correct patriarchy as a destructive force. More specifically, this course focuses on topics related to the educational life-worlds of Black male, men, and/or masc identifying people in institutions of colleges and universities, prisons, community initiatives, and even healthcare systems. We will explore the pedagogies and politics that inform these educational projects as well as the sense-making of those who imagine, implement, and participate in them. Students will be challenged to rethink conventions around what constitutes masculine identity and experience, gain exposure to relevant educational policy and practice issues, and design solutions alongside practitioners, artists, and policy advocates.

EDUC 1615. Introduction to Community-Based Participatory Research in Education.

Using community based participatory research, students in this course will learn a research method that interrogates issues of positionality, power, and equity. Community-based participatory research removes research solely from the realm of academia and engages the community in every part of the research project by centering the voices and perspectives of community members. Central to the course and the method of research are issues of power, trust, reform, ethics, and community partnership. Students in this course will work directly with community organizations to understand the problems of the organization, identify research questions that the organization seeks to understand, and highlight a research plan. Partnership, collaboration, and consultancy are central to every phase of this type of research. Student researchers will conclude by providing recommendations to the community organizations.

EDUC 1620. Urban Schools in Historical Perspective.

Why did urban schools, widely viewed as the best in the nation in the early twentieth century, become a "problem" to be solved by its end? How have urban schools been shaped by social, economic, and political transformations in cities and by other public policies? How have urban schools changed over time? This course will ask these and other questions to explore how historical perspective can help us better understand urban schools today. We will analyze the impact of changes in demographics, urban renewal and suburban development, the political economy of cities, educational expectations, and demands for equity.

EDUC 1645. Moral Development and Education.

This course focuses on the acquisition of moral values within the home, school, and peer groups. We will examine contending approaches to moral development and its fostering. Topics include the philosophical underpinnings of moral theory, the cognitive and behavioral dynamics of moral growth, the values climate of contemporary American society, and the role of education in the moral development of children. We will also consider cultural, ethnic, and gender differences. Prerequisite of one of the following courses: EDUC0300, EDUC0400, EDUC0620, EDUC0800, EDUC0850, EDUC0880, EDUC1289, EDUC1660, EDUC1670, EDUC1675, CLPS0610, CLPS0620, or equivalent. Enrollment is limited to 20 students.

EDUC 1650. Policy Implementation in Education.

This course offers an "analytical foundation" for students interested in public policy implementation, with particular emphasis on education. Drawing on social science research, the course examines strengths and limitations of several frameworks, including the "policy typology" school of thought, the rational actor paradigm, the institutional analysis, the bargain model, the organizational-bureaucratic model, and the "consumer choice" perspective. Enrollment limited to 20.

EDUC 1655. Human Development and Education in East Asia.

This course examines human development and education in East Asia, mainly China, Japan, and South Korea, using comparative and sociocultural perspectives. Topics include cultural beliefs and practices related to learning; school and students’ educational experiences; academic and socioemotional development; family socialization; globalization and educational systems. Students will also examine diversity, inequality, and marginalization in educational processes across and within these countries. The course draws on a range of contemporary studies from interdisciplinary social science fields, such as psychology, sociology, and anthropology.

EDUC 1660. Social Context of Learning and Development.

This course focuses on the social environment that contributes to the development of children’s minds, language, self, affect, relationships with others, beliefs about learning, experience with/attitudes toward school. The course covers the period from birth through young adulthood. Topics include child development and learning under the influences of family, peers, community, school, and immigration, culture, race/ethnicity, and SES. We will review theoretical frameworks and empirical research and discuss implications for education. Prior coursework in human development, education, and psychology is required, such as EDUC 0300, EDUC 0400, EDUC 0620, EDUC 0800, EDUC 0850, EDUC 1289, CLPS 0610, CLPS 0620, or equivalents. Enrollment is limited to 20 students.

EDUC 1665. Reimagining Humanities Education: Curriculum Development for Secondary Schools.

