LEARN NC

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

CEU courses open for enrollment

The Civil Rights Movement in Context
Investigate the precursors to the Civil Rights Movement, its leadership, its opposition, and its legacy, including lesser-studied events of the movement and primary sources.
Take this course: Begins February 2.

From the education reference

Americans with Disabilities Act
Passed by the U.S. Congress in 1990, the ADA guarantees equal employment opportunities for persons with disabilities. The ADA also provides for reasonable accommodations to increase the numbers of students with disabilities in primary, secondary, and postsecondary education.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
1975 federal law (amended in 1997) under which schools must guarantee that all children with disabilities receive "free, appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment." The statute requires that children with disabilities be educated with children who are not disabled, and that removal from the regular classroom may occur only when the nature or severity of the disability interferes with the successful delivery of aid and services.
service learning
Intentional combination of community service objectives and learning opportunities that benefits both the recipient and provider of the service. Student service learning projects should be structured to link learning tasks to self-reflection so that they enrich learning, strengthen communities, and teach civic responsibility.
discovery learning
Learning that takes place, not through instruction, but through examination, analysis, or experimentation.
cooperative learning
Instructional method in which students work together in small, heterogeneous groups to complete a problem, project, or other instructional goal, while teachers act as guides or facilitators. This method works to reinforce a student’s own learning as well as the learning of his or her fellow group members.
collaborative learning
An umbrella term for the variety of approaches and models in education that involve the shared intellectual efforts by students working in small groups to accomplish a goal or complete a task.
learning contract
An agreement between a teacher and a student regarding how that student will achieve specified learning goals or objectives.
learning disability
A discrepancy between expected achievement and observed achievement, also known as "unexpected underachievement."
Dimensions of Learning model
Model of learning developed by Marzano et al (1988) that links content area knowledge, metacognition, and critical and creative thinking with a taxonomy of thinking skills and thinking processes.
project-based learning
Teaching approach that engages students in sustained, collaborative real-world investigations. Projects are organized around a driving question, and students participate in a variety of tasks that seek to meaningfully address this question.
problem-based learning
Model of instruction in which the teacher poses an authentic problem for student resolution. PBL may be one among many strategies in a classroom or an entire curricular and instructional approach. In the course of problem-solving, students work cooperatively in groups to learn content and skills related to real world problems. The teacher acts as a facilitator to learning.
digital game-based learning
Instructional method that incorporates educational content or learning principles into video games with the goal of engaging learners. Applications of digital game-based learning draw upon the constructivist theory of education.

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Accommodations for students with disabilities in online courses
This document explains how students with disabilities can request accommodations when taking LEARN NC's online courses.
Format: article/help
Bridging Spanish language barriers in Southern schools
These articles provide background on Latino immigrants in North Carolina, administrative challenges in binational education, and strategies through which teachers can build on what Latino students bring to their classrooms to create a learning environment that meets the needs of all students.
Format: series (multiple pages)
English language learners and special education testing
In Bridging Spanish language barriers in Southern schools, page 3.4
English language learners are often incorrectly labeled with learning disabilities because of inffective diagnostic tests. A more effective model of testing and instruction would be based upon the educational concepts of scaffolding instruction and the Zone of Proximal Development.
Format: article
By Mary Faith Mount-Cors.
The law and disabilities
A brief overview of two major laws — the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 — that protect students with disabilities in schools.
By Margaret P. Weiss.
Nothing exceptional
For teachers, the task is to determine which strategies will help students with learning disabilities succeed, both in our classrooms and beyond.
By Janet Ploghoft.
Creating an inclusive environment: Understanding feelings
The students will learn about feelings and how to get along with others in group situations. Children will discuss what makes a friend, how friends make each other feel, what friends do together and how to resolve differences between friends. They will identify the qualities of friendship.
Format: lesson plan (grade K–5 Guidance and Social Studies)
By Dianne Prohn.
LEARN NC goals and guiding principles
This document describes LEARN NC’s guiding principles and lists our short-term goals for 2009-2010.
Format: article/help
Modeling
Modeling is an instructional strategy in which the teacher demonstrates a new concept or approach to learning and students learn by observing. Theory of modeling as an instructional strategy Research has shown that modeling is an effective instructional...
Format: article
By Heather Coffey.
Special education in Mexico
In Bridging Spanish language barriers in Southern schools, page 3.3
In the 1990s, the inclusive education movement gained ground in Mexico, which resulted in the mainstreaming of special needs students into regular classrooms. The effects of this movement can be seen in the educational policies and services focusing on special needs students in Mexico.
Format: article
By Mary Faith Mount-Cors.
Integrating computer use into a Trainable Mentally Disabled Level IV curriculum.
Students involved in the Trainable Mentally Disabled program will use computers to supplement reading and personal information skills being taught as part of the implementation of student's Individual Education Plan. This activity will also allow students to reinforce fine-motor, visual-motor and behavioral skills.
Format: lesson plan (grade 2 Computer/Technology Skills)
By Suzanne Morris.
Imaginative writing
This plan addresses emerging writing skills by engaging the student's interest in creating original drawings.This plan is for Special Needs students, non-readers with limited writing skills, and reluctant learners.
Format: lesson plan (grade K–1 English Language Arts)
By Ann Franklin.
Quality standards for online professional development courses
Standards for curriculum, student assessment, design, management, and evaluation of online courses offered to K–12 teachers, administrators, and support personnel through LEARN NC.
Format: article/help
Translations, reflections, rotations
This lesson will allow students to explore translations, reflections, and rotations using a resource of Shodor Education Foundation, Inc. Permission has been granted for the use of the materials as part of the workshop Interactivate Your Math Students. Students explore the world of translations, reflections, and rotations in the Cartesian coordinate system by transforming squares, triangles and parallelograms. Parameters: Shape, x or y translation, x or y reflection, angle of rotation. (Italics are a direct quote from Shodor.org.)
Format: lesson plan (grade 6–8 Mathematics)
By Deborah Bourne.
Teaching phonological awareness to LD students
This lesson is designed to help students understand the part/whole word relationships at the sentence level. It enables students to relate the 44 phonemes of the English language to words in print (reading) better. Although this lesson is written based on first-grade goals and objectives, it is designed for second-grade students who are not reading at a first-grade level. This lesson should be taught only with a small group.
Format: lesson plan (grade 1 English Language Arts)
By Cynthia Bumgarner.
We read every day!
Students will, through observation outside of the classroom, gather and bring to class five items that exhibit different sources of information comprised of more complex vocabulary.
Format: lesson plan (grade 7 English Language Arts and Information Skills)
An apple a day: Understanding halves and simple addition
This is a hands-on lesson which uses apples to introduce the concept of "half" and to teach simple addition. This lesson was taught to a group of 1st grade EC students.
Format: lesson plan (grade 1 Mathematics)
By Janet Acorn.
Quality standards for online K–12 courses
Standards for curriculum, design, student assessment, management, and evaluation in online courses offered to K–12 students through LEARN NC.
Format: article/help
Digital game-based learning
Digital game-based learning (DGBL) is an instructional method that incorporates educational content or learning principles into video games with the goal of engaging learners. Applications of digital game-based learning draw upon the constructivist theory of education.
Format: article
By Heather Coffey.
Looking for support
An elementary special education teacher talks about finding support in challenging situations.
By Kathleen Casson.
Thanksgiving story: Stone Soup
This lesson is for K–5 Exceptional Children who are mild to moderately disabled. This lesson will incorporate listening, daily living, fine motor, and augmentive communication skills.
Format: lesson plan (grade K–1 English Language Arts)
By Christina Pond and Sarah Boling.