Adult Education (AE)

This course offers educators the opportunity to earn university credit while developing reflective practice, practical activities and strategies based on knowledge attained by attending the graduate research conference. Students will attend the one-day learning community conference and then within their own classrooms explore the content, process for design, implementation, and evaluation of the teacher-based action research.

In this foundational course, educators will explore the latest research to assist with development of a basic understanding of adverse childhood experiences. The students will work with other educators in their local educational contexts (peers, community-based professionals, building administrators) and from SMSU (university professor(s) and fellow classmates). Together, they will increase their understanding of the past and current research and discoveries and explore classroom strategies and applications. This course can be taken simultaneously with the subsequent course AE 506: Adverse Childhood Experiences-Intermediate Application.

In this intermediate course, educators will design and develop a mini action research study utilizing the information and strategies developed in the prerequisite course (Adverse Childhood Experiences: Foundational Exploration). The students will implement the study within their work environment while working with other educators in their local educational contexts (peers, community-based professionals, building administrators) and from SMSU (university professor(s) and fellow classmates). Together, they will increase their understanding of the current ACES discoveries by implementing, collecting data, and reflecting on the findings.

In this advanced course, educators will complete a mini action research paper. Students will take the research discoveries from the prerequisite courses and develop a formal action research paper. This paper must be written per APA guidelines. An advisory panel comprised of course peers and the professor will review and approve the research papers.

In this course educators will work with professional colleagues in their local educational context, SMSU professor(s), local administrator(s) and community-based professionals to increase their understanding of the executive skills that comprise each of the three major brain networks, how to recognize each of these executive skills, how and when they develop, and how to support their development. Students will study in greater depth each of the executive skills in: the salience network including, the sensory-motor system, memory, relational (analogical) reasoning, attention, motivation, decision-making, self-control, self-assessment and the consequences of ineffective self-assessment; the default mode network including, social-emotional brain, social memory, and the importance of this network in supporting student learning; and the task-specific network, including, critical thinking, language, math, and the core components involved in supporting the most effective development of these skills and students learning.

Using the knowledge gained from The Executive Brain Foundations and Executive Brain Development, educators will collaborate with other professionals to create a classroom action plan for developing of one or more specific executive skills in their students. To do so educators will develop a set of research-based strategies to develop each of those executive skills and integrate them into their classroom practice to improve their students learning and academic achievement. Findings from their action research project will be presented to other educators to support their own and their colleagues professional development, classroom/school change, and curricular and/or policy development in their local schools.

Careers where one is expected to manage the learning and behavior of others is stressful. When dealing with a population that has a cadre of issues ranging from safety concerns to academic issues, to behavioral problems, educators are often left feeling defeated and exhausted. In this course educators work with professional colleagues in their local context (peers, administrator(s), community-based professionals, professional organizations) and from SMSU professors to increase their understanding and the importance of educator self-care. Educators will explore the latest research to assist with the development of practical strategies for self-care. Students will learn why self-care matters, why it is important to take care of oneself, and how to develop a self-care plan. In this foundational course, educators will explore and develop strategies for improving quality of life and reversing and/or preventing educator burnout. This course can be taken simultaneously with the subsequent course(s) AE 519: Educator Self-Care Action Research

In this advanced course, educators will complete an investigative action-based research project. This project is parallel to our Mini Action Research projects done within the Graduate Learning Communities. Students will take the research discoveries from the prerequisite course (ED 518 Educator Self-Care Foundational Exploration) and will implement the study within their home and work environment while working with other educators in their local educational contexts (peers, community-based professionals, building administrators) and from SMSU professor(s) and fellow classmates. Together, they will increase their understanding of the mechanisms for self-care by implementing, collecting data, and reflecting on the findings. 3 credits; A-F grading.

In this course, students will select (or be assigned) a specific topic and will work with professionals in their assigned topic area to develop instructional practices to enhance the content they are developing. They will explore strategies for how the content is applied/integrated into the overall district curriculum. Students integrate their new understandings of real-world applications for a specific topic into the curriculum.