This advanced seminar links curriculum theory with the practical skills of curriculum design. While much curriculum theory focuses around the canonical curriculum, the course will strive to uncover silences to expose the ways that the lived and experiential curriculum, both historically and contemporaneously, has the potential to provide counter narrative and to bring about a dialogue of diverse perspectives. We will analyze ways that curriculum is informed by and dependent upon conceptions of race, ethnicity, language and nation. Students will learn about the Understanding by Design framework and use it for their own curriculum development projects that bring together literary fiction and primary sources. Archival research experiences, both online at the Library of Congress and in person at the John Hay Library at Brown, inform our understanding of the possibilities of uncovering stories that matter.

EDUC 1670. Juveniles for Justice: Youth Civic Engagement and Activism.

This course examines the meaning of youth activism in terms of individual civic development and collective social transformation. Guiding questions include: How does youth civic engagement affect youth’s understandings of themselves, their civic identity, and belonging? How do youth engage in their communities? What effect does this engagement have? What are the barriers and bridges to engagement? Is civic engagement a universal good? The course uses ethnographic cases to explore: 1) how time, place, and social context affect youth’s engagement and notions of citizenship and 2) what transferable insights about citizenship, engagement, and change can be gleaned from study across contexts.

EDUC 1675. The Psychology of Teaching and Learning.

This seminar course surveys and critically appraises foundational theories of teaching and learning. As we learn about various theories and the theorists behind them, we consider their effect on our construction of students’ learning and teachers’ practice. Through reading research in educational psychology and other disciplines, we will examine topics such as learning- and teaching-related beliefs and behaviors, cognitive and socioemotional processes, and motivation that can be applied to teaching approaches and classroom environments. Special attention will be given to sociocultural contexts that affect learning processes and experiences of diverse students. In doing so, we see how these theoretical paradigms are refined with respect to difference, diversity, and intersectionality.

EDUC 1680. Histories of Race and Education in the United States.

Students in this course will explore the interconnections between race and education throughout the history of the United States. Students will investigate 1) how race and racism have shaped education policy and practice throughout American history; 2) the development of white supremacy, anti-Black racism, and other forms of systemic racism within schools; 3) the ways in which BIPOC parents, teachers, students, and reformers have engaged in antiracist activism both within and through educational contexts. Students will complete a final project that helps answer the essential question: how can these histories help promote antiracist educational reform in America today?

EDUC 1690. Literacy, Community, and the Arts: Theory into Practice.

An exploration of ways to improve student literacy skills through the performing arts in area schools. Students read about the theory and practice of literacy and the arts, research national and local initiatives, engage in arts activities, and spend time in area classrooms working with local teachers and artists to draft curriculum materials to be used in summer and school-year programs.

EDUC 1760A. Beauty Pageants as an American Institution.

Beauty pageants are often ridiculed, and even vilified, in American society. Yet their lasting power—from “There She Is” to Toddlers & Tiaras to pageant waves—is undeniable. What accounts for their enduring power? This course draws on inter-disciplinary scholarship to examine how and why pageantry and American femininity have become linked in the public consciousness as they transformed from beauty contests to the largest source of scholarship money available to women in this country. We will examine how pageantry intersects with major institutions—education, politics, and media.

EDUC 1765. Education Policy and Program Evaluations in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

While tremendous progress has been made around the world toward universal access to primary school in low- and middle-income countries, student learning and progress in secondary school remains an important challenge for many countries.
In the last two decades, governments have implemented many education policies and programs incorporating evaluations using novel methods to estimate their causal impact. Findings have improved our understanding of the effect and cost-effectiveness of a wide range of programs and greatly influenced policy. This course will explore the evidence available, question the theories that motivated the programs, ethics related to evaluation, and the lessons learned.
This course is a seminar and designed for students interested in international education policy and development economics. We will explore education policies around the world, but the main geographical focus will be on countries classified as low- or middle-income.
Students should have completed an introductory data and research methods course equivalent to EDUC 0750.

EDUC 1900. Senior Seminar.

Required of and reserved for seniors of the Education Studies Concentration as a culminating experience of your Concentration. Our foundational and methodological courses introduced you to the basic themes and research in the field, and upper-level courses typically focused on particular topics in greater depth. Your decision to be an Education Studies concentrator was likely related to one or more of the central themes of the field of education (e.g., human development, education policy and history, culture, race/ethnicity, gender, social justice, etc.). We hope to build on these learning experiences, broadening and deepening your learning across different areas of education.

