Introduction to Education

Course Description

EDF1005 – Introduction to Education is a 3-credit, lower-division lecture course providing prospective teachers and other students considering education careers with a foundational orientation to the teaching profession. The course addresses the historical, philosophical, sociological, and political foundations of American public education; the structure of U.S. and Florida K-12 education systems; teacher roles and responsibilities; the substantial career and licensure considerations for entering Florida teaching; classroom diversity and equity considerations; technology in education including emerging considerations around AI tools; and the contemporary issues facing American public education. EDF1005 includes a required 15-30 hour classroom observation/field experience at most Florida institutions, providing prospective teachers with their first structured exposure to K-12 classroom practice.

The course sits within the Florida Statewide Course Numbering System (SCNS) under Education > Foundations and is offered at approximately 27 Florida public institutions. EDF1005 is consistently the foundational course for AA-track students planning to transfer to Florida State University System (SUS) Bachelor's-level Education programs (BAE in elementary, secondary, special education, etc.) and for FCS Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) and Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education (BSE) programs offered through some FCS institutions. EDF1005 is also frequently used as a foundational course for paraprofessional educator credentials and for AS-Early Childhood Education programs at Florida institutions.

Florida is currently navigating substantial change in K-12 education policy, teacher labor markets, and educational practice. Florida has experienced persistent teacher shortages across most subject areas, with particular shortages in mathematics, science, special education, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL/ESL), and Exceptional Student Education (ESE). The course addresses these contemporary realities while providing balanced foundation for students considering whether teaching is right for them.

Learning Outcomes

Required Outcomes

Upon successful completion of EDF1005, students will be able to:

• Describe the historical foundations of American public education: colonial education roots; the development of common schools and public education in the 19th century; the evolution of public education through the 20th century; landmark legislation (Brown v. Board of Education, ESEA, IDEA, NCLB, ESSA); the contemporary historical context of American public education.
• Describe the philosophical foundations of education: major educational philosophies (essentialism, perennialism, progressivism, social reconstructionism, existentialism); the relationship between philosophy of education and classroom practice; the substantial role of personal educational philosophy in teacher decision-making.
• Describe the sociological foundations of education: schools as social institutions; the substantial impact of socioeconomic factors on educational outcomes; the achievement gap and contemporary discussions of educational equity; cultural diversity in U.S. and Florida classrooms; the substantial demographic diversity in Florida public schools.
• Describe the structure of U.S. and Florida K-12 education: federal vs. state roles in education; the Florida Department of Education and the Florida Commissioner of Education; Florida's 67 county-based school districts; charter schools; private schools; the substantial Florida charter-school sector; the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program and other school-choice mechanisms; homeschool considerations; the substantial role of Florida State Board of Education in educational policy.
• Describe teacher roles and responsibilities: instructional planning and delivery; classroom management; assessment of student learning; collaboration with colleagues, families, and administrators; professional development; the substantial scope of teacher responsibilities beyond classroom teaching.
• Describe the Florida teacher licensure pathway: Bachelor's degree from Florida-approved program; passing required Florida General Knowledge (GK), Florida Professional Education (FPE), and Florida Subject-Area Examinations (SAE); first teacher employment with one-year temporary certificate; required Educator Preparation Institute (EPI) requirements where applicable; conversion to professional certificate; ongoing certificate renewal requirements; the substantial Florida-specific licensure considerations.
• Describe contemporary Florida teacher labor market realities: persistent teacher shortages across subject areas; particular shortages in mathematics, science, special education, ESOL/ESL, and ESE; Florida starting teacher salary considerations; teacher retention challenges; the substantial demand for new Florida teachers across most districts.
• Apply principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion in education: cultural competence in teaching; supporting English Language Learners; supporting students with disabilities and exceptionalities (per IDEA and Florida ESE law); supporting students from diverse socioeconomic, racial, and cultural backgrounds; the substantial demographic diversity in Florida public schools; the importance of culturally-responsive teaching.
• Apply principles of special education and Exceptional Student Education (ESE) at introductory level: the framework of IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act); IEPs (Individualized Education Programs); 504 plans; least-restrictive-environment principle; the substantial role of general-education teachers in supporting students with disabilities; introduction to Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS).
• Apply principles of technology in education: educational technology integration; the SAMR model and other technology-integration frameworks; learning management systems used in Florida (Canvas, Schoology, others); the substantial educational-technology landscape; introduction to emerging considerations around AI tools in education (student use of generative AI for learning, academic-integrity considerations, the contemporary scholarly conversation about AI in K-12).
• Apply principles of contemporary issues in education: the substantial post-pandemic conversation about K-12 education; teacher mental health and burnout; student mental health and wellness; testing and accountability; school choice debates; curriculum content debates; school safety considerations; the substantial Florida-specific context for these contemporary issues.
• Reflect on personal teaching philosophy and career fit: developing initial personal educational philosophy; reflecting on motivations and qualifications for teaching; honest assessment of teaching career fit; the substantial benefit of EDF1005 in helping students decide whether teaching is right for them.
• Successfully complete required field experience: typically 15-30 hours of classroom observation at K-12 schools partnered with the institution; structured observation activities; reflection on field experience and its connection to course concepts.
• Apply principles of professional behaviors expected of teachers: Florida Code of Ethics of the Education Profession (Florida Administrative Code Rule 6A-10.080); Principles of Professional Conduct for the Education Profession in Florida (FAC Rule 6A-10.081); the substantial professional and ethical standards for Florida teachers; mandatory reporting requirements (Florida Statutes Chapter 39 — child abuse).
• Engage with Florida-specific education topics: Florida B.E.S.T. (Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking) Standards (Florida's curriculum standards adopted to replace previous Common Core-aligned standards); Florida Standards Assessment (FSA) and Florida's transition to the FAST (Florida Assessment of Student Thinking) progress monitoring system; Florida-specific civic literacy requirements; the substantial Florida-specific educational policy context.