This course offers educators the opportunity to increase their awareness of the culture of poverty and the impact it plays with our students, families, communities, and region. The course will provide a physical, social, and psychological understanding of poverty, inducing factors and responses. A broad array of poverty research will be presented and potential plans to assist will be explored.

In this foundational course, educators will explore the latest research to assist with development of a basic understanding of the culture of poverty and the effects it has on students, families, communities, and especially schools in which they live and work. The students will work with other educators in their local educational contexts (peers, community-based professionals, building administrators) and from SMSU (university professor(s) and fellow classmates). Together, they will increase their understanding of the past and current research and discoveries and explore classroom strategies and applications.

In this intermediate course, educators will design and develop a mini action research study utilizing the information and strategies developed in the Foundational Exploration course: AE 522. The students will implement the study within their work environment while working with other educators in their local educational contexts (peers, community-based professionals, building administrators) and from SMSU (university professor(s) and fellow classmates). Together, they will increase their understanding of the current poverty discoveries in their community by implementing, collecting data, and reflecting on the findings.

In this advanced course, educators will complete an action-based investigation research project. This project is parallel to our Mini Action Research projects done within the Graduate Learning Communities. Students will take the research discoveries from the related courses and develop a formal action-based resource guide. This guide must be written per APA guidelines. An advisory panel comprised of course peers, school peers, administrator(s), and the professor will review and approve the research presentations.

The access to information evolving, it is difficult to know what resources are credible and which are not. In this course, students will learn how to evaluate resources and make decisions regarding what to utilize within their curriculum.

In this course, educators will learn what to do if an adult is having a mental health or substance abuse related crisis. Mental health and substance abuse related risk factors and warning signs will be reviewed and strategies for intervening and assisting will be highlighted. Finally, local agencies/resources will be identified so appropriate referrals can be made. The course objectives will be addressed through a lens of identification, crisis intervention and referral. Further, they will be addressed through the belief that individuals experiencing such challenges can seek professional help, do better, and stay healthy. A component of this course is Mental Health First Aid. The purpose of MHFA is to train people how they can assist in a mental health emergency and lend help to someone in emotional crisis. Just as a medical first responder responds to a medical crisis, this trained mental health first responder will respond to mental health and substance use crisis until professional help arrives. After successful completion of the course, the student will receive a 3-year certification in Adult Mental Health First Aid. Disclaimer: This course is for mental health or substance-abuse related crisis identification, intervention, and referral. It is not a course in diagnosis or treatment.

In this course, educators will learn what to do when a child/adolescent is having a mental health or substance abuse related crisis. Mental health and substance abuse related risk factors and warning signs will be reviewed and strategies for intervening and assisting will be highlighted. Finally, local agencies/resources will be identified so appropriate referrals can be made. The course objectives will be addressed through a lens of identification, crisis intervention and referral. Further, they will be addressed through the belief that youth experiencing such challenges can seek professional help, do better, and stay healthy. A component of this course is Mental Health First Aid. The purpose of MHFA is to train people how they can assist in a mental health emergency and lend help to someone in emotional crisis. Just as a medical first responder responds to a medical crisis, this trained mental health first responder will respond to mental health and substance use crisis until professional help arrives. After successful completion of the course, the student will receive a 3-year certification in Youth Mental Health First Aid. PELSB License Renewal: This course does meet PELSB license renewal conditions for key warning signs of mental illness in children/adolescents and suicide prevention training. Disclaimer: This course is for mental health or substance-abuse related crisis identification, intervention, and referral. It is not a course in diagnosis or treatment.

This course offers educators the opportunity to take a research presentation and develop a professional presentation to be utilized beyond the requirements of a graduate program and/or presentation. Through reflective practice, students will learn how to revise their research presentations to be utilized within the broader P-12 system. They will learn how to adapt and strengthen their presentations, so they are marketable and meaningful. They will take knowledge attained by attending the graduate research conference to reevaluate and reinvent their presentation content, design, and implementation. Further, they will learn how to adapt their presentation based on audience needs (data gathering and analysis), and how to market the presentation.

