EMU | History Program Summary

2. Program Summary

Explanation of the knowledge base, philosophy, and goals and objectives of the program(s).

Degree overview:

Students in the History for Secondary Teaching Program complete a sequence of General Studies classes, followed by a major, a minor, and a professional education sequence. Their methods class is HIST 481 – The Teaching of Social Studies.

a. Knowledge base and philosophy

The past decade has been one of change and renewal in the field of history education. First, it has been recognized that the teaching of history is not a straightforward and obvious process, but one of cognitive complexity, requiring a high degree of skill on the part of teachers. Second, revolutions in assessment of student learning mean that teachers must be able to demonstrate that learning is taking place as a result of their instruction, either through standardized tests or authentic assessment. Finally, profound demographic and social changes guarantee that students will teach a diverse population in terms of race, sex, class, learning styles, and special learning needs. Graduates of EMU need to be able to understand these differences in their classroom and adjust instruction and assessment accordingly.

In the face of these trends, our program has changed dramatically and continues to be transformed to meet new challenges. The social studies program at EMU is the product of a series of changes over the past three years designed to bring the program into greater alignment with state and national needs for history teachers.

First, the history and social studies methods class has been retooled to reflect both national and state standards in history and social studies. Extensive consultation by social studies methods faculty with local teachers and administrators has resulted in a firm programmatic foundation in standards, assessment, lesson and unit design, and the use of technology.

Second, involvement in the U.S. Department of Education’s Teacher Quality Grant has enhanced the program’s attention to students’ understanding of the importance of contextual factors in history and social studies teaching. This program also has focused on the need for students to be able to accurately assess and evaluate student learning in the social studies classroom.

Finally, the program has established ties with local schools and districts in order to better understand what is expected of our graduates. These outreach efforts have helped build greater field opportunities for our students, and also have enabled us to gain feedback on how our student teachers and graduates are performing in the classroom.

b. Candidate preparation involves four phases of coursework and field experience: general studies classes, classes in the major, a professional education sequence, and field experiences that correspond to the professional education sequence.

General Studies Courses

All university students must successfully complete a series of General Studies courses. These include:

• 5 courses in Symbolics and Communication,

• 3 courses in Science and Technology,

• 4 courses in Social Science, and

• 4 courses in Arts and Humanities.

These classes are designed to give all students an introduction to a broad range of disciplines. All students also must complete one class with a multi-cultural/cross-cultural focus from among the general studies classes. The four courses in the social science area provide a broad range of disciplinary perspectives for future teachers.

History Major

The history major requires the following coursework (30 credit hours):

GEOG 107 (Introduction to Geography) or GEOG (110 World Regions), is a prerequisite requirement of the program

One complete non-U.S. survey sequence: HIST 109 (World to 1600) and HIST 110 (World since 1600) or HIST 101- Western Civilization to 1648, HIST 102- Western Civilization 1648 - World War I and HIST 103- Twentieth Century Civilization.

A complete U.S. survey sequence: HIST 123 - The United States to 1877 and HIST 124 – The United States since 1877.

HIST 300 – Historical Research and Writing

Six credit hours of courses in two of the following three areas, three credits in the remaining area: United States History, European History, World History.

One course with economics content in historical perspective: HIST 471 (Social and Intellectual History of 19th Century Europe) or Econ 375 (US Economic History) (These classes may count towards upper-level history class distribution above).

The present program focuses on giving students a broad range of history for future use in the classroom. Students are given a range of classes by period and geographic area to ensure that students can teach both U.S. and world history, as required by the Michigan Curriculum Framework.

HIST 300, Historical Research and Writing, is required of all majors and is devoted to teaching the skills of historical inquiry and creating historical narratives based on primary sources.

Professional Studies

Pre-admission Phase: The Learner and the Community

EDPS 322 Human Development and Learning

FETE 201 Field Experience I

SPGN 251 Education of Exceptional Children

Phase I: Curriculum and Assessment and the Social Context

SOFD 328 Schools in a Multicultural Society

CURR 305 Curriculum and Methods, Secondary

EDPS 340 Introduction to Assessment and Evaluation

FETE 302 Field Experience II Secondary

Phase II: Content Methods, Literacy, and Technology

EDMT 330 Instructional Applications of Media and Technology

HIST 481 Methods of Teaching History and Social Studies

RDNG 311 Teaching Reading in the Secondary School

FETE 402 Field Experience III: Secondary

Phase III: Capstone Experience

EDUC 492 Student teaching

History Minor

The history minor requires the following courses (20 credit hours):

GEOG 107 – Introduction to Geography or GEOG -- 110 World Regions, is a prerequisite requirement of the program

One complete non-U.S. survey sequence: HIST 109 (World to 1600) and HIST 110 (World since 1600) HIST 101- (Western Civilization to 1648), HIST 102 (Western Civilization 1648 - World War I) and HIST 103 (Twentieth Century Civilization)

HIST 123 - The United States to 1877 and HIST 124 – The United States since 1877

Three credit hours of courses in each of the following three areas: United States History, European History, World History.

Field Experience:

All students must complete 100 field experience hours before student teaching. Sixty of the hours are completed in structured Field Experience (FETE) courses, 55 of these hours in the major. The remaining 40 hours are completed independently in a variety of learning environments.

FETE (Field Experience in Teacher Education) courses are developmental field experiences completed at three points in the students' professional education sequence. FETE courses are taken as co-requisites to core courses in the professional education sequence. Instructors for all FETE courses are practicing educators from area schools.

The structure of FETE courses is as follows: After an initial orientation, all interactions with the instructors are electronic. Students have coursepacks of readings and field assignments. They also have weekly discussions through web caucus. Students are able to discuss their field experiences with their FETE instructor in the online format and the instructor of the co-requisite course. This combination of practicing professional and teacher education professor feedback provides multiple points of view for reflection.

Student Teaching:

All students take EDUC 492 for 12 hours. This is a full semester of full-time student teaching. It includes writing and teaching a curriculum unit, authoring a reflective journal, and writing an analysis that demonstrates student learning.

c. In HIST 481, Teaching Social Studies, CURR 305 Curriculum and Methods – Secondary and EDPS 340 Introduction to Assessment and Evaluation, students learn a variety of instructional strategies, and are given in depth instruction in utilizing different teaching techniques to match student learning styles in the classroom.

d. Not applicable to this program.

e. Students are required to take a multi-cultural or cross-cultural class as part of their general studies requirement. They are also required in the history major and minor to take coursework outside U.S. history. In the Methods of Teaching History and Social Studies Course, students apply their knowledge of multiculturalism, gender equity, and cultural awareness to classroom teaching and curriculum design.

f. Students are given examples of authentic and traditional assessments, both in their assessment coursework EDMT 330 (Instructional Applications of Media and Technology), EDPS 340 (Introduction to Assessment and Evaluation) and in HIST 481 (Methods of Teaching History and Social Studies). This includes attention to the MEAP exam, Advanced Placement evaluation, and project-based learning such as National History Day.