FACULTY OF EDUCATION

BACHELOR

OF

EDUCATION

STUDENT HANDBOOK

2012-2013

Bachelor of Education Program Description

Mount Saint Vincent University offers comprehensive Bachelor of Education programs at the elementary and secondary levels. These programs emphasize reflective practice and diverse teaching methods, a range of practical field experiences, and a focus on preparing professional educators who recognize and value all students. The Faculty of Education looks to prepare teachers and educational leaders who are grounded in knowledge of the subjects they teach, able to provide appropriate instruction to the diverse groups of students they will encounter;as well as committed to life-long learning and professional development. Students work closely with their colleagues as they consider teaching practice and issues in education.

Completion of the program will normally lead to Nova Scotia teacher certification, in addition to the BEd. All conditional offers must be met to ensure compliance with the certification requirements of the Nova Scotia Department of Education.

The Faculty of Education also offers a wide range of Graduate programs in Education, both on campus and in many other locations. Research and professional development are also important components of the work of the faculty.

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Bachelor of Education – Outcomes

The BEd programs at Mount Saint Vincent University prepare professional educators for the public and independent schools. These professionals accept their responsibility for decision-making that is based on sound knowledge and guided by experience and sound theoretical research. They are expected to have knowledge of their teaching disciplines; ability to provide appropriate instruction to students of various cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds; and commitment to lifelong professional growth and development.

Our programs embrace the following broad outcomes for our graduates:

  1. Knowledge of their professional field(s);
  2. Discipline-specific knowledge of principles and strategies, which pertain to classroom organization and instructional practices;
  3. Knowledge of curricular content, organization, instructional materials, formal and informal assessment instruments and technology;
  4. Knowledge of learners' developmental characteristics, learning styles, and diversity that will ensure the continuous intellectual, social, and physical development of students;
  5. Knowledge about and understanding of human behaviour, society and culture, with specific attention to international perspectives and issues related to ethnicity, race, and gender;
  6. Knowledge of educational contexts, ranging from classroom dynamics, to the governance of education in Canada, to the expectations of the parents and communities which schools serve;
  7. Knowledge of educational history and philosophy, and the values, purposes and goals that pertain to schooling in a democracy;
  8. Ability to implement knowledge about content, pedagogy, and schooling in a variety of educational settings;
  9. Ability to conduct research and utilize research findings in decisions to improve professional practice and student learning;
  10. Ability to assess the work of diverse learners and to make changes for future improvements;
  11. Ability to work collaboratively with professional colleagues; and
  12. Ability to integrate knowledge at the advanced levels.

The major goal expected of teacher education programs at Mount Saint Vincent University is the excellent preparation of educators ready to assume entry-level roles as professionals. With the assistance of experienced faculty members and cooperating teachers in the field, our students are expected to graduate from our programs as (1) emerging scholars of their teaching or educational specialty, (2) philosophers and theoreticians about education, (3) life-long, inquiring learners, (4) effective practitioners, (5) resource seekers, (6) educational decision-makers and problem-solvers, and (7) members of a professional community.

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Professional Responsibilities

The Bachelor of Education Program prepares students to enter the teaching profession. A professional program carries with it student responsibilities that extend to both course work on campus and practicum experiences, as follows:

  • Regular attendance
  • Punctuality
  • Responsible and respectful participation
  • Compliance with deadlines for assignments, administrative processes

and procedures.

The Nova Scotia Teachers’ Union identifies all of the above as essential responsibilities of a teacher working within the public schools of Nova Scotia. Therefore, it is reasonable to set similar expectations for pre-service teachers as they prepare to enter the profession.

The Nova Scotia Department of Education specifies a required number of hours of course work (36 hours per 0.5 unit; 72 hours per 1.0 unit) for teacher certification. The University has the responsibility to monitor each student’s attendance in order to ensure that these requirements are met.

It is understood that a student may be required to be absent from class for legitimate reasons, such as illness or a serious family emergency. It is the student’s responsibility to notify the instructor prior to the absence and to follow up with the instructor regarding missed class work and/or assignments. When legitimate absences extend for five or more consecutive days within a week of classes, the student must submit a medical certificate or contact the appropriate Program Coordinator to discuss the special circumstances that require an extended absence. The Coordinator may suggest referral to other support services within the University.

As stated in Section 2.28, Academic Regulations, in the Undergraduate Academic Calendar:

It is the prerogative of the instructor to determine when a student’s scholastic standing in any course is being affected adversely by attendance. The instructor then, in consultation with the appropriate dean, willdetermine whether or not the student should be dismissed from the course

Chronic absenteeism for legitimate reasons such as illness may result in a student being required to take a leave from the BEd program until regular attendance can be assured. When a student is chronically absent without legitimate reasons, the Program Director, in consultation with the Program Coordinator and instructors, will review the situation and take one or more of

the following actions:

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  • Assign additional requirements for one or more courses;
  • Require that the student repeat one or more courses;
  • Deny the student a practicum;
  • Ask the student to withdraw from the BEdprogram; or,
  • Design an appropriate alternative intervention in response to special circumstances.

