Learning and Instruction (LAI)

This course was designed for students in the arts and the humanities. In this course, students study: 1. mathematical reasoning as the consideration, analysis, explanation, or justification of information that involves mathematical skills and 2. mathematical communication as the exchanging (both producing and consuming) of information that involves mathematical concepts. During the course, students encounter problems related to sets, sequences and series, functions, probability, and statistics. Students learn how to evaluate situations, select problem-solving strategies, draw logical conclusions, develop and describe solutions, and recognize how mathematical ideas might best be shared with others.

The one credit UB Seminar is focused on a big idea or challenging issue to engage students with questions of significance in a field of study and, ultimately, to connect their studies with issues of consequence in the wider world. Essential to the UB Curriculum, the Seminar helps transition to UB through an early connection to UB faculty and the undergraduate experience at a comprehensive, research university. This course is equivalent to any 198 offered in any subject. This course is a controlled enrollment (impacted) course. Students who have previously attempted the course and received a grade of F or R may not be able to repeat the course during the fall or spring semester.

The three credit UB Seminar is focused on a big idea or challenging issue to engage students with questions of significance in a field of study and, ultimately, to connect their studies with issues of consequence in the wider world. Essential to the UB Curriculum, the Seminar helps students with common learning outcomes focused on fundamental expectations for critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and oral communication, and learning at a university, all within topic focused subject matter. The Seminars provide students with an early connection to UB faculty and the undergraduate experience at a comprehensive, research university. This course is equivalent to any 199 offered in any subject. This course is a controlled enrollment (impacted) course. Students who have previously attempted the course and received a grade of F or R may not be able to repeat the course during the fall or spring semester.

This course is designed for continuing students who need more focus on study skills and time management to be able to meet the challenges of academic courses. The course provides opportunities to develop a mindset and series of strategies that if used and applied will help the student to achieve success. The course will give the student exposure to critical thinking skills and theories along with application throughout the semester and beyond.

Examines developmental milestones, needs, and characteristics of children from infancy through the early school years; including child-care play, personality, learning activities, and family relationships. Also discusses controversial areas of child rearing, and current trends. This course is the same as SSC 208 and course repeat rules will apply. Students should consult with their major department regarding any restrictions on their degree requirements.

This CL2 course serves students who are studying and preparing for careers in the human sciences and applied human sciences. We will explore a number of ways in which humans communicate in career and workplace literacies. In particular, we will examine a number of different communicative modalities, including the roles that visual communication, audio features, position papers, and personal presentations play in professional cultures. This class will pragmatically apply many of the theory-based communicative approaches to course readings, discussions, and activities. Designed to engage learners in broad definitions of composing, this course will explore the various composition processes, genres and modalities that underlie skilled human communication practices in the human sciences and consider larger issues of what it means to be communicatively literate in the digital, global world.

This course is intended for students contemplating a career in education. It is designed to provide information and a forum for discussion of American education. Among the topics covered are a brief history of American education, the learning environment, teachers, diverse learners (ethnically, economically, and different abilities), classroom management, and issues facing all schools. In addition, students will become generally familiar with the New York State Learning Standards. A group school visit is also a component of the course as are 10 supervised classroom contact hours.

This course addresses the difference in secondary and postsecondary learning environments including the need for students to adopt new learning strategies and techniques. The course emphasizes learning skills that impact understanding including the need for active learning, emphasis on meaning-making, effective textbook reading, lecture note taking, time management, and test preparation.

This course begins with an overview of theory and research in cognitive strategies and sociocognitive views of reading, writing, speaking and listening processes. It then describes an approach to the teaching of reading and writing called strategic literacy instruction. The focus throughout is on discovering ways to help struggling readers and writers: students usually referred to as "low performing," "general," or "developmental;" students perceived as learning-disabled, resistant, at-risk or lower-track; students in special education classes or in classes where special students are mainstreamed; or kids who are just plain unmotivated. Evaluation includes a midterm report and a final project concerned with designing strategy-based literacy instruction.

Undergraduate students explore their role as a reflective teacher. Curriculum based on early childhood (EC) theories is explored. Methods of designing appropriate EC environments are taught. Examines the teacher's role in documenting children's learning. Guides students toward active membership and involvement in professional organizations. This course is the same as SSC 416 and course repeat rules will apply. Students should consult with their major department regarding any restrictions on their degree requirements.

This course is intended for students who would like to know more about or who are contemplating a career in teaching. It is designed to help students critically reflect on 1) instructional responsibilities, 2) qualities and dispositions of effective teachers, 3) and teaching methods and strategies and how all impact learning.

This class is designed to answer the following questions: * How can technology be used in the classroom? * Will using technology enable students/teachers to do something that they could not do before? * Will the use of technology enable students/teachers to do something that they could do before but can do better (differently) now? * How do we answer educators' concerns about its use? * When is the use of technology an appropriate and effective use of tools?

This course is designed to provide an overview of basic principles of measurement and evaluation. Course participants will learn how to assess students' learning outcomes from formative and summative purposes. Moreover, students will acquire competence in planning and development of classroom assessments. This course will help student develop the understandings and skills needed to validly, reliably, and fairly assess student learning. Students will have the opportunities to develop, analyze, and critique a measurement instrument.

This course is designed to help teachers better understand the impact of culture on education. We will explore cultural variations in communication processes, social interaction and interpersonal relationships with a special emphasis on language usage, empathy and managing conflicts. We will concentrate our efforts on how to work successfully with culturally diverse students, how to raise cultural awareness, increase intercultural sensitivity and develop competence in intercultural communication on the day-to-day basis. We will carefully examine how to build an intercultural community of learners in our classrooms, how to make our classrooms culturally inclusive; how to develop culturally compatible pedagogical strategies, and how to use cultural diversity as a powerful resource for the benefit of all students. This is an experiential, discussion-based, and workshop-oriented course. Emphasis is on creative thinking and sharing personal experiences.

Learning and Instruction Topic

The purpose of this course is to aid in understanding diversity by preparing teachers to offer direct and indirect services to students within the full range of disabilities and special health-care needs in inclusive environments. Students will be provided with techniques designed to enhance academic performance, classroom behavior, and social acceptance for students with disabilities and special needs. Students will learn skills enabling them to (1) differentiate and individualize instruction for students with disabilities and special needs, (2) become familiar with instructional and assistive technologies, (3) implement multiple research-validated instructional strategies, (4) formally and informally assess learning of diverse students, (5) manage classroom behavior of students with disabilities and special needs, and (6) collaborate with others and resolve conflicts to educate students with disabilities and special needs.

Learning and Instruction Topic

This course actively involves graduate students, one morning or afternoon per week, in a preschool classroom experience at the Early Childhood Research Center. It offers teachers guided learning experience in a NAEYC accredited preschool multicultural setting. The weekly one hour seminar provides the support needed by teachers in understanding and applying a constructive, play curriculum which fosters children's social, emotional, physical and cognitive development. Child observation and naturalistic assessment are major course components.