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Education, Bachelor of Science

This is a licensure/certification program with admission restrictions.

Admission into this program requires students to submit a complete and official Praxis Series Core Academic Skill for Educator score report that meets the passing scores set by the Delaware Department of Education.

Students who have not taken the Praxis Series Core Academic Skills for Educator should apply to the appropriate parallel Educations Studies program. Upon submitting a complete and official Praxis Series Core Academic Skills for Educator score report that meets the passing scores set by the Delaware Department of Education students will be automatically transitioned into the appropriate parallel licensure/certification program.

The Bachelor of Science degree programs in Education are approved by the Delaware Department of Education. Any changes that are mandated or legislated will be implemented as soon as possible. Students will be notified of any changes that affect program requirements.

Purpose

The purpose of the Bachelor of Science degree in Education is to prepare students for teaching positions in schools serving children from birth through grade 8. Students choose a teaching concentration that leads to certification in either Early Care and Education (Birth through Grade 2), Elementary Education (Grades K-6), or Middle Level Education (Grades 6-8).

Program of Study

The three programs available in the Bachelor of Science program in Education combine rich and varied course offerings with extensive, supervised field experiences. Many faculty members are current practitioners (teachers, counselors, content area specialists, administrators); all faculty members have had professional experience in public schools. General Education Requirements courses, required of all Wilmington University undergraduates, provide a well-rounded academic foundation. Supervised field experiences are an integral part of the teacher preparation program. Field experiences begin during the student’s first year and continue through the final, clinical semester. Starting Fall 2013, teacher candidates must pass all sections of the PRAXIS (core): Reading, Mathematics, and Writing (or relevant exemption test) prior to registration for the first clinical experience, Practicum I (EDU 390) and the appropriate PRAXIS II (see individual concentrations for the appropriate PRAXIS II) tests prior to admission to the required methods courses for the specific program in which the candidate is enrolled.

Program Competencies

The College of Education has 14 program competencies derived from the Delaware Professional Teaching Standards and the College of Education Conceptual Framework. Teacher candidates will demonstrate knowledge, skills, and dispositions required to:

  1. Create learning experiences that make content meaningful to students and reflect an understanding of the core concepts and structure of education.
  2. Provide learning opportunities that support the intellectual, social, emotional, and physical development of students based on an understanding of childhood development and learning.
  3. Adapt instruction for diverse learners based on an understanding of how students differ.
  4. Demonstrate proficiency in oral and written communication.
  5. Create a learning environment that fosters active engagement, self-motivation, and positive social interaction by understanding individual and group behavior.
  6. Design instruction based upon knowledge of the disciplines, students, the community, and Delaware’s student content standards to demonstrate knowledge of instructional planning.
  7. Apply a variety of instructional approaches that promote student thinking, understanding, and application of knowledge.
  8. Use multiple assessment strategies for the continuous development of students.
  9. Pursue opportunities to improve teaching and thereby enhance professional growth.
  10. Collaborate with colleagues, parents/guardians, and other members of the community to support student learning and well-being and demonstrate knowledge of the role of the school in the community.
  11. Use educational technology as an instructional and management tool.
  12. Understand and maintain standards of professional conduct guided by legal and ethical principles.
  13. Demonstrate dispositions expected of beginning teachers.
  14. Obtain and retain successful employment in the profession of education.

Outcomes Assessment

Assessment of knowledge components and performance competencies is accomplished through satisfactory attainment of specific course objectives; successful completion of assignments linked to program competencies and graduation competencies; practicum evaluations from advisors and mentors; student teaching evaluations from clinical advisors, supervising teachers, and mentors; the completion and presentation of a professional portfolio; and post-graduation surveys.

Clinical Requirements

Applicants for student teaching must meet required application procedures and deadlines. Applications for student teaching must be submitted electronically to the Office of Clinical Studies; applications are due by October 1 for spring semester placements, or by March 1 for fall semester placements. Applications for student teaching do not replace the need to register for the student teaching course. The following are also required:

  1. A cumulative GPA of 3.0 before receiving a student teaching placement (ECE 450 or EDU 451)
  2. A portfolio documenting achievement of program competencies for graduation
  3. Completion of all course Prerequisite(s)
  4. A completed Health and TB form
  5. A criminal background check and Child Protection Registry clearance
  6. Passing scores on PRAXIS (core) and PRAXIS II
  7. Co-registration in EDU 499
  8. The College of Education sets a minimum grade of “C” for all Education core courses (ECE, EDU, RDG, and EPY).

