The Master of Education: Teaching - Secondary Social Studies program, in alignment with the West Virginia 21st Century standards for teaching social studies, is designed for post-baccalaureate students who wish to teach students to understand the political, geographic, economic, and social world. The program encourages the development of teachers who can assist students to work independently and collaboratively using critical thinking and problem solving skills necessary to develop civic responsibility for the 21st Century. Candidates will complete both a master’s degree and be eligible to receive certification through the state of West Virginia in Secondary Social Studies. The program provides professional education courses at the graduate level, although students found deficient in a particular content area may need to complete additional undergraduate courses in order to meet state content requirements. Should candidates not complete co-requisite course requirements, they may still complete the Master of Education: Teaching – Secondary Social Studies degree, but may not be eligible for a West Virginia teaching certificate. Applicants are encouraged to submit their official undergraduate transcripts for review prior to starting courses. The Secondary Social Studies program also includes fieldwork and student teaching on school sites. All courses other than the student teaching are offered online. This West Virginia state approved program is aligned with Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC), National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) and International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) standards. NOTE: Teachers with certification in West Virginia may apply for certification in other states. Many states have formal reciprocity agreements with West Virginia. Persons considering certification in additional states should contact the State Department of Education for the prospective state to obtain current testing and certification requirements or procedures. Program Objectives The Master of Education: Teaching - Secondary Social Studies program seeks the following specific learning outcomes of its graduates: - Apply the central concepts, tools of inquiry, structures, contemporary theories, and paradigms in education that develop a classroom climate to enhance the social, emotional, physical, and psychological aspects of students
- Create and deliver lesson segments that reflect theory and practice
- Demonstrate effective interpersonal communication skills of speaking, listening, reading, and writing when interacting with pupils, parents, teachers, and other school personnel
- Design performance-based assessments and implement assessment, instruction, evaluation, and intervention plans
- Use media and technology as tools for professional development and to promote student learning
- Adjust teaching style and strategies without influence of bias in order to meet the needs of students regardless of cultural background, ethnicity, gender, learning style, at-risk condition and/or disability
- Model professionalism and high ethical standards in the classroom, and develop appropriate strategies for self-evaluation as a means of assessing one’s own professionalism and teaching effectiveness
- Demonstrate knowledge and skill in classroom management and discipline, using effective means to develop and maintain a positive classroom climate
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