Arcadia’s MEd in Equity, Inclusion and Opportunity in Special Education not only prepares you to work with, and across, a diverse population of learners, it also prepares you to understand the complexities of teaching and learning in the 21st century. You will learn to design data driven, evidence based, authentic, inclusive, and culturally appropriate instructional techniques that address the specific needs of your students and their families. The program encourages you to become an advocate, collaborator, co-teacher, and community builder. We emphasize the critical skills of professional self-reflection and personal assessment, in order to assist you in developing meaningful, effective learning experiences for your students.
Program Overview
Program Design:
The Master of Education with a concentration in Special Education program is designed around five major themes:
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Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Advocacy
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Collaboration and Co-Teaching
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Evidence-Based and High-Leverage Instructional Practices
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Reflective Praxis
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Data-based Decision-making
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Each course embeds these themes within the content of the course in the following ways:
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Focusing on the necessity of consultation, collaboration, and team teaching to provide effective services that build communities of support for students.
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Stressing inclusion as the default option for all students while striving to build communities of diverse individuals.
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Designing authentic, meaningful instruction that addresses real needs of students and families.
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Engaging in self-reflection and reflection on current practices that fosters growth and visionary programming.
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Curriculum:
The program requires a minimum of 30 credits, and must be planned with an adviser to ensure that degree and/or certification requirements are satisfied.
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Program Delivery
The first semester of courses will be offered as hybrid courses, taught partially on line and partially face-to-face, with face-to-face courses held at Fairwold Academy (or another PHMC location). Both PHMC and Arcadia will assess the situation as the first cohort progresses, and the site and modality of courses may be altered for the program or for specific courses if mutually agreeable to both parties.
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Courses will be offered either in an 8 week accelerated calendar or a traditional 15-week calendar depending on the content of the course, and by mutual agreement of PHMC and Arcadia. When courses are offered on the accelerated calendar, a student will take two courses a semester, but sequentially. When courses are offered on the traditional calendar, students will take the two courses at the same time, each meeting one night a week.