Masters of Education in Secondary Education Self-Study
Brief History of M.Ed. in Secondary Education-Continuing Professional
The M.Ed. in Secondary Education (Continuing Professional) degree program has been a long
standing program of the College of Education (CoE). In 2000, this program was substantially
revised by a secondary faculty committee with input from the elementary faculty, and then
formally approved by the department faculty. The new program was approved by the CoE
Curriculum Committee, then by the University Curriculum Committee. The current program of
study is delivered throughout the state. Indeed, there are many cohorts of M.Ed. in Secondary
Education students in Phoenix as well as students located in many other locations who take
course work in face-to-face or on-line formats in a more traditional program. Some flexibility
exists within the program of study with the provision that course substitutions can be made to
address unique student learning goals, course availability, and employer requirements with the
approval of the advisor. With the advent of the on-line format, students in other states and
countries also enroll in this degree program or take courses for professional development.
During the 2009-10 academic year, many secondary content areas began to offer contentspecific advanced degrees in secondary education. The migration of secondary program
offerings and the overall reduction in education-related programs during the economic
downturn has significantly affected the overall enrollment of the M.Ed. in Secondary Education
(Continuing Professional) degree program. From a high enrollment period of over 200 enrolled
candidates, the program enrollment has steadily declined. Recent curricular revisions have
reduced the number of credit hours required to earn the
M.Ed. in Secondary Education degree in an attempt to
make the degree more attractive to teachers and other
Program Learning
educational professionals.
Program Description
The Master of Education in Secondary Education prepares
professionals for employment in leadership roles within
public, private and charter secondary schools for grades 712. This program is for continuing secondary professionals;
it does not lead to certification. Students normally
complete their program of studies for this degree within
18-24 months of starting their course work. Students may
choose to finish their course work with either a capstone
experience or a thesis option; however, it is rare for a
student to choose the thesis option. Enrollment in the
M.Ed. in Secondary Education-Continuing Professional
Outcomes
1. Commitment to students
and their learning.
2. Knowledgeable of subject
matter and how to teach
it.
3. Responsible for
managing and monitoring
student learning.
4. Think systematically
about their practices and
learn from experience.
5. Contribute as members
of learning communities.
Page 1
program is contingent upon a student having a 3.0 GPA in their prior undergraduate course
work and valid certification in secondary education. The current program of study is listed
below. Recently, the secondary education faculty members streamlined the program of study
by reducing the number of credit hours required for degree completion from 36 down to 30
hours, to be taken through curricular committees in Fall 2013. This change was initiated to
make the program more succinct and competitive with other programs around the state.
Core Area
I. Introduction to
Graduate Work
II. Professional
Education Courses
III. Foundations of
Schooling
IV. Curriculum
Construction
V. Major Field
VI. Closure
Class Requirements
All students must take the following required class:
 EPS 605 Applied Educational Psychology
Students must take one of the following classes for 3 credit hours:
 EDR 610 Introduction to Research
 EDR 611 Action Research
 EPS 525 Introduction to Statistics
Students must take three or four of the following classes for 9-12
credit hours:
 ECI 521 Questioning Strategies
 ETC 547 Classroom Technology Applications
 ECI 593 (titles vary)
 ECI 599 (titles vary)
 ECI 569 Instructional Problems in Jr. High and Middle Schools
 ECI 603 Assessment of Students
 ECI 652 Gender Issues in Education
 ECI 671 Content Area Reading
 ECI 696 Professional Problems of Teachers
Students must take one of the following classes for 3 credit hours:
 EDF 500 Cultural Foundations of Education
 EDF 630 Foundations of Education Law
 EDF 670 Philosophy of Education
 EDF 671 History of American Education
 EDF 672 Comparative Education
 EDF 673 International Education
 EDF 677 Education Sociology
Students must take one of the following classes for 3 credit hours:
 ECI 666 Problems in Secondary School Curriculum
 ECI 675 Principles of Curriculum Construction
Students must take three to four classes (9-12 hours) in a content
commonly taught in public schools, or endorsement courses in
reading, special education or technology.
Students must take one of the following classes for 3-6 credit hours:
 ECI 698 Capstone Experience
 ECI 699 Thesis (Generally requires one semester residency in
M.Ed. in Secondary Education-Continuing Professional
Page 2
the fall, spring or summer. If this option is chosen, the
student needs to take less credit hours in areas II or V.)
