Chair: J. Biessman.
"Reflective Educators Transform Lives"
The Education Division is committed to preparing graduates for fulfilling and productive professional teaching careers, effective leadership roles, and lives of continued learning and service.
The division's programs are accredited by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). The division follows the guidelines established by ISBE and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).
The unique strength of the education program is its integration with the College's general education program. Both curricula are designed to develop students who can think critically and write and speak clearly and concisely; who understand the diverse values and traditions of the world and the content knowledge of their chosen discipline; and who use the skills and content of their education to transform themselves, their students, and their world. The goal is to produce educators who become reflective agents of change.
The division has a set of performance indicators to evaluate the candidates and the program and a set of dispositions that each candidate is expected to display. The performance indicators are assessment and evidence research, learning and practice, professional leadership and conduct, collaboration and communication, and knowledge of content. The dispositions are effective collaboration and communication, reflective decisions based upon critical analysis and synthesis of information, models of learning as a lifelong process, and ethical professionals with high expectations of themselves, their colleagues, and their students as well as sensitivity to individual differences and diversity.
Teacher Education Program Approval
The following teacher education programs have been approved by the Illinois State Teacher Certification Board and are currently offered:
- Deaf or Hard of Hearing (Special Education, P-21);
- Learning Behavior Specialist I (Special Education, P-21);
Successful completion of an approved program will entitle a student to apply for an Illinois teaching license in that area.
All teacher licensure programs have six benchmark periods for the assessment and evaluation of student progress by members of the division. Candidates who do not meet the required expectations at the designated benchmarks will not be permitted to proceed further in their programs. The performance expectations and the benchmarks for the MacMurray education candidates are outlined below.
- Completion of Freshman Year
- Any student with an ACT sub score of less than 19 (reading, math, and English) must take an exam to determine placement in a developmental course. Students with an ACT sub score of 15 or below will be required to enroll in a developmental course during first semester.
- Maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 and C or better in all Education courses.
- Students must earn a minimum of a C in all education courses, required program courses, and all content area courses. Any course with a C- or below will disqualify a candidate from receiving a teaching certificate. Courses may be repeated until a C or better is obtained.
- Completion of EDUC 202.
- Completion of MATH 121 and RHET 101, 102.
- Submit DCFS Mandated Reporter Form CANT22.
- Obtain a passing score on the TAP 400.
- Students who do not pass the TAP 400 will not be allowed continued enrollment in any Education course and will not be considered an Education major.
- Students who fail the state TAP 400 must enroll in and pass the developmental courses. Students must retake and pass the TAP 400 to be considered for admittance to the department.
- Completion of Sophomore Year
- Maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 and C in all courses related to major.
- Completion of one field experience (Grade of B or better).
- Completion of EDUC 225 and EDUC 237.
- Submit a formal application to the Department of Education.
- Submission of Live Text Portfolio for faculty review with passing scores on the Portfolio Rubric.
- Submission of three (3) Disposition Rubrics from faculty members with a rating of 3.0 or better in each category.
- Students who are not accepted into the department by the end of the sophomore year will not be able to enroll in education courses. Students may reapply when they have completed all enrollment requirements.
- Students transferring with 60 hours must meet all benchmarks and course requirements within one semester of admittance to MacMurray College.
- Pre-Candidate Teaching
- Submit a formal application as candidate for Clinical Practice.
- Pre-clinical Live Text Portfolio evaluation and approval by the Department of Education faculty with passing scores on the Portfolio Rubric.
- Students who have not been admitted to the department by the end of their junior year and/or have not passed the Content Area Test or other required state tests will be placed in the Educational Studies Degree Program (EDST). EDST students will not be enrolled in Clinical Practice and will not be able to apply for teacher certification. EDST students may enroll in a non-teaching practicum experience.
- Maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 with a C or better in courses related to major.
- Completion of MacMurray general education requirements.
- Satisfactory completion of Junior Writing Proficiency.
- Passage of the Content Area Test required by the State of Illinois for certification (Special Education majors also require passage of General Curriculum Test).
- Continued successful field experiences (Grade of B or better).
- Police background check submitted through our Clinical Placement Coordinate.
- Submit a formal application as candidate for Clinical Practice.
- Completion of Program
- Cumulative grade point average of 2.5 and C or better in all courses related to major.
- Successful completion of Clinical Practice Experience (Grade of B or better).
- Demonstration of mastery of knowledge, skills, and dispositions across Teacher Performance expectations areas.
- Completion and final evaluation of candidate Post-Clinical Live Text Portfolio with passing scores on the Portfolio Rubric.
