For more information, please contact Dr. Linda Reiten | (406) 683-7042 | l_reiten@umwestern.edu.
The primary objective of the A.A.S. in Education Studies degree is to provide paraprofessional candidates with the expertise to effectively offer support and assistance in instruction and other direct services to students under the supervision of classroom teachers. The curriculum for the A.A.S. in Education Studies program is designed to meet all of the required qualifications of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 for education paraprofessionals and provide candidates with the knowledge and skills in areas of concern within the public schools. Graduates with this A.A.S. degree are prepared to assist classroom teachers with improving the academic achievement of all students in core academic subjects, as well as providing the personal instruction and remedial education that some students may need.
Discipline-specific knowledge, skills, and abilities
Outcomes for AAS: Education Studies graduates are based on CEC Knowledge and Shell base for Beginning Special Education Paraeducators, 2001.
The discipline-specific outcomes listed below are developed in students throughout the program via various courses, field experiences, and the internship.
Participants will become proficient in reading, writing, and content area skills.
Understand the foundations of Paraprofessional Studies.
Understand and recognize individual learning differences.
Understand and acknowledge the differences in development and characteristics of learners.
Understand and use a variety of instructional strategies to encourage students’ development.
Participants can create learning environments that encourage positive social interactions.
Understand how to plan instruction based upon knowledge of subject matter, students, the community, and curriculum goals.
Understand formal and informal assessment strategies.
Understand how to use reflection to evaluate the effects of his/her choices and actions on others.
Understand how to build collaborative relationships with others.
Communication skills
Communication skills for paraprofessional graduates are developed throughout the AAS: Education Studies program. The following outcomes related to building communication skills are based on CEC Knowledge and Shell base for Beginning Special Education Paraeducators, 2001.
Understand how to use effective verbal, nonverbal, and media communication techniques.
Understand and use a variety of instructional strategies to encourage students’ development.
Participants can create learning environments that encourage positive social interactions.
Understand formal and informal assessment strategies.
Understand how to use reflection to evaluate the effects of his/her choices and actions on others.
Understand how to build collaborative relationships with others.
Problem-solving skills
Problem-solving skills for paraprofessional graduates are developed throughout the AAS: Education Studies program. The following outcomes are based on CEC Knowledge and Shell base for Beginning Special Education Paraeducators, 2001.
Understand and recognize individual learning differences.
Understand and acknowledge the differences in development and characteristics of learners.
Understand and use a variety of instructional strategies to encourage students’ development.
Participants can create learning environments that encourage positive social interactions.
Understand how to plan instruction based upon knowledge of subject matter, students, the community, and curriculum goals.
Understand formal and informal assessment strategies.
Understand how to use reflection to evaluate the effects of his/her choices and actions on others.
Understand how to build collaborative relationships with others.
Discipline-specific knowledge, skills, and abilities
Students' discipline-specific knowledge, skills, and abilities are assessed in the courses listed in below in at least one of the following ways: portfolio, presentation, exams, assignments.
Specific courses and assessment activities
ED 289, Paraprofessional Internship - portfolio and presentation
ED 120, Becoming a Professional Educator: exams, papers, portfolio ED 201, Introduction to Special Education:
ED 240, Positive Child Discipline:
ED 360 Children's Literature:
ART 101, DR 101, OR MUS 101:
PSY 100, General Psychology OR SOC 115, Introduction to Sociology: assignments, papers, exams
ED 250 Child Growth & Development OR ED 253 Psych Foundations of Teaching & Learning:
MATH 105, Number Theory OR MATH 106, Geometry: exams, assignments
ED 255, Contemporary American Indian Education:
ED 270, Literacy/Language/Texts: exams, lesson plans
ED 285, Students with Severe Disabilities:
HHP 231, First Aid & Safety: successful practical and written exam completers receive certification by the American Red Cross
ED 242/243 Meeting the Needs of the Family & Lab: OR ED 281, Partnerships & Collaboration:
HHP 241, HHP 245, OR HHP 454: exams, assignments focusing on health issues
Communication skills
Students' communication skills are assessed in the courses listed below in at least one of the following ways: portfolio, presentation, observation of tutoring, written work.
Specific courses and assessment activities
ED 289, Paraprofessional Internship - portfolio and presentation
ED 283, Strategies for Tutoring Language Arts & Math -supervising teacher provides feedback of candidate's tutoring experience with K-12 students in the classroom
ED 281, Partnerships & Collaboration - portfolio and presentation.