All of the classes for this degree, except for the thesis class, are offered on-line during the major
academic semesters (fall, spring) as well as during the summer sessions. The move to on-line
delivery was made in 2000 to meet students’ needs across the state, as well as assist practicing
teachers earn their master’s degree while working full-time. In addition, on-line course
offerings allow students from throughout Arizona to participate in courses each semester to
continue their professional development. This wide variety of student with varying
backgrounds and experiences enhances the overall class experience for all students. With the
ease of participation in on-line classes, more students are involved in the spring and fall
semesters as they no longer have to wait to take classes during their non-contracted summer
breaks as in the past.
Background Information
Enrollment
Degree-seeking Headcount of M.Ed. Secondary Education - Continuing Professional Students
(PAIR data)
Enrollment
Total Enrolled Students
250
200
150
100
50
0
Enrollment
Fall
2003
Fall
2004
Fall
2005
Fall
2006
Fall
2007
Fall
2008
Fall
2009
Fall
2010
Fall
2011
181
206
154
130
110
101
77
67
46
Over the last seven years, enrollment in the Secondary Education Master’s Program has
declined significantly. From enrollment figures for the fall 2003 to fall 2010, the number of
graduate students enrolled in the program has decreased by 75%. This decrease has occurred
M.Ed. in Secondary Education-Continuing Professional
Page 3
not only on the Flagstaff campus but across the entire statewide system as well. The reasons
for this decrease are likely varied. Graduate degrees are no longer a requirement for
recertification through the Arizona Department of Education. Teachers must only continue
their professional development in some format, documentation 135 of professional
development hours to satisfy recertification requirements. Compensation for teachers with
advanced degrees has also been “frozen” on pay scales during the economic downturn.
Graduate tuition has seen steady increases in the last three years as the university seeks a way
to offset decreasing levels of state funding, while NAU’s tuition and fee schedule remains
advantageous when compared to private degree granting institutions in Arizona like University
of Phoenix and Grand Canyon University, earning a graduate degree has become an increasingly
expensive proposition. A student registering for the master’s degree in secondary education as
a candidate in the NAU extended campus system student, pays several hundred dollars more
per credit hour than was the case at the time of the previous program review. Each of these
factors is likely contributing to the enrollment declines noted in this program of study.
Tracking the enrollment declines, the number of faculty members who contribute to the M.Ed.
in Secondary Education (Continuing Professional) degree program has similarly declined. From
2003 to 2006, the program had eight secondary faculty members on the mountain campus who
delivered courses for both the BSED in Secondary Education and the Masters with Secondary
Education (both for the certification and the continuing professional programs) and one faculty
member located in the extended campus system. In 2007-09, the T&L added two tenure-track
faculty members in secondary education, Dr. Christine Lemley and Dr. Joseph Wegwert, but lost
one faculty line due to a resignation/relocation. After the 2008-09 academic year, the number
of faculty members in the secondary education program has declined, primarily due to
retirements and attrition. For 2011-12 year, the secondary education program is served by five
faculty members; four on the Flagstaff campus and one on the extended campus system.
Secondary Faculty Tenured/Tenure-Track and Non-Tenure Track
Secondary
Faculty
Tenured/TenureTrack
Non-Tenure
Track
TOTAL
FY 04
FY 05
FY 06
FY 07
FY 08
FY 09
FY 10
FY 11
FY 12
5
5
6
6
6
6
5
4
4
4
4
4
4
5
3
2
2
1
9
9
10
10
11
9
7
6
5
Note: FY10 CSTL moved to CEFNS. One tenure-track and one non-tenure track faculty member
lines were transferred to CEFNS with the program realignment. Other reductions in secondary
faculty lines in secondary education have been a result of attrition through retirement. Looking
at the enrollment trend, the faculty to enrolled students ratio has remained fairly stable (20067 = 130/10 or 13:1; 2011-12 46/5 or 9.2:1).
M.Ed. in Secondary Education-Continuing Professional
Page 4
Graduation Rates
M.Ed. Secondary Education Degrees Awarded by fiscal year (PAIR data)
Campus
Flagstaff
FY 04
8
FY 05
12
FY 06
17
FY 07
5
FY 08
3
FY 09
4
FY 10
2
FY 11
1
FY 12
4
3
5
1
0
0
6
0
2
0
74
58
61
47
44
43
34
26
26
Yuma
3
3
4
1
1
1
2
1
1
TOTAL
88
78
83
53
48
54
38
30
31
Online
Community
Program Diversity and Student Engagement with Diversity
Although the numbers overall have declined in the program, it is interesting to note that the
percentages of males have remained about the same and have actually increased except during
the Fall of 2008. The number of Hispanic graduates has also increased, perhaps due to changing
demographics across the state.