- Additional Requirement for Teacher Certification
- pass the Assessment of Professional Teaching (APT) Exam.
Students who are admitted to the division are responsible for understanding and meeting these criteria for academic progress, outlined further in the current edition of the Education Division Student Handbook.
Requirements for teacher licensure in different states vary widely. Students are responsible for informing themselves about requirements for licensure in the states in which they wish to teach. While students may qualify for licensure in several states, no commitment is made for licensure in states other than Illinois. Illinois is, however, a member of the 38-state Interstate Licensure Group providing reciprocity.
Field experiences, practicum, and clinical practice (student teaching) use community and area institutions. Transportation to and from these sites is the responsibility of the student. Additional requirements include, but are not necessarily limited to, the maintenance of malpractice insurance and Class C CPR certification (adult, infant, and child), current immunizations, and compliance with division health regulations. These and other policies, including appeals of student assessments and disciplinary procedures, are explained in the Education Division Student Handbook and The Maggie (PDF) (student handbook). All education majors are expected to be familiar with the policies in these publications. Copies of the Education Division Student Handbook are available at the Education Division office and online at www.mac.edu/education.
EDUC 202. Introduction to Teaching. (1) Introductory course to identify requirements and expectations of the division and to introduce students to the fields of education. Co-taught by members of the division. Required of all education majors. No prerequisite. Graded Pass/Fail.
EDUC 225. History and Philosophy of Education. (3) Introduces students to the field of education. In addition, a major emphasis will be placed on the historical and philosophical roots of American education along with an in-depth investigation of contemporary issues that are unique to American schooling. Offered each semester. No prerequisite.
EDUC 237. Technology in Teaching. (3) Emphasizes an understanding of various methods and materials for incorporating technology into the classroom. Much of this understanding will be gained through hands-on experience in developing and presenting lesson and teaching strategies using a multimedia approach. The course objectives will include proficiency in basic computer terminology, operations, concepts, data manipulation, understanding of professional and ethical issues, application to subject areas, problem solving, collaborative planning and teaching, product development, and literacy skills. No prerequisite.
EDUC 300. Reading in the Content Area. (3) This course is for prospective and current teachers. Students learn how to incorporate strategies for reading into their classes. Vocabulary, writing, comprehension, and study skills are applied to actual content area material. This course will also integrate methods/techniques of working with ESL/ELL students in the classroom. Prerequisites: EDUC 202, 225, 237, and SPED 223.
EDUC 320. Middle School Teaching. (3) Middle School philosophy, curriculum and instruction, methods, and resources for designing and teaching developmentally appropriate programs in the middle grades, including content area reading instruction. Prerequisite: Elementary major or Secondary Certification program.
In addition to the college general education requirements, the following courses are required for the major: four semesters of American Sign Language (ASL 100, 150, 200, 250); Deaf and Hard of Hearing 201, 232, 234, 240, 377, 383, 384, and 390; and ASL 201 and 316. Students will also take a total of 15 credit hours of clinical practice (student teaching) in elementary (DHHE 494) and secondary (DHHE 495) education. Other required courses include Special Education 223, 323, and 360; Education 202, 225, and 237; Elementary Education 232 and 325; Secondary Education 311; Psychology 201 and 242; Math 226; and Political Science 203 or History 104, 201, or 202. Additionally, students must take one biology class and one physical science class, at least one of which includes a lab experience. The four semesters of ASL fulfill the language requirement for the B.A. degree.
All DHH majors are required to take the Sign Communication Proficiency Interview (SCPI). DHH majors are required to pass the SCPI at a Survival Plus level. Achieving a Survival Plus rating is a minimum expectation for proficiency. Some institutions serving students who are deaf or hard of hearing will expect a higher proficiency level. Students are encouraged to exceed the Survival Plus rating to provide themselves more career options.
Though achieving a Survival Plus rating is not a prerequisite for progressing through the DHH plan of study, it is a minimum requirement to be admitted to the clinical experience (student teaching) where deaf or hard of hearing students use ASL as the language of instruction, and it is a requirement for graduation.
MacMurray works closely with the Illinois School for the Deaf (ISD), located less than two miles from MacMurray's campus. In addition to field experience, MacMurray has a cooperative volunteer program with ISD that provides college students with a variety of opportunities to interact with students who are deaf or hard of hearing. ISD has preschool, elementary, junior high school, high school, and vocational programs. ISD also has an instructional media center and a diagnostic clinic.
Transfer students who come to MacMurray with an A.A. or A.S. degree should plan on spending three years completing the very intensive DHH major. Some transfer students may complete the program in two years if they meet certain prerequisites, attend summer school, and carry heavier academic loads.
