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Teacher Education and Curriculum Studies

Wist Annex 2-223
1776 University Avenue
Honolulu, HI 96822
Tel: (808) 956-7856
Fax: (808) 956-3918

Faculty

* Graduate Faculty

• *F. C. Walton, PhD (Chair)--technology and vocational education
• *S. Feeney, PhD, MEd in elementary education and secondary education (Chair)--early childhood education
• *K. Au, PhD--language, literacy
• *A. Bartlett, PhD--literacy, reading, language arts
• *V. Chattergy, EdD--multicultural education
• *P. Chinn, EdD--elementary and secondary science education
• *P. Deering, PhD--social studies, middle school curriculum
• *A. R. Freese, PhD--elementary and secondary education, educational psychology
• *D. Grace, EdD--language, literacy, media studies, early childhood
• *T. Greenfield, EdD--science education
• M. Hayes, MEd--educational foundations, science education, elementary 
• *R. Hitz, PhD--early childhood
• R. Johnson, EdD--elementary and early childhood education
• I. King, PhD--mathematics education, supervision
• *E. B. Klemm, EdD--science education
• P. Lopes, MA--elementary education, supervision, social studies
• *M. Maaka, PhD--language, literacy, multicultural education, cognition
• F. Matsuoka, MEd--supervision, elementary
• *M. E. Pateman, HSD-MPH--health education
• N. Pateman, EdD--mathematics education
• *A. L. Pickens, EdD--art education
• E. Shigezawa, MEd--secondary science education, supervision
• *H. Slaughter, EdD--language arts, literacy, qualitative research, reading
• G. T. Tamaribuchi, MEd--social studies, secondary education
• *J. Tobin, PhD--ethnography, early childhood education, elementary education
• *N. Whitman, PhD--mathematics education, secondary education
• *B. L. Williams, PhD--art education
• *J. Zilliox, EdD--elementary mathematics

Degrees, Certificates, and Certifications Offered: BEd in elementary education, BEd in secondary education, MEd in elementary education, MEd in secondary education, MEdT in teaching, Certificate in Community College Teaching, PBCSE, PBSCE/SPED

The Academic Program

Teacher Education and Curriculum Studies (TECS) offers undergraduate degrees in elementary and secondary education (BEd) and advanced degrees in teaching (MEdT), in curriculum and instruction (EdD), and in elementary and secondary education (MEd). Elementary BEd students can enroll in dual certification programs, which earn them elementary and special education certification. Elementary BEd students also can take courses that lead to an endorsement for early childhood education. Secondary MEd students have the option of taking courses that lead to middle school endorsement. All programs focus on the educational needs of children and adolescents, teaching, learning and curriculum. TECS also cooperates in a graduate program for community college faculty in the industrial arts.

The students at UH Manoa are ethnically diverse as are the students in Hawai'i's school system. Students in TECS programs, therefore, learn and teach in a unique multicultural environment.

Undergraduate Study

Bachelor's Degree

Basic Requirements
The program for undergraduate teacher education majors includes a strong liberal arts foundation, professional education courses, academic subject preparation, and student teaching. Classified status in the College of Education is necessary for registration in most required teacher education courses. Program sheets listing the specific requirements for the elementary and secondary BEd programs are also available in the College of Education's Office of Student Academic Services. Students must fulfill all program requirements in effect for the semester in which they are admitted into the college.

Major Requirements
The Elementary Education program qualifies graduates to teach in elementary school (K–6). Requirements include completion of the General Education Core specified for education majors, foundations and methods courses in elementary education, and student teaching, for a minimum of 129 credit hours.

Upon admission, students are assigned to cohorts and will enroll in a set sequence of courses over four semesters. The program requires full-time enrollment.

Elementary Education/Early Childhood preparation qualifies graduates to teach in elementary school (K–6) and to work with preschool children. BEd requirements include completion of the General Education Core specified for education majors, an academic emphasis in family resources, foundations and methods courses in elementary education, the early childhood sequence of courses, and student teaching in an elementary school. 

The Secondary Education program qualifies graduates to teach in grades 7–12. Requirements include completion of the General Education Core specified for education majors, a major in a teaching field, foundations and methods courses in secondary education, and student teaching, for a minimum of 126 credit hours. 

