3 graduate credits provided by Fitchburg State University.

This graduate-level professional development course provides educators with an understanding of the components of study skills, which include the management of materials, time, and information. The course explores the importance of developing strong study skills to achieve goals and overall academic proficiency, particularly for students with a language-based learning disability (LBLD) and/or an executive function deficit.  As a result of the learning experiences in this course, participants will be more competent in their ability to:

  • Identify study skills that are relevant to their setting and students
  • Implement and adapt targeted strategies to help students develop strong study skills
  • Design activities and lessons to promote students’ effective management of time, materials, and information
  • Improve students’ ability to achieve their goals by providing an appropriate level of individualized study skill instruction

The course is divided into six, self-paced modules:

The course is divided into six modules over 10 weeks.  (Though participants may work ahead of the specified course pace, this 3-credit course includes specific deadlines for each module.)

  • Overview of Study Skills: This module presents an overview of study skills and its importance for developing strong executive function and overall academic achievement, particularly for students with language-based learning disabilities.
  • Materials Management: This module outlines how materials management skills help students improve their ability to successfully complete tasks.
  • Time Management: This module addresses the importance of time management as an essential skill for achieving goals.
  • Prerequisite Comprehension Skills:  This module explores prerequisite comprehension skills that are essential for students to independently understand written or oral language.
  • Note-Taking: This module outlines the importance of note-taking as an active reading strategy that can help students engage with a text or lecture and effectively manage information.
  • Test-Taking: This module outlines the strategies that students can implement before, during, or after a test or assessment in order to effectively manage information.

Each module will follow the same basic outline:

  • A reading of course content followed by a short quiz
  • A video featuring students and teachers discussing how the module topic has impacted their own experiences followed by a discussion post
  • Strategy demonstration videos of Landmark School teachers employing practical instructional strategies followed by a related assignment
  • An opportunity for participants to submit reflections about how the strategies presented support students’ executive function
  • A variety of readings followed by a reflective assignment

Specific Assignments:

  • Pre and Post-Assessments: These ungraded questionnaires will be completed at the beginning and end of the course in order for participants to self-assess knowledge and application of course content.
  • Quizzes: The quizzes will assess comprehension of the content from the required reading.  The quizzes will be automatically graded within the course platform.  Although participants must earn an 80% or higher to move on to the next section of the course, there are unlimited attempts allowed.  
  • Discussion Posts: The discussions will require participants to post an initial response and reply to at least one other post.  These tasks will be assessed using specific rubrics.  
  • Assignments: The assignments in each module will require participants to apply their understanding of course content to follow the assignment directions and use examples provided as a guideline for format, length, and quality of writing. These tasks will be assessed using specific rubrics.
  • Concluding Thoughts: These tasks require students to explain how strategies learned in each module support students’ executive function. These tasks will be assessed using specific rubrics.
  • Reading and Reflection Assignments: These tasks involve additional reading assignments followed by the completion of a reflective assignment connecting theory to practice. Submissions will be assessed using specific rubrics.

Materials

There is not a required text for the course.

Graduate Credit

Graduate credit is offered through Fitchburg State University and is included in the course fee. Once you register for graduate credit through Fitchburg, the grad credit portion of the course fee ($295) is non-refundable. Details about the graduate credit including timelines to register and refund policies will be embedded in the “Course Welcome” module of the online course.

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