Northern Arizona University is committed to diversity, especially ethnic diversity in its student
population. Both college and university goals speak to this. Increasing our student population in
this degree, especially in regard to our Hispanic and Native American Students, is desired as the
state demographics continue to fluctuate and increase in regard to the Hispanic K-12 student
population (census data indicate 44.8 % Hispanic population under the age of 5 in 2012).
Number of Enrolled Students by Gender:
Gender
Female
Male
TOTAL
Fall 03
124
Fall 04 Fall 05 Fall 06
136
109
89
Fall 07
74
Fall 08 Fall 09 Fall 10 Fall 11
67
52
47
30
(69%)
(66%)
(71%)
(68%)
(67%)
(94%)
(68%)
(70%)
57
70
45
41
36
34
25
20
(65%)
16
(31%)
(34%)
(29%)
(32%)
(33%)
(6%)
(32%)
(30%)
(35%)
181
206
154
130
110
101
77
67
46
Number of Enrolled Students by Race and Ethnicity:
Race/Ethnicity
African
American
Asian
American
Hispanic
Native
American
White
Fall 03
4 (2%)
Fall 04
7 (3%)
Fall 05
8 (5%)
Fall 06
6 (5%)
Fall 07
2 (2%)
Fall 08
2 (2%)
3 (2%)
4 (2%)
0
3(2%)
6 (5%)
3 (3%)
2 (3%)
0
0
15 (8%)
8 (4%)
17 (8%)
6 (3%)
11 (7%)
4 (3%)
9(7%)
2 (1%)
8 (7%)
1 (1%)
8 (8%)
2 (2%)
9 (11%)
1 (1%)
6 (10%)
0
6 (13%)
148
165
(82%)
(80%)
126 106(82%)
(82%)
M.Ed. in Secondary Education-Continuing Professional
Fall 09 Fall 10 Fall 11
0 1 (1%)
0
92
85
61
57
38
(84%)
(84%)
(79%)
(86%)
(83%)
Page 5
International
Other/Not
Specified
Two or more
TOTAL
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2 (3%)
1 (1%)
1 (1%)
1 (2%)
0
2 (1%)
6 (3%)
5 (3%)
4 (3%)
1 (1%)
1 (1%)
1(1%)
181
1 (>1%)
206
0
154
0
130
0
110
101
2 (3%)
77
1 (1%)
67
1 (2%)
46
M.Ed. in Secondary Education Self-Study Summary
What is the relationship of the M.Ed. in Secondary Education program to NAU’s mission and
strategic goals?
The M.Ed. in Secondary Education program prepares professionals with the skills to be effective
educators in their school districts (CoE Goal 2 Scholarship and Inquiry). Graduates of the
program are prepared with the content knowledge necessary to function effectively in their
role as teachers and leaders in their education setting (CoE Goal 1 Leadership in Arizona). There
is a major emphasis within the program on working with underserved populations, particularly
Native Americans (NAU Goal 6 Commitment to Native Americans, CoE Goal 4 Serving Native
American Students) and Hispanics (CoE Goal 5 Serving Latino/a Students). Additionally, the
curriculum integrates components of global diversity (NAU Goal 4 Global Engagement, CoE
Goal 7 Globalization). Courses elaborate on these globalization goals and the
interconnectedness of our worlds. Additionally, global experiences are offered to graduate
students in multiple programs.
What is the quality of the program?
Since 2003, graduates of the M.Ed. in Secondary Education are employed throughout the
nation, but specifically in Arizona at middle and high schools. These recent graduates continue
to serve their school districts with renewed knowledge of curriculum, instruction, and
assessment. Many use their expertise to become teacher leaders and peer coaches within their
districts. The quality of the program is assessed across several dimensions: core faculty
teaching courses in the program of study, student evaluations of courses taught in the most
recent academic year, faculty contributions to their discipline, the diversity of candidates in the
program, results of assessment activities, surveys of candidate perceptions, and contributions
to the university, state, and region.
Core Faculty
The M.Ed. in Secondary Education program relies on the expertise of faculty from three
different departments within the College of Education. The Department of Teaching and
Learning provides the core faculty members for the program who teach over half of the hours
required for this degree program. The other fifty percent of the program hours are taught by
colleagues from within the College of Education (faculty from Educational Leadership,
M.Ed. in Secondary Education-Continuing Professional
Page 6
Educational Specialties, and Educational Psychology) along with content area faculties from
other NAU colleges. The following table presents information about the lead faculty members
for core courses in the M.Ed. in Secondary Education (Continuing Professional) program.
