Target: Teacher candidates reflect a thorough understanding of pedagogical content knowledge delineated in professional, state, and institutional standards. They have in-depth understanding of the subject matter that they plan to teach, allowing them to provide multiple explanations and instructional strategies so that all students learn. They present the content to students in challenging, clear, and compelling ways and integrate technology appropriately.

Initial Level

As previously mentioned, all teacher candidates at EMU have a strong background in general education and (with some exceptions that are comparable) a teachable major and a teachable minor in academic disciplines. In addition, all teacher candidates take course work that a liberal arts student would not take--course work that is focused in one way or another on pedagogical content. This course work varies by program area, as described below.

Elementary. Click here to see the program requirements for elementary candidates. Candidates at the elementary level take a sequence of courses intended to integrate content and pedagogy. These include MATH 108 and MATH 109 (Mathematics for Elementary Teachers I, II), PHY 100 [Physical] Science for Elementary Teachers, ESSC 202 [Earth] Science for Elementary Teachers, BIOL 303 [Biological] Science for the Elementary Teacher, CHEM 101 [Chemical] Science for Elementary Teachers, TEDU 253 Technology Education for Children, HLED 320 Health Education in the Elementary Grades, PHED 257 Physical Education for the Classroom Teacher, MATH 381 The Teaching of Mathematics K-6, RDNG 300 Early Literacy and RDNG 310 Literacy Across the Curriculum in the Intermediate Grades, ART 300 Art Integration for the Elementary Teacher, and MUSC 320 Elementary Music Education. These "special methods" courses are taught in the relevant academic department by professional education faculty members housed in the academic departments whose responsibilities usually include teaching both "content" and "methods." This feature of EMU permits strong interaction between "content" faculty members and "special methods" faculty members.

CURR 304 Curriculum and Methods: Elementary, which serves a very important function in this sequence, is required of all elementary candidates. In addition to the uses of technology that are modeled in the courses mentioned above (and other major/minor and general education courses taken by elementary candidates), each elementary candidate must take EDMT 330 Instructional Applications of Media and Technology.

Much of the content of the courses mentioned above serves to bring us into compliance with standards of the Association for Childhood Education International. Click here (then scroll to "elementary education") for EMU's response to those standards. Much of this content also serves to bring us into compliance with Michigan Department of Education standards for elementary teachers as reflected in Michigan Administrative Rules 390-1121 through 390-1126 and with the objectives for the Elementary Test of the Michigan Tests for Teacher Certification. In addition, the Entry Level Standards for Michigan Teachers call for attention to pedagogical content knowledge, in particular Entry Level Standard 3 (knowledge of content and pedagogy) and Entry Level Standard 7 (technology). The previously described body of pedagogical content knowledge contributes to the accomplishment of EMU's "Outcomes and Benchmarks," especially Part II, items D through K, inclusive. The program for elementary candidates has been reviewed by the Basic Programs Committee (see extant minutes ) and by the College of Education Council (see minutes ) for compliance with institutional expectations.

The assessment of the elementary candidate's knowledge of and skills in pedagogical content knowledge is accomplished in several ways that are described in detail in Standard 2. These include, but are not limited to, performance assessments during the course of the program, assessments in student teaching, and performance on the Elementary Test of the Michigan Tests for Teacher Certification.

Secondary/K-12. Click here to see the program requirements for secondary/K-12 candidates. In the secondary and K-12 teaching fields, candidates take one or more "special methods" courses, e.g., Methods and Materials for Teaching Biology. In all instances, the "special methods" courses are taught in the academic department of the major (or, in a few instances, in a closely-related academic department). The "special methods" courses are taught by professional education faculty members who are housed in the academic departments and who usually have a responsibility for teaching both "content" and "methods." This feature of EMU permits strong interaction between "content" faculty members and "special methods" faculty members.

Further, the "teaching" major in a subject and the "liberal arts" major in the same subject (identified by separate codes in the EMU record-keeping system) often differ from each other in terms of the content--especially pedagogical content knowledge--required. For example, the major for preparing teachers of English requires course work in writing that is not required of the liberal arts counterpart.

CURR 305 Curriculum and Methods: Secondary, which serves a very important function in this sequence, is taken by most, but not all, secondary/K-12 candidates. In addition to the uses of technology that are modeled in the courses mentioned above (and other major/minor and general education courses taken by secondary/K-12 candidates), most, but not all, secondary and K-12 candidates must take EDMT 330 Instructional Applications of Media and Technology.

