​​​​​​​​​​​​​Professional Development Courses​

Advanced Mazza Summer Institute: Children's Picture Story Books: Windows on the World

EDSP 648

​​​​Since the Mazza Institute’s agenda changes each year, participants may take the institute twice at the graduate level. Candidates in the advanced institute will also prepare a break-out session for the following year’s institute, allowing them to become educational leaders.

Advanced Methods in Teaching High School Science

EDSP 609

The Teaching High School Science library will help new and veteran science teachers integrate national science standards and inquiry learning into their curricula. Showing science classrooms around the country, the modules cover topics in life science, physical science, Earth and space science and integrated science. ​​

Assessment and Data-Driven Decisions for Online

EDFI 570

​​​In this course students will design and implement online learning assessments that utilize differentiation, including the adjustment of content, process, product and learning environments based on students readiness levels, learning styles, interests and personal goals, and effectively employ online technology tools and resources to continuously assess student learning and technology literacy through a variety of formative and summative assessments.

Assessment, Curriculum, Evaluation: Technology Integration

EDHR 643

​The student will develop the necessary skills to complete a project from creation to evaluation and effectively deliver instruction and evaluate outcomes predetermined by the organization.

Being an Educational Leader

EDUC 500

​​​ Characteristics of the educational leader, the importance of self-reflection and one's role as an educational leader in the profession will be examined in this course.

Biodiversity of Northwest Ohio

EDSP 603

​This course helps teachers take their classes into the schoolyard or natural area and give them the basic tools they need to identify common plants, insects, birds and miscellaneous invertebrates in this area. Collection and preservation techniques, as well as ethics of collecting and research will be included. 

Current Issues in Educational Technology

EDFI 575

​​​Graduate students in this course will model and promote strategies for the achievement of equitable access to digital tools and resources, employ technology-related best practices for all students and teachers, facilitate safe, healthy, legal, and ethical uses of digital information and technologies and collaborate with teachers and administrators to select and evaluate digital tools and resources that enhance teaching and learning and are compatible with the school technology infrastructure.

Curriculum & Instruction

EDAD 570

​​ The course provides an examination of past and present curriculum practices, major groups and individuals in society who influence curriculum, trends, and innovations in curriculum, approaches to evaluation of curriculum experiences, professional techniques of curriculum development and the role of pupils, teachers, administrators, parents and other groups in shaping curriculum.

Curriculum and Instruction for Online Learners

EDFI 565

​​​​Graduate students in this course will design and implement online learning experiences that employ effective online instructional and collaborative learning strategies to maximize, maintain and management teacher and student use of online digital tools in technology-rich learning environments.

Differentiated Instruction

EDSP 615

​ This course will provide an overview to the application of differentiated instruction for all grade levels while focusing on the state and national standards. Candidates will be required to keep logs/journals, prepare materials, assignments and assessments and analyze the classroom, their students and their instruction using multiple criteria. 

Ecosystems and Society for Educators

EDSP 606

​​​This course is based on hands-on, discovery-based workshops facilitated by various nationally recognized organizations. Workshops for Project WET, Project Learning Tree, Project WILD/WILD Aquatic and other excellent activity/field curriculum guides and training to use them will be the framework for this class. 

Educational Law

EDAD 578

​​​​This course includes a study of legislation, interpretation and court decisions affecting the administration of public schools.

Educational Leader as a Change Agent

EDUC 541

​​​ Educational leaders are challenged to maintain performance in a positive manner under radically changing conditions such as organizational restructuring, budget cuts, state and federal educational standards and legal mandates. This course will look at how the educational leader can effectively manage his/her responsibilities while providing leadership for peers during system change involving risk.

Educational Leaders as Mentors

EDSP 633

​​​Candidates will learn ways to use knowledge of professional standards, including the Standards for Ohio Educators, to support teachers' professional growth. The research foundation for the course will be drawn from Invitational Theory and Practice, Social-Emotional Learning and the adult education literature. 

Evidence-informed Decision Making

EDSP 632

​​​This course is designed to foster evidence-informed decision making for the teacher leader. Students will work collaboratively to develop high-quality assessments, analyze student data, implement differentiated instruction and respond to intervention.

Facilitating the Adult Learner

EDHR 642

This course provides the student with an in-depth study of the various teaching strategies, techniques and methods suitable for adult learners that are supported by research and tested in practice. 

Increased Effectiveness through Professional Coaching

EDUC 655

​​This course will focus on the theory and practice of professional coaching as a means for helping individuals at all organizational levels enhance their professional skills and improve their performance. 

Increasing Effectiveness through Principle-Centered Leadership

EDUC 650

​​​​This course will be taught utilizing The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People program, which will provide a holistic, integrated approach to personal and interpersonal effectiveness.

Integrating Literature and the Arts

EDCI 565

​​​​The course will use the state and national standards to frame literature, art, music and creative dramatics instruction. 

Internship in Administrative Tasks

EDAD 582

​​​​​This course provides students the opportunity to work in school administration in a public school environment under the joint supervision of a licensed school administrator and The University of Findlay.

Internship: Reading Endorsement

EDFI 655

​​This course is designed for candidates for the reading endorsement to complete 67 of the 100 Ohio Department of Education’s required clock hours of supervised fieldwork in two of three grade bands (K-4, 4-7, 7-12). 

Learning Styles and Needs: Exceptional Children

EDIS 530

​​​​​Study of the diversity and dynamics of learning styles and needs of children with specific learning and developmental disabilities

Legal and Ethical Issues in Athletic Administration

EDSP 656

​​​Students will focus on established legal guidelines to consider all aspects of liability related to athletic administration, managing risk and maintaining safety, equity and integrity within interscholastic athletic programs.