DHHE 201. Perspectives in Deafness: Foundations. (3) The audiological, psychological, and developmental aspects of varying degrees of hearing loss. Topics include audiology, anatomy and physiology of the hearing mechanism, historical and philosophical foundations of deaf education, educational placement options, varying communication modalities, assistive devices, and social cognitive aspects of deafness. No prerequisite.
DHHE 232. Guided Observation and Field Experiences with Deaf Students. (3) DHH majors will be placed in an educational setting where they will observe in an elementary or secondary program. DHH minors will be placed according to the student's major area of study. Students who do not receive a grade of B or higher must repeat the course and cannot continue to take upper-level education courses until they do so. Prerequisites: ASL 100 and 150, DHHE 201, and Special Education 223.
DHHE 234. English and American Sign Language Phonetics. (3) Identification and transcription of the phonemes of English and American Sign Language (ASL) through use of the International Phonetic Alphabet, Thorndike Diacritical Markings, Northampton Spellings, and American Sign Language Alphabet (or ASL-phabet). Students will develop foundational knowledge of phonological decoding and how it contributes to best practices in reading instruction. They will describe how linguistic phonemes (regardless of modality) and related alphabetic knowledge lead to reading comprehension and fluency. Prerequisite: DHHE 201.
DHHE 240. Introduction to Audiology. (3) The study of principles of the hearing mechanism and conservation. Clinical practice in pure tone audiometry. Audiogram interpretation and hearing aid care. Prerequisites: DHHE 201.
DHHE 377. Introduction to Speech, Speechreading, and Auditory Training. (3) Relationship of amplified speech to receptive and expressive language; concepts and pedagogical practices in developing speech through auditory, visual and tactile modalities; development of programs for maximum use of residual hearing in students who are deaf or hard of hearing. Prerequisites: DHHE 234 and 240.
DHHE 383. Teaching English as a Second and Low Access Language to Deaf Students (with Practicum). (3) Methods of teaching language to deaf students at different educational levels. Students will have the opportunity to apply theory and to practice techniques based on current trends and research. Guided observation and practicum. Prerequisite: senior standing in the division.
DHHE 384. Teaching Spoken Language to Deaf Students in Itinerant and Typical Classroom Settings with Guided Practicum. (3) Students will evaluate children's speech and language performance during in-class guided observations. On the basis of these evaluation outcomes, students will utilize guided observation data to plan effective lessons for students who are deaf or hard of hearing, including aspects of speech production (voice, articulation, rhythm, speechreading skills, and auditory development) as related to academic performance. Students will also learn the multiple roles and responsibilities of the Itinerant teacher including but not limited to, family-centered service coordination, diagnostic test administration as it relates to IFSP/IEP development, conflict resolution and collaboration/conference techniques with school personnel and families. Prerequisites: DHHE 234 and 377 and accepted as a DHH major in the Education Division.
DHHE 390: Integrating Effective Reading, Translation, and Academic Instructional Strategies for Deaf Students. (3) Methods and techniques of teaching reading, math, social studies, and science to students who are deaf or hard of hearing. Preparation, design, and analysis of materials for individualized and group instruction at the elementary and secondary levels. Students will achieve competency in methodology and techniques. Guided observation and practicum. Prerequisite: senior standing or permission of program coordinator.
DHHE 494, 495. Clinical Practice: Elementary and Secondary. (7, 8) Clinical practice (student teaching) in classes for students who are deaf or hard of hearing in approved schools under qualified educators. Students who do not receive a grade of B or higher must repeat the course and cannot continue to take upper-level education courses until they do so. Prerequisites: senior standing, completion of all course and non-course requirements, and permission of instructor.
ELED 232. Principles of Elementary Education. (3) Fundamental issues, curriculum, and techniques in today's elementary schools. Includes a field experience component (10 hours). Offered every semester.
ELED 304. Fundamentals of Teaching Social Studies/Science. (3) Basic principles, techniques, and materials for teaching social studies and science in the elementary schools. Prerequisites: Elementary Education 232 and junior standing. Offered every fall.
ELED 308. Reading Methods. (3) Concentrates on the content of reading and the various methods of teaching reading, including whole language. Also includes teaching strategies, diagnostic tools, and interpretation and analysis of testing results. Other topics include the development of language as a prerequisite to reading, diagnosis of reading disabilities, designing a remediation plan, and implementation and evaluation of outcomes. Prerequisites: Elementary Education 232 and 307.
ELED 325. Methods of Teaching Mathematics in the Elementary School. (3) Examination of methods and materials for teaching elementary school mathematics. Prerequisites: Mathematics 226 or permission of advisor.