This course offers educators the opportunity to increase their awareness of the culture of their classroom/learning environment and the impact it has on students ability to be successful. The course will provide an overview of the 4 C Model: Caring, Constancy, Candor, and Choices and the role each plays in the classroom, inducing factors and responses to the roles each plays. A broad array of 4 C research will be presented and potential plans to assist will be explored.

In this foundational course, educators will explore the latest research to assist with development of a basic understanding of the classroom culture and focus specifically on establishing a candor and choices learning environment. The students will work with other educators in their local educational contexts (peers, community-based professionals, building administrators) and from SMSU (university professor(s) and fellow classmates). Together, they will increase their understanding of the past and current research and discoveries and explore classroom strategies and applications.

In this foundational course, educators will explore the latest research to assist with development of a basic understanding of the classroom culture and focus specifically on establishing a caring and constancy learning environment. The students will work with other educators in their local educational contexts (peers, community-based professionals, building administrators) and from SMSU (university professor(s) and fellow classmates). Together, they will increase their understanding of the past and current research and discoveries and explore classroom strategies and applications.

In this advanced course, educators will complete an investigative action-based research project. This project is parallel to our Mini Action Research projects done within the Graduate Learning Communities. Students will take the research discoveries from the related courses and develop a formal action-based resource guide. This guide must be written per APA guidelines. An advisory panel comprised of course peers, school peers, administrator(s), and the professor will review and approve the research presentations.

In this foundational course, educators will explore the latest research to assist with the teaching of resilience. The students will work with other educators in their local educational contexts (peers, community-based professionals, building administrators) and from SMSU (university professor(s) and fellow classmates). Together, they will increase their understanding of the past and current research and discoveries and explore classroom strategies and applications.

Students identify how teaching and learning of resilience fits into their professional practice and development. These identified areas may include, but is not limited to, instructional, organizational, or community processes related to their practice or content area. From the research students will extract resilience (teaching and learning) strategies and will develop an action research project designed to improve, implement or understand teaching resilience. Students conduct a review of the literature, examine and select a research design, determine data collection tools, and apply analytical processes appropriate to the initial and emerging needs of the project.

In this advanced course, educators will complete an resilience focused investigative action-based research project. Students will take the research discoveries from the related courses and develop a formal action-based resource guide. This guide must be written per APA guidelines. An advisory panel comprised of course peers, school peers, administrator(s), and the professor will review and approve the research presentations.

In this introductory course, educators will explore the latest 21st century skills research to assist with the development of practical strategies for optimizing in the classroom/learning environment. The educators will work other educators in their local educational contexts (peers, community-based professionals, building administrators) and from SMSU (University professors and fellow classmates). Together, they will increase their understanding of the current 21st century skills strategies and explore classroom strategies and applications.

In this foundational course, educators will explore the latest research to assist with development of a basic understanding of the 21st Century Skills and focus specifically on establishing a learning skills environment. The students will work with other educators in their local educational contexts (peers, community-based professionals, building administrators) and from SMSU (university professor(s) and fellow classmates). Together, they will increase their understanding of the past and current research and discoveries and explore classroom strategies and applications.

In this advanced course, educators will complete an investigative action-based research project. This project is parallel to our Mini Action Research projects done within the Graduate Learning Communities. Students will take the research discoveries from the related courses and develop a formal action-based resource guide. This guide must be written per APA guidelines. An advisory panel comprised of course peers, school peers, administrator(s), and the professor will review and approve the research presentations.

SEL Blueprint: Mapping Out a Year of Impactful Teaching ¿ Introduction Description: This course offers educators the opportunity to increase their awareness of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and what influence of creating a positive learning environment can have on their students. This course will provide an overview of the COMMUNITY theme, introducing them to how each area will support the development of their students¿ social and emotional well-being and provide a monthly framework for lesson development.

