Course Descriptions

FUNDAMENTALS OF EDUCATION COURSES

EDFU 3001. HUMAN GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT I

Three (3) credits, three (3) lecture hours per week.

This course seeks to give future teachers an understanding of the nature and scope of psychology as a background to better understand the educational process. It presents the student with knowledge about the growth and development of children and adolescents. It examines the natural and environmental forces that contribute to the development of a healthy personality.

EDFU 3002. GROWTH AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT II

Three (3) credits, three lecture hours per week.
Prerequisite: EDFU 3001.

In this course, students are introduced to the psychological principles that explain the teaching-learning process and the individual conditions that affect it. Part of the time is devoted to the study of the evaluation process, with special attention to the principles that govern the construction of educational examinations and school promotion.

EDFU 3007. SOCIOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS OF EDUCATION

Three (3) credits, three (3) lecture hours per week.

The course includes an analysis of social sciences and their relationship to the educational process, and of the school as a social institution. It includes a study of man’s cultural heritage and the functions of education in preserving and improving it, the integration of education with the life and institutions of the community and the human group, the conduct of groups in relation to school problems, the role of the teacher, and the relationship between social changes and the school.

EDFU 3017: Assessment of Learning in a Second Language

Three (3) credits, three (3) hours of lecture.
Prerequisite: EDFU 3002.

The course covers the fundamentals of diagnosing and enhancing classroom instruction, utilizing various testing and measurement tools, statistical methods for teacher assessments, and the application of intelligence tests to support educational outcomes.

EDFU 4019. PHILOSOPHICAL FOUNDATIONS OF EDUCATION

Three (3) credits, three (3) lecture hours per week.

It studies the relationship between philosophy and pedagogical work. Introduces the basic problems of philosophy with special emphasis on their educational implications.

METHODOLOGY COURSES

EDPE 3008. ELEMENTARY SCHOOL EVALUATION PROCESS

Three (3) credits, three (3) lecture hours per week.
Prerequisite: EDFU 3002.

Study of the concepts, principles and basic techniques used in the evaluation of the product of the educational process. Emphasis is also placed on the relationship between educational assessment and effective teaching.

EDPE 3018. TEACHING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE

Three (3) credits, three (3) lecture hours per week.
Prerequisite: INGL 3102.

This course delves into the essence and roles of language, encompassing the morphology, phonology, syntax, and vocabulary of English as a second language. It outlines the principles of English language instruction in Puerto Rico, including current methodologies and teaching materials. Additionally, the course involves the development of lesson plans and the creation of classroom experiences.

EDPE 4005: SEMINAR AND CURRICULUM OF LEARNING AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL 

Three (3) credits, three (3) hours of lecture.
Prerequisite: EDFU 3002.

Study and analysis of school and classroom cultures with emphasis on the adaptation and use of teaching and learning resources, organization, planning, teachers’ responsibility towards students, co-workers, school, and community.

EDPE 4245. THEORY AND METHOD OF TEACHING ENGLISH SECONDARY SCHOOL

Three (3) credits, three (3) lecture hours per week.
Prerequisite: INGL 3102 or ENGLISH 3104.

A theoretical and practical course on the teaching-learning process. It studies all aspects of teaching English as a second language in secondary schools: planning, innovative education, and curriculum analysis; the core content in this area of specialization, preparation, adaptation, and utilization of resources; teaching methodology, techniques and strategies; the fundamentals of evaluation and measurement.

EDPE 4246. TEACHING ENGLISH PRACTICE IN SECONDARY SCHOOL

Three (3) credits, fifteen (15) hours per week for the student.
Prerequisite: High School Teaching Curriculum Seminar – EDFU 4005.

During the semester, the student is assigned to a public (or private) high school four (4) hours a day, five (5) days a week. Four (4) days are devoted to teaching English in high school and participating in all other activities inherent to the teacher’s work. One (1) day meets with the university professor to analyze and discuss the problems faced in his teaching practice. In this laboratory, the student is assisted in his or her self-learning by a teacher-supervisor, the school principal and a university professor.

EDPE 4335: SEMINAR AND CURRICULUM OF LEARNING AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL

Three (3) credits, three (3) hours of lecture.
Prerequisite: EDFU 3002.

The course analyzes and discusses the implementation of the Elementary School curriculum. Special attention is given to the areas of drafting operational objectives, taxonomy of
questions, individualized instruction, grouping of students, and planning of learning activities. The course requires clinical experiences in an elementary-level educational setting.

EDPE 4340. TEACHING PRACTICE IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Six (6) credits, twenty (20) hours per week.
Prerequisite: EDPE 4335.

