The College of Education and Educational Technology

Since its founding in 1875 as the Indiana Normal School, Indiana University of Pennsylvania has been widely recognized for its excellent programs in teacher education. Although the scope of the university has been greatly expanded, the College of Education and Educational Technology continues the tradition of preparing outstanding teachers to serve the students of the commonwealth and the nation.

The college comprises eight multidimensional departments which offer twenty-five programs leading to the bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees. The departments in the college are Adult and Community Education, Communications Media, Counseling, Educational and School Psychology, Foundations of Education, Professional Studies in Education, Special Education and Clinical Services, and Student Affairs in Higher Education.

The college is well known for its opportunities to practice "hands-on" learning. Over five hundred students enjoy early field experiences each semester. In addition, the college places about five hundred student teachers each year in public schools which provide a full semester of supervised teaching experience. Students are encouraged to take advantage of a full range of activities offered in urban, rural, and multicultural settings.

Practical experiences are important for students majoring in communications media. Students in this program are prepared in one of the largest internship programs in Pennsylvania. They select supervised work experiences with agencies throughout the commonwealth and neighboring states; many students are so successful in their internship placements, they are hired immediately upon graduation.

Adult and Community Education, Adult Education and Communications Technology Track, Community Counseling, Student Affairs in Higher Education, Teaching English, Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

• American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (AACTE)

• American Association of Health and Physical Education (AAHPE)

• American Society for Training and Development (ASTD)

• American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)

• Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI)

• Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)

• Council of Education of the Deaf (CED)

• National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)

• National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)

• National Broadcasting Society (NBS)

• National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)

• National Council of Social Studies

• National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

• National Council of Teachers of English

• Pennsylvania Department of Education

• School Psychology Association Network (SPAN)

• Teacher Education Council of State Colleges and Universities (TECSCU)

Currently enrolled students who wish to make application for a teacher education program may get an application for a Change of Major from the college dean’s office or department that houses the major. Secondary education programs are housed in the college of their respective discipline. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required for all education majors by Chapter 354 of the Pennsylvania Education Code.

Students wishing to be considered as Elementary Education, Early Childhood Education/PreK-Grade 6, and Special Education majors must also submit with their application documentation of their successful completion of Praxis I (PPST). Applications will be reviewed three times a year beginning the third Monday of September, February, and June. Students approved for a Change of Major will be notified in writing within fourteen business days. Students admitted to the new major will be advised by a faculty advisor in the major and permitted to register for major courses during the next registration period.

• Successful completion of Step 2

• Successful completion of Student Teaching

• A 3.0 cumulative GPA

• Final approval of electronic portfolio to include CD and portfolio evaluation

• Completed application for graduation

• Completed application for Pennsylvania Teacher Certification

• The recommendation of your academic advisor

• The recommendation of the IUP Teacher Certification Officer

Every effort should be made to resolve the appeal through the described process. If, at the conclusion of the appeals process, the student is still in disagreement with the findings, the student may request review before the Teacher Education Appeals Committee of the Academy for Teacher Preparation. The committee will be composed of three members representing the faculty of the Academy for Teacher Education Preparation, the Teacher Education Coordinator’s Council, and senior teacher preparation students.

To initiate an appeal, the student must file a form obtained at the Office of the Associate Dean for Teacher Education. Appeals will be heard only during the regular academic semester. The student will be expected to submit written documentation of his/her complaint about the process of review for continuation or eligibility in the teacher education program. The committee will review the materials and make its recommendation to the associate dean for Teacher Education. A final decision rests with the associate dean for Teacher Education, who is the certification officer.

Student teaching is designed to be the culminating learning experience for prospective teachers. Student teachers practice teaching and managing a classroom under the supervision of a full-time master teacher in an off-campus center. A university supervisor is assigned to work with individual student teachers and their cooperating master teachers. To gain admission to student teaching, applicants must have achieved a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0. In addition, students must complete all requirements of the 3-Step Process and should complete all other components of the Liberal Studies and professional core before student teaching. Some programs have standards above the minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA and/or course grade expectations above the minimum grade of C. Each student should counsel with his/her advisor for information about specific program requirements related to qualification for student teaching. He or she should also check the College of Education and Educational Technology web pages regularly for the most current information (www.iup.edu/education).

