Featured Program
Southwest Minnesota State University, Learning Community Program
"This has been the best possible learning experience I have had in 25 years of education. I was introduced to and had an opportunity to experiment with numerous teaching strategies, learning styles, and educational opportunities. We were encouraged, advised, and challenged to become better educators. Through this program, I have gained confidence in myself, as an educator and as a part of a team working to make school better for the students. This program far exceeds any educational class I have taken."
The Southwest Minnesota State University Master of Science Degree with a major in Education and specialization in Educational Leadership makes extensive use of educators' work sites as learning laboratories. National Board for Professional Teaching Standards are incorporated throughout the curriculum.
Southwest Minnesota State University delivers the MS Program to educators locally, on-site, in a learning community format. This format enhances access to educators who live in predominantly rural areas across the region served by Southwest Minnesota State University.
- In fall 2004, learning communities started in Cambridge, Fergus Falls, Virginia, Willmar, Worthington, and Elk Point-Jefferson, South Dakota.
- New communities are starting up fall 2005 in Woodbury, Brainerd, Fergus Falls, Albert Lea/Owatonna/Mason City, and Sioux City/North Sioux City, Iowa.
Each Learning Community studies together for two academic years, meeting an equivalent of twenty times, or ten weekend meetings each year. Meeting dates are determined by the members of the Learning Community and usually are scheduled during the academic year (August-June).
The program is designed to facilitate professional involvement, community interaction through inquiry, and reflective teaching practices. Local classrooms and schools serve as a learning laboratory in the MS Program, enabling practicing educators to transfer ideas from graduate study to their classrooms, schools, and communities.
In addition to completing 34 semester hours of coursework, each educator constructs personal goals consistent with personal/professional needs and local, state and national standards. The accomplishment of these goals is assessed through the development of a professional portfolio which is both peer reviewed and facilitator reviewed for quality.
Becoming a producer and generator of innovative ideas and practices rather than simply being a consumer of knowledge produced by "outside experts" is essential in the development and perpetuation of "best practice" and in participating in the larger educational community. That's why the program requires educators to:
- develop site-based action research projects,
- integrate their action research into their workplace,
- practice and develop expertise in a repertoire of instructional methodology to effectively design and execute learning programs for students,
- write papers suitable for publication in a journal related to their area of expertise, and
- communicate their talent development and research findings with the larger professional community at professional education conferences.
For more information click here, or call 1-800-642-0684, ext. 7030, or email EDL@SouthwestMSU.edu