EDUC 1970. Independent Study.

Section numbers vary by instructor. Please check Banner for the correct section number and CRN to use when registering for this course.

EDUC 1990. Independent Reading and Research.

Supervised reading and/or research for education concentrators who are preparing an honors thesis. Written permission from the honors advisor required. Section numbers vary by instructor. Please check Banner for the correct section number and CRN to use when registering for this course.

EDUC 1991. Independent Reading and Research.

Supervised reading and/or research for education concentrators who are preparing an honors thesis. Written permission from the honors advisor required. Section numbers vary by instructor. Please check Banner for the correct section number and CRN to use when registering for this course.

EDUC 2060A. Methods of Teaching: English.

S/NC.

EDUC 2060B. Methods of Teaching: History and Social Studies.

S/NC.

EDUC 2060C. Methods of Teaching: Science.

S/NC.

EDUC 2070A. Student Teaching: English.

S/NC.

EDUC 2070B. Student Teaching: History and Social Studies.

S/NC.

EDUC 2070C. Student Teaching: Science.

S/NC.

EDUC 2090. Literacy Across the Curriculum.

Focuses on three major areas of pedagogy: literacy across the curriculum, special education, and teaching English Language Learners. Topics include: current theory and practice in the three areas, legal requirements for special education, planning for differentiated instruction, assessment and diagnosis of student skill levels, measuring and reporting student achievement, adapting content for ELLS, selecting and working with texts, and effective vocabulary instruction. Open to MAT students only. S/NC.

EDUC 2110. Summer Practicum and Analysis.

Introduces MAT students to elementary school students through work in a unique summer enrichment program for inner city Providence children: Summer Prep readings and seminar meetings focus on arts education; introductions to the teaching of literacy, math and science; curriculum and lesson planning; creating a community of learners; issues of diversity; and physical education. S/NC.

EDUC 2320. Quantitative Research Methods and Data Analysis.

The goal of this course is to provide students in the Urban Education Policy course with a foundation and understanding of basic statistical analyses so that they will be able to design and carry out their own research and will be able to use data to inform education policy and practice.

EDUC 2330. Urban Education Policy: System and Governance.

This course is a requirement for students of the MA in Urban Education Policy program. It examines the system, structure, and governance of urban education policy. It will explore how urban school systems are organized, how urban education policies are made and implemented, and the political realities behind urban policy change. Students will develop an understanding of the landscape of contemporary education policy. The course will include team-based policy projects.

EDUC 2350. Economic Analysis and Urban Education Policy.

This course introduces students to the main economic theories and related applied work that inform education policy analysis by combining economic theory, econometric studies, and education and institutional literature in an examination of current issues in U.S. education, particularly those issues that are most relevant to urban education. We begin by examining key concepts and theories from microeconomics, labor economics, and public economics that are most relevant for studying questions in education. After laying this theoretical foundation, we examine how these theories can illuminate and aid policy analysis around key topics in U.S. education. Open to graduate students only.

EDUC 2360. Policy Analysis and Program Evaluation for Education.

Informed education policymaking requires reliable information about the causal effects of government programs and other factors shaping educational outcomes. This course offers an overview of education policy analysis with an emphasis on econometric strategies for measuring program impacts. It aims to make students critical consumers of policy evaluations and to equip them with tools to conduct their own research. Topics covered include the political context for policy research, social experiments, alternative strategies for making causal inferences, and cost-benefit analysis. Prerequisites: EDUC 1110, POLS 1600, SOC 1100, or written permission of the instructor.

EDUC 2367. Strategic Management of School Organizations.

This course will develop a range of professional, leadership, and management skills, build knowledge and understanding about how organizations work, and offer a place for critical reflection about the internship experience. It will employ case studies of organizations and reforms and draw from the experience of practitioners from the field.

EDUC 2370. Internship.

Students in the Urban Education Policy Master's Program participate in year-long internships in organizations that focus on urban education policy. Each student works with his or her site supervisor to develop a job description for the internship that allows the student to learn from and contribute to the work of the host organization.

