Mar 28, 2024  
2020-2021 
    
2020-2021 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Teacher Leadership, Special Education, M.Ed.


Teacher Leadership is not a new concept in education or in schools. Over the last decade concerted efforts have been made to recognize and validate the formal and/or informal leadership roles teachers have in and out of their classrooms. The Master of Education in Teacher Leadership is designed for professionals with a teaching certificate who are interested in advancing their leadership skills and knowledge without taking on administrative obligations. Curriculum for the master of education in teacher leadership is divided into three subtopics: Teacher Leadership, Specialization, and Action Research. Goal of the degree is for candidates to further develop their understanding of the teaching and learning process with the enhanced focus of professional voice and shared leadership. Experience in the teaching profession is ideal but not absolutely necessary in all of the specialization areas.

Graduate courses at Heritage University are offered following the semester format meaning one credit equals 15 hours of instruction/coursework plus time students spend completing assignments.  Most courses are 2 credits. Timeline for completion of the degree, start to end, is usually 5 semesters: fall, spring, summer, fall, and spring. Delivery of course content is done in a manner that best fits the course content, convenience for meeting time/place, and students’ learning styles. Therefore, you will find some courses offered on weekends face-to-face at specific locations, blended format with a combination of face-to-face and online instruction, or the course may be offered entirely online using both asynchronous and synchronous platforms.

 

Teacher Leadership Core


The Master of Education in Teacher Leadership has three teacher leadership courses which set the foundation for the degree. Content covered in the foundational courses include defining teacher leadership, distinction between teacher leadership and school administration, teacher leader as a resource to students and colleagues, legal and ethical expectations/responsibilities of teachers in leadership positions such as program resource, learning coach, content area specialist. Teacher Leadership standards are discussed throughout the degree.

Action Research


The mark of a graduate program is the intentional focus on learning about, developing the ability to understand, interpret and conduct research for the betterment of the profession. In our program, graduates should aspire to delve deeper into the teaching and learning process in their interested area of specialization. The research sequence in the Master of Education programs is designed to gradually lead students to ponder about issues area areas of need that need to be looked at through the lens of research. The sequence consists of four courses which scaffold upon each other allowing students to assimilate course content and apply the concepts to design an original research project reflective of their teaching assignment.