Indiana Wesleyan University's (IWU) Rank I Program provides experienced, post master's level teachers in Kentucky with an opportunity to enhance their skills and knowledge in the practice of their profession. Throughout the program, teachers expand their professional knowledge base and demonstrate research-based and best practices in the classroom and in their respective content area. The theme of the IWU Rank I Program is "The Teacher as a Skilled Practitioner."
The Rank I program is a standards-based program guided by the Kentucky Experienced Teacher Standards, the Kentucky Core Content for Assessment and Standards, and Indicators for School Improvement. It is also guided by the standards of each discipline's national organization and the IWU Conceptual Framework. In addition, the program addresses the themes set forth by the Kentucky EPSB.
The specific goals of the Rank I Program are to:
The Kentucky Rank I program consists of an individualized post-master's degree or post-Rank II planned program of 30 credit hours. It is designed to meet the professional needs of classroom teachers and to increase knowledge and skills in a chosen area of specialization. All students enrolled in IWU's Rank I Program are required to take 24 hours of Professional Core Courses that are prescribed by the University and 6 hours of electives in an area of specialization selected by the student at the time of enrollment. The individual teacher's Rank I Program will be approved after signing a Curriculum Contract in consultation with an assigned advisor. In addition, students will also complete will an Advanced Professional Growth Plan based upon Kentucky Experienced Teacher Standards.
In order to be admitted to the Rank I program, students must have:
Up to 6 hours of electives may be transferred from an accredited college or university if the electives meet the specialization criteria and have a final minimum grade of "B." Credit earned from Performance Learning Systems courses, correspondence courses, or video-based courses such as Canter and Associates will not be accepted for the Rank I program.
Professional Core Courses |
24 |
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EDUE-617A |
Directed Field Project |
1 |
|
EDUE-602 |
The Art of Inquiry and Professional Writing |
3 |
|
EDUE-605 |
Knowledge Base for Skilled Practitioners |
3 |
|
EDUE-608 |
Standards-Based Backward Design |
3 |
|
EDUE-617B |
Directed Field Project |
1 |
|
EDUE-620 |
Mentoring and Coaching |
3 |
|
EDUE-622 |
Advanced Reading, Writing, and Content Learning |
3 |
|
EDUE-617C |
Directed Field Project |
1 |
|
EDUE-614 |
Educational Themes and Trends |
3 |
|
EDUE-611 |
Active Learning Results |
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
Professional Elective Courses |
6 |
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Professional Elective Courses—6 credit hours
Six (6) hours of elective courses are selected from one of the following areas of specialization in consultation with the advisor. These electives do not lead to initial certification or endorsement but are designed to enhance professional skills and content knowledge.
PROGRAM EXIT CRITERIA
EDUE-602 The Art of Inquiry 3
This course focuses on understanding the purposes and design of qualitative and quantitative research with a special emphasis placed on action research. Students will develop the ability to read, analyze, and evaluate both qualitative and quantitative research studies. In addition, students will develop the ability to distinguish between inferential and descriptive statistics and demonstrate an understanding of basic statistical terms. Methods of data collection and analysis used for action research will also be explored.
EDUE-605 Knowledge Base for Skilled Practitioners 3
This course emphasizes the need for teachers to be experts in their subject area and to be able to use best practices to communicate that information. Students focus on increased knowledge of their teaching content area and on professional skills which will increase student learning and close the achievement gap. The course requires students to review standards related to their teaching area and align them to the curriculum. In addition, students will develop the ability to identify a clear research question for action research and to write a comprehensive review of the literature as a means to become skilled practitioners. Prerequisite: EDUE-602
EDUE-608 Standards-Based Backward Design 3
This course focuses on developing instructional units that will meet the needs of diverse learners using the principles of depth of knowledge, standards, and backward design. Students will learn how to read, analyze, and identify student achievement needs from data, standards, and school improvement plans as well as investigate diversity and developmental needs that impact learning. In addition, students will design clear curriculum objectives and learning targets, assessment instruments, and instructional strategies based upon needs and standards. Prerequisite: EDUE-605
EDUE-611 Active Learning Results 3
The purpose of this course is to teach practitioners how to analyze, interpret, and report data from action research. Additional topics include analyzing the implications of the data, revising the curriculum based upon student achievement data, preparing an abstract of a study, and preparing an article, conference presentation, or professional development to effectively communicate results to various audiences. Prerequisite: EDUE-614
EDUE-614 Educational Themes and Trends 3
This course examines educational trends, themes, and philosophies thorough select periods of American history that have impacted present day curriculum. Included is a study of national and state educational reform acts as well as current social and educational issues that have altered education. Throughout the course, students must demonstrate an understanding of teacher dispositions, national, state and local standards, and be able to analyze and evaluate data on the status of student achievement. Prerequisite: EDUE-622
EDUE-617A Directed Field Project A 1
The Directed Field Project is the culminating project of the Rank I Program and consists of an action research project designed and implemented within at least one classroom. Based upon the data collected, students will revise the curriculum to demonstrate the ability to implement data-driven instruction. The purpose of the course is to help teachers be aware of and document the impact of performance on student achievement. Throughout the development of the project, students must demonstrate an understanding of state and national teacher standards, state and national curriculum standards, state initiatives, the IWU conceptual framework and dispositions, best practices in their certificated area, and research in related professional skills and subject content knowledge. Prerequisite: EDUE-614
EDUE-617B Directed Field Project B 1
This course is a continuation of EDUE-617A.
EDUE-617C Directed Field Project C 1
This course is a continuation of EDUE-617B.
EDUE-620 Mentoring and Coaching 3
This course allows the student the opportunity to gain knowledge and experience in mentoring and coaching through classroom activity and a contract with a teacher as a mentor/coach. Students will learn the linkages between the mentoring/coaching processes as it relates to a friend or colleague relationship, leadership, and discipleship.
EDUE-622 Advanced Reading, Writing, and Content Learning 3
This course explores research-based reading and writing strategies that will enable students in grades 4-12 to better understand and remember course content. A primary focus is how reading and writing complement each other while supporting content-based inquiry.