Educational Studies (EDU)

The purpose of this course is to enable you to understand and think about human development. As a nurse, you will need to use knowledge of human development as you work and interact with a variety of people each day. This course provides an overview of the theories and current research in the area of human development during childhood, adolescence and adulthood. The course focuses on the physical, cognitive, and social-emotional facets of development. Learning experiences will include: lectures, class discussions, small group interactive activities and projects, student presentations, field observations, and individual written assignments.

This course will deal with the pedagogy of using interactive whiteboards and provide an introduction to the use of interactive white boards with mobile and web-based technologies as they emerge. Students will explore the use of interactive white boards and related apps as tools to create more interactive presentations, to engage and differentiate for K-12 students, and to support the development of independent and engaged learners. Activities will allow comparison between new and more traditional tools for instruction. Students will also develop ways to relate these new learning tools to research on teaching and learning. A key feature of this course will be to provide online and clinical lab practice utilizing the new technologies in relation to interactive white boards so students gain fluency working with these technologies.

Have you ever wondered why there are so many kinds of schools in the United States and why the graduates of those schools seem to have such different experiences? Have you ever wondered how those differences affect a student’s future – does it affect their work, the amount of money they earn, the places they live? If you’ve thought about these things, have you wondered how they affect you and your future? This course will give you an opportunity to think and learn about all these questions and a lot more. We will look at American schools from today and in the past, focusing especially on Yonkers schools. We will look at what people think and have thought about the purpose of education. Through projects and readings, movies and music, we will learn about the struggles for equal educational opportunity for all students. You will learn about how you can take advantage of the opportunities you have, how to deal with road blocks, and how to create even more opportunities.

Do politics, economics and history shape educational systems? This introductory course will focus on and compare educational systems on a global level as well as their effect on the American educational system. The course examines education in its scope from pre-kindergarten through high school and beyond in various parts of the world.

This course examines the nonverbal communication process as it affects communication style and competence. Theories and research on nonverbal communication are discussed in the real context of communication situations. Students have ample opportunities to analyze their experiences and practice new skills through class discussions and assignments.

This course examines the interpersonal communication process as it affects communication style and competence. Theories and research on interpersonal communication will be discussed in the context of actual communication situations, allowing students ample opportunities to analyze experiences and practice new skills. Course topics include information processing, perception, verbal and nonverbal communication, listening skills, self concept, male/female communication, conflict management, interpersonal persuasion, and intercultural communication. Students will visit various immigrant communities (e.g., Latino, Chinese, and Vietnamese) to help new immigrants develop communication skills in the United States; at the same time, students will learn how to communicate with these people.

This course examines recent reforms in urban education and their impact on teachers, students, and the community. Members of the class will examine the politics of urban education and the impact of high-stakes testing on urban schools. In addition, they will engage in study of the social context of urban students’ lives and the impact that context has on what students bring to and expect of urban schools and teachers. The course combines readings, online dialogue and attendance at the School of Education Distinguished Speakers’ Series.

This course examines expert performance across a range of activities including the sciences, engineering, education, business, the arts, and sports. Drawing from psychology and anthropology it explores what counts as expertise and whether or not experts always have an advantage. Case studies and field research are used to deepen our understanding of six essential principles of expertise. We will also consider the concepts of individual and group expertise.

This intensive workshop will focus on the types of academic writing students might encounter in college, and on reading strategies that will help them engage more effectively with academics texts. There will also be a focus on seeking out support from people and resources of which some students might not be aware.

This travel seminar series follows the footsteps of early European educational thinkers by exploring their educational philosophies in the European context. The first seminar focuses on the Roman-Italian educational thinkers (such as Marcus Tullius Cicero, Marcus Fabius Quintillianus, Pietro Paolo Vergerio - the Elder, and Maria Montessori) and educational approaches (such as Reggio Emilia) and examines how the Italian educational thinking and approaches have influenced the educational practices in the United States. Participants will visit Italian cultural relics, listen to lectures provided by Italian educational experts, and visit Italians schools. Participants will also have ample opportunity to reflect on their experience and relate it to their future teaching or career. The seminar is open to Pace School of Education students as well as all other Pace University students.

This seminar will explore how law and policy interact in public education (both K-12 and higher education), focusing on significant Supreme Court constitutional rulings involving race and/or religion and current policy conflicts. We will grapple with several questions: 1) What impact do Court decisions have on policy and practice? 2) To what extent does (or should) the law limit policy options in these areas? 3) How should we balance competing values in public education? 4) How should policymakers weigh different interests and priorities? 5) To what extent should individual choice govern public education?

This course provides students with a first-hand look at Cuban society with a focus on its history, culture and educational system, lifting a veil on a country that most citizens in the United States know very little about. The course will provide students with cultural immersion and study abroad as well as a better understanding of our neighbor only 90 miles off the coast of Florida. The course is designed for all students wishing to gain a better understanding of historical, social, cultural and educational processes in the country that consistently ranks number one in educational and health outcomes in all of Latin America and acquire global experiences that will enrich their personal, academic, and professional lives. The first component of the course consists of visits to cultural and educational institutions. The second component consists of lectures, seminars and discussions with experts in the field who will orient our students to the current Cuban context and answer all of their questions. Through this course, Pace students will study and identify the historical and contemporary forces which influence Cuba and shape its policy-making decisions. They will also learn about the social and cultural heritage of Cuba and participate in cultural activities and visits to cultural and historical sites. The course will contain pre-travel preparatory seminars as well as a post-travel reflection seminar to reflect on the in-country experience in Cuba.