Graduate Education Comprehensive Examination
(February, 2015)
Nature of the Comprehensive Examination
Students are required to take a comprehensive examination after they have completed at least 24
credits of graduate work, with a minimum of a 3.0 grade point average, and have completed the core
courses in the program. Students should apply to take the examination by completing an application form
which is available both in the Office of the Department of Education and Counseling (SAC 302) and online at
the following website: http://www1.villanova.edu/villanova/artsci/education.html. The application form
should be completed and submitted to the Department at least one month prior to the date of the
examination.
The Department will use the student’s grade point average, as shown in Banner, and if the average
is satisfactory and if the student has completed 24 credits of graduate work, the chairperson will
recommend to the Dean of the Graduate school that the student be permitted to sit for the examination. In
turn, the Dean of Graduate Studies will inform the student by mail that they have been approved for the
examination, as well as the date, time and location of the exam. They will also be advised by the Dean of
Graduate Studies in the weeks following the examination whether they have passed.
The comprehensive examination is offered in the Fall Semester, in the Spring Semester,
and during the Summer Session. All questions and parts of questions need to be answered in order to
pass the examination. If a student fails one or more of the three area questions, then that student has
failed the examination. In the event of failure, the re-examination on the area question or questions
failed is permitted, but not in the same semester. A failing student will be informed of his/her errors or
deficiencies by the faculty member(s) who graded the examination.
With permission of the Department, a student may elect to write a thesis, in lieu of six credit hours
of course work, to satisfy the requirements of the comprehensive examination. A student desiring to write
a thesis should contact Dr. Durnin early in their program to discuss this option and what will be required.
Permission to write a thesis is also dependent on permission of the Dean of Graduate Studies, though, in
the past, this has typically been permissible.
Format of the Comprehensive Examination
The Graduate Education comprehensive examination is a three-hour written examination that includes
one question from each of the following areas:
1. Educational Research OR Assessment & Analysis
2. Advanced Trends & Issues in Special Education
3. Synthesis of Philosophy of Education; Standards Aligned Systems and Curriculum; and course
content from an elective course chosen by the student.
The question from each of the above-mentioned areas may include more than one part. The questions
may be any one, or all, of the following types: essay, identification, or problems which call for application of
knowledge. The student is given a total of three hours to divide among the three examination questions.
The student is advised to give adequate time to each examination question.
Guidelines for the Comprehensive Examination
When preparing for the comprehensive examination, the following information may appear and
should be considered. The examiner will assess not only your knowledge of the information, but your
ability to synthesize and apply it appropriately.
Educational Research
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Identify and critique research problems.
Describe appropriate sources for conducting a literature review, summarize how a literature review
relates to educational research.
Evaluate participant selection for qualitative studies and sampling procedures for quantitative
studies.
Explain the basic principles of educational measurement and the types of educational measures.
Identify and critique strengths and weaknesses of different methodologies used in research.
Articulate the purpose and methods of conducting action research.
Examine the method of how to design an appropriate action research proposal.
Assessment and Analysis
Calculations may be required; so you should bring a handheld calculator
 Frequency
 Central tendency
 Standard deviation
 Variability
 Reliability
 Standard Scores
 Mean
 Area under the curve
 Graphs
 Objective tests
 Percentile Rank
 Scales of measurement
 Validity
 Item analysis
Advanced Trends & Issues in Special Education
 Consider the question: Why is it important for an educator in a general classroom to know about
working with students with special needs.
 Examine the historical and legal aspects of special education, paying particular attention to the
referral process and Individual Education Programs (IEPs).
 Explore a number of IDEA categories as related to special education.
 Understand your role as an instructor of student with Special Needs.
 Detail what you have learned from the individuals with special need with whom you work.
 Accommodate for the physical, academic and social needs of individuals with disabilities.
 Articulate an understanding of the field of Special Education that is grounded in the knowledge
gained from class readings and discussions.
Philosophy of Education
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Describe and critique the leading philosophical traditions in education.
Discern how philosophies and theories of education influence teaching and learning in schools,
particularly the purpose of schools, curriculum, learning environment, and the roles of teacher and
student.
Examine one’s own beliefs about education in light of existing philosophies of education and
formulate one’s own provisional educational philosophy.
Apply newly acquired knowledge in analyzing current educational issues.
Standards Aligned Systems and Instruction
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Identify and explain the components of the PA Department of Education standards-aligned system.
Articulate the varied definitions and purposes of curriculum and describe how these concepts
influence instructional decision-making.
Cultivate skills in effective unit and lesson planning and evaluation.
Investigate professional curriculum organizations in the content areas and how they can aid the
teacher in curriculum development.
Explicate the varied ways in which curriculum is defined and consider the implications of those
definitions.
Evaluate current curriculum theories and practices in terms of learning, teaching, and assessment.