In this foundational course, educators will explore the latest research to assist with development of a basic understanding of social emotional learning and will be energized and equipped with a fresh and hands-on approach to social-emotional learning, through collaborative planning sessions. Participants will discover creative strategies to cultivate a thriving classroom community, craft inclusive lesson plans, and seamlessly weave SEL into their teaching practices. Every aspect of the course is tailored to meet the unique needs and aspirations of educators, offering practical tools and inspiring solutions for challenges in the classroom. The participants will work with others in their local educational contexts (peers, community-based professionals, building administrators) and from SMSU (university professor(s) and fellow classmates). 3 credits; A-F Grading.

In this advanced course, educators will complete an investigative action-based research project. This project is parallel to our Mini Action Research projects done within the Graduate Learning Communities. Students will take the research discoveries from the related courses and develop a formal action-based curriculum map of social emotional lessons to be integrated throughout the academic year. These lessons must be written per APA guidelines. An advisory panel comprised of course peers, school peers, administrator(s), and the professor will review and approve the research presentations. 4 Credits; A-F Grading.

This course is a reflective study of the Science of Reading with specific focus on the Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading & Spelling-Volume 1, Units 1-4. Teachers who have completed LETRS Volume 1, Units 1-4 may earn graduate credit with proof of completion with 80% mastery or above by submitting the LETRS certificate, participation in SoR discussions with course colleagues, and crafting a 1,500 word research-based paper regarding structured literacy and The Challenge of Learning to Read content including a reflective component on the implications for teaching and learning related to the bridge to practice activities. Prerequisites: Completion of LETRS training Volume 1. Department reserves the right to remove students from the course who do not meet the prerequisites.

This course is a reflective study of the Science of Reading with specific focus on the Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading & Spelling -Volume 2, Units 5-8. Teachers who have completed LETRS Volume 2, Units 5-8 may earn graduate credit with proof of completion with 80% mastery or above by submitting the LETRS participation in SoR discussions with course colleagues, and crafting a 1,500 word research-based paper regarding structured literacy and The Reading-Writing Connection content including a reflective component on the implications for teaching and learning related to the bridge to practice activities. Prerequisites: Completion of LETRS training Volume 2. Department reserves the right to remove students from the course who do not meet the prerequisites.

This course offers educators the opportunity to increase their awareness of their leadership potential and the impact it can have on their ability to be a successful change agent. The course will provide an overview of the eight archetypes all educators possess, inducing factors and responses to the roles each plays. Educators will conduct several self-assessments to determine their leadership strengths.

In this intermediate course, educators will explore the latest research to assist with development of a basic understanding of the eight different archetypes and focus specifically on establishing a leadership array. The educators will work with others in their local educational contexts (peers, community-based professionals, building administrators) and from SMSU (university professor(s) and fellow classmates). Together, they will increase their understanding of the past and current research and discoveries and explore classroom strategies and applications.

In this advanced course, educators will complete an investigative action-based research project. This project is parallel to our Mini Action Research projects done within the Graduate Learning Communities. Students will take the research discoveries from the related courses and develop a formal action-based resource guide. This guide must be written per APA guidelines. An advisory panel comprised of course peers, school peers, administrator(s), and the professor will review and approve the research presentations.

This course will provide educators with innovative and culturally responsive methods for integrating math, literacy, and arts instruction. The course will emphasize special education strategies and the use of Hip Hop Literacy to enhance student engagement and foster diversity, equity, and inclusion in classrooms. Participants will complete a final reflections paper by April 2025, showcasing the practical application of these concepts in their teaching environments.

This course will focus on an analysis of school based management and leadership in American schools. Site visits and panel discussions of superintendents and principals are included in the program. Case studies will be reviewed and analyzed by teams of students. Leadership styles and organizational concepts will be examined. Students will conduct research of management and operations at school sites in the area. A final presentation of research by individual groups will be required.

This course is available to licensed administrators from outside of Minnesota who are seeking to obtain Minnesota administrative licensure as a principal, superintendent, and/or director of special education. Candidates credentials will be evaluated to determine the needed competencies and/or field experiences to gain licensure. This course will be taken to establish a roadmap for the candidate to complete the needed competencies towards licensure requirements. This course can be repeated with the remaining competency levels needed.