MTePP [TBD]: Current Trends in Technology Innovation Across Research and Industry [Fall]
In this seminar-style graduate course, you'll dive into the latest technological innovations and their impact on research, industry, and policy. Weekly presentations by experts from academia, industry, and government will cover cutting-edge fields like AI, nanotechnology, cryptocurrency, educational technology, cybersecurity, quantum computing, and blockchain. You'll explore the challenges, opportunities, and societal implications of these technologies, while engaging in discussions on their intersection with policy, ethics, and regulation. By critically assessing emerging technologies, you'll develop a comprehensive understanding of how they are reshaping industries and influencing global public policy.
MSED 451: Transformative Computer Science Education [Winter]
Students will examine the role of computational tools in the design of transformative teaching and learning environments. Grounded in perspectives from learning sciences and computer science, we will cover topics of equity and inclusion, pedagogy, creative applications of computing, and the integration of computational ideas across multiple disciplines. The course is offered through Computer Science, Learning Sciences, and Teacher Education to encourage cross-disciplinary discussions on using computational ideas to create learning environments that are inclusive and support different ways of understanding various subjects. It includes an optional practicum experience working in a K-12 classroom, informal learning space, or college-level classroom.
MTePP [TBD]: Technology in Context [Spring]
This course examines the development and impact of technology within historical, social, and cultural contexts, drawing on theories from Science and Technology Studies (STS). Students will explore how technology shapes and is shaped by society through frameworks like Actor-Network Theory, Technological Determinism, and the Social Construction of Technology. Using case studies and critical analysis, the course explores the relationship between technology, politics, culture, power, and identity, while also considering the ethical, societal, and political implications of technological advances. By the end, students will gain a deeper understanding of how technologies evolve within broader socio-cultural forces.
MSED 402: Social, Cultural, and Linguistics Contexts of Education
This course covers how cultural experiences strengthen teaching, learning, and design. Drawing from the study of sociocultural, linguistic, and contextual influences on education, it incorporates perspectives from teaching, research, and policy. Students consider how issues of power and privilege—related to race, ethnicity, language, class, gender, sexuality, and identity politics—affect and are shaped by the education system. You'll reflect on your own educational experiences and critically assess how legal, historical, socio-cultural, and linguistic factors influence their views on teaching and learning. The course also highlights key trends in PK-12 education, examining their potential benefits and harms. Students will write about their own life, reflecting on how their racial, cultural, and linguistic identity shapes their views. This course can count toward endorsements in English as a Second Language and Bilingual Education for a Professional Educator License, and includes 15 clinical clock hours of experience.