Master of Education in Teaching

This course provides an overview of principles and practices related to diversity in contemporary schooling, including topics such as the overarching concepts of culture, race, class, and group, cultural and neuro-diversity, and ways cultural and neuro-diversity influence education structure and practice, with a special focus on the inclusion of English learners and students with special needs in a regular education classroom. In addition, the course examines ways teachers can implement culturally responsive, neuro-differentiated teaching practices to meet student needs.

This course examines various research-based models, theories, and best practices for effective classroom management in service of student learning. Topics include strategies for developing effective learning communities, effective classroom procedures and expectations, anticipating and managing student behavior, rewards and motivation, positive behavior intervention and support, and strategies for working with reluctant or difficult students. Students will develop a personal classroom management system for use in their own teaching practice.

This course provides students with an overview of the structure and design of school curriculum, including historical and contemporary factors that influence it. Students will learn how to create, evaluate, and develop curriculum, with an emphasis on standards-based, learning-centered instruction. Various curriculum models and theories will be examined, and students will apply theoretical learning to their current teaching practice.

Offered in Spring Session 1

This course provides a critical examination of major philosophies of education. Students will also examine the philosophy’s relationship to historical and current school structure and teaching practice in the United States. Students will develop a personal philosophy of education, grounded in scriptural principles and theoretical knowledge.

Offered in Spring Session 2

This course examines best practices for incorporating educational technology in the classroom. Includes strategies for using technology in the teaching/learning process, assessing student learning, and communicating with stakeholders 199 (parents, colleagues, administration, and community members). Students will learn best practices regarding selection and evaluation of specific hardware and applications and will develop a plan to implement those in their teaching practice.

Offered in Summer Session 1

This course provides a critical examination of various theories of learning. Course topics will include main principles of both historical and contemporary models of cognitive processing, constructivism, experiential learning, and learning styles. Students will explore implications for teachers and students, relating theory to their own teaching practice.

Offered in Summer Session 2

This course provides an introductory overview of concepts, principles, and methods of educational research, including both qualitative and quantitative approaches, to enable students to become informed consumers of educational research. Topics include purposes of educational research, research design and typical methods (such as experimental, grounded theory, ethnography, narrative, action research, and mixed methods), and the research process.

Offered in Fall Session 1

This course examines various theories about and types of student assessment. Topics include formal and informal assessment, formative and summative assessment, test construction, rubrics, and authentic assessment. Students will apply theory to their teaching practice, using appropriate strategies to design, implement, and evaluate assessments effectively to enhance learning.

Offered in Fall Session 2

This course provides opportunity for students to examine action research theory and method and design a research project with the aim of improving their teaching practice. Student will gain the knowledge and skills necessary to design and implement an action research project, including identifying and stating the problem, conducting a literature review, collecting and analyzing data, and presenting findings in a formal report.

Offered in Spring Session 21

This course provides an overview of the principles and best practices of educational leadership from a biblical perspective. Topics include organizational structure and behavior, building positive relationships, professional learning communities and coaching, communication, decision making, and program improvement.

Offered in Spring Session 2

This is a core course in the TMU M.Ed. program and must be taken as the last course in the program. In this course students will design, propose, implement, and present a capstone project (or projects) through which they will demonstrate achievement of the M.Ed. program learning outcomes:

• Apply a biblical worldview and specific scriptural principles in the evaluation of any educational program or issue.
• Apply instructional theory to design and implement effective instructional strategies appropriate for the subject matter and student characteristics (including age, diversity, and exceptionality).
• Apply assessment theory to design and implement effective student and program assessment strategies in a range of subject areas and educational settings.
• Work effectively as a leader and/or team member within a collaborative educational environment.
• Perform and communicate results of graduate-level educational research, which includes effectively analyzing and evaluating the results of educational research, as well as applying the results to specific problems or issues as appropriate.