ERIC Number: EJ1178102
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2018
Pages: 17
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0316-1218
EISSN: N/A
Action Research for Graduate Program Improvements: A Response to Curriculum Mapping and Review
Jacobsen, Michele; Eaton, Sarah Elain; Brown, Barb; Simmons, Marlon; McDermott, Mairi
Canadian Journal of Higher Education, v48 n1 p82-98 2018
There is a global trend toward improving programs and student experiences in higher education through curriculum review and mapping of degree programs. This paper describes an action research approach to program improvement for a course-based MEd degree. The driver for continual program improvement came from actions and recommendations that arose from an institutionally mandated, year-long, faculty led curriculum review of professional graduate programs in education. Study findings reveal instructors' perceptions about how they enacted the recommendations for program improvement, including (1) developing a visual conceptualization of the program; (2) improved connections between the courses; (3) articulation of coherence in goals and expectations for students and instructors; (4) an increased focus on action research; (5) increased ethics support and scaffolding for students; and (6) the fostering of communities of practice. Study findings highlight strengths of the current program and course designs, action items, and research needed for continual program improvement.
Descriptors: Action Research, Program Improvement, Masters Programs, Teacher Education Programs, Curriculum Evaluation, Ethics, Expectation, Graduate Students, College Faculty, Educational Objectives, Teacher Attitudes, Diaries, Reflection, Meetings, Foreign Countries, Coding, Curriculum Design, Course Descriptions
Canadian Society for the Study of Higher Education. P.O. Box 34091, RPO Fort Richmond, Winnipeg, MB R3T 5T5, Canada. Tel: 204-474-6404; Fax: 204-474-7561; e-mail: csshe@cc.umanitoba.ca; Web site: http://csshe-scees.ca/publications/canadian-journal-of-high
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Canada
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A