Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) + Credential Learning Outcomes

PLO1: Core Knowledge 

Students will be able to:

• Demonstrate general knowledge of educational research and theory sufficient to critically analyze instructional practices in relation to student learning.
• Demonstrate the ability to collect and analyze data gathered from classrooms and other educational settings
• Demonstrate specialized pedagogical knowledge related to a subject specific discipline
• Demonstrate the ability to identify problems of practice and to locate innovations that can address problems

PLO2: Research Methods and Analysis  

Students will be able to:

• Design a sound action research study grounded in relevant peer-reviewed research
• Conduct a review of research on specific topics in education in order to inform instructional decision making
• Analyze and compare various theories of curriculum, learning and instruction
• Conduct field-based observations and collect ethnographic fieldnotes
• Develop case studies to inform pedagogical decision-making
• Draw on research-based knowledge to identify and understand school-based problems
• Evaluate their own teaching practices and subject matter knowledge in light of information about the state-adopted academic content standards and relevant research

PLO3: Pedagogy

Students will be able to:

• Demonstrate competence in pedagogy as defined by the Teaching Performance Expectations established by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. Those skills fall under following broad categories:

• Making subject matter comprehensible to students
• Assessing student learning
• Engaging and supporting students in learning
• Planning instruction and designing learning experiences for students
• Creating and maintaining effective environments for student learning
• Developing as a professional educator

PLO4: Scholarly Communication

Students will be able to:

• Structure a coherent academic argument that presents and evaluates evidence to support claims
• Understand and properly use styles of citing and referencing found in educational research outlets
• Make clear and cogent oral presentations
• Work collaboratively with peers to develop a research question and design an action research study
• Develop language and practices for communicating with parents, school-based leaders, colleagues and teachers, and students

PLO5: Professionalism

Students will be able to:

• Demonstrate professionalism as defined by the Teaching Performance Expectations established by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.