Student teaching is the capstone experience in the program of the emerging professional educator. Student teaching assignments are the responsibility of the university. To avoid conflicts of interest, students will normally not be assigned to districts from which they graduated or to districts in which they permanently reside or to schools in which an immediate family member is employed. Exceptions to this policy may be made in large urban school districts such as Pittsburgh and Philadelphia where there are numerous elementary and secondary schools so avoidance of assigning student teachers to their "home school area" can be achieved. Any exception to this policy must be approved by the dean, College of Education and Educational Technology, or his/her designee. All official policies and procedures, regarding the student teaching experience, are included as part of the Col-
lege of Education and Educational Technology’s official Handbook for Student Teaching. Copies of the handbook are available for purchase at the Co-op Bookstore. The handbooks are also available for download as part of the Teacher Education website at www.iup.edu/education.

The Office of Teacher Education determines final placements for all fieldwork conducted in the public schools. In accordance with university policy, students must be officially enrolled in the course for which the fieldwork is being done. Students entering a classroom without being duly registered are in violation of university policy and may place themselves at risk legally. Therefore, registration for all field placements is mandatory and requires payment of a $100 placement fee. 

All official policies and procedures for field experiences are included as part of the Field Experience I and II handbook, which can be purchased at the local Copies Now store. The handbooks are also available for download as part of the Teacher Education website at www.iup.edu/education.

IUP students enrolled as teacher education majors in most certification areas are eligible to participate in a half-semester student teaching abroad program. Early Childhood Education/PreK-Grade 6 majors may not participate in international student teaching assignments. Students participate in this program during the semester in which they register to student teach, either in the fall or the spring. They are assigned to a teaching site in the United States for the first half of the semester. The second half of the student teaching experience is completed in an overseas site. The program provides students with teaching experiences in one of the following countries: Copenhagen, Denmark; London, England; Worcester, England; Paris, France; Malahide, Ireland; and Gronigen, The Netherlands. Teaching assignments are made for most certification areas.

Students wishing to participate in this program must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better and a GPA of 3.0 or better in the professional core subjects and the major. The student teacher must demonstrate competency in effective classroom teaching practices, receiving a minimum grade of B in the midsemester evaluation. Upon approval of the IUP supervisor, the international student teaching assignment is confirmed.

In addition to IUP tuition and fees, students must pay a study abroad fee of $500. Travel costs, personal expenses, and living accommodation costs for room/board (paid to the host family) are the responsibility of the student. Living accommodations are arranged with host families near teaching sites.

Applications may be made anytime; however, preference is given to students who submit application materials one year before they student teach. Interviews for tentative acceptance will be scheduled with the international Student Teaching Committee two semesters prior to student teaching. For more information, contact the Department of Professional Studies in Education at 724-357-2400.

• a minimum grade of C in all professional education courses and a 3.0 cumulative GPA

• review and recommendation by the major academic advisor indicating completion of all university and departmental teacher education requirements

• completion of student teaching with a minimum grade of C

• successful completion of the Praxis I, Praxis II, and Praxis Specialty Area Tests

• successful completion of PDE Form 430

• competency in working with students with special needs (Special Education)

• completion and submission of electronic portfolio, including CD and portfolio evaluation

(Excludes Vocational Instructional Certification. See "Center for Career and Technical Personnel Preparation" in the School of Continuing Education section of this catalog.)

Certification standards for commonwealth public school teachers are established by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the Pennsylvania Board of Education. The academic advisor of the student’s major department must verify for the dean of the College of Education and Educational Technology that all academic requirements are met. The student’s name is then placed on the graduation list.

Applicants for certification must sign a statement attesting to United States citizenship. Applicants who are not citizens must have an immigrant visa which permits them to seek employment within the United States, and they must have declared the intent to become citizens of the United States. Applicants must also submit a physical examination report and certify they are not in the habit of using narcotic drugs in any form, do not use excessive amounts of intoxicating beverages, are not currently under indictment by legal authorities, and have not been convicted of a criminal offense. Applicants who are unable to meet one or more of these requirements must submit a full explanation with the application. In addition, they must attest to the fact that all information supplied in the application is accurate.