Optional Outcomes

Depending on instructor selection:

• Engage with specific subject-area teaching: introductory awareness of elementary education vs. secondary subject-area teaching distinctions; the different preparation pathways and licensure considerations.
• Engage with specific student populations in greater depth: gifted education; bilingual and ESL education at introductory level; early childhood education vs. K-12 distinctions.
• Engage with educational research at introductory level: how educational research is conducted; major educational research findings relevant to K-12 practice; the relationship between research and classroom practice.
• Engage with international and comparative education: how U.S. education compares with other nations; international education trends and their implications for U.S. practice.
• Engage with guest speakers: practicing K-12 teachers; school administrators; education-policy advocates; teacher-education faculty.

Major Topics

Required Topics

• Historical Foundations of American Public Education: Colonial education roots; common schools and 19th-century public education development; 20th-century evolution; landmark legislation (Brown v. Board, ESEA, IDEA, NCLB, ESSA).
• Philosophical Foundations: Major educational philosophies (essentialism, perennialism, progressivism, social reconstructionism, existentialism); philosophy/practice relationship; personal philosophy in teacher decision-making.
• Sociological Foundations: Schools as social institutions; socioeconomic factors and educational outcomes; achievement gap and educational equity; cultural diversity in U.S. and Florida classrooms.
• Structure of U.S. and Florida K-12 Education: Federal vs. state roles; Florida Department of Education; Florida Commissioner of Education; Florida's 67 county-based school districts; charter schools; private schools; Florida charter-school sector; Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program; homeschool considerations; Florida State Board of Education.
• Teacher Roles and Responsibilities: Instructional planning and delivery; classroom management; assessment of student learning; collaboration with colleagues, families, administrators; professional development; teacher responsibilities beyond classroom teaching.
• Florida Teacher Licensure Pathway: Bachelor's degree from Florida-approved program; required examinations (FTCE General Knowledge, Professional Education, Subject-Area); first teacher employment with one-year temporary certificate; EPI requirements where applicable; conversion to professional certificate; renewal requirements.
• Contemporary Florida Teacher Labor Market: Persistent teacher shortages; subject-area shortage areas (mathematics, science, special education, ESOL/ESL, ESE); Florida starting teacher salary; retention challenges; demand for new Florida teachers.
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Cultural competence; English Language Learners support; students with disabilities and exceptionalities (per IDEA and Florida ESE law); diverse SES, racial, cultural backgrounds support; Florida public school demographic diversity; culturally-responsive teaching.
• Special Education and ESE (Introductory): IDEA framework; IEPs; 504 plans; least-restrictive-environment; general-education teacher role in supporting students with disabilities; Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS).
• Technology in Education: Educational technology integration; SAMR model and other frameworks; Florida LMS use (Canvas, Schoology, others); educational-technology landscape; emerging AI considerations (student generative AI use for learning, academic-integrity considerations).
• Contemporary Issues in Education: Post-pandemic K-12 education conversation; teacher mental health and burnout; student mental health and wellness; testing and accountability; school choice debates; curriculum content debates; school safety; Florida-specific context for these issues.
• Personal Teaching Philosophy and Career Fit: Initial personal educational philosophy development; teaching motivations and qualifications reflection; honest career-fit assessment.
• Field Experience: 15-30 hours of K-12 classroom observation at partner schools; structured observation activities; reflection on field experience and course-concept connections.
• Professional Behaviors and Ethics: Florida Code of Ethics of the Education Profession (FAC Rule 6A-10.080); Principles of Professional Conduct (FAC Rule 6A-10.081); professional and ethical standards; mandatory reporting (FS Chapter 39).
• Florida-Specific Education Topics: Florida B.E.S.T. Standards; FAST progress monitoring system (replacing previous FSA); Florida-specific civic literacy requirements; Florida-specific educational policy context.

