The master of education (Ed.M.) degree program in science education is designed for individuals who possess a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution of higher education, who have relevant experience in physical or life sciences, and who wish to pursue a master's degree in education. A strong science background in physical or life science is highly recommended for the successful completion of the program.
Learning Goals of the Program: The overall goal of the program is to help students identify and characterize their aims for the degree, as well as their future plans in using the knowledge and practices gained from the degree. The program will thus be individually crafted to suit each student's personal goals for the degree. We anticipate the following four overarching categories of goals:
To expand and deepen understanding of science knowledge and science learning.
To improve professional practice in formal or informal settings.
To develop knowledge of current research and theory related to science instruction in formal or informal settings through analysis and synthesis of seminal work in the field.
To develop a plan for future learning and professional development.
To assess whether the program achieved the above goals, students will make a portfolio comprised of the elements listed in section III.
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS Programs of study are individually constructed by the student and his or her adviser using the outline below: I. Science Education (15 credits)
15:262:612 Inquiry and the Design of Learning Environments (3) 15:300:462 Demonstration and Technology in Science Education (3) 15:256:591 Learning in Informal Contexts (3) 15:262:603 Design of Learning Environments (3) 15:295:518 Motivation in the Classroom (3)
Physical Science Area 15:256:551 Development of Ideas in Physical Science (3) 15:256:552 Teaching Physical Science (3) 15:256:555 Research Internship in Science Education (3) 15:256:557 Multiple Representations in Physical Science (3) 15:256:654 Science Education Practicum (3)
Biological Science Area 15:256:550 Biology and Society (3) 15:256:553 Teaching Life Science (3) 15:256:555 Research Internship in Science Education (3) 15:256:556 Understanding Evolution: A Classroom Perspective (3) 15:256:654 Science Education Practicum (3)
II. Cognitive and Instructional Psychology (6 credits)
15:295:502 Cognition and Memory (3) 15:295:510 Cooperative Learning: Theory, Research, and Practice (3) 15:295:550 Learning through Problem Solving (3) 15:295:611 Memory Systems and Processes (3) 16:300:695 Topics in Educational Psychology: Seminar on Reasoning (3)
Graduate-Level Electives (9 credits) Physical or life science or science education course selection must be approved by adviser.
TOTAL: 30 CREDITS III. To demonstrate the achievement of the goals the student and faculty jointly set for the degree, the student will create a portfolio with the following components: Complete a reflection portfolio that analyzes:
a) How each course and other relevant experiences (such as internships) have promoted the goal/s set, and what the student has learned and taken away from these experiences. b) Relevant artifacts that demonstrate changes in knowledge, beliefs, and practice related to the set goals. c) A "future directions" plan that identifies areas for improvement, knowledge of professional development opportunities in science education relevant to the set goals, and concrete steps that the student plans to take.
The portfolio should demonstrate deep knowledge of core topics (as related to the goals), and ability to synthesize and analyze research in science education.