ENG 102, Foundations of Language - essays and other written work, oral presentations, exams.
Problem-solving skills
Student display problem-solving skills in the courses listed below in at least one of the following ways: collaborating with teachers, parents, principals, and other paraprofessionals, tutoring children in math and language arts.
Specific courses and assessment activities
ED 283, Strategies for Tutoring Language Arts & Math - methodology course that helps candidates learn strategies for tutoring in an education position. Course requires 60-hour tutoring experience in a classroom and/or community based program. Feedback from classroom or program supervisor.
ED 281, Partnerships & Collaboration - Students learn to work effectively with teachers, principals, other paraprofessionals, other school personnel, parents, and agencies. Collaboration and professionalism is stressed and assessed in this course.
Feedback from Current Students
Graduate/Exit Survey sent to all UMW graduates. UMW’s first A.A.S. in Education Studies degree graduates are expected fall semester 2006.
Capstone assessment: portfolio of ED 289 paraprofessional internship experience
Feedback from outside constituencies
Feedback from classroom and/or agency supervisors.
Graduate survey (sent to graduate one year after graduation. Due to the newness of the program, the 2006-07 graduates will be surveyed during AY 2009)
Employer survey (sent to employers of graduates one year after graduation. Due to the newness of the program, emloyers of 2006-07 graduates will be surveyed during AY 2009)
AAS: Education Studies program was reviewed by the two NWCCU reviewers during their spring 2005 interim visit. Note: Due to the newness of the program, the first graduates are expected spring 2006; therefore, no employer feedback.
Evaluation of teaching
During fall semester, the VCAA chooses the faculty member's course to be evaluated. Each faculty member chooses a course during spring semester that s/he wants evaluated by students. Feedback is compiled and shared with the faculty member and VCAA. In addition, each faculty member has at least one peer evaluation per year.
Curriculum Review
Due to the newness of the program, curriculum was carefully chosen and reviewed prior to adoption by the AAS: Education Studies program. The advisor for the program reviews curriculum, assesses student feedback, and assesses supervisor feedback. Once the AAS: Education Studies faculty begin receiving the results of employer and alumni surveys from Career Services, they will review the information and make adjustments to the program as necessary.
Criteria and procedures for admission and retention of students
Currently, criteria and procedures for admission and retention of AAS: Education Studies students parallel the criteria and procedures for admission to UMW.
Appraisal of annual program goals and assessment of their success
Potential modification of curriculum based upon feedback from recent graduates, alumni following one year of employment, employers, collected exhibits/artifacts, as well as current students.
Self-study or reports from program reviews
The AAS: Education Studies degree program was extensively reviewed during the spring 2005 interim visit by two evaluators from NWCCU. The evaluators provided the following information about this program on page 9 of their Regular Interim Report...
"...The program appears well designed, students have access to on-line and library resources, and faculty used as contract instructors all have advanced degrees, including three with doctorates. Designed to meet the needs of low-income, place-bound students already working as classroom aides, the program takes courses to students through face to face instruction at remote sites during the first year. The students tend to lack self confidence, at least initially, and benefit from being part of an identifiable cohort, so on-line courses will be introduced gradually into the second year experience.
The need for such a program clearly exists; fully 2/3 of those working as paraprofessionals in Montana schools lack the required A.A.S. degree and because they are working at minimum-wage jobs, most would not be able to upgrade their credentials without the financial support this grant-funded program provides. One student called it “a dream come true,” since she had never thought she’d be able to afford a college degree.
The financing of this program is unusual. Nearly all the courses already exist in the UMW curriculum, and, in the case of the first-year general education courses, were taught completely by existing faculty. Since administrative requirements are minimal (one professor is supported 1/4 time by grant funding), the degree program has little financial impact for the institution. The grant funding is instead necessary for tuition and books for students. Student satisfaction is very high, and the program has in place some reasonable assessment measurements to track the students throughout the program, as well as afterward. The outcomes are based on national standards for paraeducators.
While a grant-funded program is obviously dependent on the vagaries of financing, the current advisor to the program is skilled at finding funding sources and believes that when school districts see the impact that a more highly educated group of paraprofessional can make, they will be willing to give some partial support. Federal and state funding possibilities exist from several programs, including special education funds."
Description of program-specific development bodies and advisory groups
During development of the curriculum for the AAS: Education Studies program, input from was solicited from members of the Teacher Education Advisory Board.