Study of research-based practices and methods of integrating technology to promote thinking and learning. Students actively explore contemporary technologies and environments for the production and consumption of information.
Explores research-based approaches to designing and developing effective online learning environments within learnng management systems.
Explores the fundamentals of instructional design, including: needs assessment, goal analysis, learner/context analysis, instructional strategies, instructional materials, and formative/summative evaluation. Examines a variety of design perspectives (e.g., ADDIE, Gagne, Bloom).
Examines the effective design of accessible online learning environments with emphasis being placed upon principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in the context of contemporary learning management systems.
Examines instructional design principles and applies them to the design of instructional software. Includes an introduction to computer programming. Explores various theories of learning as they apply to courseware.
Educational Web site development using contemporary tools and contexts. Emphasis on web-based programming and user interface design.
Addresses the theory and practice for online teaching and learning. Participants explore a range of resources and extend skills in creating and implementing digital learning activities. Emphasis is on pedagogical issues and trends in virtual schooling and distance education.
Study of research-based practices and methods for teaching computer applications. Emphasis on developing project-based instructional activities for teaching digital technologies in the elementary/secondary classroom or professional development settings.
Extended Summary
CIT 649 is a graduate-level course designed to help educators develop effective, student-centered approaches to teaching computer applications. The focus is not on mastering specific tools, but on designing instruction that is evidence-based, grounded in learning theory, and aligned with professional standards such as those from CSTA, ISTE, and Nevada state frameworks.
Offered in a compressed five-week format, the course requires consistent engagement through discussions, readings, and applied assignments. Content is organized in a clear, week-by-week structure to support efficient navigation and sustained progress.
The course begins with foundational instructional design concepts, including a student-centered framework emphasizing learner ownership, active engagement, and knowledge sharing. This framework guides the development of instructional modules throughout the course.
Weekly modules focus on key areas of computer application instruction. These include communication tools such as word processing and presentations, data organization and analysis using spreadsheets, and broader topics such as internet research, digital safety, and ergonomics. Students also engage with issues of equity, including antiracist pedagogy, and consider how social justice principles can be integrated into their instructional design.
Rather than learning tools in isolation, students apply these concepts by creating lesson plans and instructional materials aligned with real classroom contexts. Assignments include methods exercises, lesson plan development, and practical tasks such as building spreadsheet-based activities or evaluating online resources using structured frameworks.
Assessment emphasizes both reflection and application. Students participate in weekly discussions, complete reading reflections connecting theory to practice, and submit lesson-based assignments. The course culminates in a final project in which students develop a resource website that synthesizes their work and provides usable materials for teaching computer applications.
Overall, CIT 649 prepares educators to design practical, inclusive, and standards-aligned instruction in computer applications, equipping them with both the conceptual frameworks and applied skills needed for effective teaching.
Study of research-based practices and methods in the teaching of computer science topics including algorithmic processes and their principles, object orientation and programming, elements of software design and usability, data abstraction and logic structures, and interface design. Emphasis is on project-based learning (PBL) strategies in a web-based development environment.
Extended Summary
CIT 651 is a graduate course designed to help educators develop effective, student-centered approaches to teaching computer science. The course emphasizes instructional methods rather than programming skills, focusing on how to design learning experiences that are grounded in theory, aligned with standards, and responsive to diverse learners.
Delivered in an intensive five-week format, the course requires sustained engagement through discussions, readings, and applied assignments. Content is organized sequentially by week to simplify navigation and support a clear learning progression.
A central feature of the course is alignment with professional standards, particularly those from the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA), along with Nevada and ISTE standards. These frameworks guide both instruction and assessment, ensuring relevance to real-world teaching contexts.
The course begins with an introduction to student-centered instructional design, including the “Own It, Learn It, Share It” framework. Subsequent modules explore key themes such as equity and inclusion, professional growth, and instructional design. Students examine justice-centered approaches to CS education and reflect on their evolving identity as educators.
In parallel, students engage with core CS concepts from the CSTA K–12 standards, including data structures, loops and conditionals, and programming languages. They apply these concepts by creating lesson plans and instructional materials rather than learning to code directly.
Assessment includes weekly discussions, reading reflections, methods exercises, and lesson plan assignments. The course culminates in a final project in which students develop a resource website that integrates course concepts. Overall, the course prepares educators to design meaningful, inclusive, and standards-aligned CS instruction.
Focus on current application programming languages and environments for developing digital educational materials. Focus on current application programming interfaces for developing digital educational materials.
Project-based culminating experience course emphasizing problem definition, instructional design, and product development. Exercises individual and collaborative skills on a set of relevant technical and pedagogical competencies.
Emphasis is on critical review and analysis of computer-mediated communications, human-computer interaction, and human factors design research for learning contexts.
Examines issues and research on preparing teachers to enhance learning with technology. Topics include ISTE’s National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) for Students and Teachers, technology integration in methods courses and field experiences, electronic portfolio assessment, one-to-one laptop projects, and online learning in teacher preparation and professional development.
In-depth examination of how human-computer interaction design influences learning.
Trends, issues, and research findings on effective instructional planning, presentation, and evaluation.
Examines the latest research regarding learning and educational technology. Research supported principles will be applied in the development of instructional materials.