Thomas College Institute Courses 2013
The following courses are offered in the week-long, intensive format, weeks beginning June 24th and continuing through August 24th. All TCI courses take place from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Lunch is included. Each course offers three credits. Click here for tuition information.
Cross-Content Critical Thinking
June 24 through June 28- Gayla LaBreck
Critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action” (Edward M. Glaser, An Experiment in the Development of Critical Thinking). This course targets how we cultivate students’ thinking to become more informed, impartial, and open-minded. Using critical thinking skills throughout the whole curriculum helps students to become more independent and self-motivated. We will explore how a well cultivated critical thinker:
- raises vital questions and problems, formulating them clearly and precisely;
- gathers and assesses relevant information, using abstract ideas to interpret it effectively comes to reasonable conclusions, testing them against relevant criteria and standards;
- thinks open-mindedly about the possibilities, recognizes and assesses their assumptions, implications, and consequences; and
- communicates effectively with others to solve problems. (http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/defining-critical-thinking/766)
In this course, students will explore ideas and innovations in expanding students' critical thinking skills across content areas.
Cross Content Critical Thinking is an elective course for Master of Science in Education (MSEd), Master of Science in Education Leadership (MSEdL) and Master of Literacy Education (MSLE) students.
Organizational Behavior and Change in Schools
July 15 through July 19 - Mary Callan
This course is about understanding schools as organizations and how to change them to improve learning for all. It draws on literature about organizational theory, organizational behavior, culture, change and leadership and professional learning communities. It is designed to promote critical thinking about, and planned action toward, creating schools that are true learning organizations. This course begins with an overview of diverse models of organizations and moves to a focused examination of culture and its impact on organizational behavior. Frameworks for understanding organizational change and resistance to change are explored, followed by critical examination of leadership capabilities and skills necessary to lead successful school change efforts, including shared vision, inquiry-based use of data, and broad-based involvement and collaboration.
Organizational Behavior and Change in Schools is a required course for Master of Science in Education Leadership (MSEdL) programs, and an elective for Master of Science in Education (MSEd).
Leadership of People and Organizations
July 15 through July 19 - Donald Cragen
The purpose of this course is to study leadership behavior and its effects on employee motivation and productivity.
Leadership of People and Organizations is an elective for the Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Master of Business Administration - Human Resources (MBA - HR).
The Teaching Revolution
July 22 - July 26 - Gayla LaBreck
How do educators do it all? This TCI course offers teachers the opportunity to learn about how to balance strong teaching practice with cutting-edge innovations creating an environment of trust and culture. Today education needs a "big picture vision that includes student-driven curricula, inter-connectivity, and targeted responsiveness to students’ individual needs…The symbiosis of RTI, technology, and differentiated instruction is so impactful that it will soon dramatically reform teaching" (Bender).
-
discuss and analyze the requirements and practices of RTI and differentiated instruction developing a balanced way of managing these initiatives.
-
examine plans and strategies for meeting the Common Core State Standards.
-
learn the importance of strengthening professional collaboration.
-
address best practice in literacy, numeracy, social studies and/or science.
-
develop procedures that are practical and down to earth in order to implement them during the next school year
The Teaching Revolution is an elective course for Master of Science in Education Leadership (MSEdL) and Master of Science in Education(MSEd) programs.
The Psychology of Learning
July 29 through August 2 - Jennifer McGee
Explore the works of several research-based authors to learn about theories of development, learning, motivation, intelligence, and recent advances in brain-based learning. Put these theories into action to create a classroom environment that actively supports of all your learners! This hands-on and lively course is designed to "equal the playing field" for all of your students...allowing you time for reflection in order to put your new ideas into daily action when you return to school in the fall!
The Psychology of Learning is an elective course for Master of Science in Education Leadership (MSEdL) and Master of Science in Education (MSEd) programs.
Business Simulation
July 29 through August 2nd - Andy Grover
This course provides the student with the opportunity to act as a member of strategic management as part of a business simulation. This hands-on course will provide the student with the decision-making tools needed to make decisions such as those regarding inventory management, production methods, marketing territories, and pay structures while allowing them to see the results of these decisions in terms of profit margin, ROI, and other financial criteria.
This course serves as a substitute for AC551 Accounting for Management Decisions or as a graduate elective in the MBA or MBA-HR program.
Innovation, Change, and Agile Projects
August 5 through August 9 - Frank Appun
This course provides an overview of concepts and strategies used to select optimal options for change. Management and leadership skills are employed to build broad support for change, diffuse innovation, and achieve successful execution through solid project management practices. Topics include organizational culture, innovation processes, technology forecasting, organizational development, use of technology, service-oriented architecture, joint process change, reengineering, diffusion of innovations theory, social epidemic theory, learning organizations, and change implementation strategies.
Innovation, Change and Agile Projects is a required course for the Master of Business Administration - Project Management (MBA - PM)program and an elective for the Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Master of Business Administration - Human Resources (MBA - HR).
Management of Human Resources
August 12 through August 16 - David Pease
This course involves a comprehensive analysis of behavioral theory and practical, analytical techniques for dealing with day-to-day problems in work situations. The specific objective is to develop the action-taking ability and the administrative capacity and know-how to handle the human problems of organizations within an appropriate policy framework.
Management of Human Resources is a required course for the Master of Business Administration - Human Resources (MBA - HR) and the Accelerated MBA programs and an elective for the Master of Business Administration (MBA).
August 19 through 23- Lorne McMillan
This course introduces students to the quantitative analytical tools, models, and concepts which aid the managerial decision making process. Topics include statistical hypothesis testing, sampling distributions, regression analysis, decision theory, and risk analysis.
At the conclusion of Quantitative Analysis for Decision Making, students will understand and demonstrate proficiency in:
-
Evaluating a variety of quantitative sampling methods, analytic models, and statistical frameworks
-
Conceptualizing business problems within an analytical and statistical framework
-
Applying appropriate quantitative analysis methods to business problems
-
Assessing and critiquing analytical results
-
Identifying the benefits and limitations of various decision making techniques
Quantitative Analysis for Decision Making is a required course for the Accelerated MBA and Master of Business Administration - Project Management (MBA-PM) programs and an elective for the Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Master of Business Administration - Human Resources (MBA - HR) programs.
