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Educational Foundations

Wist 113
1776 University Avenue
Honolulu, HI 96822
Tel: (808) 956-7817
Fax: (808) 956-9100
Email: edef@hawaii.edu
Web: coe.hawaii.edu/edef

Faculty

*H. McEwan, PhD (Chair)—curriculum theory, teacher education research, philosophy of education
B. Cheng, EdD—comparative and international education, education policy
*D. P. Ericson, PhD—philosophy of education, educational policy, international education
*B. J. Lum, PhD—philosophy of education, human development, peace education
*G. G. Reed, PhD—social and cultural foundations, values and education, comparative education
*E. H. Tamura, PhD—history of education, minority issues, Asian-American history
*C. S. Tanabe, PhD, JD—educational law and policy, philosophy of education
*H. Tavares, PhD—politics of education, educational policy studies, critical theories of education
*X. Di, EdD—philosophy of education, history of education, sociology of education

Affiliate Graduate Faculty

A. V. M. Ordonez, PhD—economics of education, educational policy analysis
M. A. Raywid, PhD—school change and restructuring, philosophy of education, educational governance and policy
A. Singh, PhD—comparative sociology of education, critical and reflective pedagogy, multicultural education
Y. Takei, PhD—sociology, comparative/international education

Degree Offered: MEd in educational foundations

The Academic Program

The Department of Educational Foundations is a community of faculty and students engaged in the interdisciplinary study of educational theory and practice. Related to the traditional disciplines are the department’s four areas of emphasis:

1. History of Education
2. Philosophy of Education
3. Social Foundations (Sociology and Anthropology of Education)
4. International/Comparative Education

Related areas of study include educational policy studies, the politics of education, and multicultural education.

Department Vision

The Department of Educational Foundations is committed to the professional and personal intellectual growth of educators and laypersons who wish to broaden and deepen their understanding of educational problems, questions, issues and controversies. The department adopts a multidisciplinary approach to educational inquiry by drawing on the core disciplines of philosophy, history, anthropology, and sociology. We value and affirm multiple perspectives, multiple voices and collaboration in a program that is committed to engaging and deepening the prospect of democratic schooling. We also seek to move our students toward greater complexity, clarity, and compassion through our curriculum.

The Department of Educational Foundations is committed to preparing educational leaders who are knowledgeable, effective, and caring professionals in their schools and communities.

Department Mission

The mission of the department is to prepare educational professionals for leadership roles in schools and colleges, departments of education, and other educational settings. More specifically, the department aims to create in educational professionals an understanding of the historical, philosophical, cultural, social, and political context of education, so that they can make informed and wise decisions about educational problems and policy issues. Graduates with the MEd degree are expected to be able to analyze alternatives in educational thought, policy and practice related to the social and moral problems faced by schools and other educational agencies at the state, national and international levels. Teachers having initial certification, who receive the department’s MEd, are eligible for Hawai‘i State Department of Education certification at the professional level and are prepared to become leaders in their schools and districts. Graduates with the PhD are expected to exert professional leadership in the field of education and deal with those aspects and problems in society that need to be taken into account in advancing educational thought, policy development and practice, especially where these concern the social role of the school and other educational agencies.

Graduate Study

Master of Education in Educational Foundations

The department offers programs of graduate study leading to a MEd in educational foundations with concentrations in history of education, philosophy of education, social/cultural foundations of education, or comparative/international education.

MEd Program Options

Option I: Plan A Thesis (30 credits)

• Department core (12 credits)
• One research course (3 credits)
• Three electives (including a seminar) in area of emphasis and/or cognate (9 credits)
• Thesis 700 (6 credits)
• Committee: chair (full graduate faculty), member (graduate faculty), outside member (full graduate faculty)
• Culminating experience: oral defense of thesis

Option II: Plan B Non-thesis (30 credits)

• For field based educators and others who choose to do a project based study
• Department core (12 credits)
• One research course (3 credits)
• Three electives, including a seminar (9 credits)
• Directed reading for developing and carrying out a project and writing related paper (6 credits)
• Committee: chair, plus one reader (who must have at least a master’s degree) who guide the student through the conceptualization and implementation of the project and the writing of the Plan B paper
• Culminating experience: A final paper that describes and evaluates the final project, and an oral presentation

Option III: Summers Only Masters in Education (30 credits)

• Focus on leadership in the Asia/Pacific Region (EdLeads)*
• Fixed sequence of courses (30 credits)
• Committee: chair (member of graduate faculty) and reader (who must have at least a master’s degree) who guide the student through the conceptualization and implementation of the project and the writing of the Plan B paper
• Culminating experience: A final paper that describes and evaluates the final project, and an oral presentation

Option IV: Summers Only Masters in Education (30 credits)

Focus on Private School Leadership in the Pacific Basin (PSL)*

• Fixed sequence of courses (30 credits)
• Committee: chair (member of graduate faculty) and reader (who must have at least a master’s degree) who guide the student through the conceptualization and implementation of the project and the writing of the Plan B paper
• Culminating experience: a final paper that describes and evaluates the final project, and an oral presentation.

For further information, contact the graduate chair, Department of Educational Foundations.

Doctoral Degree

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

Educational foundations is a specialization under the PhD program of the College of Education. The program prepares educational professionals with an understanding of the historical, philosophical, cultural, social, and political contexts of education so that they can make informed and wise decisions about educational problems and policy issues. Graduates with the PhD are expected to exert leadership in the field of education and deal with those aspects and problems in society that need to be taken into account in advancing educational thought, policy development and practice, especially where these concern the social role of the school and other educational agencies. The program of study varies in the number of credits, depending upon the candidate’s qualifications and will include the following: college courses required of all students enrolled in the PhD program of the College of Education; department courses required of all students with a specialization in educational foundations; area of emphasis course work focused in history, philosophy, comparative or social/cultural foundations of education; cognate-field course work usually taken outside of the College of Education; a field project or an internship; qualifying and comprehensive examinations; and the dissertation. The department also contributes to the policy studies concentration in the PhD program.

For further information concerning the College of Education PhD program, see “Doctoral Degrees,” or write to the Graduate Chair, Department of Educational Foundations, 1776 University Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96822.

EDEF Courses