The College of Education offers teaching majors in the following fields: agriculture, English, English as a second language, languages (Chinese, French, German, Hawaiian, Ilokano/Filipino, Japanese, Latin, Russian, Spanish), health education, home economics, industrial arts, marketing, mathematics, music, office education, physical education, science (biology, chemistry, physics, earth science), social studies (with concentrations in American studies, anthropology, economics, geography, Hawaiian studies, history, political science, psychology, or sociology), technical education, and trades and industry.

Special Requirements for Certain Secondary Education Majors
Agriculture Education majors may enroll in the Colleges of Arts and Sciences or the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources their freshman and sophomore years. Students then transfer to the College of Education for the BEd program. Agriculture education majors must meet regular entrance requirements to the college.

Business Education: Marketing Education and Office Education majors may begin in the University of Hawai'i Community College's transfer programs for their General Education Core and selected marketing and office education skill courses (such as typing, shorthand, business machines, and data processing) as partial fulfillment of the bachelor of education requirements. Candidates transfer to the College of Education at the end of their sophomore year to complete professional education and teaching field major requirements. Students planning to transfer to the College of Education should consult with its Office of Student Academic Services.

Home Economics Education majors generally enroll in the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources their freshman and sophomore years. They transfer to the College of Education at the end of the sophomore year to complete their program of studies for the bachelor of education degree. Their major field courses are taken in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences and the Department of Human Nutrition, Food, and Animal Sciences. 

Industrial Arts Education majors complete a coordinated program between the College of Education and the UH Community Colleges to prepare teachers for work in intermediate and high schools. Since technical courses are offered only at the community colleges, students may either enroll concurrently at the Manoa campus for General Education Core courses and at a community college for technical courses, or they may enroll at a community college for both the General Education Core and technical courses during their freshman and sophomore years and then transfer to the College of Education for professional education courses in the junior and senior years.

Music Education majors complete a coordinated program offered in conjunction with the Department of Music to prepare teachers for grades 7–12. Prospective music education majors should see the chair of the music education committee in the Department of Music during their first semester.

Physical Education majors must complete the General Education Core specified for education majors, the professional education required courses, and the academic major and related courses. In addition, the student must show skill and knowledge proficiency in 14 sports or activities appropriate to grades 7–12. Interested students should see an adviser in the KLS department prior to their first year of registration.

Trades and Industry and Technical Education majors enroll in programs articulated with the University of Hawai'i Community Colleges system to prepare teachers for high schools, community colleges, and technical institutes where persons train to enter the labor market. Prospective teachers must have an associate in science degree or equivalent in a specialty area and/or occupational experience; credit for work experience may be awarded to qualified individuals.

Graduate Study

Master of Education

The MEd programs in elementary education and secondary education help teachers become better informed about the developmental and educational needs of children and adolescents from various types of communities; skillful in diagnostic and evaluation procedures and in developing educational programs to meet individual and group needs; versatile in their employment of teaching strategies; capable of providing leadership in a classroom, school, or school system; knowledgeable about issues, trends, and research in their fields; systematic in their reflective assessment of trends and innovations; and well-informed about new technology and its applications.

Admission Requirements
In addition to the requirements of the Graduate Division, applicants for the MEd in elementary and secondary education programs must provide the following:

1. Successful academic performance in curriculum, psychological and societal foundations, and appropriate methods courses;
2. Successful academic performance in an academic minor (elementary education applicants) or in an academic major (secondary education applicants);
3. Full-time teaching experience or its equivalent; and
4. Three letters of recommendation from references who have observed or supervised the applicant's work and are able to comment on the quality of the applicant's teaching experience, ability to pursue graduate study, and general character.

Program Requirements
Students are advanced to candidacy only after the development of their program plan and the successful completion of 12 credit hours of approved courses.

Additional details about the program are available in the Information Bulletin available from the Department of Teacher Education and Curriculum Studies.