Beginning teachers teach four hours a day, five days a week for a semester in Puerto Rico’s public schools, under the guidance and supervision of cooperative teachers and a supervisor of teaching practice. This teaching experience is enriched through lectures, demonstrations, guided observations, and participation in all the activities inherent in the work of an active-duty teacher.

SPECIAL EDUCATION COURSES

EDES 3205: ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY IN SPECIAL EDUCATION

Three (3) credits.
Prerequisite: None.

Technology is changing people’s lives. A growing area of inquiry is the application of technology to special education. This course will provide basic information about assistive technology (AT) for people with limitations/impairments. The purpose of the program is for future teachers to acquire competencies that will allow them to increase their knowledge, acceptance and use of TA. Both theoretical and practical aspects will be included.  In the discussions, case studies will be worked on through which the student will be able to apply the basic knowledge acquired in the course to the use or design of equipment.

EDES 4006. NATURE AND NEEDS OF THE EXCEPTIONAL LEARNER

Three (3) credits, three (3) lecture hours per week.
Prerequisite: EDFU 3002.

This is an introductory course, aimed at relating the student to the disabled population and the rights and services available to them. Through this course the student will develop an understanding of:

  1. Classification and diagnostic systems in special education.
  2. The different special education programs offered in Puerto Rico.
  3. The organization and administration of Special Education programs in Puerto Rico.
  4. Resources (other than schools) that provide services for children with disabilities in Puerto Rico.
  5. Factors influencing the organization and delivery of Special Education services.
  6. The problems of children with disabilities in school and in the

EDES 4067: INCLUSION AND MOTIVATION OF STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

Three (3) credits, three (3) lecture hours per week.
Prerequisite:

Development of skills in regular education students for the adequate care of students in the special education program integrated into the regular program. Emphasis on the development of teaching skills according to the different disabilities in the use of motivation and awareness techniques.  The skills included in the course are based on the law that guarantees the educational rights of people with disabilities.

ENGLISH CONCENTRATION COURSES

INGL 3201. GRAMMAR, COMPOSITION AND READING I

Three (3) credits, three (3) hours per week.
Prerequisite: INGL 3102 or ENGLISH 3104.

Study of more advanced grammatical structures and composition based on the meticulous analysis of selected readings.

INGL 3202: GRAMMAR, COMPOSITION AND READING II

Three (3) credits, three (3) hours per week.
Prerequisite: INGL 3201.

Study more advanced grammatical structures in English and composition based on detailed analysis of selected readings.

INGL3205: SYNTACTIC FEATURES OF MODERN ENGLISH

Three (3) credits, three (3) hours per week.
Prerequisite: INGL 3102 or INGL 3104.

Study of the structural grammar of the language, supplemented by an introduction to the theory and practice of transformational grammar.

INGL 3221. INTRODUCTION TO LITERATURE I

Three (3) credits, three (3) hours per week.
Prerequisite: INGL 3102 or 3104.

Introduction, appreciation, and analysis of the short story, essay, and novel.

INGL 3222. INTRODUCTION TO LITERATURE II

Three (3) credits, three (3) hours per week.
Prerequisite: INGL 3221.

Continuation of INGL 3221. Reading for the analysis and appreciation of poetry, drama and novels.

INGL 3227: PHONETICS AND PHONEMICS OF U.S. ENGLISH U.S.

Three (3) credits, three (3) hours per week.
Pre-requisites: INGL 3102 or INGL 3104.

English Phonetics in US and intonation. During the semester, attention to oral English and those aspects of English that students have difficulty in speaking Spanish is provided. Phonetic transcription and laboratory practice.

INGL 3231: ADVANCED COMPOSITION

Three (3) credits, three (3) hours per week.
Prerequisite: INGL 3102 or INGL 3104.

Designed to develop proficiency in writing. The goal is to enable students to understand and practice the principles of reasoning through the introduction of exposure modes and organizational techniques. Topics included: description, narration, definition, example, induction and others.

INGL 3425: WRITING INSTRUCTION

Three (3) credits, three (3) hours per week.
Prerequisite: ENGL 3231.

Study of the characteristics of the writing process and the beginning writer, assessment methods of writing and teaching techniques of writing with particular emphasis on writing in a second language.

INGL 4205: LINGUISTIC THEORY

Three (3) credits, three (3) hours per week. Prerequisite: INGL 3227. This course is designed for students majoring in English (Arts and Education). It provides for an understanding of contemporary theories concerning the nature of second language acquisition and handling.

INGL 4326. CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

Three (3) credits, three (3) hours per week.
Prerequisite: INGL 3222.

