Kevin Bower talking with students in a classroom.
Advancing Rigor and Equity in Social Sciences Certificate

Advancing Rigor and Equity in Social Sciences Certificate

Designed for teachers who wish to meet the needs of and improve the persistence and success of students from underserved racial identity groups in honors secondary social studies courses in the identified subject areas of American history, civics, government, and geography.

This program is a cohort-based graduate certificate program in partnership with Lincoln Public Schools and is not currently accepting applications. For more information contact, Kevin Bower at (402) 465-2461.

EDUC 5010 Using Guided Inquiry For Rigor & Equity (3 hours)

This intensive summer course prepares teachers to make evidence-based decisions in using guided inquiry to improve student performance in the identified social studies courses.  Teachers will learn and practice core principles of guided inquiry and prepare to use specific guided inquiries in the honors course they will teach in the coming school year.  Teachers who will be teaching the same course will prepare a plan to share and use the identified inquiries.

EDUC 5020 Core Themes and Applied Instructional Principles in American History, Civics, Government, and Geography (3 hours)

This semester-length evening course develops teacher knowledge of core themes in the history and principles of the United States Constitutional system to be applied across the identified honors courses.  Teachers will apply that knowledge in teaching the inquiries they prepared during the prior summer and make a plan to adjust instruction based on evidence from student work and feedback from observations conducted in the applied practice course taught concurrently.

EDUC 5030 Applying Principles of Effective Teaching: Guided Inquiry in Action (3 hours)

This semester-length course provides applied practice for teachers in the setting of their own classroom, similar to an internship or practicum experience but for professional practitioners.  Teachers will take the core principles for guided inquiry into their honors course, collect student work, be observed by project staff, and use that evidence and feedback to adjust instructional practice.

EDUC 5040 Advancing Equity through Identity, Representation, and Agency in American History, Civics, Government, and Geography (3 hours)

This semester-length course provides teachers further practice with the core principles of guided inquiry with an increased focus on advancing equity by making coverage and instructional decisions focused on equity anchor concepts of identiy, representation, and agency.  Teachers will apply that knowledge in teaching the inquiries they prepared during the prior summer and make a plan to adjust instruction based on evidence from student work and feedback from observations conducted in the applied practice course taught concurrently.

EDUC 5050 Applying Principles of Effective Teaching: Equity in Action (3 hours)

This semester-length course provides applied practice for teachers in the setting of their own classroom, similar to an internship or practicum experience but for professional practitioners.  Teachers will take the equity anchor concepts into their honors course, collect student work, be observed by project staff, and use that evidence and feedback to adjust instructional practice.  Teacher application of guided inquiry also will continue to be assessed with opportunities to receive feedback and adjust instruction.

EDUC 5060 Achieving Equitable Outcomes through Guided Inquiry, Using Evidence from Student Work, and Reflective Practice (3 hours)

This intensive summer course requires teachers to take their experience in the full course sequence and apply it to the planning and materials of an honors social studies course.  Teachers will make a plan for the coming semester focused on rigor and equity.  Teachers will demonstrate how to make instructional choices for rigor and equity based on student work from their own courses and the results of project evaluation.