Optional Topics

• Subject-Area Teaching: Elementary vs. secondary subject-area teaching distinctions; different preparation pathways.
• Student Populations (Greater Depth): Gifted education; bilingual and ESL education; early childhood vs. K-12 distinctions.
• Educational Research (Introductory): How educational research is conducted; major findings relevant to K-12 practice; research/practice relationship.
• International and Comparative Education: How U.S. education compares internationally; trends and implications.
• Guest Speakers: K-12 teachers; administrators; education-policy advocates; teacher-education faculty.

Resources & Tools

• Most-adopted textbooks at Florida institutions: Those Who Can, Teach by Ryan, Cooper (Cengage) — among the most widely-adopted introduction-to-education textbooks; Becoming a Teacher by Parkay (Pearson); Foundations of American Education by Webb, Metha, Jordan (Pearson); Teachers, Schools, and Society by Sadker, Zittleman (McGraw-Hill).
• Reference resources: Florida Department of Education at fldoe.org; Florida Commissioner of Education and State Board of Education resources; Florida B.E.S.T. Standards documents (free, fldoe.org); Florida Educator Certification documents (fldoe.org/teaching/certification); the substantial Florida-specific educational policy and practice resources.
• Florida-specific resources: Florida Department of Education; Florida State Board of Education; FOIL (Florida Education Information and Accountability Services) data on Florida public schools; Florida Education Association (the state teachers union — feaweb.org); Florida Charter School Alliance.
• Online learning platforms: Pearson MyEducationLab (paired with several Pearson textbooks); Cengage MindTap (paired with Ryan/Cooper); McGraw-Hill Connect (paired with Sadker/Zittleman).
• Open-access alternatives: The Education section of OpenStax materials (free, openstax.org); LibreTexts education materials.
• Online supplementary resources: National Education Association (nea.org); American Federation of Teachers (aft.org); Edutopia (free educational resources, edutopia.org); Florida-specific Education Week and PBS Education resources.
• Field experience and clinical sites: Each institution maintains contractual relationships with local K-12 school districts for student field-experience placements. Common Florida partners include all major Florida public school districts (Miami-Dade County, Broward County, Hillsborough County, Orange County, Palm Beach County, Duval County, Pinellas County, Lee County, Polk County, Brevard County, Volusia County, Pasco County, Sarasota County, Manatee County, others), plus charter schools and private schools where institutions have partnerships.
• Tutoring and support: Institution education-program tutoring; faculty office hours; institutional Future Teachers organizations (Kappa Delta Pi at four-year programs; FTU/Future Teachers chapters); career-services support for education career exploration.

