Enroll in a College of Education special topics course

Have you ever wondered how to better incorporate computational thinking in your teaching and learning? Or how to enhance your knowledge of rural education and the role of leadership? You can take classes on these special topics and others through Boise State College of Education this summer and fall.

Summer 2021 Undergraduate

Bosnian Refugees in the U.S.

ED-LLC 494, Section 4001

Refik Sadikovic

This is 1-credit online/asynchronous workshop (1st Three Week Session 5/10/2021 – 5/30/2021)

Message from instructor about the class: This workshop will provide participants an opportunity to learn about the biggest refugee crisis on European soil since World War II. Students will also learn about the Bosnian language, heritage and culture. The workshop will discuss the wars of former Yugoslavia, Bosnian genocide and the reasons for forced migration and the refugee resettlement in Idaho/U.S.

Leadership in Rural Education

ED-CIFS 397/597

Heather Williams

Enhance your knowledge of rural education and explore the role of leadership, at multiple levels, in rural communities that provides learners with pathways for becoming successful citizens and stewards of the environments and places where they live. This course will focus on critical issues related to rural education, as well as highlight strategies and solutions for positive development and cases studies from around Idaho. We will explore the following topics as they relate to rural education: poverty; literacy; student health and wellness (nutrition, physical wellness, and mental health); educator recruitment and retention; technology; economic and workforce development; college enrollment and completion; place-based learning; and policies and politics.

Message from instructor about the class: This is a flexible course where you get to plan your own adventure. You get to decide what is you want to know about rural education and map out the modules and the places on the map you want to visit. You can decide if you want to opt into a hands-on, service learning project or research an issue analysis project. This course is open to all majors.

Refugees in the U.S.

ED-LLC 494, Section 4002

Refik Sadikovic

This is 2-credit online/asynchronous workshop ED-LLC 494 – 4001 (1st Three Week Session 5/10/2021 – 5/30/2021)

Message from instructor about the class: This workshop will provide participants an opportunity to better understand Boise/U.S./world refugee population, forced displacement, resettlement process, and refugee languages and cultures. The workshop will discuss the importance and benefits of diversity at the local, national and global levels.

Summer 2021 Graduate

Assessment for Gifted and Talented Students

ED-CIFS 597

Sherry Dismuke

This 3-credit class meets the criteria for an elective for the Gifted and Talented Endorsement. We will engage in the issues surrounding identification of GT students, multiple assessment tools and their purpose, and classroom assessment. This class with meet synchronously Monday -Thursday mornings, July 5th-22nd with asynchronous work blended in.

Best Practices in Educational Technology Leadership

ED-TECH 597

Jesús Trespalacios

Overview of leadership theories in educational settings to provide a framework for educational technology leaders’ decision making as well as provide a rationale for those decisions. Emphasis is placed on best practices of leadership in Educational Technology to support teaching and learning in K-12 schools.

Message from instructor about the class: As a community of learners, members of the online class will support each other during the different social, cognitive, and teaching moments presented during the different collaborative activities planned in the course. After successful completion of this course, students will be able to identify multiple leadership theories and approaches and apply them in educational settings. Additionally, students will follow a systematic process to design a proposal to facilitate the change and the adoption of innovation in an educational environment.

Integrating Computational Thinking for Learning and Teaching

ED-TECH 597

Yu-Hui Ching

Explores computational thinking (CT) frameworks, pedagogies, assessments, and educational technologies for teaching CT. Participants will create instructional units using effective pedagogies and technologies to integrate CT in their teaching contexts.

Message from instructor about the class: This 7-week online course is designed for graduate students and/or K-12 educators who are interested in integrating computational thinking in their current/future classrooms. Participants will explore existing teaching materials of CT and create their own CT instructional units for their teaching contexts.