ELED 383. Reading Laboratory. (3) The student will practice diagnostic and prescriptive teaching in reading through individualized instruction with public school students. Prerequisite: Elementary Education 308. Offered every semester.
Faculty: J. Biessman (Coordinator).
SCED 311. Principles and Methods of Secondary Education. (3) Designed to give teacher candidates the opportunity to analyze and incorporate strategies for effectively meeting the classroom needs of students in grades 6-12. Class-related readings and activities will underscore the major roles of the secondary teacher. Prerequisites: Education 225 and Psychology 201 and 242. Offered every fall.
Faculty: D. Allred (Coordinator), B. Johns+.
In addition to the college general education requirements, the following courses are required for the major: Special Education 223, 244, 310, 318, 323, 325, 333, 335, 340, 344, 350, 354, 360, and 390. Students must earn grades of B or higher in Special Education 340 and 350 before taking further upper-level education courses.
Students will also take a total of 15 credit hours of clinical practice (student teaching) at the elementary or secondary (Special Education 481) level. Other required courses are Education 202, 225, and 237, Elementary Education 232, 304, 308, and 383; Secondary Education 311; Psychology 201 and 242; Math 228; and Political Science 203 or History 201 or 202. Additionally, students must take one biology class and one physical science class, at least one of which includes a lab experience.
SPED 244. Learning Characteristics of Individuals with Diverse Needs and Abilities. (3) Prepares the professional educator to approach the study of exceptionalities and individuals with exceptionalities in a systematic and reflective manner. Integrates historical foundations, theories, philosophies, and practices geared toward the education of individuals with diverse needs and abilities in a variety of multicultural settings. Prepares individuals to effectively meet the educational, physical, social, and behavioral needs, as well as other learning difficulties encountered by learners with disabilities. Prerequisite: Special Education 223.
SPED 310. Educational Design and Management in Diverse Classroom Settings. (3) This course is designed to develop the skills to structure a safe learning environment, establish healthy and culturally appropriate teacher-student relationships, encourage self-motivation for learning, and build successful classroom communities. Students develop a relevant classroom management plan that includes rules, procedures, expected behaviors, and uses problem solving strategies to resolve behavior problems. It introduces students to the tools necessary to conduct functional assessments and the tools to create functional based behavioral intervention plans. Prerequisites: Education 225 and Special Education 223.
SPED 318. Collaboration and Conference Techniques for Special Educators in Schools, with Families, and in the Community. (3) Prepares the educator to analyze through foundational text, case studies, and community interaction the issues, research, implementation approaches, and recommended practices for employing collaborative models to support the learning of students with diverse needs and abilities. Strategies that facilitate the development of interactive teams, effective communication, conferencing with parents and other professionals, problem-solving strategies, co-teaching, and consultation will be explored. Prerequisite: Special Education 223.
SPED 323. Diagnostics and Instruction in Special Education. (3) Introduces the educator to foundations of traditional and contemporary assessment approaches for the special needs population. Professional assessment standards, confidentiality, and bias are explored. Emphasis on technical skills and interpretation of individual and group test results, various methods of data recording, and report writing. Performance based, authentic, and portfolio assessments examined. Emphasis placed on current program monitoring and responsiveness to interventions. Current issues in the field are explored. Prerequisite: Special Education 223. When offered online, permission of instructor also required.
SPED 326. Math Content and Methodology for the Diverse Learner, P-21. (3) Examination of the pedagogical mathematics content for P-12 students provides a foundation for understanding and implementing mathematics curricula in the pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade based on the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Included are diagnostic and prescriptive teaching methods, materials, and evaluation of mathematics for diverse learners on all levels pre-school through grade 12. A field experience is required, preparing the preservice teacher for implementation of mathematics lesson plans which align to the CCSS. Prerequisite: Math 121 with a C or better, Special Education 223.
SPED 333. Medical and Health Issues and Technology in the Classroom. (3) Provides students with the knowledge and skills they need to provide an effective, safe, and accepting learning environment for children with a variety of health care needs. The course will include strategies for making individual student accommodations, coordinating specialized health care in the school, and recognizing student health problems. Medical terminology will be integrated throughout the course. Students will visit classes with children who have medical and health issues in order to observe the health care needs and special situations encountered by teachers. Prerequisite: Special Education 223 and junior standing.
