Master of Education in Elementary Education Online

Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:

• Compare and contrast the central philosophies and major psychological theories which have guided American education and their influence on educational practice.
• Articulate a personal philosophy of education and align that philosophy with classic philosophical and psychological theories and with classroom practice.
• Demonstrate critical insight into the role of research in current educational practice and apply conventions to document research using APA style.
• Use library and internet resources for research purposes and evaluate research studies in light of philosophical and psychological assumptions and application to practice.
• Demonstrate knowledge of key educational reform movements in the United States, the major figures related to these movements, their philosophical tenets, and impact on teaching and learning
• Improve use of technology in research, analysis, and presentation of information.

Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:

• Write a well-organized literature review that incorporates high-quality sources relevant to a specific problem of practice.
• Identify common ethical issues that can arise during the research process and apply strategies to address these issues in scholarly writing.
• Gain proficiency in writing quantitative research questions and hypotheses as well as qualitative central questions.
• Describe procedures for and types of quantitative and qualitative data collection.
• Evaluate the validity and trustworthiness of data collection instruments.

Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:

• Recognize the various forms and types of data and assessment that support action research.
• Scrutinize and properly analyze qualitative and quantitative data.
• Effectively organize and present (in writing) qualitative and quantitative findings.
• Compose an action research report using academic writing standards and APA format that demonstrates engagement with the action research cycle and includes the following chapters: introduction, literature review, methodology, findings, and discussion.
• Demonstrate the ability to prepare and submit an IRB application outlining appropriate research design and adherence to ethical standards.
• Reflect on the action research process and how it may impact educational practices.

Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:

• Understand the theory of balanced literacy and how it can be utilized with the workshop methods to instruct using the gradual release of responsibility.
• Identify specific web-based resources as well as iPad apps that support the five domains of literacy and explain their role in teaching and learning across academic domains.
• Explore and implement various instructional and assessment methods that integrate educational technology based on research and theory.
• Synthesize their knowledge of literacy instructional theories, educational technology, and the state frameworks/curriculum in order to create a unit of study, utilizing Understanding by Design theory, that is student-centered, grounded in the components of balanced literacy, integrates content area standards and features a performance-based task to assess student understanding.
• Create a virtual space for fostering home-school literacy connections that empower families to support student literacy learning.

Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:

• Understand the critical role that teachers play in helping students think and learn with text
• Understand that assessment is a continuous process that makes use of multiple methods of gathering relevant data for instructional purposes.
• Develop techniques and strategies for using text structure in order to think deeply about ideas encountered during reading.
• Plan differentiated lessons which will enable all learners to be successful in reading and processing content text.
• Create a content unit of study demonstrating strategies and concepts studied in class
• Develop “text talk” and “writing to learn” activities to help students respond to difficult text.

Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:

• Describe the process through which a student may become eligible to receive special education services.
• Explain the components and differences between the Individuals with Disabilities Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
• Develop modifications and accommodations that are integrated into lessons and activities that allow ALL children to access the curriculum.
• Use functional behavior analysis to evaluate student behavior and develop and implement a plan for student behavioral needs.
• Use assessment information to plan individual programs and strategies for students with disabilities.
• Use appropriate educational terms that describe various concepts in special education.
• Meet the needs of students with disabilities by applying learned strategies when developing an inclusion plan for individual students.

Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:

• Gain perspective on the development of mathematics and mathematical thinking as the product of cultural realities and community participation.
• Provide effective instruction to learners from other cultures whose language and past experiences may get in the way of understanding how mathematics is taught and learned in the United States.
• Develop the ability to assess for understanding based on a variety of assessment measures.
• Engage in mathematics discourse as they grapple with pure mathematical content through problem solving activities situated in real-life, and how different cultures around the world. used algorithms to provide mathematical answers.

Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:

• Demonstrate understanding of major concepts and themes in social studies and American history, including knowledge of American civic culture and concepts necessary for students to develop a sense of their identity as members of families, communities, and citizens.
• Use the Understanding by Design structure to create a unit plan for a social studies concept from the state curriculum that includes an "unpacking" of the standards, a performance assessment, and lesson plans that align with the appropriate curriculum standards.
• Evaluate social studies methods and materials in terms of their validity, learning theory, and instructional usage.
• Analyze children's literature when integrating it into lessons and units while considering quality and multicultural themes.
• Critically examine issues of identity and equity including issues of agency, cultural relevance, and critical literacy as well as those that deal with race, class, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, and language in curriculum and pedagogy.
• Use community resources to enhance knowledge of social studies content and pedagogy.
• Explore and become competent in using a variety of technological tools to enhance social studies lessons.

Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:

• Unpack and analyze state science standards related to engineering, life science, physical science, and earth/space science.
• Use knowledge of state science standards and relevant content knowledge to create a unit of study using the "Understanding by Design" backward design process and format.
• Be introduced to various forms of assessment, including performance assessment, and then analyze these assessment strategies for use in lessons and units, selecting appropriate strategies to evaluate student understanding.
• Effectively integrate reading and writing with science by planning lessons and units that focus on science content as well as reading various forms of texts (fiction, informational texts, digital literacies, etc.) and writing to present scientific ideas.
• Analyze strategies for science instruction to consider their use and effectively utilize appropriate methods for science instruction.

Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:

• Analyze one’s own values, goals and sense of self as related to family history and life experiences, assessing how this impacts relationships with children and families.
• Synthesize and analyze recent research on the impact of race, social class, and culture onchildren, families, schools and communities
• Critique strategies that support and empower families through respective reciprocal relationships that involve all families in their children's development and learning
• Apply knowledge of family and community characteristics when involving family in their children's development and learning
• Understand the diversity of students and their families and propose effective anti-bias approaches to teaching and learning and to interacting with families.

Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:

• Identify and research a problem of practice in one's field by reflecting on one's teaching practice.
• Determine the significance of a problem of practice in the field of education and within a specific site.
• Develop a clear statement of purpose outlining the goals of a study aimed at addressing a specific problem of practice.
• Critically analyze and evaluate quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods research articles for their significance, quality, and validity to conduct a comprehensive literature review.
• Formulate a research question(s) (quantitative) or a central question (qualitative) related to the problem of practice and consider its relationship to the research paradigm and design.
• Determine the meaning and principles of action research.
• Demonstrate effective academic writing, adhere to APA format, and uphold ethical standards, including academic honesty, in all scholarly work.

Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:

• Describe personal and professional context for the graduate program
• Present a summary of learning which demonstrates mastery of MA DESE common standards for teachers.
• Present artifacts to demonstrate mastery of all (6) program outcomes