M.Ed. Secondary
Education Core Faculty
Gae Johnson
Patty Horn
Rank
M.Ed. Secondary Education Courses Taught
Full Professor
Full Professor
Laura Michael-Blocher
Gretchen McAllister
Senior Lecturer
Associate
Professor
Assistant
Professor
Associate
Professor
ECI 521 Questioning Strategies
ECI 659 Instructional Problems in Jr. High and Middle
Schools
ECI 671 Content Area Reading
ECI 696 Professional Problems of Teachers
Joseph Wegwert
Sherry Markel
Sandra Stone
Full Professor
ECI 666 Problems in Secondary School Curriculum
ECI 652 Gender Issues in Education
ECI 675 Principles of Curriculum Construction
ECI 698 Capstone Experience
ECI 699 Thesis
Professors, as needed, update core course syllabi with new publications in the field. All courses
for the Masters in Secondary Education Continuing Professional are offered every semester or
every other semester, maximizing availability for students. All students are required to take ECI
698, the Capstone Experience, and also one curriculum class (ECI 675, ECI 666, or ECI 649).
Data is collected for each of these classes through key assessments called signature
assignments. Students create electronic portfolios of their key assessments during their
program.
At the secondary education graduate degree level, the courses that had signature assignments
were: ECI 675 and ECI 698. The assignment for ECI 675 Principles of Curriculum Construction
was to create a curriculum document that constitutes a major unit embedded within a course.
The majority of our students (Flagstaff, Phoenix, Rural and Tucson) met or exceeded all of the
standards. The capstone course is ECI 698 Capstone Experience. Candidates create a public
presentation that summarizes the most important learning that they gained from their
Secondary Education, M.Ed. Continuing Professional degree. Candidates also critique three
other students’ presentations. ECI 698 data was not available.
Out of 117 students, Spring and Summer 2012, all but one student exceeded the standard and
the rest met the standard. One student who did not meet the standard from ECI 675 on
“Subject Standard” only in the Spring; only one student did not meet the standard on “Subject
Standard” only in the Summer.
M.Ed. in Secondary Education-Continuing Professional
Page 7
Evidence of Teaching Effectiveness and Innovation
Course Evaluations
Teaching evaluations for T&L classes in the past two years are depicted in the chart below (5
point Likert scale; 5 is Outstanding; 4 is Very Good). Our instructors are evaluated as very good
to outstanding. Most of our graduate courses are offered on-line, though Extended Campuses
offer some of our courses in person. Students appear to be very satisfied with the instruction in
our Masters in Secondary Education program. Our response rate from students averages about
52%. Low student response rate is a concern since COE went to electronic methods of rating
professors several years ago.
Most courses received over the 4 point mark (very good toward outstanding) on the following
measures: “increased knowledge” and “course worthwhile”. This indicates satisfaction and
perceived learning. The lowest ratings, ECI 603 (Assessment of Students), also recorded the
lowest response rate and only one section was offered. However, responses to EDR 610 were
also rated at 3.80 and 3.71, respectively, with a 50 % response rate in 28 sections. One might
argue for all sections, are we asking the right questions? How can we increase response rates?
It is also important to mention that a new course evaluation instrument is being piloted during
the 13-14 academic year.
More data need to be examined in regard to these evaluations. Looking at part-time
evaluations of instructors in comparison with full time faculty may yield important factors. Also,
the comments on evaluations could lead to important conclusions. For example, students have
added requirements/expectations for writing (style, consistent APA format, etc.) in graduate
programs. Comments to professors and their department chair often specifically question the
need for this stringency; are these frustrations of students reflected in various ways in the
course evaluations? Conversely, are some of the courses perceived as less rigorous than desired
and therefore scored lower? Further data mining may address these types of issues.