Explain the processes of curriculum design, development, and implementation.
Assess the impact of the standards movement in education.
Present ways in which classroom instruction may be differentiated and adapted.
Articulate strategies for communicating curricular goals and classroom assessment processes with
school administrators, teachers, and parents.
Examine professional organizations in the content areas and how they can aid the teacher in
curricula development.
Demonstrate competence in assembling practical assessments and reporting approaches and
strategies.
Identify the links, interaction and tensions between learning, teaching, curriculum and assessment
in schools.
Integrate areas of knowledge and skill that underpin teachers’ professional practice, in and out of
the classroom.
Suggestions in preparing for the examination:
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Consider forming a study group with other students taking the examination
Review all textbooks, handouts, class notes, and suggested review materials for all of the courses
that will be included on the examination.
Relax. A certain amount of stress is beneficial; too much is detrimental. Understand that the
information needed to pass the exam is most likely already in your knowledge base, and the vast
majority of students pass the test on their first try.
Read each question carefully; students need to know exactly what is being asked.
Sample Questions:
Question 1
You have been assigned by your school superintendent to serve on a committee of students,
parents, teachers and administrators charged with defining the mission statement of your school.
As background for this assignment, you have been asked to select the theories of two prominent
educational theorists and relate their ideas to your school. Develop the following points:
a. Which two philosophers did you choose and why did you choose them?
b. Give specific reasons why their concepts are relevant to the mission of your school.
c. Which areas of agreement are most notable between these two individuals?
d. Which areas of disagreement are evident?
e. Which of these individuals resonates most closely with your personal philosophy of
education?
Question 2
1.
Identify four of the following. Explain the term and, where possible, give an example.
a. Negative correlation
b. Research hypothesis
c. Hawthorne effect
d. Random sampling
e. Null hypothesis
f. Cross-sectional growth study
g. Independent variable (in an experiment)
2. One of the first steps in planning a research study is to conduct a review of the literature on one’s
topic. Explain how you would perform a review of the research literature on a topic in education.
Name specific sources and discuss procedures you would use.
3. Jones performed an experiment to compare the effectiveness of an inquiry method of teaching
general science with a more traditional lecture/lab method. By random procedures he selected two
of the twelve sections of general science in his school district for his sample; there were 25 students
in each section. He used lecture/lab with one section and inquiry teaching with the other for one
semester. He hypothesized that the discovery group would obtain better scores on a general
science test of 100 items given at the end of the semester. The following table gives his results.
Read the table and answer the questions which follow it.
Results of the General Science Test
Inquiry group (n=25)
M
87.5
SD
4.3
Lecture/Lab group (n=25)
83.1
5.1
t= 1.530, p=.15
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What does M mean?
Explain which group had the greatest variability in test scores.
What is a t test?
Explain what p=.15 means
Explain whether or not the data in the table support Jones’ research hypothesis.
Question 3
In answering the following questions, IDENTIFY the concept and give a specific EXAMPLE as it relates to the
teaching/learning process. In addition, refer to prominent authorities in the field and their writings in
support of your answer.
1.
The following movements/concepts have had a major impact upon classroom teachers. Explain the
movement and how you can maximize learning given your school district’s (schools) commitment
to the concept: (*DO 4. Each should take a page in the blue book to answer properly)
a. Differentiated Instruction
b. Study Skills Development
c. Multicultural Education
d. Authentic/Alternative Assessment
e. Non-Verbal Behavior
f. Targeted Homework
2. Explain Howard Gardner’s idea of “Multiple Intelligences,” and how the theory impacts the
teacher’s view of the learner. Additionally, how does it affect your teaching from instruction to
assessment? Please provide specific classroom examples.
3.
The Standards Movement has had and will continue to have a major impact upon classroom
instructors. Explain how you plan thorough lessons, units and courses to utilize Standards of
professional curriculum organizations, and/or government agencies to maximize student
knowledge and learning. Briefly explain the movement; more precisely how it will affect your
classroom and profit your students.
Department of Education & Counseling
Application for Comprehensive Examination
Graduate Education
Date of exam you are registering for: ________________________________________________
**Reminder: Application is to be completed and returned at least one month prior to the exam date.
Area of concentration:
________ Graduate Education
________ Teacher Leadership
Name: ________________________________________________________________________
First
Middle
Last
Student ID number:____________________________
Address: _______________________________________________________________________
Street
_________________________________________________________________________
City
State
Zip Code
Phone #: ______________________________
Email address___________________________________________________________________
___________ Grade Point Average
___________ Semester hours completed (including present registration)
___________ Please check if this is a re-examination
Coordinator’s Approval ____________________________________________ Date___________
Chairperson’s Approval ____________________________________________ Date___________
Revised 4/14 JC
PLEASE RETURN TO ANNE FELDMAN IN THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION & COUNSELING IN 302 SAC