Masters Seminars
UVEI Masters Seminars: Bringing Candidates Into Contact With Ideas, Influential Writers and Scholars—and Each Other. In this, its initial year of operation, the sequence of UVEI MAT & MEd seminars has been structured along the following timetable:
1. First Seminar Series, 3 Full-Day Orientation (July or January):
- Introduction to the major features of the MAT and MEd programs;
- Candidates are given reading suggestions for competencies relating to key concepts, movements, and reforms in education in the 20th and 21st centuries and begin reading, while exploring the relationships between “classroom,” “school,” and “school system;”
- Candidates begin to share perspectives and experiences on teaching, learning, leadership;
- Candidates contemplate their areas of strength and weakness in their teaching content areas and leadership skills and begin selecting a “Content Coach” or “Leadership Coach” to assist them in developing a plan for continued learning in these areas.
2. Second Seminar Series (Fall or Spring):
- Continued discussion of competencies, with focus on crafting a “Transformative Vision” statement and completing a self-assessment of content and skills strengths or weaknesses;
- Continued readings and discussions on themes related to 20th and 21st century educational movements (topics will vary); small groups may focus on a single theme and go into it in some depth, sharing their findings with the group;
- Introduction to the concept of “action research” and initial elucidation by candidates of possible research areas to pursue (some candidates may progress more rapidly to the stage of working on their action research projects or studies).
3. Third Seminar Series (Spring or Summer):
- In-depth readings and investigation of challenges of “Systems Change” as it affects schools, staff, students and the community;
- Sharing of “Transformative Vision” statements, coordinated with UVEI Program Staff (for Teacher Interns) and Cohort Faculty (for Principal Interns);
- Initiation of action research projects, and assistance in understanding the scope and validity of data to be drawn from action research projects.
- Review of intern progress on all competencies required for the MAT or MEd, with consultation and individual attention on candidates’ most challenging areas.
4 Fourth Seminar Series (normally May-June or November-December):
- Candidates proceed with their action research, documenting results, including references, and prepare for written and oral presentation of their findings;
- Preparation of electronic portfolios that document achievement of the 10 Masters Competencies;
- Preparation for meeting with members of the Committee on Degrees.