EDUC 2380. UEP Internship Seminar.

Students in the Urban Education Policy master's program participate in year-long internships in organizations that focus on urban education policy. Each student works with his or her site supervisor to develop a job description for the internship that allows the student to learn from and contribute to the work of the host organization. This corresponding seminar will explore identity in leadership and study what leadership practices, skills, competencies and dispositions are required to succeed at social change work, both at the internship site and in educational organizations where students may work in after Brown.

EDUC 2385. Education Inequality and Community Assets: Contexts and Change.

Designed for graduate students in the Urban Education Policy A.M. and the Master of Arts in Teaching programs, this course focuses on understanding the dynamic social, cultural, and community conditions shaping America's diverse classrooms. We do so through reading and engaging in anthropological and sociological scholarship on issues like immigrant students, hidden scripts of gender and sexuality in secondary schools, social class and tracking, and ethno-racial discrepancies in discipline. By reading works focused on close observation of students, teachers, and families, students will learn to identify, describe, and evaluate how socio-cultural and socio-economic factors impact learning, student outcomes, and teaching.

EDUC 2390. Race and Democracy in Urban Education Policy.

This course will provide a broad introduction to contemporary education policy centered on issues of race/ethnicity and ideas of democracy. Students will begin by engaging theories of democracy and theories of race. The course will then transition to analyzing major education policy debates such as: school desegregation, school finance, teacher evaluation, curriculum development standards, accountability, educator policies (collective bargaining, certification), special education, and the current policy landscape. The course will include final group projects where students apply the theoretical concepts to strategies for school reform, with the neighboring school districts as cases.

EDUC 2450. Exchange Scholar Program.

EDUC 2500. Foundations of Teaching and Learning.

This course surveys and critically appraises foundational theories of teaching and learning. As MAT students learn about these theories and the theorists behind them, we consider their effect on our construction of youth’s learning and teachers’ practice. Through reading ethnographic and qualitative research, we will examine how sociocultural contexts and differences affect how youth learn and how teachers teach. In this way, we see how theoretical paradigms are refined by the experiences of diverse learners and teachers.

EDUC 2510A. Educational Theory and Practice in Teaching English 1.

This course is designed to help MAT students make connections between the theory and the practice of teaching English in the secondary schools. This fast-paced summer course includes a Brown Summer High School practicum teaching experience in the morning and an intensive methods class that accompanies it in the afternoon. The class will focus on high leverage practices for teaching English and visible learning for literacy, particularly in the heterogeneous untracked high school classroom. This workshop-based class focuses specifically on methods for creating a constructivist, student-centered English classroom with high school students from diverse backgrounds in the mainstream classroom.

EDUC 2510B. Educational Theory and Practice I: Social Studies.

This course is designed to provide MAT students with an opportunity to wrestle with the tensions and possibilities embedded in the struggle to bridge educational theory with practice in secondary social studies classrooms. The summer course is an intensive theory- and practice-based experience that is intimately linked with a Brown Summer High School teaching practicum. The practicum, in combination with daily methods classes, will begin the process of developing culturally responsive lessons that integrate the multiple dimensions of social studies: Civics & Government, Historical Perspectives, Geography, and Economics.

EDUC 2510C. Educational Theory and Practice 1: Science.

This course is designed to provide experiences and resources that will support the development of science MAT students. Through interactive activities, readings, and class discussions, the class, as a component to student teaching during Brown Summer High School, will explore key elements and challenges of secondary science teaching and provide a foundation for continued growth and reflection throughout the students’ teaching careers. Some of the main topics discussed in this course are national and state science standards, reform-based approaches to instruction and assessment, unit/lesson planning, the use of technology in science teaching, and laboratory safety.

EDUC 2510D. Educational Theory and Practice in Teaching Mathematics 1.

This course is designed to provide a clinical experience and resources that will support the development of math MAT students teaching at Brown Summer High School. Through interactive activities, readings, and class discussions, the class will explore key elements and challenges of secondary mathematics teaching and provide a foundation for continued growth and reflection throughout the students’ teaching careers. Topics will include standards, reform-based approaches to instruction and assessment (including fostering mathematical thinking in students through use of active pedagogy), unit/lesson planning, analyzing student work to improve teacher practice, and the use of technology in mathematics teaching.