Advising

Faculty members will be able to discuss individual professional concerns related to their courses. If you have questions concerning your program, please speak to your Program Coordinator, contact her by phone, e-mail, or drop by her office.

Elementary: Bev Williams 457-5537SAC 409

Secondary: Terrah Keener457-5553Terrah.Keener@msvu.c SAC 411

Many issues are addressed in the Professional Seminar courses held each week. This may be an appropriate place to raise questions and to discuss professional concerns in general.

Conditions of Admission

Conditions of admission must be completed by the deadlines stated on your Applicant Status Form that you received with your offer of admission. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure these conditions are met and final transcripts are submitted to both the Registrar’s office and the Faculty of Education.

Waivers/Credits

If you think you have already taken a course for which you could receivea waiver or a credit in the BEd program, consult with the Director about the possibility for accredit or a waiver with a choice of an additional elective. The course contents will be checked before a decision is made. Normally, waivers will have been considered during the admission process, but occasionally students identify other courses. All credits/waivers must be requested before the end of September of the student’s first term in the program.

Withdrawal from the Program

If you are thinking about leaving the program, please discuss this matter the Program Coordinator prior to contacting the Director.

Professional Issues

Students in the BEd program are expected to act professionally in the schools and at this institution. Attendance at all classes and seminars is expected and required. The conduct of working relationships between students, faculty, university supervisors, cooperating teachers, and others

involved with the program is guided by the following guidelines:

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1)It is expected that students and professors treat each other with courtesy, honesty, and respect both inside and out of the classroom.

2)BEd students are expected to be punctual and to attend all classes, required workshops and colloquia in the program. Students who are absent from their classes and who cannot show just cause for their absences may be asked to withdraw from the program. If students must miss a class, or are not able to complete an assignment, for any valid reason (such as personal or family illness), the instructor must be notified directly, in advance if possible. It is the responsibility of students to take appropriate steps to ensure that they keep up with all class work and that they complete all related assignments.

3)A professor has the right to refuse to accept a late assignment unless the student has requested an extension, and the professor believes that exceptional circumstances have prevented the student from completing the assignment(s) within the given time.

4)Concerns about a student’s ability to continue in the program should be brought to the appropriate program coordinator, who, following consultation will report the matter to the Director for a final review.If resolution is not achieved through this process, then the matter may be brought to the Dean of the Faculty of Education for further consideration or referral to an appropriate departmental or university body.

5)In cases of dispute or appeal, it is expected that all parties treat the matter confidentially, and that they refrain from discussion of the matter with others who are not directly involved.

6)It is expected that students refrain from making defamatory remarks about others in the Faculty of Education or in the host schools.

7)Students must notify the Faculty of Education Office and the Registrar’s Office in writing of any changes to their permanent and/or temporary address and telephone numbers.

8)All registered students must use their Mount email accounts. This is to ensure that:

a)All important communication regarding academic and University matters will be received.

b)Student privacy is ensured.

Practicum

All students will participate in a practicum experience as part of their B.Ed. program. During the first year of the Bachelor of Education program at Mount Saint Vincent University students will be placed in a school within the Halifax Regional Municipality. If a student has been deemed successful in her/his first year of the practicum course, it is possible to apply for a practicum experience outside of the Halifax Regional Municipality in the second year of the program. The final decision will rest on the ability of the MSVU Practicum Coordinator to find a suitable educational host environmentand to secure a suitable university supervisor in the vicinity of the host school.

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Please refer to the Practicum Guidebook for further information on the expectations and guidelines for completing the practicum courses.

If you would like to speak to the Practicum Coordinator, please contact by phone, voice mail, e-mail, or drop by the office.

Practicum Coordinator:

Jeanette Schlatman457-6477SAC 410

Successfully Completed Course Work-A Prerequisite to Practicum

The Bachelor of Education program is an integrated program consisting of professional studies, and school-based practicum components supported by studies in pedagogy, curriculum, and educational foundations, and therefore, good standing in all course work is a prerequisite to any practicum experience over the two year BEd program.

If performance in course work is incomplete or deemed unsatisfactory, a student could, depending upon the circumstances:

(a) Experience a delay in starting a practicum placement

(b) Fail to advance to a subsequent placement

or

(c) Be denied a practicum placement, necessitating that she or he be counseled to withdraw or be dismissed from the program.

Course instructors, in being responsible for monitoring students' progress in coursework, should apprise themselves of practicum dates so that they may make recommendations, as applicable, to the appropriate Program Coordinator with regard to a student's readiness to enter a placement, e.g. lack of demonstrated proficiency in skills and concepts undertaken in the course.