Leadership in Rural Education

ED-CIFS 397/597

Heather Williams

Enhance your knowledge of rural education and explore the role of leadership, at multiple levels, in rural communities that provides learners with pathways for becoming successful citizens and stewards of the environments and places where they live. This course will focus on critical issues related to rural education, as well as highlight strategies and solutions for positive development and cases studies from around Idaho. We will explore the following topics as they relate to rural education: poverty; literacy; student health and wellness (nutrition, physical wellness, and mental health); educator recruitment and retention; technology; economic and workforce development; college enrollment and completion; place-based learning; and policies and politics.

Message from instructor about the class: This is a flexible course where you get to plan your own adventure. You get to decide what is you want to know about rural education and map out the modules and the places on the map you want to visit. You can decide if you want to opt into a hands-on, service learning project or research an issue analysis project. This course is open to all majors.

Standards Based Learning, Instruction and Assessment

ED-CIFS 597

Serena (Hicks) Morales

This course transfers the principles of Standards Based Learning to specific classroom practices, instruction, assessment, and course design in both face-to-face and online settings. Organized around the principles of SBL, we will practice building resources and materials for classroom use or for school-wide support for transitioning to a standards based learning community. Topics include: writing proficiency scales, communicating with students and parents, assessment systems and alignment, and developing a plan for integration.

Message from instructor about the class: This course is intended for graduate students, in-service teachers, area administrators, teams of teachers and administrators, and faculty from other departments. It gives students and faculty space and time to consider how to create and revise and assessment architecture that supports learning and streamlines assessment.

Fall 2021 Undergraduate

Idaho Ecosystems

ED-CIFS 494, Section 4001

Michelle Youngquist

This 1-credit virtual workshop taught by Idaho Project Learning Tree will run November 2-30. Most of the coursework will be done asynchronously, but there will be three remote meetings from 7-8:30pm on November 2, 16, and 30. This course requires that you also register with Idaho Project Learning Tree at this link.

Message from instructor about the class: Idaho Ecosystems with WILD, WET and PLT is an interactive virtual class. Receive training and award-winning materials from Project WILD, Project WET and Project Learning Tree, with which you may engage upper elementary students in learning about Idaho ecosystems. The class includes three synchronous Zoom sessions (up to 4.5 hours), with most course work done asynchronously. For part of the class you will choose one of the curricula (WILD, WET, or PLT) to explore in more depth, and will receive the program’s comprehensive activity guide(s). You will leave the course with plans to use materials from the course with students, whether teaching in the classroom or remotely – both indoors and out. 

Idaho Natural Resources

ED-CIFS 494, Section 4002

Michelle Youngquist

This 1-credit virtual workshop taught by Idaho Project Learning Tree will run October 12-November 9. Most of the coursework will be done asynchronously, but there will be three remote meetings from 7-8:30pm on October 12 and November 9. This course requires that you also register with Idaho Project Learning Tree at this link.

Message from instructor about the class: Learn and Teach About Idaho Natural Resources is a self-paced online 1-credit workshop hosted jointly by Idaho Project Learning Tree, Idaho Ag in the Classroom, and the Idaho Rangeland Resources Commission. Learn about our proven activities and resources for engaging students in place-based learning. You’ll leave with plans to nurture student literacy about Idaho’s working landscapes while addressing your curriculum and state standards, whether teaching in the classroom or remotely – both indoors and out. 

Fall 2021 Graduate

Teacher Leadership: Connecting Theory and Practice

ED-CIFS 597

A. J. Zenkert

This course asks students to define what leadership is, what leadership looks like in schools, and how adult learning theory must play a role in our understanding of teacher leadership. Exploring different models of leadership and teacher leadership, students will be asked to demonstrate understanding of how adults learn and to consider specific types of leadership roles that teachers can play, such as mentoring.

Message from instructor about the class: ED-CIFS 597 is designed for: Graduate Students, Faculty, Those interested in leadership and/or adult development, Administrators, Teachers, Teams of teachers and administrators. In today’s schools and communities, we need leaders who understand how to communicate with others in meaningful ways and are willing to engage in crucial conversations in order to build, invigorate, and maintain healthy cultures that are equitable and productive.