Students gain understanding of the nature of learning and the purpose of education as the foundation for teaching in any discipline, with a focus on designing instruction for student-centered and technology-rich 21st-century classrooms. Students develop knowledge of state and national standards and apply them vertically and horizontally to create high-quality learning experiences. Students critically analyze content, instructional models, lessons, curricula, and research literature. They also construct and test instructional models using activities that emphasize interdisciplinary connections, research-based strategies, and meaningful uses of technology to enhance student learning.