Instructors are thus advised to incorporate into their course outlines some guidelines on what, in their unique course context, satisfies their definition of acceptable performance levels preparatory to the commencement of the practicum.

The action or precise period of the delay in a student's entering an initial or subsequent placement will be determined on a case-by-case basis, with consultation among the course instructor, the Director of Teacher Education, the Program Coordinator, and the Practicum Coordinator. Similarly, the conditions that must be met for a student to re-enter the standard practicum stream will be determined after all relevant factors have been taken into account In the event that a student is deemed by an instructor to be unready to begin practicum, the instructor should notify the Program Coordinator at least one week prior to the start date of the next regularly-scheduled practicum period.

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Important University Policies

All BEd students are expected to become familiar with and to follow the regulations outlined at the beginning of the Mount Calendar. These regulations cover such matters as academic integrity, discipline, plagiarism, harassment, and the proper use of university facilities. Examples include:

1)the Fair Treatment Policy

"Mount Saint Vincent University (MSVU) is committed to providing and maintaining an environment that promotes the dignity of human beings. The Policy prohibits harassment and discrimination and affirms that all members of the MSVU community have the right to participate in activities at MSVU without fear of discrimination or harassment…

This policy is to be interpreted in a way that is consistent with its purpose, the principles of fairness, and the responsible exercise of academic freedom."

2)the Regulations Governing Computer Use 2.2.22

. Read these in full, and make yourself familiar with other University policies and guidelines outlined in the Calendar and on the University's web-site.

3)Academic Offenses 2.2.17

The University recognizes that while members of the community are committed to promoting academic integrity, offences will occur and procedures are needed to deal fairly with these offences. Academic offences are violations of academic integrity. These include but are not limited to plagiarism, cheating and misrepresentation related to academic work.

In addition to this section of the Calendar and statements in course outlines, students will consult with their instructors if in doubt about what constitutes

academic offences in individual courses and situations.

a)Plagiarism

Plagiarism is presenting someone else’s words or ideas obtained from any source, including the Internet, as though they were one’s own. Specific offences include, but are not limited to, the following:

Using copied material without enclosing that material in quotation marks and/or without appropriately acknowledging its source;Paraphrasing or summarizing the original wording too closely; Omittingacknowledgment of the source of paraphrases and summaries; Submitting work that has been written in full or in part by someone else

If students have questions about the correct citation format for any aspect of their academic assessments (written or oral), they should consult their faculty and the library’s resource collection on academic integrity.

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b)Cheating

Cheating includes, but is not limited to, the following:

Receiving or giving academic information or assistance during a test or an examination; Using unauthorized material during a test or examination. This may include, but is not limited to, notes, books, calculators, and communication devices; Submitting for a take-home examination or test work that has been written in full or in part by someone else or has had the benefit of assistance from some other person; Submitting false information of any kind in written or oral format. This includes, but is not limited to data and observational anecdotes; Obtaining examination questions, tests, or assignments by any unauthorized means; Impersonating another student or having someone impersonate oneself in class, at an examination or test, or in any other situation in which one is evaluated; Submitting work for which one has already received academic credit, unless authorized to do so by the instructor;

Permitting an assignment of one’s own to be used by another for academic credit.

c)Other

Includes, but is not limited to, selling, purchasing, borrowing or lending academic work for submission for academic credit.

d)Misrepresentation

Misrepresentation includes, but is not limited to, the following:

Misrepresenting or involving others in misrepresenting one’s personal circumstances in order to obtain special consideration in one’s academic work; Submitting fraudulent medical documents; Submitting fraudulent documents or materials (e.g., in support of an application for admission to the University); Failing to disclose and/or falsifying previous post secondary study when applying to the University.

Procedures for Dealing with Plagiarism, Cheating, Misrepresentation, and Other Academic Offences can be found at:

4)Students with Disabilities:

Students who have a disability and who require academic accommodation must register with Disability Services as early as possible in order to receive accommodations. (

5)Research with People:

Students who conduct research involving human participants must have their research reviewed in accordance with the MSVU Policies and Procedures for Ethics Review of Research Involving Humans before starting the research. Check with your course professor or Chair of the department about proper procedure.

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Convocation/Certification

In order to teach in the public schools of Nova Scotia you must first obtain your Bachelor of Education, second you must obtain your Teacher Certification from the province. The Mount’s BEd program normally leads to provincial certification, but the final decision rests with the provincial Registrar of Teacher Certification.

In order to graduate you must complete your conditions of admission and those conditions must be met by the deadline given on your Applicant Status Form. Finaltranscripts must be forwarded to both the Mount’s Registrar’s Office and the appropriate Program Assistant in the Faculty of Education. AnIntent to Graduate form must be completed, paid for and submitted to the Registrar’s office by the deadline.