Introduction to Graduate Work
Course Number and Title
EPS 605: Educational Psychology Applied to
Learning
EDR 610 Introduction to Research
Sections
Taught
2011-12
18
Response
Rate
(range)
48%
Increased
Knowledge
Course
Worthwhile
4.19
4.17
3.80
3.71
4.43
4.42
(18-100%)
28
50%
(0-100%)
EPS 525 Introduction to Statistics
12
48%
(26-65%)
M.Ed. in Secondary Education-Continuing Professional
Page 8
Professional Education Core Course
Number and Title
ECI 521: Questioning Strategies
Sections
Taught
2011-12
2
Response
Rate
(range)
29%
Increased
Knowledge
Course
Worthwhile
4.83
4.83
10%
43%
43%
3.00
5.00
5.00
3.00
5.00
5.00
32%
4.39
4.63
4.15
4.01
(17-100%)
ECI 603: Assessment of Students
ECI 652: Gender Issues in Education
ECI 659: Instructional Problems in Jr. High
and Middle Schools
ECI 671: Content Area Reading
1
1
1
3
(13-50%)
ECI 696: Professional Problems of Teachers
7
40%
(12-70%)
ECI 698: Graduate Seminar (Capstone)
Foundations of Schooling
Course Number and Title
EDF 500: Cultural Foundations of Education
10
30%
4.48
4.49
Sections
Taught
2011-12
9
Response
Rate
(range)
40%
Increased
Knowledge
Course
Worthwhile
4.20
4.18
4.26
4.23
4.24
4.09
4.67
4.56
3.96
3.91
Not taught
Not taught
4.43
4.32
Increased
Knowledge
Course
Worthwhile
3.80
3.40
3.91
3.74
Increased
Knowledge
Course
Worthwhile
4.48
4.49
(13-78%)
EDF 630 Foundations of Education Law
5
26%
(6-52%)
EDF 670 Philosophy of Education
8
31%
(0-56%)
EDF 671 History of American Education
8
52%
(0-100%)
EDF 672 Comparative Education
3
43%
(13-90%)
EDF 673 International Education
n/a
n/a%
(%)
EDF 677 Education Sociology
4
48%
(33-67%)
Curriculum Construction
Course Number and Title
ECI 666: Problems in Secondary School
Curriculum
ECI 675: Principles of Curriculum
Construction
Closure/Capstone
Course Number and Title
ECI 698: Graduate Seminar (Capstone)
Sections
Taught
2011-12
2
Response
Rate
(range)
50%
(0-100%)
7
35%
(0-60%)
Sections
Taught
2011-12
10
M.Ed. in Secondary Education-Continuing Professional
Response
Rate
(range)
30%
Page 9
Faculty Contributions to Discipline or Profession through Scholarly, Creative or Professional
Activity
Dr. Gae Johnson, full professor, has published articles on middle school learning in the areas of
native language learning, special education, mathematics and science (2009, 2007, 2005, 2004,
2003). She was awarded the David A. Williams Award for Innovation in Education in 2006. She
has written several grants for the Arizona Teacher Excellence Coalition, 2003-2005), totaling
$143,000. Dr. Johnson has presented at numerous international and national conferences
including the Learning Disability Association International Conference (2010), the Hawaii
International Conference on Education (2009), and the International Bilingual/Multicultural
Education Conference (2006). She has also presented at regional and state mathematics
conferences for the NCTM national organization. Dr. Johnson has served as President of the
Arizona NCTM organization.
Dr. Patty Horn, full professor, has served as the director of the teacher induction program and
Northern Arizona University (2005-11) and was the founding executive director of the Arizona
K-12 Center (1999-00). She has published many books on professional growth and the practice
of mentoring teachers (2011, 2010, 2006-09). Dr. Horn has presented papers at AERA (2008),
the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, 2006, 2007), and the National Staff
Development Council Annual Conference (2005). She has been awarded numerous grants on
improving teacher quality funded by the Arizona Board of Regents totaling over one million
dollars (2006-10). She was awarded an $880,251 grant from the U.S. Department of Education
(2004-07) and another $4.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education (2002-05).
Laura Michael-Blocher, who worked in the program for several years as a senior lecturer,
brought 14 years of high school and middle school teaching experience to our students. She
taught many workshops on reading in the content area and on technology. Ms. Blocher
developed several courses for on-line delivery. She secured many literacy grants. She was
awarded the Kappa Delta Pi International Program Award for Outstanding Website (2007), the
Robert and Joy Crozier Leadership Award (2007) and the NAU’s College of Education Teacher of
the Year (2007).
Dr. Gretchen McAllister, associate professor, is the coordinator of our C & I doctoral program.
She is also the coordinator of the International Scholar Academy at NAU. Dr. McAllister is the
former director of the Martin-Springer Institute at NAU (2005-2009). She has written several
book chapters about research (2009) and also multicultural professional development for
African American teachers (2002). She has written many articles about teacher preparation
(2005), the role of empathy in teacher education (2002), and cross-cultural issues (2000, 2001).
