READ 507- Reading the Thinking in the Content Area
Current trends in the teaching of secondary and college reading improvement with emphasis on materials, organization and methods of instruction.

READ 516- Diagnostic-Prescriptive Teaching of Reading
Prerequisite: Reading 507 or consent of instructor. A study of the administration, evaluation, and interpretation of individual and group tests related to reading/ language arts performance. Course includes in-depth analysis of a problem reader with a study of the effects of linguistic, social, physical, psychological, educational and cultural factors which may influence reading and test performance.

READ 587- Programs Management in Postsecondary Reading and Learning
Prerequisite: Reading 505, 507 and/or consent of instructor. Study of the multifaceted components related to the administration, management and supervision of a post-secondary reading and learning program as well as the current issues and trends in program management.

JoAnn Greenbaum, Reading Department
California State University, Fullerton
P.O. Box 6868
Fullerton, CA 92834-6868
Fax: 657.278.5085 or 657.278.3110

FAQS

Q. What are the specific courses and the total number of units for this certificate?

A. This certificate consists of four courses that total 12 units.
READ 505 (3 units) - Foundations of Postsecondary Reading and Learning,
READ 507 (3 units) - Reading and Thinking in the Content Area,
READ 516 (3 units) - Diagnostic-Prescriptive Teaching of Reading, and
READ 587 (3 units) - Program Management in Postsecondary Reading and Learning

Q. What is the course schedule?

A. All of the courses will be offered each semester dependent upon enrollment per the university academic calendar which can be found at the bottom of the CSUF university homepage (www.fullerton.edu).

Q. What are the steps in the application process?

A. You can start by printing and completing the application available in a PDF format. You can also call 657.278.2114 (Reading Department Office) for an application. You need to have earned a GPA of 2.5 in your last 60 semester units attempted.

In addition, you will need to write two short responses to prompts related to your technology knowledge and skills, and your abilities to be an online learner, as well as your professional goals related to completion of the certificate.

Once you have completed these steps and have been formally admitted to the program, you will receive information as to course enrollment, the textbook ordering processes and timelines. Please submit your application by U.S. Mail, FAX or E-mail to:

JoAnn Greenbaum, Reading Department
California State University, Fullerton
P.O. Box 6868
Fullerton, CA 92834-6868
Fax: 657.278.5085 or 657-278-3110
E-Mail: jgreenbaum@fullerton.edu

Q. What is the preferred method of submission for the PRL application?

A. The preferred method is e-mail. To e-mail your application you will need to print the application that is available from the website, complete it, and scan it into your computer. You can type your answers to the two essay prompts in a Microsoft Word document. These documents can then be sent as attachments to jgreenbaum@fullerton.edu

Q. What is the application deadline for this program?

A. The deadline will be different each semester. You will have to check the website for updated deadlines. Please contact JoAnne Greenbaum at jgreenbaum@fullerton.edu if you have questions about the application deadline.

The application deadline for Fall 2010 is Friday, August 6, 2010.

Q. How are the courses sequenced?

A. The courses and content in the Postsecondary Reading and Learning Program (PRL) have been tightly sequenced. They are designed both conceptually and numerically and formally approved as such. Thus, there are firm prerequisites for each course. However, you can take two courses at the same time—such as READ 505 and READ 507, and READ 516 and READ 587—when those courses complement each other. As a practical professional program, each class provides many opportunities to link the coursework from previous or concurrent classes directly to your own professional setting.

Q. What is the projected schedule of classes?

A. This certificate will be offered over a two-year time frame:

READ 505- Fall 2010
READ 507- Spring 2011
READ 516- Fall 2011
READ 587- Spring 2012

You can also pair the following courses to complete the certificate in one year:

READ 505 and READ 507 – Fall 2010
READ 516 and READ587 – Spring 2011

All courses are offered all semesters.

Q. Are there any prerequisites?

A. Prerequisites include completion of a BS or BA from an accredited institution and a minimum GPA of at least 2.5 in the last 60 semester units you attempted. You will also need to submit responses to two prompts which focus on your technology knowledge, skills, and abilities to be an online learner, as well as your professional goals in relationship to completion of the certificate.