The exceptions to the courses mentioned in the previous paragraph include, for CURR 305, (a) music education, where MUSC 332 Instrumental Music in the Public Schools (for instrumental) or MUSC 330 Music Education in the Elementary School and MUSC 331 Music Education in the Secondary School (for vocal) serves something of the same purpose; (b) marketing education, where BEDU 367 Curriculum in Marketing Education addresses many of the same issues; (c) technology and design education and vocational education, where TEDU 350 Curriculum in Technology and Industrial-Vocational Education addresses these issues; and (d) physical education, where PHED 415 Curriculum and Instruction in Physical Education essentially serves this purpose. The exceptions for EDMT 330 Instructional Applications of Media and Technology include (a) music education, (b) business education, (c) marketing education, (d) technology and design education, (e) vocational education, and (f) physical education. (In practice, most music education students take EDMT 330.)

Much of this content serves to bring us into compliance with standards of the SPA's that cover our secondary and P-12 programs. See Exhibit G-10 for relevant information as it applies to computer science, the science teaching fields, the social studies teaching fields, special education, and technology education. In addition, state standards in such fields as English and mathematics are aligned with national standards such that one review satisfies both state and national processes. Music education is accredited by NASM. See Exhibit G-11 for additional evidence as to how various secondary/K-12 programs satisfy SPA and state standards.

In addition, the Entry Level Standards for Michigan Teachers call for attention to pedagogical content knowledge, in particular Entry Level Standard 3 (knowledge of content and pedagogy) and Entry Level Standard 7 (technology). The content described above contributes to the accomplishment of EMU's "Outcomes and Benchmarks", especially Part II, items D through K, inclusive. The programs for secondary and K-12 candidates have been reviewed by the Basic Programs Committee (see extant minutes ) and by the College of Education Council (see minutes)

The assessment of the secondary/K-12 candidate's knowledge and skills in pedagogical content knowledge is accomplished in several ways that are described in detail in Standard 2. These include, but are not limited to, performance assessment during the course of the program and assessments in student teaching.

Special Education. Click here to see the program requirements for special education candidates. A great many of the "content" courses in the special education fields also include "methods" of working with people who have the particular disability under consideration. In addition, each special education candidate must also prepare as either a general education elementary teacher or a general education secondary teacher. As a result, the special education candidates get much, if not all, of the same pedagogical content that is described above in the "elementary" and "secondary/K-12" sections. The special education programs are in full compliance with the expectations of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). See Exhibit G-10, then scroll to "special education." As a result, CEC programs are in good standing with state requirements as well.

The assessment of the special education candidate's knowledge and skills in pedagogical content knowledge is accomplished in several ways that are described in detail in Standard 2. These include, but are not limited to, performance assessments during the course of the program, performance on the particular special education specialty test of the Michigan Tests for Teacher Certification and assessments in both the special education student teaching experience and the general education student teaching experience.

Advanced Level

At EMU, the advanced programs for teachers include master's degree programs in early childhood education, elementary education, middle level education, business education, technology education, secondary education, educational media and technology, art education, physical education, music education, common learnings in curriculum (K-12), reading, and special education (cognitively impaired, emotionally impaired, hearing impaired, learning disabilities, physically or otherwise health impaired, and visually impaired).

These programs, while they differ appreciably from each other, each contain large quantities of pedagogical content course work. To see the course requirements of each program, click here for the program in physical education; click here for the programs in special education; click here  for the programs in the Department of Teacher Education; click here for art education; click here for music education; click here for business education; and click here for technology education.

In a few instances, courses in technology are required (e.g., the program in educational media and technology, the program in technology education). In many instances, topics in relevant technology are infused into other course work. In many instances, course work related to technology may be selected as electives in the program.

Compliance with standards--SPA's, state, and institutional--for pedagogical content knowledge for advanced programs for teachers is the same as has been previously discussed, with the exception that local review has been performed by the Advanced Programs Committee (see extant minutes ) instead of by the Basic Programs Committee. Similarly, the assessment of candidate knowledge and skills in pedagogical content knowledge for advanced programs for teachers is the same as has been previously discussed, except that the assessment has been against the local goals for the advanced programs.

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