Undergraduate Course Descriptions
For details on prerequisites and credits, visit the UC Davis General Catalog. Please also seek advisement on the structure of the minor and what courses are required.
EDU/GEL 81. Learning in Science and Mathematics (Cal-Teach SMI- this course does not count towards minor)
Exploration of how students learn and develop understanding in science and mathematics classroom. Introduction to case studies and interview techniques and their use in K-6 classrooms to illuminate factors that affect student learning. (Same course as Geology 81) (2 units)
EDU 100. Introduction to Schools
Study of occupational concerns of teachers; skills for observing classroom activities; school organization and finance; school reform movement; observing, aiding and tutoring in schools. Includes 30 hour fieldwork component. (4 units)
EDU 110. Educational Psychology: General
Learning processes, cognitive development, individual differences, testing and evaluation. (4 units)
EDU 114. Quantitative Methods in Educational Research
Problems and methods in data analysis. Design of research projects. Some consideration of procedures suited to digital computers. (4 units)
EDU 115. Educating Children with Disabilities
Educational issues and processes involved in teaching children with disabilities. The course will focus on the structure of special education, with an emphasis on meeting the educational needs of children who are mainstreamed in regular classes. (2 units)
EDU 119. The Use and Misuse of Standardized Tests
Principles underlying educational and psychological testing. Purposes of testing for individual achievement and evaluation of school programs. Interpretation and misinterpretations of outcomes. Analysis of SAT, GRE and other common tests. Experience in test administration and outcome interpretation. (4 units)
EDU 120. Philosophical & Social Foundations of Education
Philosophical, historical and sociological study of education and the school in our society. (4 units)
EDU 121. Introduction to Education Policy Analysis: Tools, Methods, and Frameworks
Introduces students to the field of education policy analysis with a specific emphasis on the quantitative frameworks and analytical tools — drawn primarily from economics and statistics — that are used to guide and inform educational policymaking. (4 units)
EDU 122. Children, Learning and Material Culture
How material artifacts shape what and how children learn in school, at home, and in the community. Artifacts examined include books, computers, household appliances, toys and games, entertainment media, collectibles, sports equipment, clothing, folk arts and crafts, and neighborhood space. Offered in alternate years. (4 units)
EDU 130. Issues in Higher Education
Analysis of current issues in higher education and of some practical implications of varying philosophical approaches to the role of the university. Includes flexible 30 hour fieldwork component. (4 units)
EDU 142. Environmental Science Education
Study of history, philosophy, principles and approaches to environmental education (EE) and outreach; learning theories, teaching strategies and techniques in EE and outreach; evaluation of EE curricula in non-formal and in-school contexts; observing, aiding and facilitating local environmental education programs. (4 units)
EDU 147. Anglos, Latinos and the Spanish Black Legend: The Origins and Educational Implications of Anti-Hispanic Prejudice
Examination of anti-Hispanic prejudice in the United States focusing on the “Black Legend,” a 16th Century anti-Spanish myth underpinning the doctrine of “Manifest Destiny.” Exploration of the Legend’s presence in contemporary American society through interviews and analysis of school textbooks. (Same course as Spanish 147.) (4 units)
EDU 150. Cultural Diversity and Education in a Sociopolitical Context
Introduction to cultural diversity and education in a sociopolitical context. Interactive course. Small and large-group discussions explore, extend, and apply readings; range of writing genres for responses to assignments and course themes; lectures, slide shows, speakers, brief fieldwork, and presentations. (4 units)
EDU 151. Language Development in the Chicano Child
This course is no longer offered; see updated course, below. Bilingualism, first and second language acquisition, bilingual education, language assessment, Chicano Spanish and the role of dialect varieties in the classroom. Not open for credit to students who have completed course 151T. Offered irregularly. (3 units).
EDU 152. Communication Skills for Bilingual Teachers
The development of communication skills of prospective educators with an emphasis on the study and use of standard Spanish and Southwest Spanish dialects in teaching science, mathematics, social science, music, art, and language arts to bilingual elementary school pupils. (3 units)
EDU 154. Languaging in Chicanx & Latinx Communities & Schools
Interdisciplinary research on the diverse communicative practices of individuals from Chicanx/Latinx communities in the U.S. Critiques deficit orientation of early social science research and introduces scholarship providing contextualized and nuanced findings about the linguistic practices that Chicanxs and Latinxs use to communicate across a range of learning settings in and out of schools. (4 units)
EDU 155. Ethnic Studies in K-12 Schools
Course Description: Brief historical genealogy of Ethnic Studies as an interdisciplinary field, content and pedagogical knowledge of Ethnic Studies approaches in K-12 school settings and grassroots communities, and reviews the existing research of Ethnic Studies literacies in US public schools. (4 units)
EDU 163. Guidance and Counseling
Nature and scope of pupil personnel services; basic tools and techniques of guidance; theory and practice of counseling psychology, with emphasis on educational and vocational adjustment. Offered irregularly. (4 units)
EDU 173. Language Development
Theory and research on children’s acquisition of their native language, including the sound system, grammatical systems, and basic semantic categories. (4 units)
EDU 181. Teaching in Mathematics and Science (Cal-Teach SMI)
Exploration of effective teaching practices based on examination of how middle school students learn math and science. Selected readings, discussion and field experience in middle school classrooms. (Same course as Geology 181.) (2 units)
EDU 183. Teaching High School Mathematics and Science (Cal-Teach SMI)
Exploration and creation of effective teaching practices based on examination of how high school students learn mathematics and science. Field experience in high school classrooms. (Same course as Geology 183) (3 units)
EDU 185. Learning in a Digital Age: Information, Schooling, and Society
Focus on the changing nature of learning in a digital age: social media, ubiquitous connectivity, online education, electronic communication, writing, gaming, and youth culture. (4 units)
EDU 192. Internship
Internship as a tutor, teacher’s aide, or peer counselor in a school or educational counseling setting under the supervision of a faculty member. May be repeated for credit. (P/NP grading only.). (1-3 units)
