EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY AND FOUNDATIONS
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN TEACHING, MAE
PROGRAM GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The Professional Development in Teaching Program embodies the University of
Northern Iowa's mission statement by "providing a diverse, dynamic learning
environment characterized by excellence in teaching." The individualized nature of
this masters program in teacher education enables students to select courses and seek
mentorship from across the campus. Within the College of Education, students are
engaged with their program advisors in personal and thoughtful discussions intended to
cultivate intellectual and academic values deeply relevant to improving the practice of
teaching. Integral parts of the program include furthering the professional dialogue of
practicing teachers, encouraging increased professional literacy, and adding to the body
of knowledge in educational research.
The primary goal of the Professional Development for Teachers graduate degree program is to
improve the quality of teaching in the state of Iowa by providing practicing teachers with a
highly flexible program of graduate coursework which specifically meets their individual needs
for professional growth. Increasingly, the professional growth objectives of teachers are linked
to both school improvement and student learning. Therefore it is an objective of this graduate
degree program to enable teachers to strengthen their knowledge and preparation in ways that
will advance these larger goals. Though individual programs of study may vary substantially
among degree candidates, certain objectives apply to all students in the degree program:
1. To gain or enhance the ability and the inclination to read, understand, evaluate, and apply
in the classroom the findings of educational research as they are reflected in the
professional literature
A. Students will demonstrate an understanding of foundational principles of research and
data analysis.
B. Students will be able to read and critically evaluate empirical studies.
C. Students will demonstrate the ability to apply research findings in their classrooms.
2. To acquire new knowledge in Practice-Based disciplines and to apply that new
knowledge in the classroom.
A. Students will be familiar with practice-based disciplines including studies in such
areas as Curriculum Development, Instructional Strategies, Assessment of Learning,
Classroom Management, Instructional Resources, Integration of Technology,
Characteristics of Effective Instruction, Inquiry and Activity Based Teaching,
Collaboration and Mentoring.
B. Students will demonstrate an understanding of content-specific disciplines.
C. Students will be able to use their knowledge of content-based knowledge to improve
their classroom teaching.
3. To acquire new knowledge in Theory-Based disciplines and to apply that new knowledge
in the classroom.
A. Students will demonstrate knowledge and skills in theory-based disciplines that
provide the broader, contextual frameworks for understanding.
B. Students will be able to use the theoretical knowledge related to their discipline to
develop practical classroom activities and to make decisions about teaching.
C. Students will be familiar with Learning Theory, Human Development, Motivation,
Cognitive Science, Child and Adolescent Psychology, Curriculum Theory, History of
Education, Philosophy of Education, Sociology of Education, School Reform and
School Improvement, Diversity, and other disciplines in which the intent is to develop
theoretical frameworks for understanding and improving classroom practice.
4. To acquire new knowledge in Content-Based disciplines and to apply that new
knowledge in the classroom.
A. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the subject matter areas in which they
provide instruction.
B. Content studies include all of the subjects which are taught in schools, including
Reading, Mathematics, Science, Social Sciences, Arts and Music, Physical Education,
Vocational Studies, Foreign Languages, etc. The intent of this objective is to expand
the teacher’s knowledge base and expertise in teaching content knowledge.
5. To acquire the ability to conduct research and to apply the findings of that research to
classroom practice.
A. Students will demonstrate their understanding of the scientific process and research
design.
B. Students will demonstrate their ability to apply research findings related to teaching
and learning in their classroom practice.
C. Students will be able to demonstrate the skills necessary to conduct research.