Master of Education: Literacy and Digital Learning

This course introduces you to the University of San Diego and provides important information about the program. Throughout the orientation, you will learn to successfully navigate through the Blackboard learning environment and locate helpful resources. You will practice completing tasks in Blackboard as preparation for success in your online graduate courses. This orientation course will be available to you as a reference tool throughout the entirety of your program.

Applied exploration of qualitative research methodologies such as ethnography, grounded theory, case-study and cross-case comparisons, surveys, observations, document analyses, focus groups and interviews. Opportunity to learn and apply a variety of techniques to analyze data and interpret findings.

Exploration of digital texts, online comprehension skills, multimodal annotation, and other new literacy practices required in digital reading environments. Students will investigate their own pedagogy, integrating new literacies pedagogies into their practices, and closely studying the impact on student learning.

Analysis of the American educational system with a particular focus on issues of diversity, inequity, conflict and social justice within a school context. Historical case studies, contemporary policies and practices, and international comparisons compel consideration of the social construction of education.

An examination of important new media literacy skills and their application in the K-12 classroom. Students will actively consider, analyze, construct, and synthesize digital content while considering issues of identity, ethics, and privacy.

Introduction to the major educational research methods and paradigms with an emphasis on reflective, practitioner-directed inquiry. The course encompasses quantitative methods, qualitative methods, mixed methods, and action research frameworks. Particular emphasis is placed on action research as a reflective and collaborate inquiry for improving educational practices.

Investigation of theories about how and why we write and how we teach writing in 21^st century classrooms. Exploration of how these theories inform pedagogy, professional learning and research.

Explore key cognitive studies on human cognition and learning. You will critically discuss research and contemporary debates on cognitive processes, learning, memory, reasoning, problem-solving, developmental mechanism, cognitive styles, motivation, and the socio-cultural foundations of learning with an emphasis on the implications for educators and educational researchers.

Theoretical and practical foundation to consider what it means to teach and learn within participatory networks and affinity groups. Topics explored include motivation, assessment, collaboration, and creativity.

For the concluding phase in the program, Masters candidates have the option of three culminating final projects: studies employing action research, studies employing other methodologies, or the curriculum research project.

Consideration of the ways in which young people leverage digital media for composing, accessing information, finding new audiences, and creating communities or practice and purpose. Examination of implications of youth practices with digital media on content instruction, schooling, and learning in and out of school.