Plan A (Thesis) Requirements
The Plan A program is designed primarily for students interested in research and in writing a thesis. It requires a minimum of 30 credit hours of course work with at least 12 credit hours in teacher education and curriculum studies. Of these, 12 credits hours (excluding 699s and 700) must be approved course work. Required courses are the appropriate sections of TECS 622 and TECS 667, a research methods course, and an elective in another area of education. A maximum of 18 credit hours is to be taken in a related field. Usually this field will be the same as the student's undergraduate major (or minor), but it may be in reading or another area of specialization within the Department of Teacher Education and Curriculum Studies, in other departments in the College of Education, or in a discipline in one or more of the other colleges at the University. Of the approved courses, 12 credit hours (exclusive of research methods courses) must be at the 600 to 700 level. Six credit hours are required for the thesis.

Plan B (Non-thesis) Requirements
The Plan B program is designed primarily for students who wish to strengthen their teaching field major or minor or to pursue course work in selected areas of teacher education and curriculum studies. It requires a minimum of 30 credit hours of approved course work, with a minimum of 12 credit hours in teacher education and curriculum studies (excluding TECS 699). Required courses are an appropriate section of TECS 622 and TECS 667, a research methods course, and an elective in another area of education. A maximum of 12–15 credit hours is to be taken in a related field. The related field is usually the same as the student's undergraduate academic major (or minor), or it may be in reading or another area of specialization within the Department of Teacher Education and Curriculum Studies, in other departments in the College of Education, or in a discipline in one or more of the other colleges at the Manoa campus. Of the approved courses, 18 credit hours must be at the 600 to 700 level. A maximum of 6 credit hours of 699 may be applied to the degree program. The Plan B program also requires a paper.

Master of Education in Teaching

The Master of Education in Teaching (MEdT) is a two-year, master's level, teaching preparation program. Students are admitted each fall in cohorts of approximately 25 students, and each cohort is composed of both elementary and secondary education student-teachers. Students work closely together over the two years of study in school groups at appointed professional development schools. The program also has a strong academic component, and emphasis is placed on student inquiry and action research. In the first year of the program, students spend 15 hours a week in the field. They write a portrait of the school, team teach, and develop curriculum. As part of the academic course work, students are required to study research methods and to pursue several educational inquiries. Twelve credits of course work are also required for the area of specialization. The second year of the program focuses on classroom teaching and is composed of a semester-long, pre-internship practicum and a final semester of paid internship in a public school. A Plan B paper is required to complete the degree work. 

Applicants must have completed a bachelor of arts or bachelor of science degree and be highly motivated to enter a challenging two-year graduate program resulting in a master's degree and state teacher certification. The MEdT requires a full-time commitment for two academic years and the intervening summer. Cohorts are available at the elementary and secondary levels; however, specialization areas for the secondary level are currently restricted to specific subject areas. The program is based upon four principles:

1. Professional learning should take place in the context of thinking and acting as a teacher. The primary vehicle for the professional content in the program will be realistic school and classroom situations. Students will be placed in partnership schools and will be provided with many opportunities to participate in school and classroom activities.
2. To become independent professionals, students should be actively involved in and responsible for their own learning. The inquiry mode of problem solving will be the primary teaching/learning activity. Students will study and learn in small groups with a faculty mentor and be actively engaged in shaping their own educational program.
3. To learn to work collaboratively in schools, students should collaborate with one another and with practicing professionals. Throughout the program, tasks will be assigned to groups of students who will share responsibility for their completion. Students will also plan and implement their instructional activities in conjunction with experienced classroom teachers and with MEdT faculty.
4. To develop a thoughtful and self-critical attitude toward professional practice, students should routinely evaluate and be evaluated on their learning and performance. Students' explanation, justification, and assessment of their professional judgments and actions will be a planned part of the program. MEdT faculty and professional teachers will be regularly involved in the developmental evaluation of student performance in every part of the program.

Further information can be obtained from the MEdT Web site: www2.hawaii.edu/met/.

Doctoral Degree

The Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD) is a college-wide degree awarded for distinguished academic preparation for professional practice in the field of education.

The goal of the PhD with a specialization in curriculum and instruction is to develop specialists in curriculum development, teaching, and curriculum evaluation. The number of credit hours for the program of study varies, depending upon the candidate's qualifications, and includes a college component required for all doctoral students enrolled in the College of Education; an area of specialization with course work leading to a specialty in curriculum development, teaching and learning, or curriculum and program evaluation; a cognate field with course work taken outside the Department of Teacher Education and Curriculum Studies; a field project or an internship; and the dissertation.

