Educator Preparation Institute

9300: Educator Preparation Institute

The CF Educator Preparation Institute offers high quality, competency-based alternative teacher preparation, professional development, and training for substitute teachers and paraprofessionals. For current schedules and workshop listings, refer to http://www.cf.edu/departments/instruction/las/epi/.

The Alternative Certification Program is an alternative way to obtain Florida Teacher Certification. Participants must have a bachelor's degree or above in an area other than education. The program uses a state-approved, collaborative community college model for competency-based teacher certification. Upon satisfactory completion of the program, participants are eligible to apply for Florida teacher certification. This is a limited access program. See Grading Scale for information regarding the grading scale for this program.

Application information is distributed by the coordinator and/or the student development advisor at required information sessions. These are held on a scheduled basis. Call 352-854-2322, ext. 1597 or 1598, for dates and times of information sessions.

CIP: 5551399990

Course No.

Course Title

Institutional Credits*

EPI 0001

Classroom Management

3

EPI 0002

Instructional Strategies

3

EPI 0003

Technology

3

EPI 0004

Teaching and Learning Process

3

EPI 0010

Foundations – Research-based Practices in Reading

3

EPI 0020

Professional Foundations

2

EPI 0940

Field Experience

1

EPI 0030

Diversity

2

EPI 0945

Field Experience

1

 

Total Institutional Credits

21

* Institutional Credits transfer only to Florida colleges using the approved EPI model.

NOTE: Before applying to the ACP, we suggest that a Statement of Status of Eligibility be obtained from the Florida Department of Education, www.fldoe.org/edcert.

A federal criminal background check and Florida Department of Law Enforcement fingerprinting are required prior to field experience. The FDLE fingerprinting must be completed by the school board where the field experience will be completed.

Educator Preparation Institute Courses

EPI 0001
Module 1 – Classroom Management (3)
Corequisite: EPI 0004, EPI 0002, EPI 0003
Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution and satisfactory criminal background check and fingerprinting process required.

This course module prepares the participant to set up a classroom, establish classroom policies and procedures, create objective-based lesson plans, utilize various styles of presentation, employ varied teaching strategies, develop and administer various forms of assessment, integrate Sunshine State Standards into lesson development, establish and maintain cooperative relations with parents, and research professional literature to seek the best practices, and to hone the craft of effective instruction. A major focus of this course module is the ethical and legal obligations of the teaching profession. Participants will build a developmental, assessment and professional portfolio demonstrating mastery of competencies. Topics covered in this portion of Module 1 include: recording keeping, classroom management, school safety, Sunshine State Standards, creating content area objective based on lesson plans, conducting parent conferences, assessment techniques, implications of FCAT and other standardized tests, professional ethics, and school law and the teacher.

EPI 0002
Module 1 – Instructional Strategies (3)
Corequisite: EPI 0001, EPI 0003, EPI 0004
Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution and satisfactory criminal background check and fingerprinting process required.

This course module prepares the participant to set up a classroom, establish classroom policies and procedures, create objective-based lesson plans, utilize various styles on presentation, employ varied teaching strategies, develop and administer various forms of assessment, integrate Sunshine State Standards into lesson development, establish and maintain cooperative relations with parents, and research professional literature to seek the best practices, and to hone the craft of effective instruction. A major focus of this course module is the ethical and legal obligations of the teaching profession. Participants will build a developmental, assessment and professional portfolio demonstrating mastery of competencies. Topics covered in this portion of the module include: learning styles, Bloom's Taxonomy, lesson plan development, varied instructional presentation styles, cooperative learning, group learning, contextual learning, project-based learning, behavioral management, and accommodations for exceptional students.

EPI 0003
Module 1 – Technology (3)
Corequisite: EPI 0004, EPI 0001, EPI 0002
Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution and satisfactory criminal background check and fingerprinting process required.

