��͹��Ƶ

The Education Studies (A.A.) program is a 2-year, 30-credit program that provides a foundation in teaching, learning, and mentoring. This non-licensure degree equips students with practical skills for a variety of educational and community settings and can be completed on its own or alongside other programs. You’ll gain the knowledge and experience needed to serve learners and communities thoughtfully, all grounded in a biblical perspective.

• Introduction to Education: Designed to introduce students to the domain of education and to induct them into an initial understanding of teaching and the teaching profession. Emphasis is on the development of a distinctively Christian approach to education. Education 101 is a prerequisite to all other education courses.
• Educational Psychology: This course introduces you to the fields of educational psychology and developmental psychology as they help us figure out the teaching and learning environment. This course studies the growth and maturation of children and adolescents, including examination of physical development and activity, cognitive, social, emotional, and spiritual development. We will also look at different roles teachers play such as teacher-as-researcher, teacher-as-observer, and teacher-as-facilitator. This course introduces you to developmental theories and learning theories that impact PreK-12 education today.
• Learner Differences: Examination of individual differences and diverse cultures and communities-ethnicities, SES, immigrant, cognitive (SPED and TAG), gender, learning profiles, as well as English language learners. Focus on designing inclusive learning environments to meet high standards.
• Learning Environments: Focus on designing and implementing developmentally appropriate and challenging learning experiences. Creating individual and collaborative learning environments including competency-based, cooperative learning, technology-supported, experiential, and other environments.
• Service Learning - Tutoring: A 25-hour field experience, designed to be taken in conjunction with EDUC 201 or 203. Students work in teams within an after-school program, planning and facilitating learning activities with children. Through direct engagement with students, participants practice skills addressed in the concurrent education course, including lesson preparation, learning environment management, and student engagement.
• History and Philosophy of Education: This course examines how our societal perspectives and personal core beliefs affect the ways we “do school,” see students, plan teaching and learning, and make curriculum. Students will draw on a variety of resources – those from the tradition of Reformed, Christian education, some more broadly Christian, and those from outside faith-based education thought, to construct a statement describing their own educational philosophy. While this course meets a requirement in the Teacher Preparation Program, it does not assume a background in teacher preparation. Students from outside teacher preparation are welcome.
• Planning, Instruction, and Assessment (Elementary or Secondary): Spring This course introduces students to an understanding of instructional theory. Focus is on the planning process and the integral role of instruction and assessment. Emphasis is on the development of a distinctively Christian approach to teaching and learning. Various perspectives on the instructional process are critically examined.
• Applied Educational Psychology for Elementary Teachers: Examines the unique emotional, physical, intellectual, social and spiritual development of elementary students. Emphasis on developing a biblical view of the student through developmentally appropriate differentiation. Significant focus on the development of positive learning environments utilizing appropriate motivation and classroom management strategies.
• Education Studies Field Experience
• Two additional courses in Education, chosen based on your interests and career outcome goals