The Pennsylvania Department of Education issues an Instructional I certificate to beginning teachers upon graduation from and recommendation by the College of Education and Educational Technology.

The departments of Professional Studies in Education and Special Education and Clinical Services have developed guidelines for students wishing to complete academic requirements for a second certification.

Students majoring in Elementary Education may do this in Education of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Persons or Education of Exceptional Persons; Majors in Education of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Persons or Education of Exceptional Persons may do this in Elementary Education.

Application forms for dual certification are available in the offices of the two departments. Applications must be approved by the student’s advisor and by the department chairperson or assistant chairperson of both departments. Students are advised that the completion of requirements will take approximately two extra semesters, and they may wish to explore the possibility of completing the second certification at a graduate level.

The six centers and one clinic supported by the College of Education and Educational Technology offer a variety of services to the university community and citizens of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to include diagnostic testing, remedial services, assessment, and instruction.

The Speech and Hearing Clinic is staffed by speech-language pathology faculty and supervised graduate students working toward advanced degrees in Speech-Language Pathology. Using state-of-the-art equipment, clinic personnel provide diagnosis of speech problems and hearing tests and evaluations, as well as a regular program of therapy for clients. As part of this program, clinic staff members provide testing and necessary therapeutic services to all teacher education candidates, who must meet strict speech and hearing clearances. Regularly enrolled students at the university, including all teacher certification candidates, are eligible to receive these services without charge.

The Child Study Center provides opportunities for School Psychology graduate students in the post-master’s certification and doctoral programs to acquire professional skills under the supervision of certified faculty supervisors. Clinic personnel provide psychoeducational assessment for children and adolescents with learning and/or behavior problems. They also provide consultation for parents and public school personnel involved with these children.

The Center for Rural Gifted Education offers educator training, resources, and consultation for gifted and high-ability students in rural Pennsylvania and their families. Assessment and child/family counseling is provided in conjunction with the IUP Child Development Center. This center is supported by faculty from the departments of Special Education and Clinical Services and Educational and School Psychology.

The Center for Educational and Program Evaluation (CEPE), housed in the Department of Educational and School Psychology, provides services to school districts, human service agencies, educational consultants, and publishers. Specifically, the CEPE provides: consultation and program evaluations, data analysis, consultation and program evaluation design for grant submissions, and workshops and in-service presentations. The CEPE, under close faculty supervision, trains graduate students in research design, data analysis, and program evaluation. The CEPE can also help meet Act 48 mandated staff development requirements.

The Literacy Center, housed within the Department of Professional Studies in Education, provides opportunities for graduate students in the M.Ed. in Literacy program to gain experience toward a Reading Specialist Certification. The center offers assessment and instruction in reading and writing for children and adolescents. These instructional sessions are offered in the fall, spring, and summer terms. Family literacy services are also available.

The Center for Counselor Training and Services (CCTS) seeks to advance the knowledge base of undergraduate and graduate students as well as mental health professionals through the promotion and creation of professional trainings. The center is staffed by faculty from the Department of Counseling. To successfully implement its mission statement, the CCTS has been established with the following goals in mind: 1) organize regularly scheduled professional trainings on mental health and educational topics relevant to the counseling profession; 2) offer opportunities for mental health professionals and educators in the region to learn from nationally and internationally recognized leaders and educators in the counseling pro-
fession; 3) enable the Department of Counseling to enhance its relationships and professional reputation with students, other IUP departments, professionals in the region, alumni, internship supervisors, and national leaders; 4) provide consultation services for school districts and counseling agencies; and 5) create and offer literature (pamphlets and books) and audiovisual products for educators and mental health professionals.

The Applied Media and Simulation Games Center (AMSGC) is housed in the Department of Communications Media. The AMSGC is dedicated to exploring current and emerging multimedia, simulation, and game technologies that can enhance communication experiences and environments. The AMSGC aims to create an interdisciplinary juxtaposition of entertainment and learning, teaching and technology, conceptual foundations and concrete skills. AMSGC students will receive a conceptual understanding of communications media, a practical knowledge of the development of multimedia, interdisciplinary grounding in their field, and a grasp of how to apply what they have learned.