Career Pathways

EDF1005 is foundational for the broad range of education and helping-professions career pathways. Specific Florida career pathways supported include:

• Florida K-12 Public School Teacher — direct teaching career upon completion of bachelor's degree, Florida certification examinations, and one-year temporary certificate followed by professional certificate. Substantial demand across all major Florida districts; particular demand in mathematics, science, special education, ESOL/ESL, and ESE.
• Florida Charter School Teacher — substantial Florida charter-school sector employs teachers with similar but sometimes more flexible qualification requirements than traditional public schools.
• Florida Private School Teacher — private schools often have somewhat more flexible qualification requirements; substantial Florida private-school sector.
• Paraprofessional / Teacher's Aide — entry-level position requiring less formal preparation; many paraprofessionals pursue full teacher certification while working.
• Substitute Teacher — Florida substitute teacher requirements vary by district; often a strong way to gain classroom experience while completing teacher preparation.
• Early Childhood Education — Florida-specific Early Childhood credentialing (CDA, AS-Early Childhood, others) for preschool and early-childhood roles.
• Educational Support Roles — instructional coaches; tutoring center coordinators; afterschool program coordinators.
• Specialized Education Roles — pursued after additional preparation: school counselor; school social worker; school psychologist; reading specialist; ESOL/ESL specialist; ESE specialist.
• Higher Education Pathways — community college instruction; university faculty (with additional graduate education).
• Education-Adjacent Pathways — educational publishing; educational technology; museum and informal education; non-profit youth-serving organizations.
• Articulation to Bachelor's Programs — EDF1005 satisfies education-major prerequisites at most Florida BAE, BS-Elementary Education, and BS-Secondary Education programs at SUS institutions (UF, USF, UCF, FSU, FAU, FIU, UNF, UWF) and FCS BAS-Education programs at participating institutions.

Special Information

Articulation and Transfer

EDF1005 articulates broadly within the Florida public-college system per SCNS conventions. The course is required as a prerequisite for many Florida BAE, BS-Elementary Education, and BS-Secondary Education programs. Transfer with a grade of C or higher to upper-division institutions; specific articulation should be verified with the receiving institution.

Florida Teacher Certification Examinations

The Florida Educator Certification examinations are administered through Pearson VUE on behalf of the Florida Department of Education:

• Florida General Knowledge Test (FTCE GK) — required for all teacher certifications; covers reading, writing, mathematics, English language skills
• Florida Professional Education Test (FTCE PE) — required for all teacher certifications; covers professional knowledge of teaching
• Florida Subject-Area Examinations (FTCE SAE) — required for the specific subject area being taught; multiple subject-area exams available (Elementary Education, Mathematics, Science subjects, ESOL, ESE, others)

Specific examinations and passing scores are subject to revision; current requirements should be verified through the Florida Department of Education at fldoe.org.

Field Experience Considerations

EDF1005 typically requires 15-30 hours of supervised classroom observation at partner K-12 schools. Field-experience placement requires:

• Background-screening clearance per Florida law for any volunteer or student in a Florida K-12 school
• Compliance with school-district visitor requirements
• Reliable transportation to placement sites
• Schedule flexibility to attend during K-12 school hours

Course Format and Workload

EDF1005 is a 3-credit lecture course meeting 3 hours per week for 15-16 weeks (45 contact hours total) plus the field-experience component (15-30 hours). The course is widely offered in face-to-face, hybrid, and fully online formats. Expect: substantial textbook reading; weekly assignments often including reflection on field-experience observations and connections to course concepts; 3-4 unit exams; the field-experience documentation; potentially a substantial term project (educational philosophy paper, current-issues analysis, classroom observation analysis); a comprehensive final exam.

Course Code Variations

Florida institutions consistently use EDF1005 for this course. Course titles include "Introduction to Education," "Foundations of Education," and "Introduction to the Teaching Profession." Some institutions offer additional foundational courses (EDF1006, EDF1007, EDF1008) covering related introductory content. The course is consistently 3 credits, with the field-experience component sometimes counted within the 45 contact hours and sometimes added as an additional requirement depending on institution.