In this learning area, you will learn how to develop an argumentative essay and stronger critical thinking skills. This learning area will help you develop your arguments, understand your audience, evaluate source material, approach arguments rhetorically, and avoid logical fallacies. Here, you’ll also learn about evaluating other arguments and creating digital writing projects related to your argument.
Material Type: Module
This is a great question you might be asking yourself, and if you’re not asking it, you probably should be. If you are a native speaker of English, you don’t even have to think about it to use grammar correctly, at least for the most part. If you have ever watched a child develop language, you know that, at a very young age, children know what is necessary for language to make sense.
Material Type: Module
This book is based on two open-access textbooks: Bhattacherjee’s (2012) Social science research: Principles, methods, and practices and Blackstone’s (2012) Principles of sociological inquiry: Qualitative and quantitative methods. I first used Bhattacherjee’s book in a graduate-level criminal justice research methods course. I chose the book because it was an open educational resource that covered the major topics of my course. While I found the book adequate for my purposes, the business school perspective did not always fit with my criminal justice focus. I decided to rewrite the textbook for undergraduate and graduate students in my criminal justice research methods courses. As I researched other open- educational resources for teaching social science research methods, I found Blackstone’s book, which covered more of the social science and qualitative methods perspectives that I wanted to incorporate into my book. As a result, this open-access textbook includes some content from both previous works along with my own additions based on my extensive experience and expertise in conducting qualitative and quantitative research in social science settings and in mentoring students through the research process. My Ph.D. is in Sociology, and I currently teach undergraduates and graduate students in a criminal justice program at Weber State University. Throughout my career, I have conducted and published the results of research projects using a variety of methods, including surveys, case studies, in-depth interviews, participant observation, content analysis, and secondary analysis of quantitative data. I have also mentored undergraduates in conducting community-based research projects using many of these same methods with the addition of focus groups and program evaluations.
Material Type: Textbook
This book provides an overview of the criminal justice system of the United States. It is intended to provide the introductory student a concise yet balanced introduction to the workings of the legal system as well as policing, courts, corrections, and juvenile justice. Six chapters, each divided into five sections, provide the reader a consistent, comfortable format as well as providing the instructor with a consistent framework for ease of instructional design.
Material Type: Textbook
This text provides edited and abridged cases that are intended to be easy to read and provide lower-division students with a gentle introduction to key legal concepts that define the workings of our criminal justice system. These cases are designed to accompany the textbook Criminal Justice: An Overview of the System.
Material Type: Textbook
This open textbook was the result of a remix of pre-existing open materials collected and reviewed by Molly Zhou and David Brown. Learning theories covered include the theories of Piaget, Bandura, Vygotsky, Kohlberg, Dewey, Bronfenbrenner, Eriksen, Gardner, Bloom, and Maslow.
Material Type: Textbook
Included are open-source reading materials, learning objectives, suggested readings and resources, and activities organized into content modules for undergraduate Foundations of Education courses. The specific course included here is EDUC 2110: Investigating Critical and Contemporary Issues in Education.
Material Type: Textbook
COERLL produces online language learning materials (for example language courses, reference grammars, assessment tools, and corpora) for teachers to adopt, adapt, modify, and share, and also provides professional development tools for teachers. You can browse materials on the COERLL website.
Material Type: Activity/Lab, Assessment, Reading, Textbook, Unit of Study
Students prepare an already published scholarly article for presentation, with an emphasis on identification of the author's thesis and argument structure.
Material Type: Activity/Lab, Unit of Study
This course is designed to provide early childhood education professionals with the knowledge and skills to assess their own level in terms of the eight core competencies, across the infant-toddler, preschool and out-of-school age range. This survey course consists of eight learning modules. Each module is based on one of the eight core competencies: 1) understanding growth and development of children and youth, 2) guiding and interacting with children and youth, 3) partnering with families and communities, 4) health, safety and nutrition, 5) learning environments and curriculum, 6) observation, assessment and documentation, 7) program planning and development, and 8) professionalism and leadership. Includes Powerpoint audio lectures, syllabus, and self-assessments. This course can be used for self-documentation of professional development hours.
Material Type: Full Course, Lecture
This unit examines the area of the brain based learning with a particular focus on the development of the young child's brain and is of particular relevance to those who work with young children. We begin by looking at the structure and functions of the brain, and the impact that sensory deprivation can have on these. We consider the implications of current understandings of brain development for teaching and learning, particularly in an early years setting, and finish by exploring the value of play (particularly outdoor play) in children's learning and the development of their brains.
Material Type: Teaching/Learning Strategy
This Module, a DEC-recommended resource, offers information on how to set up effective inclusive early childhood classroom environments for young children. It also provides details about the interrelated physical, social, and temporal components of those environments, as well as adaptations to help teachers meet the needs of children with disabilities (est. completion time: 1 hour).
Material Type: Module
This Module, a DEC-recommended resource, includes information on how to create developmentally appropriate behavior rules for early childhood classrooms so that they link to a given school's behavior expectations. The importance of communication with families about rules and expected behaviors is also stressed (est. completion time: 1.5 hours).
Material Type: Module
Best practices for planning curriculum for young children, developed by the California Department of Education. This publication provides early childhood education program administrators and teachers with guidance and practices that support the development of partnerships with families and inclusion of children's cultural experiences as essential parts of planning curriculum.
Material Type: Reading
Lessons and tools for K-12 science teaching and after-school programs.
Material Type: Activity/Lab, Lesson
To complete the course ECUR 415.3: Current Issues in EAL, students are required to submit a final paper that reflects their growing knowledge about English as an Additional Language (EAL). EAL is the term used in Saskatchewan to describe students who speak languages other than English and require adequate levels of English to be successful with the school curriculum. Most students enrolled in the online course ECUR 415 are practicing teachers who are working toward a Post-Degree Certificate in EAL Education (PDCEAL), while continuing to live and work in various locations both within and outside of the province. The certificate program, offered through the College of Education, University of Saskatchewan, is recognized by provincial education authorities as being equivalent to one full year of post-degree study. As such, the certificate equips teachers with the knowledge and expertise to be considered teacher-specialists of EAL Education. The course ECUR 415 also attracts some pre-service teachers who are pursuing a Bachelor of Education degree and have an interest in EAL Education.
Material Type: Textbook
"Models of Excellence is a curated, open-source collection of exemplary high-quality PreK-12 student work, along with resources to support the use of student work models to inspire and elevate teaching and learning. The purpose of this site is to catalyze the use of models to help build student skills and dispositions for success in college, careers and life."
Material Type: Activity/Lab, Case Study, Reading, Teaching/Learning Strategy
This online textbook addresses the population of individuals with disabilities that experience complex lifelong needs across multiple areas in their lives. Drs. Sennott and Loman drafted this book (along with the help from some friends) with the hope of providing pertinent, practical, and current resources to future special educators who plan to serve individuals with complex disabilities.
Material Type: Textbook
Free reading options for all Pre K - 12 students. Sites include access for English learners as well as students with reading barriers. Opportunities are highlighted for online reading, downloadable eBooks, audiobooks, apps to read content on smartphones/tablets, and read aloud stories for our youngest learners.
Material Type: Reading
This course addresses essential learning outcomes in normal growth, development and nutrition across the lifespan, inclusive of aging. Its focus is on normal function rather than disease. Includes lectures, handouts, schedules, and student notes.
Material Type: Full Course, Lecture Notes, Lesson Plan, Student Guide