She has presented at international and national conferences such as the National Association
M.Ed. in Secondary Education-Continuing Professional
Page 10
for Multicultural Education (2008), The National Conference of American Association of
Colleges for Teacher Education (2008), and the Society for Information Technology and Teacher
Education (2005). Dr. McAllister has been awarded the NAU President’s Award (2007), was a
visiting professor in Chengdu, China, and was nominated for the Commission on the Status of
Women’s Outstanding Achievement and Contribution award.
Dr. Joe Wegwert, assistant professor, has his experience in secondary education history,
political science, gender studies, and democracy. He brings 17 years of high school social
studies teaching experience. He has published articles on exploring leadership, culture, and
schooling (2003) and on democratic schooling (2002). He has numerous books chapters about
citizenship (2011), GLBTQ youth and the hidden curriculum (2011), schooling and teacher
education (2004). He has been awarding the LOUIE Teaching Award nomination (2009-10), and
the Graduate School Academic Achievement Assistantship award (2002). He serves on the
Board of Directors for the Haven Montessori School and on the Executive Board for Phi Delta
Kappa at NAU.
Dr. Sherry Markel, associate professor, former chair of the Department of Teaching and
Learning (2002-2007), has published articles on literacy (2010), graduate capstone experiences
(2011), an international publication (2007), and the condition of education in Arizona (2004,
2005). Dr. Markel has written numerous grants regarding performance-based assessment
($49,687, 2005), electronic portfolios ($30,000, 2003), and technology integration ($300,000,
2001). She has presented at the ATMC conference (2009), the Professional development
Schools National Conference (2008), and NCTM conference (2006).
See the Appendices file for faculty Vitas, as well as documentation for other publications,
presentations, and professional activities of faculty teaching courses in the Masters in
Secondary Education Continuing Professional.
Program Diversity and Student Engagement with Diversity
While all faculty members are of European American (White) heritage, student enrollment for
T&L in 2011 consists of 28% students of color with the majority being Hispanic/Latino students
(20%). Approximately one third of the students are men, and two thirds are women. In
addition, many of the T&L’s faculty members teaching in this program infuse a multicultural,
social justice, and diversity perspective in these graduate courses. Lastly, students engage with
diversity on a variety of dimensions in the curriculum. For example, in our ECI 652 Gender
Issues in Education and ECI 696 Professional Problems of Teachers classes, students are
challenged to become engaged with issues of gender, race/ethnicity, and differences in cultural
background and beliefs as these relate to schools and instructional practices.
M.Ed. in Secondary Education-Continuing Professional
Page 11
Assessment
In 2010, an Annual Report on Degree Program Assessment of Student Learning was submitted
to the NAU Office of Academic Assessment (OAA). This report delineated how student learning
outcomes and program effectiveness is assessed through T&L’s signature assignments in ECI
675 and ECI 698. Student learning is also assessed through ongoing feedback in coursework and
through final grading; and through informal feedback from professors and advisors.
The results of the June 2010 report indicated the following:
1. Faculty would like another year of data before making program decisions. Faculty will
meet during the 2010-2011 year to review the signature assignments.
2. The Department of Teaching and Learning has attended to the process of making sure
all faculty are having students complete the signature assignments and that all
assignments are evaluated by faculty. This is an on-going need with our new
assessment implementation. T&L wants to make sure all faculty members receive
training support as well.
3. Students demonstrate knowledge and skills in core and foundational areas related to
our signature assignment classes. At the secondary education graduate degree level, the
courses that had signature assignments were: ECI 675 and ECI 698. An average of 90% of
students earned As in ECI 675 Principles of Curriculum Construction and ECI 698
Capstone Experience. (Note: ECI 675 and ECI 698 grades include both our Masters in
Elementary Education and Masters in Secondary Education students as both these
classes are required for these two degrees.) The assignment for ECI 675 was to create a
curriculum document that constitutes a major unit embedded within a course. The
majority of our students (Flagstaff, Phoenix, Rural and Tucson) met or exceeded all of
the standards. The capstone course is ECI 698. Candidates create a public presentation
that summarizes the most important learning that they gained from their Secondary
Education, MED Continuing Professional degree. Candidates also critique three other
students’ presentations. ECI 698 data was not available.
Out of 117 students, Spring and Summer 2009, most students exceeded the standard
and the rest met the standard, except for one student who did not meet the standard
from ECI 675 on “Subject Standard” only in the Spring; only one student did not meet
the standard on “Subject Standard” only in the Summer.