Q. Is a Masters degree required?

A. A Masters degree is not required for admission to the program. However, if you are completing the certificate to be qualified to teach reading classes at the community college (as required by AB 1725), you will need an appropriate Masters degree to obtain such a position.

Q. What is AB 1725 and how does the PRL program address this legislation?

A. This 12-unit online program satisfies the California mandate under AB 1725 requiring certification in adult reading instruction for community college teachers of Reading. This legislation requires that individuals have a Masters degree in Reading to teach Reading classes at the community college level. However, a Masters degree in another teachable subject such as English, TESOL, Psychology or History, coupled with an additional 12 graduate units in postsecondary Reading is also acceptable. The PRL certificate is meant for people who already have an appropriate Masters degree in another subject area and want to teach Reading at a community college, and need the additional certification.

Q. Is the program entirely asynchronous?

A. The PRL program was designed for working professionals as an entirely online program and thus is primarily asynchronous in nature. However, there will be occasions and opportunities in each class where you might need to connect in a time-certain manner to work in a group or as part of eoffice hours that might be offered by your instructor.

Q. What confirmation of participation in the program will I receive?

A. An official acceptance letter will be sent upon acceptance into the program. A formal certificate will be mailed upon completion, signed by both the coordinator of the PRL program and the Dean of University Extended Education.

Q. Can these units be transferred to an MS degree program?

A. Admission to this certificate program does not guarantee admission to either a CSUF or other graduate degree. However, if you are a student in the MS Reading Degree program, then you can transfer READ 507 and READ 516 to the Postsecondary Reading and Leaning Certificate program. You would need to be accepted into the degree program and have the courses reviewed for approval by the department chair.

Q. Who is the coordinator for the PRL program?

A. JoAnne Greenbaum, M.S. is the acting coordinator of the Postsecondary Reading and Learning Certificate (PRL) program. Ms.Greenbaum earned an MS in Education with a specialization in Reading at California State University, Fullerton. Ms. Greenbaum’s postsecondary teaching experience includes developmental reading and writing courses at several California Community Colleges, as well as classes in both the undergraduate and graduate Reading Programs at CSUF. She developed the online version of the undergraduate critical thinking and reading course (Read 290) at CSUF, which was the first general education class offered online. She has also taught Read 507, Reading and Thinking in the Content Area, in the online PRL Certificate program since its inception.

She is a long-standing member of Reading Educators Guild (REG), the alumni group of the CSUF Reading Department, and has served as President, Secretary, Treasurer and Web Page Coordinator of that organization over the years. Ms Greenbaum received the REG volunteer of the year award in 1998 and again in 2009.

JoAnne has presented at national conferences numerous times on the topic of critical thinking. She has served the College Reading and Learning Association (CRLA) as co-leader of the College Reading Special Interest Group, and she is co-author of the CRLA Position Statement on the Rights of Adult Learners, published in the Journal of College Reading and Learning.

Ms. Greenbaum has also been recognized by numerous campus groups, including Freshman Programs and the Intercollegiate Athletic Department, for her dedication to student success. In 2006, she was named “Faculty of the Year” by the CSUF Intercollegiate Athletic Department for her work with student athletes.

Q. Who are the instructors for this program?

A. Instructors include:

Dr. JoAnn Carter-Wells, who received her Ph.D. in College/Adult Reading, Evaluation Research and Higher Education from Claremont Graduate University. She has served as the Chair of the Reading Department, Coordinator of the Undergraduate Reading Program, Technology Coordinator for the College of Human Development and Community Service, and Director of the Community Learning and Literacy Center, Irvine campus. She is also founding Workgroup Manager and Coordinator of the MS in Instructional Design and Technology, the first online degree program at CSU Fullerton which began in 2001.

Dr. Carter-Wells has made over 175 presentations as an invited scholar, lecturer, panelist, consultant or speaker related to critical thinking, communication skills, college adult reading/learning, online learning, assessment/evaluation, and professional preparation linked to workplace learning and literacy. Dr. Carter-Wells has also been an invited consultant and commissioned participant in national policy forums in Washington, D.C. related to college student outcomes, assessment protocols and methodology particularly in college reading, critical thinking and problem solving.