EDUC 2515. Learning Theory and Special Populations.

This course will provide MAT students with an understanding of factors and responsibilities as you work collaboratively with students, professionals, and parents to establish appropriate educational supports student success and achievement. We will explore the various categories of human exceptionality and their variations; review the main laws and policies that inform your work with exceptional students; study Individualized Education Programs and 504 plans and their implications for instruction; study the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework for differentiation; discuss different models for collaborations with school professionals and parents; and access research and resources that support your work with these students.

EDUC 2520A. Educational Theory and Practice in Teaching English II.

This course is designed to accompany MAT students' one-semester fall practicum teaching placement. This field-based course uses the Rhode Island Professional Teaching Standards and the aligned rubric of Danielson’s Framework for Teaching as a guiding standard as well as a central assessment mechanism. ETP II integrates theory and practice with standards-based instruction for the culturally relevant classroom. Students will bring their experiences and questions about teaching and learning directly from teaching and/or observations at field sites so the class can address those questions using discussion, research and inquiry. Artifacts of instruction, practice, and assessment will be examined and analyzed.

EDUC 2520B. Educational Theory and Practice in Teaching Social Studies II.

This course provides opportunities for social studies MAT students to meet the Rhode Island Professional Teacher Standards (RIPTS) and the National Council of the Social Studies Preservice teacher standards. In this particular semester, the objectives are to be able to develop standards-based lesson plans and activities for your students that are culturally responsive in social studies based on your knowledge of students and how they learn; use an evaluation framework to distinguish curriculum quality; and successfully revise curriculum as necessary in order to align with the RI GSEs and meet the needs of your students in a culturally responsive way.

EDUC 2520C. Educational Theory and Practice for Science II.

This course provides opportunities for science MATs to meet the Rhode Island Professional Teacher Standards (RIPTS) and the National Science Teacher Association Preservice science teacher standards. In this particular semester, the objectives are to be able to develop standards-based lesson plans and activities for your students that are culturally responsive in science based on your knowledge of students and how they learn; use an evaluation framework to distinguish curriculum quality; and successfully revise curriculum as necessary in order to meet the needs of your students in a culturally responsive way.

EDUC 2520D. Educational Theory and Practice in Teaching Mathematics II.

This course is designed to provide a space for math MAT candidates in their fall placement to develop their pedagogical content knowledge of culturally responsive teaching as it pertains specifically to teaching mathematics in middle and high school levels. Continuing from our summer work, this course delves more deeply into thinking about what it means to be culturally responsive in particular aspects of curriculum and instruction: CCSS math standards, how students learn, approaches to student-centered mathematics instruction, and choosing and revising curriculum materials. Students will explore what it means to be culturally responsive in each of these areas.

EDUC 2525. Instructional Design, Planning, and Integrating Technology.

In this course, students enrolled in the MAT program will build on the knowledge of instructional design that they developed in the summer. MAT candidates will delve more deeply into the Universal by Design (UbD) design process and consider its relationship to the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) Model. Additionally, students will work with the Technology, Pedagogy and Content Knowledge (TPACK) Model which will support their ability to deliberately integrate developmentally appropriate technology into their plans in order to positively impact student learning.

EDUC 2530A. Educational Theory and Practice III: English.

This course is designed to accompany the English MAT spring semester student teaching placement, with an aim to connect research with an experience, workshop, or record of practice to help students understand, implement, question and revise the practice in their own classrooms. Particular areas of focus include independent teaching in the linguistically and culturally diverse high school English classroom; practices for setting up the heterogeneous high school English classroom; classroom management; diagnostic assessment of student learning; understanding your position as a teacher and the context of your school; creating a professional learning community; and methods of teaching English with technology.

EDUC 2530B. Educational Theory and Practice in Teaching Social Studies III.

This course is a continuation of Educational Theory and Practice 1 and 2, designed to provide a space for social studies MAT candidates in their spring student teaching placement to develop their pedagogical content knowledge of culturally responsive teaching as it pertains specifically to teaching social studies in middle and high school levels. Building on the work we did in the summer and the fall, this course delves more deeply into thinking about what it means to be culturally responsive in particular aspects of curriculum and instruction.