M.Ed. in Secondary Education-Continuing Professional
Page 12
M.Ed. Secondary Education Grades
(Note: ECI 675 and ECI 698 grades include both our Masters in Elementary Education and Masters in Secondary
Education students as both these classes are required for these two degrees.)
Course
and
Grade:
ECI 675
A
B
C
F
TOTAL
Course
and
Grade:
ECI 698
A
B
C
F
TOTAL
FY 04
FY 05
FY 06
FY 07
FY 08
FY 09
FY 10
FY 11
FY 12
343
272
225
151
194
236
147
109
82
(90%)
(92%)
(90%)
(89%)
90%
(93%)
(87%)
(96%)
(86%)
27
8
3
381
17
1
6
296
20
2
2
249
15
2
2
170
16
2
4
216
13
1
3
253
16
2
4
169
2
0
2
113
9
1
4
95
FY 04
FY 05
FY 06
FY 07
FY 08
FY 09
FY 10
FY 11
FY 12
284
315
309
275
220
278
210
153
114
(91%)
(88%)
(89%)
(89%)
(92%)
(93%)
(95%)
(93%)
(90%)
25
1
1
311
32
8
3
358
30
3
6
348
11
10
3
299
12
3
3
238
18
2
2
300
8
1
1
220
10
0
1
164
12
1
0
127
4. T&L is currently not collecting data on technology or dispositions. All students are
meeting or exceeding the diversity standard for Spring 2009. No data was collected on
diversity for the summer.
5. Overall, candidates are meeting professional standards in all areas where data was
collected. T&L needs to make sure the data collected in the future for the spring and
summer are the same categories. This was not the case this year. Faculty will review
future data to see where the strengths and weaknesses are and how the T&L will
address these.
6. T&L has a reflection piece for the capstone course, ECI 698. T&L has an exit survey.
However, this data was not available for this report.
M.Ed. in Secondary Education-Continuing Professional
Page 13
Student/Alumni Evaluations of Program
In 2008, T&L surveyed Alumni from the three secondary education programs:
Respondents by degree programs: (N=95)
BSED: 36 (38%)
MEd with Certification: 28 (29.5%)
MEd Continuing Professional: 30 (32%)
The data was not disaggregated by program. The following is a narrative summary of these
three programs, including our M.Ed. Continuing Professional.
1. Alumni commented that the top three factors that influenced their decision to enroll in
NAU was location, availability of the program, and cost. 52% cited Flagstaff as the
Campus of Attendance.
2. 93% of respondents are currently employed with 75% in a position directly related to
their NAU training. The most frequently cited subject matters areas in which they are
currently teaching are: Sciences, English, History/Social Science, and Mathematics.
3. The Professional Standard areas alumni most frequently cited where they were most
highly prepared are: Understand the central concepts of the subject area,
communicate clear expectations for student learning, create lesson plans that align
with state and district standards, and develop lesson plans appropriate for curricular
goals.
4. The Professional Standard areas alumni most frequently cited as a low degree of
preparedness are: Work with school administrators, work effectively with parents to
support student learning, teach English language learners, and teach students with
disabilities.
5. Alumni most frequently cited the following factors as a high degree of satisfaction:
Length of program, faculty expertise and quality of instruction.
6. Alumni most frequently cited the following factors as a low degree of satisfaction:
Quality of advising, test preparation assistance, and employment assistance.
7. On dispositional factors, 81% indicated they felt adequately or well-prepared in
“developing a sense of confidence in their professional knowledge.” 85% felt
adequately or well-prepared in “developing an empathetic and caring disposition for
M.Ed. in Secondary Education-Continuing Professional
Page 14
working with students.” 87% felt adequately or well-prepared for “developing
knowledge of the ethics of their profession.” 86% felt adequately or well-prepared for
“developing an openness to new ideas in the profession.”
8. The three most frequently cited valuable experiences noted by alumni were: Student
teaching, faculty, and class work.
9. Respondents were asked to rate their opinions regarding three summative program
questions regarding the effectiveness of their program and their degree of satisfaction
with it. 82% responded that their program’s curriculum effectively or very effectively
prepared them for their professional field. 85% agreed or strongly agreed that they
were satisfied with their graduate program when they graduated. 78%, in reflecting on
their satisfaction with their graduate program, agreed or strongly agreed that they
were very satisfied.
Contributions of M.Ed. Secondary Education Continuing Professional Program
Contributions To the University: What is the relationship of the M.Ed. in Secondary Education
Continuing Professional program to NAU’s mission and strategic goals?