Completion of the student teaching requirement is contingent upon the successful completion of an electronic portfolio documenting satisfactory achievement of all program competencies.

Field and Clinical Experience Requirements:

Practicum Courses

Practicum Courses (Practicum I, II, III)

Each of these courses requires 50 hours of field experience in an approved school setting plus 30 hours of required seminars. Although Practicum courses only require candidates to register and pay for one (1) credit for each course, the courses are actually structured as three (3) credit courses. The reason for this approach is to keep the total credit hours required for the degree to 126. Otherwise, candidates would have to register and pay for an additional 6 credits. This benefit represents a tuition cost savings of more than $2,000.

All practicum placements are arranged by the Office of Clinical Studies in accordance with school district partnership agreements and placement protocols. Final placement decisions are made by school district officials. Candidates are not permitted to seek or make arrangements for their own placements.

The 50 hours of field experience required for each practicum will usually take place in the county where the candidate attends the seminars, although this may vary depending on availability of practicum placement classrooms. A sealed Federal and Delaware CBC (Criminal Background Check) Report, a recent TB/PPD (less than a year old) and a completed CPR (Child Protection Registry Form) are required for students entering the program.

Student Internship / Teaching

All placements are arranged by placement specialists in the WilmU Office of Clinical Studies in accordance with school district partnership agreements and protocols. However, final placement decisions are made by school district officials and are based on school and district needs and the availability of school-based mentors who are rated as highly-qualified and effective. Candidates are not permitted to seek or make arrangements for their own placements.

The capstone clinical experience (is a full-time, full-day placement ranging from 80 school days to one full school year in an approved setting and in a content area/grade level that corresponds to a candidate’s program concentration.

Registration for the capstone clinical experience requires prior approval from the Office of Clinical Studies and the following: 3.00 cumulative GPA, no Incomplete grades, passing PRAXIS (core) and PRAXIS II scores, a sealed Federal and Delaware CBC (Criminal Background Check) Report, a recent TB/PPD (less than a year old), a completed CPR (Child Protection Registry Form) and completed health form. A completed Student Teaching application in Taskstream by the deadlines of February 1 for placement in Fall and August 1 for placement in Spring. Effective July 1, 2015, scores and sub-scores that meet Delaware minimum requirements on the PRAXIS CORE SERIES FOR EDUCATORS and Praxis II are pre-requisites for Student Teaching. It is the responsibility of candidates to make sure that complete test score reports are provided to the College of Education. All test score requirements for Delaware certification can be viewed at https://www.ets.org/praxis/de/requirements.

PRAXIS Testing Requirements

All students must meet Delaware minimum score requirements on all three sections of the PRAXIS (core) in order to register for the first clinical experience, Practicum I (EDU 390) and the appropriate PRAXIS II (see individual concentrations for the appropriate PRAXIS II) test prior to registering for any of the following courses in the Bachelor of Science program:

ECE 450, EDU 451

Students should designate Wilmington University as a score recipient at the time the tests are taken, and also provide the College of Education with a paper copy of the ETS score report. The ETS score report must include all scores and subscores. COMPLETE score reports must be received in the College of Education main office (Peoples Building, New Castle) prior to registering for any of the courses listed above.

Teacher Dispositions and Values

A significant element of programs for the preparation of teachers deals with developing candidates’ skills in working with students from a wide variety of diverse backgrounds and with students who also may present a wide variety of exceptionalities. Clinical experiences (practical, internships, student teaching) in the B.S. program require candidates to interact with students of both genders, students with exceptionalities (including students whose first language is not English), and students whose socioeconomic, racial, language, geographic and ethnic backgrounds are different from their own.

A second area of importance for teacher candidates is to ensure that they work with students, families, and communities in ways that reflect the dispositions expected of teachers as delineated in professional, state, and institutional standards. B.S. candidates must recognize, develop, and model dispositions that are expected of beginning teachers.

In order to assess a teacher candidate’s dispositions and values, the College of Education administers the “Inventory of Beginning Teacher’s Dispositions” and “Multicultural Inventory” during clinical courses in the undergraduate program.

Because of the importance accorded to these surveys, teacher candidates are expected to participate fully and to comply with these tasks as assigned.