For additional information, see the "Doctoral Degrees" section within the College of Education.

Certificate in Community College Teaching

The Department of Teacher Education and Curriculum Studies, in cooperation with the University of Hawai'i Community Colleges, offers a three-phase graduate program for prospective and in-service community college faculty in the industrial arts field. Phase I, a pre-internship preparation, covers community college foundations, media technology, teaching, curriculum, and evaluation. Phase II is a full-time internship in a postsecondary institution. Phase III, a follow-up of the internship experience, summarizes and generalizes the practical experience. 

Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Secondary Education (PBCSE)

The PBCSE is a full-time (9 1/2 month) or part-time post-baccalaureate certificate program for the preparation of secondary school teachers. It is designed for students who possess a BA or BS degree and wish to obtain initial basic teacher certification. Students admitted to the PBCSE will have completed an academic content major appropriate to their proposed teaching subject. 

The PBCSE offers a cohesive, field-based experience that encourages students to integrate educational theory and practice in cooperating secondary schools. The program consists of nine interrelated courses totaling 33 credits. 

Students who complete this initial basic teacher certification program are encouraged to continue their professional growth. They may be able to apply up to 12 course credits from the PBCSE to a master's degree program. Students must negotiate course transfer at the time of application.

Admissions Requirements
All applicants to the PBCSE program will be evaluated competitively and considered for admission on the basis of a profile composed of the following criteria:

1. Applicants must achieve minimal passing scores in the reading, writing, and mathematics subtests on the Pre-Professional Skills Test (PPST) or Computer Based Academic Skills Assessments (CBT).
2. Applicants must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited and UHM recognized four-year institution of higher education with an academic major in one of the following teaching fields:

• Agriculture
• Art
• Business Education: marketing education, office education
• English
• English as a Second Language
• Foreign Language: Chinese languages, French, German, Japanese, Latin, Philippine languages, Russian, Spanish
• Hawaiian Language
• Mathematics
• Music*
• Physical Education*
• Science*: general science, biology, chemistry, Earth science, physical science, physics
• Social Studies*: American studies, anthropology, economics, geography, Hawaiian studies, history, political science, psychology, and sociology

*Students usually are not required to take additional courses in their undergraduate academic majors. However, in specific areas where an extensive undergraduate preparation is required–such as music, physical education, science, or social studies–additional undergraduate courses may not be required. In these fields, early advising during the undergraduate major is strongly recommended.

3. Applicants holding a baccalaureate degree with an academic major in a field other than those listed above may be considered for admission to the program. Applicants must demonstrate knowledge in a teaching field by taking an appropriate Praxis subject area assessment, which measures content knowledge. Other appropriate subject area tests such as the Graduate Record Exam subject test may be considered. Adequacy is evaluated on the basis of evidence submitted by the applicant in addition to the subject area test (Praxis, GRE subject test), such as course work, evaluations of prior teaching, self-designed secondary curriculum, or published original work.
   A qualified applicant holding a baccalaureate degree from an accredited, UHM-recognized four-year institution of higher education with an academic major in one of the teaching fields may elect to take the Praxis subject test as an exit requirement rather than an entrance requirement. Individuals failing to pass the Praxis subject test will not be recommended for basic certification to the state Department of Education.
4. A minimum post secondary cumulative grade point average of 2.75 and a minimum grade point average of 2.75 in the academic major.
5. Applicants must demonstrate oral and nonverbal communicative competence through the successful completion of an interview. Applicants also must demonstrate attitudes toward education, learners, and themselves as prospective teachers that are compatible with the standards and curriculum of the program.
6. Applicants must document current (within the past five years) active involvement, paid or volunteer, with groups of youth between the ages of 12 and 19. A minimum of 40 hours of experience is required.
7. Applicants must have a Hawai'i Department of Health TB clearance as required by state Department of Education school regulations. Contact the Department of Health for more information.

Admission requirements are subject to change. Call the Office of Student Academic Services for updated information.

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