SPED 335. Transition in School, Work, and Community. (3) Prepares the special educators to develop the knowledge and skills needed to best prepare individuals with disabilities for their roles in their education, community, and adult life. Students will pursue this through current professional journals and literature and through field experience observational visits to community service providers and sites. Students will demonstrate competencies in such areas as knowledge of current legislation related to transition, understanding and identifying theoretical perspectives and conceptual models, collaboration, transitional planning, advocacy, quality of life issues, service provider options, family perspectives and issues, person-centered planning, vocational and career education, early intervention, self-determination, and best practices and current research-based approaches. Students will approach special education as a whole-life and whole-person field. Prerequisite: Special Education 223.
SPED 340. Field Experience in Special Education. (3) Prepares the future special educator to observe instruction that implements appropriate curriculum content, adaptations and modifications, behavior management, and classroom technology. Provides the opportunity to reflect on classroom interactions and deepen understanding of the role of key stakeholders within the classroom setting. The student's performance in the classroom will demonstrate knowledge and skills from previous coursework. Students who do not receive a grade of B or higher must repeat the course and cannot continue to take upper-level education courses until they do so. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
SPED 344. Methods of Instruction for Learners with Diverse Needs and Abilities. (3) Methods of educating children and youth who demonstrate learning problems related to a diagnosis of disabilities and the need for special education. Includes teaching methods and strategies, making classroom and individual student accommodations, and review of commercial and teacher-made materials and pre-teaching experience in educational settings for students with learning disabilities. Prerequisites: Special Education 244 and consent of the instructor.
SPED 350. Advanced Field Experience in Special Education. (3) Provides the student with direct experience in the classroom and in the education of learners with diverse needs and abilities. Provides the opportunity for observation in the school setting and interactions with professionals currently in the field. The student is responsible for the instructional needs of both small and large group activities and one-to-one educational experiences. Prepares the future special educator to design instruction that implements appropriate curriculum content, adaptations and modifications, behavior management, and classroom technology and to demonstrate the competencies of the Council for Exceptional Children for effective instructors of students with disabilities. Provides the opportunity to reflect on classroom interactions and deepen understanding of the role of key stakeholders within the classroom setting. The student's performance in the classroom will demonstrate knowledge and skills from previous coursework. Students who do not receive a grade of B or higher must repeat the course and cannot continue to take upper-level education courses until they do so. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
SPED 354. A Collaborative Approach to Curricular and Instructional Adaptations. (3) This course is designed to develop necessary skills of future special educators and future general educators to enable them to productively adapt curriculum and instruction to optimize the potential of all students with disabilities. Students will be introduced to the current best practices and research-based methodologies of curricular adaptations, including accommodations and modifications. Using a developmental sequence approach to diverse learners and their needs, students develop a broad view of interventions and innovative practices as they relate to curricular methods, materials, and media in a variety of learning environments. Students will demonstrate a critical approach to instruction as it impacts the life-long process of learning. This class incorporates collaboration, ethical practices, state standards, learning strategies, and individualized education as they apply to the academic, physical, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral needs of learners with diverse needs and abilities. Prerequisites: Education 225 and Special Education 223.
SPED 360. Special Education Law and Process. (3) This class introduces the student to the laws, regulations, and key court cases that impact students with disabilities. It also introduces the student to the critical role of the special educator in the development, implementation, and evaluation of the individualized education program. Prerequisite: Special Education 223.
SPED 390. Seminar in Special Education. (3) A study of the legal and ethical aspects of special education and services for individuals with disabilities. Translates theory into practice through student research and reflection about issues concerning learners with diverse needs and abilities in a variety of multicultural settings. Special educators must engage in a continuous process of critical and reflective analysis assessing current issues in the field such as, but not limited to, student programming and cultural perspectives, collaborative designs, philosophical differences, professional development, coordination and integration of theory and pedagogical practices, curriculum standards and instructional strategies, and ethical and professional practice. Prerequisite: junior standing in the division.
SPED 481. Clinical Practice in Special Education. (15) Provides the student with direct experience in the classroom. The student is responsible for assessing, planning, and implementing the instructional interventions for learners with diverse needs and abilities, monitoring and documenting student progress, as well as managing the day-to-day operational procedures for the classroom, eventually assuming all the duties of the mentoring teacher for the entire academic day. The student-teacher designs and implements both an interdisciplinary instructional unit plan and a case study incorporating a functional behavioral assessment and a behavioral intervention plan. Prepares the future special educator to design instruction that implements appropriate Common Core curriculum content, adaptations and modifications, behavior management, and classroom technology and to demonstrate the competencies of the Council for Exceptional Children for effective instructors of students with disabilities. The student's performance in the classroom will demonstrate knowledge and skills from previous coursework. Students who do not receive a grade of B or higher must repeat the course and cannot continue to take upper-level education courses until they do so. Prerequisite: senior standing, acceptance into the division, and completion of required coursework.