Literacy & Special Needs Population

EDFI 535

​​This course combines developmentally appropriate literacy instruction, strategies and assessments that apply to special education. 

Literary Assessment, Curriculum Alignment and Data Analysis

EDFI 650

​​​This field-based course allows candidates to examine district grade level data, work with a literacy specialist to examine the process of short cycle assessment, progress monitoring, data analysis and curriculum alignment, attend grade-level meetings where teachers analyze their literacy assessment data and learn how to enter assessment data into a technology system​​ used in Ohio. 

Math Teaching for Grades 4 & 5

EDSP 554

​ This course delivers specific content and concepts as well as pedagogy for mathematics teaching at the fourth- and fifth-grade levels. It fulfills method requirements for the Ohio Early Childhood Generalist Endorsement.

Mazza Summer Institute: Children's Picture Story Books: Windows on the World

EDSP 548

​​​ This course is designed to expose teachers, librarians and other community partners to the rich resources for teaching and learning to be found in children’s picture books. The institute consists of keynote speeches by well-known and up-and-coming writers and illustrators of children’s picture books, as well as juried break-out sessions featuring a variety of related topics.

Organization & Administration of Special Education

EDAD 584

​​​​​This course provides school administrators with information and skills to apply special education laws and policies to situations that will be encountered in schools and districts.

Practicum in Educational Technology

EDFI 585

​​Graduate students in this course will conduct needs assessments to inform the content and delivery of technology-related professional development that they design, develop, implement, and evaluate based on model principles of adult learning and digital-age best practices in teaching, learning and assessment.

Program Development: Curriculum Design and Delivery

EDSP 634

​​​This course will focus on the development of programs, curriculum and delivery methods. 

Research in Reading

EDFI 543

​​​Students will discuss current issues in the teaching of reading through investigating relevant research in areas such as the reading process, reading development, assessments, programs and professional development.

School Finances & Resources

EDAD 576

​​ This course will examine the principles and issues of public school finance. Revenues, expenditures, indebtedness and procedures for sound fiscal management are explored.

Science and Technology for Educators

EDSP 604

​​​This is an individually designed, online course that can be tailor-made for the teacher regarding content focus. Teachers will choose two content areas to use as a focus and opportunities for educators to incorporate content into hands-on activities and methodologies into the classroom is part of the course work.

Science as a Way of Knowing/ Inquiry-Based Science Instruction

EDSP 608

​This course takes a historical look at science as a discipline, examines major changes and concepts and focuses on physical/earth systems science domains as opposed to life science. Integration of best-practice inquiry-based science instruction demonstrated with numerous classroom activities will be included.

Science Teaching for Grades 4 & 5

EDSP 555 Prerequisite

​​ This course delivers specific content and concepts as well as pedagogy for science teaching at the fourth- and fifth-grade levels. It fulfills method requirements for the Ohio Early Childhood Generalist Endorsement.

Social Studies Teaching for Grades 4 & 5

EDSP 556 Prerequisite

​ This course delivers specific content and concepts as well as pedagogy for social studies teaching at the fourth- and fifth-grade levels. It fulfills method requirements for the Ohio Early Childhood Generalist Endorsement.

STEAM Instruction

Master of Arts in Education

​STEAM instruction requires a student to complete the graduate education core and 18 hours.

Student Personnel Services

EDAD 572

​​ This course provides school administrators with information and skills to effectively organize, manage and provide leadership for the programs, departments and agencies that are associated with student personnel services.

Supervision & Professional Development

EDAD 574

​​​​​ The course includes recruitment, selection, evaluation and professional development necessary to elevate classroom instruction in your school​.

Technology & Assessment for Administrator

EDAD 586

​​​​This course provides students the opportunity to understand and build database systems that will help them better manage data. Topics included will be basic computer skills for personal and professional management, building databases for a variety of purposes, making professional presentations, assessing P-12 student learning, developing budget projections and tracking student discipline. 

Technology Integration

EDFI 560

​​​​​This course is designed to provide graduate students with an opportunity to learn, apply, implement, evaluate and create technology-based learning experiences for P-12 students and/or adult learners. 

The Art of Picture Books

EDUC 515

​​​This in-depth study of children’s picture books emphasizes the books’ formats, the styles of the artists and the various art media used. Students will draw upon the resources of the Mazza Museum​ and will do related service learning projects.

The Leader: Facilitator of Innovation and Strategic Management

EDSP 630

​​ Learn about  leadership theories, models and strategies that have laid the foundation for the evolution of many leadership practices that exist today. Areas of emphasis will be leadership and strategic management, innovation and creative process, creative problem solving and decision making, strategic planning and organizing, continuous improvement and team building and group dynamics. 

The Principalship

EDAD 568

​​​ This is an introductory course which will address the history, roles, and responsibilities of a principal.

Topics in Children's Literature

EDSP 622

​​​This course will allow students to engage in an in-depth examination of topics related to children’s literature. Projects will be determined by individuals in collaboration with the professor in an attempt to maximize the flexibility of the course to meet individual needs.

Topics in Reading Education

EDFI 665

​​​This course will provide teachers specializing in reading education with an opportunity for in-depth study of a variety of topics related to teaching reading and writing. Special emphasis will be on encouraging participants to identify and address their own individual interests and needs.

Training and Development in Organizations

EDHR 641

​The purpose of this course is to provide students with an overview of the human resource professional in training and development, relationships between training and development and other organizational structures and the principles of training design.

Writing for Children

EDSP 621

​​​​This course introduces students to the process of writing books for children and includes topics such as how to write literary elements effectively, literary techniques and devices, the publishing processes and support systems that are available to new writers.