She is the developer of the online Certificate Program in Postsecondary Reading and Learning for community college professionals and co-chair of a national commission of five professional associations on individual content area certification, She has served as the editor of the Journal of College Reading and Learning, and a member of the editorial review board for the Journal of General Education. She co-author three editions of the Language of Learning: Vocabulary for Colleges and Careers and Preparing Competent College Graduates: New and Higher Expectations for Student Learning.

Robin Afrasiabi, M.S.: Ms. Afrasiabi earned both a post-graduate degree in Communications at Harvard University and an MS in Education with a specialization in Reading at California State University, Fullerton. In 2006, she was in the first graduating class of the PRL program at CSUF. Ms. Afrasiabi’s postsecondary teaching experience includes various reading courses at several California Community Colleges, as well as classes in the undergraduate Reading Program at CSUF. She has extensive writing experience as a professional in a variety of communications settings including book, magazine and newspaper publishing, and as an academic writing tutor.

Gena Lovett, M.S.: Ms. Lovett received her MS in Education with a specialization in Reading from California State University, Fullerton. She has taught at Mt. San Antonio College, Fullerton College, Saddleback College and Irvine Valley College. She is presently a part-time lecturer at CSUF, teaching Read 290, our undergraduate critical thinking class and Read 202, an academic vocabulary class. As a member of the CSUF Reading Department since 2002, she has also taught Read 507, Reading and Thinking in the Content Areas, in the graduate cohort program. She is currently teaching Read 516, Diagnostic and Prescriptive Teaching of Reading in the Postsecondary Reading and Learning Certificate program. A member of the Reading Educator’s Guild since 2002, Ms. Lovett serves as a board member and the editor of The REG Newsletter, and she received the Volunteer of the Year award for REG in 2006.

Flora Morris Brown, Ph.D.: Dr. Brown is a Professor Emeritus at Fullerton Community College. Her teaching career includes junior high English, university teacher training, community college critical thinking and operating a private tutoring program. In addition to writing language arts texts, Dr. Brown has contributed many informative and inspirational articles and presentations. Her most recent book, Color Your Life Happy: Create the Success, Abundance and Inner Joy You Deserve, is available on Amazon and all major booksellers, as well as on her website, www.coloryourlifehappy.com.

Q. What technology and experience do I need for working online?

A. The courses will be offered through the Blackboard course management system and will include some streaming media. There will be access to a HELP desk and other technical support.

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS FOR COMPUTER SYSTEM

Minimum System (Hardware/Software) Requirements
To fully participate in this program, you will need a computer system that meets the following minimum technical specifications.

Q. What GPA must I maintain?

A. As with any graduate program, you must maintain a GPA of 3.0 throughout the program.

Q. Can I enroll in 1 or 2 courses only and not the entire certificate?

A. Although first priority will be given to students enrolled in the courses to complete the requirements for the certificate, you can enroll in individual courses upon the permission of the instructor and upon space availability.

Q. Is there any financial aid available for this program?

A. Extended Ed students must make arrangements for financial aid prior to registering in UEE classes. Financial aid is in the form of loans paid directly to students and full payment of class fees is due at the time of registration.

You can check the university’s financial aid programs at: http://www.fullerton.edu/financialaid/ for more information.

Additionally, you can visit such websites as www.salliemae.com/ (Sallie Mae loans), www.citizensbank.com and studentloans@wellsfargoefs.com

Q. What is the cost of the courses and the overall program?

A. Read 505, Read 507 and Read 587 cost $275 per unit plus a $99 online surcharge per class. This is a total of $924 for each of these three unit courses.

Read 516 cost $308 per unit plus a $99 online surcharge. The additional cost per unit for this course is due to the purchase of testing materials that will be provided to you by the instructor. These materials are necessary for your assessment assignments and will become part of your own professional library. The total cost for this course is $1023.

Fees are subject to change.

Q. What about books and materials?

A. Textbooks are required for each course and will be available through the Titan Bookstore at the beginning of each term. For more information go to http://www.titanbookstore.com or call 657.278.3418. Courses and texts will be listed under UEE classes.

Q. How can I obtain additional information?

A. Contact JoAnne Greenbaum at 657.278.5930 or jgreenbaum@fullerton.edu. You can also send an e-mail to Shannon Wilson, department administrative assistant, at reading@fullerton.edu.

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