This course module prepares the participant to set up a classroom, establish classroom policies and procedures, create objective-based lesson plans, utilize various styles on presentation, employ varied teaching strategies, develop and administer various forms of assessment, integrate Sunshine State Standards into lesson development, establish and maintain cooperative relations with parents, and research professional literature to seek the best practices, and to hone the craft of effective instruction. A major focus of this course module is the ethical and legal obligations of the teaching profession. Participants will build a developmental, assessment and professional portfolio demonstrating mastery of competencies. Topics covered in this portion of the module include: computer based record keeping, multimedia presentations, content area instructional strategies, Internet resources, Web quests, Web page development, computer-aided instruction, integration of technology and learning process, and copyright and fair use guidelines.

EPI 0004
Module 1 – Teaching and Learning Process (3)
Corequisite: EPI 0001, EPI 0003, EPI 0002
Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution and satisfactory criminal background check and fingerprinting process required.

This course module prepares the participant to set up a classroom, establish classroom policies and procedures, create objective-based lesson plans, utilize various styles on presentation, employ varied teaching strategies, develop and administer various forms of assessment, integrate Sunshine State Standards into lesson development, establish and maintain cooperative relations with parents, and research professional literature to seek the best practices, and to hone the craft of effective instruction. A major focus of this course module is the ethical and legal obligations of the teaching profession. Participants will build a developmental, assessment and professional portfolio demonstrating mastery of competencies. Topics covered in this portion of Module 1 include: stages of theories development, learning theories, motivation and persistence, intelligence, exceptionalities, standardized thinking, critical thinking, multiple intelligences, second language acquisition.

EPI 0010
Module 2 – Foundations: Research-based Practices in Reading (3)
Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution and satisfactory criminal background check and fingerprinting process required.

This course provides substantive knowledge of language structure and function and cognition of phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Further, it provides knowledge of the integration of the reading components, instruction in this module is grounded in scientifically based reading as a mechanism to inform instructional practice. Topics covered in Module 2 include: evidence about learning to read, introduction to phonemes, morphemes, inflection, derivations, strategies for teaching basic decoding, building vocabulary, techniques for building fluency, vocabulary and reading comprehension, the reading and writing connection, and reading content areas.

EPI 0020
Module 3 – Professional Foundations (2)
Prerequisite: EPI 0010, EPI 0004 ,EPI 0001, EPI 0003, EPI0002
Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution and satisfactory criminal background check and fingerprinting process required.

This course provides the foundation for becoming a productive member of the teaching profession. The participants will gain understanding of the organization and administration of the public school, the laws governing teachers, the code of ethics, and the purpose of schools. This course develops a professional perspective and creates a sense of grounding in the profession of teaching. Topics covered in this portion of Module 3 include: history, philosophy, school governance, school finance, school law, ethics and excellence, purpose of schools, and continuing professional development.

EPI 0030
Module 4 – Diversity (2)
Prerequisite: EPI 0940
Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution and satisfactory criminal background check and fingerprinting process required.

This course provides the participant with an understanding of the variety of backgrounds and cultures that may be found in a typical classroom. Field experiences give a broader view of the social aspects of diversity and cause the participant to reevaluate personal beliefs and prejudices that may adversely affect the learning process. Topics covered in this portion of Module 4 include: social class, religious, language, gender differences, culture and ethnicity, physical differences, prejudice and multicultural teaching.

EPI 0940
Module 3 – Field Experience (1)
Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution and satisfactory criminal background check and fingerprinting process required.

This module provides the foundation for becoming a productive member of the teaching profession. The participants will gain understanding of the organization and administration of the public school, the laws governing teachers, the code of ethics, and the purpose of schools. This module develops a professional perspective and creates a sense of grounding in the profession of teaching.

EPI 0945
Module 4 – Field Experience (1)
Prerequisite: EPI 0940
Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution and satisfactory criminal background check and fingerprinting process required.

This module provides the participants with an understanding of the variety of backgrounds and cultures that may be found in a typical classroom. Field experiences give a broader view of the social aspects of diversity and cause the participants to re-evaluate personal beliefs and prejudices that may adversely affect the learning process.