Post-Master’s Certificate in
Curriculum and Teaching

In this course, you’ll analyze instructional strategies based on the principles of universal design for learning, including integrating strategies for providing multiple means for PK-12 learners to access the curriculum. You’ll plan instructional strategies for curriculum aligned to standards that support current educational requirements, including the use of technology to engage, comprehend, and express learning. You’ll also consider other educational issues, trends, and recommendations for change in the PK-12 classroom related to instructional strategies.

This course examines the effects of dispositions on learner motivation, participation, and comprehension, and the impact of teacher dispositions on overall learning and classroom culture. The course includes considerations for dispositions related to inclusivity, technology, social emotional development, and successful collaboration throughout the community.

This course begins with the distinction between curriculum and programs in K-12 education. While both are important, evaluation is different for each. In addition to exploring evaluation processes, you’ll also examine the development of both curriculum and programs. This examination will incorporate theories, trends, and future directions, including technology recommendations to design and develop innovative curriculum for K-12 learning environments.

Here, you’ll take a closer look at instructional strategies with particular attention on supporting theories and practical applications in K-12 learning environments. You’ll assess learning theories that frame instructional strategies, including those for remote learning. Ultimately, you’ll recommend instructional strategies, justify approaches to inclusive instruction, and design inclusive learning experiences for K-12 education.

This course considers the critical role of assessment in curriculum and teaching. You’ll examine assessment types and processes, including how trends and accountability practices inform instructional decisions, curriculum development, and continuous improvement in K-12 environments. You’ll then integrate the assessments with the universal design for learning perspective, and recommend strategies for effective assessment practices across classrooms, schools, and districts.

In this final course of the curriculum and teaching specialization, you’ll synthesize your work across all courses into a capstone project of your own design. The project will integrate theory and practice related to a specific topic of your choosing related to curriculum and teaching. As you prepare your project, you’ll evaluate the impacts of current trends, technologies, and issues of diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice. Finally, in one of your last assignments in the specialization, you’ll compose your own philosophy of teaching based on research, theory, and personal reflection.