SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
The Request
The Utah Valley State College School of Education requests approval to offer a Master of Education degree effective July 1, 2008.
Program Description
Complete Program Description
The Master of Education Degree (M.Ed.) at Utah Valley University is an applied master degree aimed at building the instructional skill and professional competency of teachers. The goal is to enable participants to become more proficient in selecting optimum, research-based, curriculum design strategies that best apply to specific teaching situations. There are two potential option tracks for participants: (a) models of instruction or (b) English as a Second Language (ESL) within the Curriculum and Instruction Degree.
The M.Ed. Degree focuses on a project where applied research-based work in teaching and learning is the culminating activity. Students produce and report on an applied instructional project using appropriate research methods.
While core coursework is required of all participants in research, theory, and instructional models or ESL issues, areas of emphasis allow students to select any of the teaching content areas accepted by the Utah State Office of Education for either an elementary education or secondary education instructional project. This breadth includes any of the following content areas, (a) fine arts, (b) foreign language, (c) health, P.E., safety, (d) mathematics, (e) language arts, (f) science, (g) social studies, or (h) technology. These content areas allow students to tailor their program to their academic interests and desired skill development.
Participants enter as cohorts and progress through the degree program in a group. The culminating applied instructional project is unique to each student, but generally course work and many activities are done with fellow students. The learning outcomes are enhanced by having opportunities for students to work together and grow as a result of shared intellectual challenges. The program is designed so that students have a heavier load of classes in the summer and a lighter load in the fall and spring to provide time during the regular school year to work on and eventually complete their applied instructional project for graduation.
The program is designed around the following key elements:
1. Participants build instructional competence that will allow them to teach using superior skills at the school, district, or state level.
2. Participants develop proficiencies in selecting appropriate instructional models and methods to address specific learning objectives through quality lesson design including student assessment at the school, district, or state level.
3. Participants build fluency in research-informed instructional practice, i.e., the application and analysis of theory and research methodology in daily professional work.
4. As a result of maturing through these processes, students identify themselves as scholar educators and reflective practitioners.
Participants gain the skills necessary to correctly identify appropriate instruction for learning applications. Additionally, students learn to fold the acquired understanding of instruction into lessons to provide suitable learning solutions. Skills and resources related to subject matter content, individual differences and learning needs, technology, and leadership are appropriately integrated into the lessons to increase the effectiveness of instruction. For participants to achieve the critical expectations of the program, they participate in advanced study regarding how various methods, models, and approaches to learning impact assessment and instruction and how these have discrete impacts on student success. Participants are prepared to apply these skills at the school, district, or state level.
Work toward and completion of the graduate instructional project is a necessary part of the program for a student to demonstrate the successful ability to determine, select, and implement instructional applications for learning at the school, district, or state level.
Purpose of the Degree
As students complete a bachelor degree, they are prepared to teach but still have many skills to acquire in order to more fully master teaching proficiency. This degree is organized to enhance instructional expertise and support teachers as they gain a deeper understanding of pedagogy for their particular area of educational proficiency. In so doing, they are then able to provide a higher level of service, information, and instruction to their own students.
Institutional Readiness
The existing structure in the School of Education - under the direction of the dean, with the associate dean as program coordinator for the graduate degree, and the existing administrative staff - is well prepared to initiate the program.
UVU is in the process of developing the first three graduate programs, namely Education, Business, and Nursing. For this development, a UVU Graduate Programs Committee has been formed to review the process and provide leadership regarding admissions, curriculum, and policy. We anticipate the organization of an office of graduate studies in the future.
The building for the School of Education was remodeled and opened for occupancy in Fall 2005. Currently the School has enough classrooms to accommodate the graduate program, since most of the courses will be taught during evenings and summer when there is less demand for classroom space. With the anticipation of additional faculty and staff, some minor adjustments are necessary for appropriate office space.
The School of Education anticipates that our current faculty will teach many of the graduate courses and serve as project committee chairs and committee members, but still teach and supervise in the undergraduate program. However, faculty who are teaching graduate courses and working with graduate students can no longer teach as many sections of undergraduate courses. The impact of fewer faculty available for undergraduate instruction is minimal at the present time if additional faculty are hired. Graduate course offerings will focus more on evening and summer schedules which allows the School to accommodate the working, graduate student population and give faculty more opportunity for graduate involvement.
Faculty
The initial licensure programs create a heavy teaching load for the School of Education faculty, so additional faculty will be hired to adequately cover graduate and undergraduate courses, supervision, graduate committee and advisement responsibilities, service assignments, and scholarly work. One faculty is needed for the first year of the program and one more is needed for the second year. New faculty needed for the program for the first five years total two. New faculty will work in both the graduate and undergraduate programs.
Year 1 / Year 2 / Year 3 / Year 4 / Year 51 faculty / 1 faculty / No new / No new / No new
In the School of Education there are twenty full time professional instruction faculty members. Of these, ten currently have terminal degrees (either Ed.D. or Ph.D.) in a variety of education fields. Six faculty members are currently in doctoral programs and four have an Educational Specialist or a master degree. Six faculty members are tenured to the School of Education, nine are tenure-track, and five are non-tenure track, full- time faculty.
Full-time Faculty: Degrees tenure track faculty to part-time & non tenure track faculty
Doctorate / ABD/Doctoral candidate / Ed Specialist/Master10 (50%) / 6 (30%) / 4 (20%)
Full-time Faculty: Tenured, tenure-track, non-tenure track
Tenured / Tenure-track / Non-tenure-track6 (30%) / 9 (45%) / 5 (25%)
The School of Education was in a unique position last year when it hired six faculty and one full-time field coordinator. The increased number of faculty positions came about as a result of the change to university status and the need to decrease adjunct faculty numbers across the College. Because of the timing for the job offerings, four of the positions were filled by non-tenure track faculty. The School anticipates filling four lecturer positions (non-tenure track) with full-time, tenure track positions within the very near future.
