M.S. in Physics and Adolescence Education, Grades 7-12

Secondary Education Program Goals

The goals of Secondary Education Program are based on the belief that teachers of students in grades 7-12 need to be grounded in a thorough understanding of one or more content fields, as well as methods of teaching that engage adolescent learners who are in their final years of K-12 education and who are preparing to enter the world of civic responsibility, higher education, and/or the job market. Thus, the program goals are:

1. The candidate will understand, explain, analyze and apply the major concepts, principles, theories and underlying philosophies of secondary education programs that address the cognitive and psychological development of adolescent learners
2. The candidate will be able to create learning opportunities and approaches to the assessment that reflect an understanding adolescent learners in ways that value and respond to the diversity of the student population and use family and community resources to extend the curriculum, while addressing the learning standards of the candidate's content field of study.

Goals of the School of Education

The unit goals establish the shared vision, mission, philosophy and guiding principles agreed to by members of the faculty and other stakeholders in the learning community. The unit's proficiencies, strategies and assessment are designed to ensure that candidates acquire the academic, pedagogical, professional and interpersonal skills required of teachers and other school professionals who prepare students to succeed in a rapidly changing global environment. The six goals reflect the integrated knowledge, skills and dispositions that together ensure that candidates develop as effective educators and reflective practitioners. These goals are as follows:

Content Knowledge: Candidates demonstrate a solid content knowledge base that enables them to deliver effective educational and professional services based on current research, theory and practice.

Pedagogical and Professional Knowledge: Candidates employ multiple pedagogical and professional strategies and tools to enable them to be effective practitioners in educational settings and deliver services that promote students' intellectual, social and emotional development.

Diversity: Candidates understand the diverse cultural, linguistic, learning and social strengths and needs of all populations and incorporate and demonstrate sensitivity to the richness of diverse cultures when providing educational and other school-services.

Reflection: Candidates reflect on professional practice to make educational decisions and enhance student learning. 

Dispositions: Candidates demonstrate positive dispositions that enable them to work as effective educators, citizens and practitioners within the school and broader community.

The six unit goals are supported by the professional literature including theories, research, wisdom of practice and education policies.