Literature course for teachers. It comprises a selection of English folk works, contemporary American literature, and international classics in translation within children’s and young adult literature. It is proposed to carry out a study of criticism and literary values with a focus on the teaching of these.

INGL 4327. LITERATURE FOR TEENAGERS

Three (3) credits, three (3) hours per week.
Prerequisite: INGL 3222.

Selection and use of literature according to the diverse interests and abilities of students between grades 7 through 12. Critical analysis of literature for adolescents. Study of problems and objectives to be developed. Practice preparing for a reading class.

EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY

TEED 3008. USE OF AUDIOVISUAL RESOURCES IN EDUCATION

Three (3) credits, three (3) lecture hours per week.

This course is designed with the purpose of providing the student with an overview of the principles that underpin the use of audiovisual resources used for teaching. Management of the equipment and materials that make up the multisensory media group.

Three (3) hours per week will be devoted to the analysis and discussion of the latest technological approaches to education and other prevailing trends in the different subjects or disciplines taught in the school.

It will include the demonstration of techniques and production of multisensory materials with the use of traditional audio-visual resources and current technology.

The course will provide the student with the opportunity to become familiar with the resources routinely used in our educational system.

TEED 3035. THE INTEGRATION OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS IN THE CLASSROOM

Three (3) credits, three (3) lecture hours.
Prerequisite TEED 4018: Introduction to the Use of Computers in Education.

Study of the use of telecommunications for the enrichment of the teaching process. Basic knowledge will be imparted through lectures and practical exercises to identify, locate and exchange information. Vocabulary, equipment, and instructional strategies that a teacher can use for distance communication will be discussed.

TEED 4018. INTRODUCTION OF THE COMPUTER IN EDUCATION

Three (3) credits, three (3) contact hours per week.

This course is an introduction to computers in education.  Emphasis is placed on the following aspects: evolution and impact of the computer in education, theories that support the integration of computers in education; What the teacher should know about the design of a lesson for a computer, study of the research carried out in this field, selection and evaluation of educational programs. Students practice with some computer programs.

EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY ELECTIVE COURSES

TEED 3017. THE INTEGRATION OF INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND THE COMPUTER INTO THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL CURRICULUM

Three (3) credits, three (3) contact hours per week.

Study of the elements of instructional design to select, evaluate, and correctly use technology in the teaching-learning process. It includes the design of low-cost materials using the computer, among others. It provides experiences for the integration of instructional programs into the elementary level curriculum. Some of these constitute field experiences in various educational settings in which the future teacher can observe, develop and implement teaching-learning experiences that integrate technology to promote student learning.

TEED 3045. TELECOMMUNICATIONS II: PROJECT DESIGN AND ELECTRONIC PAGES

Three (3) credits, three (3) lecture hours.
Prerequisite TEED 4018: Introduction to the Use of Computers in Education.

It discusses the benefits of collaborative online projects for educators and students. Students will design instructional projects and develop electronic pages using telecommunications.

TEED 4020. COMPUTER-BASED LEARNING

Three (3) credits, three (3) lecture hours.
Prerequisites TEED 3008: Use of Audiovisual Resources in Education and TEED 4018: Introduction to the Use of Computers in Education.

It provides the student with the opportunity to produce a lesson to be used on microcomputers using the potential of the medium. Students interact with different types of computer-assisted instruction. They integrate the principles of instructional design and visual literacy into a computer lesson.

TEED 4038. PRODUCTIVITY PROGRAMS FOR MICROCOMPUTERS

Three (3) credits, three (3) lecture hours.
Prerequisite TEED 4018: Introduction to the Use of Computers in Education.

It prepares the teacher in the use of programs that facilitate their administrative work such as: keeping records of students, drafting documents, preparing brochures, inventories and others.

TEED 4045. COMPUTER LAB ADMINISTRATION

Three (3) credits, three (3) lecture hours.
Prerequisite TEED 4018: Introduction to the Use of Computers in Education.

Development of the administrative competencies necessary in order to carry out the common activities of a school computer laboratory: prepare inventories, buy equipment and materials, plan and organize seminars, prepare budgets, and evaluate and integrate materials to the curriculum of elementary and secondary schools.

GENERAL COURSES

Natural Sciences

CIBI 3001. BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES I

Three (3) credits, three (3) lecture hours.

Study of the fundamental biological concepts of biology including: the structure of living matter, its chemical composition, cell unity, cellular metabolism and genetics with an emphasis on man through lectures, discussions and demonstrations. Course for students who will not follow Natural Sciences. It is not equivalent to BIOL 3011.

CIBI 3002. BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES II

Three (3) credits. Three (3) hours of lecture.
Prerequisite: CIBI 3001.