It is important to recognize that quality teaching is the main mission of Utah Valley University. At the graduate level, quality teaching and knowledge application come not only as a result of understanding the best instructional practices and methods but also, in large measure, as a function of scholarly work. The institution encourages and supports the scholarly work of its faculty because it understands the potential for growth and the impact in the field. Scholarly work is understood in a broad context. It includes research, (new, application, and action), conference presentations and attendance, grant writing, and collaboration with colleagues from other institutions of higher education, school districts, and professional organizations. Faculty are involved in collaborating with colleagues here at UVU and at other institutions to produce research, as well as in program evaluation and improvement projects aimed at better student performance and scholarly understanding. Faculty are also highly involved with conference presentations at the local, state, national and international levels. Additionally, grants, student research, and close involvement with service area school districts are ongoing ventures for the majority of the faculty.
The faculty have initiated a series of professional development seminars where they study and discuss a topic, have guest scholars visit the school for discussions and problem solving opportunities, and incorporate possible changes in their course work. Most of the topics chosen for study address the INTASC standards and the State of Utah teacher standards. Our most recent faculty session involved a presentation by Carol Tomlinson from Virginia State University which focused on Differentiation. The School of Education also sponsored a presentation on current issues in teaching presented by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Patty Harrington, at a recent leadership conference at the institution. We feel strongly that as educators, we must continue to develop our own knowledge and practice.
Staff
Because of the increase in clerical work an additional full-time administrative assistant will be needed in the first year of the degree program.
Library and Information Resources
A careful review of the professional journals in the field of Education generally will be necessary to support student literature reviews, research, and projects. The new technology labs in the School of Education should be sufficient for part of that need. In addition, a Digital Learning Center (library) is being constructed on campus that will be completed by fall semester 2008. This facility, when completed, will provide exceptional academic support to both undergraduates and graduate students alike. The assistant dean is currently working with the library director of education acquisitions to improve the collection for education, and progress is being made that will support the graduate program. Funds to support the acquisition of graduate material are being provided through the increased library budgets.
Admission Requirements
Acceptance into the program will be based on seven elements:
1. Application for admission.
2. Bachelor degree from an accredited institution.
3. Applicants take the Graduate Record Examinations and achieve a score on each section (verbal and quantitative) at or above the 40th percentile.
4. Applicants must have an overall grade point average in their undergraduate work of 3.2 or higher or have a grade point average of 3.2 or higher for their last 60 semester hours of college or university credit.
5. Potential students are required to have an interview with School of Education Graduate screening committee where the following are considered:
a. quality of communication skills,
b. demonstrated potential to succeed in a rigorous graduate program.
6. Three letters of recommendation are required to provide evidence that the applicant has the potential to be a quality performer in a graduate level, academic program.
7. Preference is given to individuals who have at least one year of successful teaching experience in grades K-12. A one-year internship will count as the year of successful teaching.
8. Preference is given to practicing teachers who have access to an established classroom.
Student Advisement
Advising for a graduate program is done largely by faculty serving as committee chairs and members. When students are accepted into the graduate program, the graduate program director meets with the student prior to registration when students complete their program selection form. An advisor then assists students with registration. During the first semester, students choose a committee chair and members and complete the committee selection form. The graduate program director meets with students prior to graduation to clear all students for graduation.
Committee chairs (faculty) mentor students through the program, meet with students each semester to monitor progress, support students through project proposal, implementation and completion, participate in the project defense and sign-off on the program completion form. Committee members support students in like manner.
Justification for Graduation Standards and Number of Credits
The graduation standards listed below would demonstrate a student’s appropriate acquisition of the intended program outcomes and standards.
Graduation requirements from the program include:
1. Complete all courses with a grade of B- or better
2. Graduate project proposal accepted by School of Education Graduate Committee
3. Graduate project completed, defended, and accepted by the School of Education Graduate Committee
4. Complete program hours: 30 credits
5. Complete Required courses ( EDUC 6100, 6110, 6200, 6910, 6920, 6930)
6. Choose either the Models of Instruction or the ESL option; complete all listed courses for either option
The Master of Education (M.Ed.) described will require 30 credit hours, which is within the recommended credit levels established by the Utah System of Higher Education.
External Review and Accreditation
When constructing the degree and determining matriculation and graduation requirements, the School of Education examined programs at Utah State University, Southern Utah University, Weber State University, Brigham Young University, Boise State University, University of Nevada Reno, University of Nevada Las Vegas, University of Illinois Chicago, University of North Carolina Charlotte, and the University of Northern Kentucky. Many of these institutions had similar programs to the one UVU anticipates implementing. The degree is similar to most of these and yet it has an approach unique to our institution.
The undergraduate program at Utah Valley University completed a national accreditation review from Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC) in March of 2007. TEAC has indicated that the official accreditation letter will be sent to Utah Valley University during Fall Semester 2007. At the time of the accreditation review, the potential for submitting a master’s degree program was discussed with the TEAC auditors. TEAC was very supportive of UVU developing a graduate degree program. The ESL component of the graduate master’s degree would need to be approved for an endorsement in the State of Utah. The graduate program will be prepared to be appropriately accredited by TEAC. The next School of Education program review is scheduled for 2012.