Courses

A consideration and analysis of selected critical concerns in education that link and interact with broad issues in culture and society. The course emphasizes how Christian conceptions of justice, leadership and discipline affect approaches to educational issues, including controversial issues, the implications of legal decisions, classroom organization and technology in the classroom. This course examines leadership approaches and models appropriate to the K-12 classroom. A range of discipline approaches and models are introduced, discussed and critiqued. The nature of issues and problems confronting children and youth today are examined in order to gain an understanding of classroom life.

A study of Indigenous culture and worldview, the history of Indigenous education in Canada, current social, economic, political, and ethical issues affecting Indigenous education, and the current structure and status of Indigenous education in British Columbia, with an emphasis on indigenous language preservation and education. Understanding and integrating Indigenous learning, epistemologies and pedagogical approaches, literature and learning resources is the key focus of inquiry, supporting the consideration of teaching and learning in diverse classrooms that include Indigenous students, as well as, teaching and learning in Indigenous schools.

This course prepares students to evaluate and critique statistics and research methods in Education and Counselling Psychology, including learning about the use and misuse of basic quantitative and qualitative analytical techniques in research and in program evaluation. The course also introduces ethical issues in research and conducting critical reviews of the literature.

This course builds upon the information presented in introductory courses to inclusive education. It is intended for pre-professional education students, professional teachers, and those in psychology, social services, and nursing, and is designed to provide information and strategies for: assessing the needs of students, developing intervention techniques, and utilizing the resources of various professionals to meet the diverse needs of exceptional students and exceptional families. Enrolment in this class includes a practicum in a special needs setting.

This is the foundational course that covers current trends and issues which transcend any particular category of diversity. In particular, the course critically examines the current educational practice of full inclusion and lays the foundation for critically evaluating how content of subsequent courses might lead to more inclusive learning communities. This is the introductory course that brings together each new cohort in the master's program and so one important focus is the establishment of a cooperative learning community. This course also lays the groundwork for future work toward either a major project or thesis by introducing the basic elements of each as they relate to this program.

The understanding, administration, scoring and interpretation of Level B (APA) tests for students with special learning needs, including tests of word reading, passage comprehension, arithmetic, spelling, and receptive vocabulary. This course covers the practical understanding and use of assessment devices and techniques. Students discuss recent litigation issues about assessment and learn to read and understand Level C reports (school psychologists, speech-language pathologists, etc.).

In the authentic ecology of their professional placements, students focus on students with exceptional learning needs and apply the principles of assessment learned in the previous course segment to gather assessment data of various forms, including basic achievement and diagnostic tests. Based on these assessments (including formal tests as appropriate) students then apply the data in developing model Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). As members of the cooperative student cohort, students vet these data and plans among peers in the course.

This course builds upon the information presented in introductory courses to inclusive education and, in conjunction with other courses in the program, examines in depth the unique learning characteristics and needs of persons who are on either end of the continuum of cognitive abilities, and those with at least average intellectual ability but who demonstrate learning disabilities. Also examined is the evolving discourse on neurodiversity and the challenges of students who fit the evolving description of those on the Autism Spectrum of Disorders (ASD) or Pervasive Developmental Disability Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS). Given the wide range of challenges (behavioural, communication, social) they are critically examined in other courses; it is intended that there be continuity and overlap in the content of the various courses in the overall program.

The traditional inclusive education categories of behavioural needs or mental illness are examined. Included are the concerns of students with diagnoses such as anxiety and depression according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorder Fifth Edition (DSM-5), as well as students with behaviour disorders. Also included are the behavioural concerns of students with autism, intellectual disabilities, and attentional difficulties. The British Columbia Ministry of Education criteria for designation in the Behavioural Needs or Mental Illness categories are addressed. The course includes a critical review of literature, building on students’ extant knowledge and professional experience and an examination of current best practice in the areas addressed. Classroom intervention strategies are studied and are critically evaluated.