Master of Education Program Profile

The Dordt University master of education program prepares graduate students for teaching and administrative service in diverse settings, equipping them with God-centered reflective and transformative skills, knowledge, and dispositions for teaching, learning, and leading.

PROGRAM STRENGTHS

• Strong professional and personal relationships between professors and students
• Faculty who have more than 200 years of combined experience in every grade and subject level from PK - 12
• A program that combines theory and practice; students produce projects and materials they can immediately apply in their careers
• The program is very flexible, 100% online, low cost, and provides a variety of licensing and endorsement options

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Standard 1: The student enriches or develops a Reformational Christian perspective on education

1. Articulates a personal Christian philosophy of education. (RO)*
2. Increases awareness of and sensitivity to the worldviews that pervade and shape contemporary educational issues. (RO)*
3. Explores prominent theories of human development. (CS)*
4. Demonstrates competence in classroom management including: creating a safe and positive learning environment, communicating standards for responsible behavior, implementing procedures that support student achievement, and communicating effectively and accurately with students, families, colleagues, and communities. (CR)*

Standard 2: The student demonstrates improved curriculum development abilities

1. Gains an understanding of human development and individual differences and applies it towards the development of curriculum. (CS & CR)*
2. Recognizes current approaches in curriculum theory, attending particularly to embedded values and assumptions that shape thinkings and practice. (CD)*

Standard 3: The student demonstrates improved instructional abilities

1. Applies Christian philosophical and historical insights into your classroom practice. (CR)*
2. Identifies and uses methods and materials for modifying instructional strategies to meet student needs. (CR)*
3. Demonstrates ways in which prominent theories of human development relate to instruction. (CD)*
4. Uses a variety of methods to monitor student learning including: aligning assessment with instruction, communicating standards and assessment to parents and students, using multiple means of assessment to guide planning, involving students in self-assessment, collaborating with colleagues in analyzing student progress. and providing constructive feedback to parents and students. (CR)*

Standard 4: The student conducts, evaluates, and applies research in the field of education

1. Demonstrates habits and skills of continuous inquiry and learning. (CR)*
2. Applies research, knowledge, and skills from professional development opportunities to improve practice. (CR)*
3. Understands the ethical issues associated with conducting research. (CS)*

Standard 5: The student demonstrates improving educational leadership skills

1. Works collaboratively to improve professional development opportunities to improve practice. (CR)*
2. Devises a plan for personal and school-wide faculty professional development. (CR)*

Standard 6: The student demonstrates competence in content knowledge appropriate to the teaching position

1. Understands and uses key concepts, underlying themes, relationships, and different perspectives related to the content areas. (CS)*
2. Uses knowledge of student development to make learning experiences in the content areas meaningful and accessible to every student. (CR)*
3. Relates ideas and information within and across the content areas and uses appropriate instructional strategies for the content areas. (CR)*

*The tie between the Dordt University Master of Education Program Standards and the four institutional curricular goals and student outcomes is indicated by RO for Religious Orientation, CS for Creational Structure, CD for Creational Development, and CR for Contemporary Response.