Study of the fundamental concepts of biology including ecology, development, evolution, hormonal and nervous control, and other anatomical and physiological aspects of life with emphasis on man through lectures, discussions, and demonstrations. Course for students who will not follow Natural Sciences. It is not equivalent to BIOL 3012.

Social Sciences

CISO 3121. INTRODUCTION TO THE SOCIAL SCIENCES I

Three (3) credits, three (3) contact hours per week.
Prerequisite: None.

Scientific study of human interaction through a thorough examination of the scientific method and its application to the study of human behavior. An examination of the social forces that have shaped the world in which we live. A study of the basic principles of sociology, anthropology and psychology to analyze the incorporation of the individual into social problems. The basic principles of personality theories and the factors that affect their formation are discussed.

CISO 3122. INTRODUCTION TO THE SOCIAL SCIENCES II

Three (3) credits, three (3) contact hours per week.
Prerequisite: CISO 3121.

Scientific study of human interaction through a thorough examination of the scientific method. The main social institutions will be studied, and emphasis will be given to the family, the study of political problems and the economic forces that affect social life. Notions of ecology, demography and universal social processes will be studied. Puerto Rico will be placed within this problem.

Spanish

ESPA 3101. BASIC SPANISH I

Three (3) credits, three (3) hours per week.
Prerequisite: None.

The course aims to help students enrich and improve their knowledge of the Spanish language. This course includes units of language, writing and the narrative literary genres: the short story and the novel. Anthologies of selected readings from academic and literary language are used, as well as representative works by the best Spanish, Latin American, and Puerto Rican authors.

ESPA 3102. BASIC SPANISH II

Three (3) credits, three (3) hours per week.
Prerequisite: ESPA 3101.

The course aims to help students enrich and improve their knowledge of the Spanish language. This course includes units of language, writing and the narrative literary genres: essays, poetry and theatre. Anthologies of selected readings from academic and literary language are used, as well as representative works by the best Spanish, Latin American, and Puerto Rican authors.

Humanities

HIST 3115. HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES – COMPENDIUM

Three (3) credits.

Study of the history of the United States of America from the time of its independence to the present day.

HIST 3177. COMP. HISTORY OF PUERTO RICO

Three (3) credits, three (3) contact hours per week.

It examines the main events related to the colonization period and the foundations that laid the foundations that laid the development of Puerto Rican nationality. The political, social, economic and cultural development from the Spanish-American War to the present is studied in detail. Topics such as globalism, Pan-Americanism and Puerto Rico’s participation in the Caribbean and Ibero-American environment.

Mathematics

MATE 3041. INTRODUCTION MATHEMATICS I

Three (3) credits. Prerequisite: None.

Notions about sets, notions about logic, the axiomatics of algebra, the system of real numbers from the naturals, properties of operations and numbers, numbering systems, decimals and graphical representations on the number line, relations of equivalences, inequality and ordering.

MATE 3042. INTRODUCTION TO MATHEMATICS II

Three (3) credits. Prerequisite: MATE 3041.

It includes rational and irrational numbers, powers, and roots, polynomials, factorization, rational expressions, equations and inequalities, functions and graphs, systems of linear equations, elements of intuitive geometry, congruence, areas, volumes, probability, and normal distribution.

English

INGL 3101. BASIC ENGLISH I.

Three (3) credits, three (3) hours per week.
Prerequisite: None.

This course integrates listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills while developing the vocabulary and grammatical structures of the English language.

INGL 3102. BASIC ENGLISH II

Three (3) credits, three (3) hours of class time, and one (1) hour of lab time per week.
Prerequisite: INGL 3101.

This course integrates listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills while developing the vocabulary and grammatical structures of the English language.

INGL 3103. INTERMEDIATE ENGLISH I

Three (3) credits, three (3) hours per week.
Prerequisite: None.

Analysis of selected readings, such as essays, fiction, poetry, or drama, and practice in writing with attention to grammar and idiomatic expressions.

INGL 3104. INTERMEDIATE ENGLISH II

Three (3) credits, three (3) hours per week.
Prerequisite: INGL 3103.

It continues to use the same techniques of English 3103 and adds composition based on literary analysis. A monograph is prepared as a final project (it includes all the phases: bibliographic, sketch, footnotes, etc.).

INGL 3113. ENGLISH ORAL PRACTICE I

Zero (0) credit, one (1) hour per week.

Laboratory in the Teaching of English as a Second Language Basic I.

INGL 3114. ENGLISH ORAL PRACTICE II

Zero (0) credit, one (1) hour per week.

Laboratory in the Teaching of English as a Second Language Basic II.