The Masters in Secondary Education program contributes to the NAU mission for graduate
programs and research. Graduate students are involved in many areas of campus life. Graduate
students also contribute to the NAU mission through assistantships on campus. The
coursework in the Masters in Secondary education prepares students to understand and
engage in research, to understand school contexts and problems, and to renew content and
curriculum pedagogy.
The Masters in Secondary Education program is most closely aligned with the following NAU
strategic goal: 1. Learning-centered university; 3. Vibrant sustainable community; 6.
Commitment to Native Americans; and 7. Innovative, effective, and accountable practices. With
the on-line format, the program is able to meet the needs of students on-campus, throughout
the state, across the nation and internationally as well. All students engage in learningcentered, innovative strategies and engage with each other through on-line discussions.
Students learn through collaboration and issue/context-oriented education.
Commitment to diversity is demonstrated by the inclusion of Native American and
Hispanic/Latino/a populations. While the number of students from diverse backgrounds has
decreased across time, the program has dedicated significant to outreach to native and
Hispanic populations. In 2003, T&L had 8% of enrolled students from Hispanic backgrounds and
M.Ed. in Secondary Education-Continuing Professional
Page 15
2% from American Indian backgrounds. In 2005, the program noted a decrease in enrollment
from both groups which continues today. From anecdotal and survey information, it appears
that this reduction is primarily due to economic factors. Recruitment of diverse students
continues to be an emphasis of the program.
Contributions To the Community, State, and Region: What does the program contribute to the
region, state or local community?
The contribution to the local community is primarily through support of our on-campus
graduate assistantships. Some of T&L’s graduate assistants work in innovative, site-based
secondary programs where the focus is on transformative education (i. e., ISTEP). Other
students have the opportunity to work with undergraduate practicum and programs.
Program on-line students also have opportunities to impact their local communities through
research and context- and problem-based learning as they pursue their masters’ degree while
employed throughout the nation and world in the field of secondary education.
Plans for the Future
Future improvements for the M.Ed. in Secondary Education-Continuing Professional fall into
four broad categories: Students, faculty/staff, program enhancements, and program delivery
system.
The Masters in Secondary Education program supports our COE strategic goals, particularly
goals 1, 4, 5, and 7:

Goal 1: Maintain prominent leadership in Arizona in education and human services.
T&L’s program prepares professional educators to promote learner success. T&L
continually looks for ways to be innovative in our program so it can “develop education
leaders who create tomorrow’s opportunities.”

Goal 4: Be a national leading college of education serving Native Americans. Because of
the collaborative nature of our professors, T&L does increase Native American
perspectives in its curriculum. T&L’s plans for the future include cultivating partnerships
with Native American entities and to increase recruitment and retention of its
secondary master’s students.
M.Ed. in Secondary Education-Continuing Professional
Page 16

Goal 5: Be a national leading college of education serving Latina/Latino/Hispanic
students. T&L has made excellent progress on this goal as noted by the increase in our
Latina/Latino/Hispanic students in all T & L programs. The T&L’s plans for the future
include increasing diverse perspectives in its curriculum.

Goal 7: Increase global engagement. Even though T&L’s on-line program reaches global
students, this is a goal, which T&L embraces for the future. T&L wants to increase
opportunities for students and faculty to experience programs abroad and to also
increase its global perspectives in curriculum.
Students:
Increasing our student population is a goal of the T&L. Additionally, recruiting a diverse student
population is desired.
Faculty/Staff
Given the current level of program numbers, at this time, we see no increase in faculty number
at the secondary level. Should there be an increase of student population, this could change.
However, partnering with other faculty across departments and colleges may in order.
Program
It is important for us to develop content-specific degree paths such as middle school and
reading for secondary education. It would be desirable to examine such paths with other
departments, which offer secondary content-specific master’s degrees. This bridging of
departments and colleges could potentially maximize faculty collaboration and highlight
strengths of dual-type programs. Although more faculty may not be needed to initiate and
implement such work, faculty time will be needed. Another option is leveraging current grant
work across departments and colleges as a springboard for future collaborations and grant
possibilities.
Reviewing the program based on course evaluations is in order. Also, surveying graduates of
the program could yield important data from which draw important conclusions for improving
the program.
Delivery System:
Like our other programs, we offer face-to-face and online options; we will explore hybridization
and short course formats. We will explore markets outside Arizona to include, but not be,
limited to, the western states.
M.Ed. in Secondary Education-Continuing Professional
Page 17