Clarke to Offer Master of Arts Education Online

Clarke University’s Education Department’s highly respected Master of Arts in Education (MAE) will be offered through online delivery beginning in the summer of 2014.This decision will enable teachers who wish to continue their educations beyond the bachelor’s level to have the opportunity to do so in a program that is well regarded, contemporary and convenient. “We are thrilled to announce a completely online Master of Arts in Education at Clarke,” said Paula Schmidt, chair and associate professor of education at Clarke. “By completing an advanced degree through Clarke’s online format, elementary and secondary teachers will have access to courses that are convenient, affordable and accessible from anywhere. Most importantly, the online format will allow more teachers the opportunity to earn an MAE from a program that is recognized for its high quality and is a noted leader in teacher preparation.”The online format will offer teachers locally and regionally the opportunity to obtain content and pedagogical knowledge through the graduate coursework, obtain credits for licensure renewal, take classes in a convenient format that is offered throughout the year, and allow them flexibility in summer and school-year courses.Clarke’s online MAE will continue to be taught by full-time faculty, who are committed to student success, have experience in quality online education and are intent on making the online experience personal and rewarding. Clarke faculty members all have experience teaching in PreK-12 settings, which gives them practical insight as well as theoretical knowledge. Through Clarke’s existing PDS structure, continual presence in the schools makes Clarke education faculty privy to current trends in education and allows them to view and experience, firsthand, the professional development needs of K-12 teachers. Eight education faculty members teach in PDS schools and each spends approximately 225 hours per semester in local schools. Clarke knows that teachers seek professional development conducive to their busy lifestyles, budgetary limitations, and expectations of credits for licensure renewal.Clarke has long been a leader in teacher education. A comment recently gleaned from a survey of school principals indicates, “Clarke student-teachers and the staff we have hired have proven to be at the top of their fields. Keep up the dedicated preparation. The education field appreciates it.”For more information, visit http://www.clarke.edu/page.aspx?id=2824 or call (563)588-6635.