EDUC 2530C. Educational Theory and Practice in Teaching Science III.

This course for science MAT candidates is a continuation of Educational Theory and Practice 1 and 2. It is designed to provide a space for candidates in their spring student teaching placement to develop their pedagogical content knowledge of culturally responsive teaching as it pertains specifically to teaching science in middle and high school levels. Continuing from the work done in the summer and the fall, this course delves more deeply into thinking about what it means to be culturally responsive in developing science assessments and in approaching discourse, modeling and mathematical representations.

EDUC 2530D. Educational Theory and Practice in Teaching Mathematics III.

This course is a continuation of Educational Theory and Practice 1 and 2. It is designed to provide a space for math MAT candidates in their spring student teaching placement to develop their pedagogical content knowledge of culturally responsive teaching as it pertains specifically to teaching mathematics in middle and high school levels. Continuing from the work we did in the summer and the fall, this course delves more deeply into thinking about what it means to be culturally responsive in curriculum and instruction, particularly in approaches to discourse, assessment, and interdisciplinary connections.

EDUC 2535. Teaching Literacy and Language to Emerging Bilinguals Across the Disciplines I.

This half of a year-long course prepares preservice teachers in the MAT program to teach emerging bilingual students/English learners through sheltered instruction in the mainstream classroom and meet students’ linguistic, academic, and socio-emotional needs. New teachers must learn how to understand and include the experiences of linguistically diverse and multilingual students in their teaching. Additionally, preservice teachers must learn the nature of language acquisition and how specialized instruction can support this development. Through analysis of case studies, participants will also learn to plan and deliver high quality instruction that is differentiated to meet the needs of English learners.

EDUC 2545. Teaching Literacy and Language to Emerging Bilinguals Across the Disciplines II.

This second half of a year-long course prepares preservice teachers in the MAT program to teach emerging bilingual students/English learners through sheltered instruction in the mainstream classroom and meet students’ linguistic, academic, and socio-emotional needs. New teachers must learn how to understand and include the experiences of linguistically diverse and multilingual students in their teaching. Additionally, preservice teachers must learn the nature of language acquisition and how specialized instruction can support this development. Through analysis of case studies, participants will also learn to plan and deliver high quality instruction that is differentiated to meet the needs of English learners.

EDUC 2555. Assessment and Using Data to Support Student Learning.

This course will provide a space for enrolled MAT degree candidates to learn theories related to assessment that are closely tied to their student teaching practical experience and also establish effective ways to measure their impact on student learning. The course will prepare students to explain concepts related to assessment; design formative and summative assessment systems through the UDL Framework; analyze the results of assessment tasks/data and utilize them to inform instructional decisions; and evaluate current and future trends in educational assessment.

EDUC 2565. Practicum and Seminar I.

This clinical experience and seminar, held off-campus at student teaching sites, provides the practical component of the MAT fall semester that will allow MAT students to merge theory and practice. The main goals for this semester are for practicum students to familiarize themselves with their school context, students and community; develop an understanding of how school context and learning about students inform planning curriculum; be aware of the policies and initiatives you are responsible for in the role of a teacher; form professional relationships with your colleagues, students, and families; and begin instructing in a co-teaching model.

EDUC 2575. Student Teaching and Seminar.

This off-campus student teaching clinical experience and seminar, held at student teaching sites, provides the practical component of MAT students' winter and spring semester that will allow students to merge theory and practice and gain proficiency in the domains outlined by the Framework for Teachers. This will be accomplished by taking on the full responsibilities of a teacher for selected secondary classes in your placement school with the guidance of your mentor teacher and your supervisor as well as attending meetings and other programs teachers are required to attend for your placement site.

EDUC 2980. Studies in Education.

Independent study; must be arranged in advance. Section numbers vary by instructor. Section numbers vary by instructor. Please check Banner for the correct section number and CRN to use when registering for this course.

EDUC 2990. Thesis Preparation.

For graduate students who have met the residency requirement and are continuing research on a full time basis.