The work an early childhood educator does is extraordinarily important. You give young minds the foundation for lifelong success, while teaching them what it means to love learning and aim high. Bolster the meaning behind your work and your impact with Concordia University-Portland’s Early Childhood Education MEd concentration.
You’ll explore current trends and research, design developmentally effective curricula, and refine skills in advocating for young children ages 0-8. And through the MEd in Curriculum & Instruction core courses and capstone experience, you’ll get a comprehensive overview in addition to specialized knowledge.
Accredited, nonprofit, and taught by practitioners, all of Concordia’s online MEd programs reflect the same meaningful experience we’ve been delivering on campus since 1905. The convenience of 100 percent online, clearly defined coursework — paired with realistic deadlines and the ability to immediately apply what you learn in your classroom — makes our programs ideal for busy lifestyles. And the potential career benefits — from higher pay to promotions — are second only to the reward of having an everlasting impact on the lives of your students.
This course will provide teachers with the resources and skills necessary to integrate character themes and character development into their school curriculum. It provides a forum in which to discuss and develop one's own moral perspectives on the basis of generally accepted criteria.
Relationships constructed on trust are critical for an efficient, collegial, collaborative workplace. This course challenges candidates to confront the tremendous diversity in their current environment and develop strategies to build community in the midst of the social, ethnic, economic and alternative lifestyle differences that permeate today's 21st-century workplace. In sum, this course stresses the critical importance of creating community in the workplace and illustrates how that community, once established, can generate an efficient, supportive, and positive work place.
Candidates identify, review, and analyze major trends and issues impacting the contemporary state and national educational scenes. Each class session provides students with an opportunity to evaluate the advantages and liabilities of current educational reforms and issues from the perspective of prevailing educational research as well as from their own personal beliefs and current work environment. Candidates will also consider how they can impact and influence change in their own workplace.
Please note: Completing a Master of Education degree program does not lead to state certification or licensure. The MEd is not designed or intended to lead in any way toward a teaching license, endorsement, or administrative credential.
This course provides an overview of the field of early childhood education by exploring its past, present and future. Significant issues focusing on advocacy for children and families will be addressed in terms of the interpretation of research, philosophical approaches, and application of theory. Students will become familiar with advocacy for children and families at the local, state, and national levels.
This course focuses on curriculum development in pre-kindergarten and the primary grades from a constructivist perspective. Emphasis is placed on facilitating child-centered learning and implementing authentic assessment practices within State prescribed standards and benchmarks. This course is specifically designed for classroom teachers willing to explore the opportunities of project-based learning.
This course focuses on the relationship between play and learning for young children (birth through age eight). It is based on the philosophy that children construct knowledge while actively engaged in the process of understanding the world around them. Strategies for implementing play opportunities in the preschool and primary curriculum will be accentuated in order that the student may create a classroom environment that supports playful learning.
Please note: Completing a Master of Education degree program does not lead to state certification or licensure. The MEd is not designed or intended to lead in any way toward a teaching license, endorsement, or administrative credential.
This course provides students with the basic competencies necessary to understand and evaluate the research of others, and to plan their own research with a minimum of assistance. This course includes the basics of both qualitative and quantitative research.
The Master of Education culminates with the choice of either EDGR 698-Action Research or EDGR 696-Practitioner Inquiry. Either option provides candidates with an understanding of the role of research in the field of education as a tool to solve problems and as a way to improve student learning.
SELECT ONE CAPSTONE COURSE:
Practitioner Inquiry focuses on the reflective acts of the candidate as an educator seeking to improve teaching practice. Premised in the self-study research methodological traditions (Samaras, 2011), Practitioner Inquiry provides the opportunity to reflect on teaching practice and generate improvements based on classroom observation. Practitioner Inquiry focuses on the educator and her/his own practices, developing skills of inquiry, observation, reflection, and action in teachers. Prerequisite: Successful completion of EDGR 601 Educational Research
Action research is one of the capstone projects for the Master of Education program. During this five-week course, candidates will learn more about the action research methodology, complete final edits of the Literature Review, and design a complete Action Research proposal including data collection methods and analysis approaches. (During this course, the proposal will NOT be implemented with students/participants.)
This design provides students with the requisite skills and means to pursue the transformative practice called "Action Research" in their classroom, school, district or other work environment. The design method for the capstone project closely aligns with current classroom realities, with district and school requirements, and the needs of teachers and students.
Please note: Completing a Master of Education degree program does not lead to state certification or licensure. The MEd is not designed or intended to lead in any way toward a teaching license, endorsement, or administrative credential.
In addition to fully online, Concordia offers several Master of Education programs in an on-campus or hybrid format. See the options here.
Consider choosing this path if:
Still unsure? We know we offer a lot of programs! Let’s talk more about your professional and personal goals.
Planning to stay in your current teaching job? Many MEd graduates do! But in addition to potential benefits like increased salary and more self-confidence, an MEd could also expand your career opportunities within the education industry.
Potential careers include: