A colloquium integrating foundations, the learning process and curriculum. Open only to Smith senior EDC majors. Enrollment limited to 20.

Students will be provided an introduction to educational research methods through two main activities in this weekly seminar: They will (1) discuss texts pertaining to analytical approaches and theoretical models in educational research inspired by constructivist and sociocultural theories, and (2) participate in research projects guided by Campus School teachers’ inquiries about learning. Students will be paired with teachers as research teams and regularly engage in providing and receiving feedback on their collaborative projects.

This course will focus on examining children’s social and moral development through the use of narrative methodology. We will examine how the uses of cultural tools such as narratives and social media allow us investigate how contexts, such as schools and youth organizations, influence children’s understanding of and response to (in)justice. In particular, we will focus on the role of teachers and peers as agents of socialization by examining children’s stories about their experiences in classrooms. Enrollment limited to 15. Juniors and seniors only. Instructor permission required.

Students who speak languages other than English are a growing presence in U.S. schools. These students need assistance in learning academic content in English as well as in developing proficiency in English. This course is designed to provide an understanding of the instructional needs and challenges of students who are learning English in the United States. This course explores a variety of theories, issues, procedures, methods and approaches for use in bilingual, English as a second language, and other learning environments.

This course is designed to provide students with an opportunity to pursue deeper understanding about education, teaching, school reform and educational policy while completing a remote internship in a school or educational setting. We will examine how educators can better harness what is known in the research, practice, and policy arenas to ensure that all youth thrive. This course is open to all Five College students who have applied for and been accepted into the Mindich Fellowship. Prerequisite: EDC 298. Enrollment limited to 40. (E)

This course examines the centrality of race in education mainly in the United States but also in other parts of the world. Using an interdisciplinary lens, we will explore an array of theories of race and intersectionality as they relate to education and interrogate related empirical research and personal narratives.

This course combines perspectives on cognition and learning to examine the teaching-learning process in educational settings. In addition to cognitive factors, the course incorporates contextual factors, such as classroom structure, teacher belief systems, peer relationships and educational policy. Consideration of the teaching-learning process highlights subject matter instruction and assessment. Prerequisite: a genuine interest in better understanding teaching and learning. Priority given to majors, minors, first-year students and sophomores. Enrollment limited to 30.

This course is a study of the theories of growth and development of children, from prenatal development through adolescence; looks at basic considerations of theoretical application to the educative process and child study. Involves directed observation in a variety of child-care and educational settings. Enrollment limited to 55.

This course explores and examines the basic principles and curricular and instructional practices in early childhood education. Students begin this examination by taking a close look at the young child through readings and discussion, classroom observations and field-based experiences in an early childhood setting. The course also traces the historical and intellectual roots of early childhood education.

How do individual economic decisions shape wealth inequality and economic mobility? This course examines topics at the intersection of household finance, the field of economics studying the financial decisions of households, and the economics of inequality. Beginning with an overview of the historical dynamics and theories of wealth inequality, we study recent empirical and theoretical findings on how household preferences and beliefs, financial portfolio investment mistakes, financing frictions, entrepreneurship, and taxes affect the distribution of wealth.