Elementary education - M.A.
The program in elementary education is designed to help
professionals acquire and contribute to the advancement of
knowledge and leadership so necessary to address the dynamic
challenges of contemporary education at the elementary level.
Emphasized within the program are, for example, the following: a
focus on interdisciplinary approaches to curriculum development,
the use of inquiry as a key pedagogical approach, the importance
of a strong understanding of diversity and its social and
educational implications, and child development and learning
theories as the foundation for research and teaching in
elementary settings.
Our graduate students can explore a number of research
questions as well as develop an area of concentration from the
several content fields offered within the department in
conjunction with coursework across the University. Students also
benefit from the many area and content centers in the
University, such as those that deal with holocaust and genocide
studies, gender studies, environment and international studies,
and moral development. Through these questions and areas of
concentration, students enhance their knowledge of specific
content fields, understand new as well as persistent issues in
general education, and put themselves in better positions for
educational leadership.
The program's faculty is made up of scholars, teachers, and
administrators who are internationally recognized for their
work, and therefore, attract students from around the world.
Working with this faculty, students have many opportunities to
engage in joint research projects dealing with issues that bring
together several disciplines. The program is closely tied to the
elementary and secondary schools in the Twin Cities region and
draws from pre-kindergarten, community, and post-secondary
settings as well.
Limited numbers of people will be admitted
to the M.A. and Ph.D. track. The program is currently in
transition and in the process of adding more faculty members.
For more information, please contact
Diane Tedick, director
of graduate studies.
- Kathleen Cramer
I am co-principal investigator for the
Rational Number
Project,
a cooperative research program to investigate teaching and
learning of fractions and proportionality among elementary and
middle school students.
- Peggy DeLapp
I am a former primary grades teacher, Reading Recovery teacher,
and district-level language arts and reading curriculum
specialist.
- Lori Helman
I bring an extensive school-based background to my role as a
researcher and teacher educator. I have been a bilingual
elementary school teacher, a new teacher support provider, and a
leader in assessment and professional development projects. My
research examines the early stages of literacy development, in
particular for students who are learning English as a new
language.
- Roger Johnson
My research focus has been the development and dissemination of
cooperative learning techniques for the classroom throughout the
U.S., Canada, and in several other countries. I am the author of
numerous articles and book chapters and co-author with my
brother David of several books, including Learning Together and
Alone, Circles of Learning, and Active Learning: Cooperation in
the College Classroom.
- Terry Johnson
I am particularly interested in exploring the most appropriate
ways to use children's literature to teach elementary social
studies concepts.
- Patsy Mogush
After a career in public school teaching and administration, I
teach early literacy and kindergarten courses.
- Rebecca Tisdel Rapport
I am a lecturer in children's literature and elementary grade
literacy. Currently, I am the editor for
New Books for Young
Readers and serve on the advisory boards of
Minnesota Storytime,
The Five Owls,
and the Kerlan Friends.
- Bhaskar Upadhyay
My research interest is not only examining how science teaching
and learning can be improved in the classrooms, but also looking at
issues of access, ethnicity, and race that surround science
education in our urban schools.
Course requirements
May 2006
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