Specialization in Teaching at the Elementary Level

The Master in Education in Teaching at the Elementary Level has as its goal to provide students an excellent preparation in content, theories and current educational methodologies in teaching at the elementary level as well as the foundations and techniques of educational research to develop a professional who contributes in an integral and competent way to teaching with an ethical, social and cultural formation.

The Master in Education in Teaching at the Elementary Level aims to develop a professional who can offer quality services. Its purpose is to provide an excellent preparation for professionals who are going to be or are teachers at the elementary level. This Program is directed to those graduates from Education, Arts and Sciences Programs from accredited universities that wish to complete a program based on the study, analysis, reflection, investigation and application of current educational theories to teaching at the elementary level. In addition, the Program integrates technology in the teaching-learning process, online learning, and in the search for information.

The Program also aims to form and develop leaders of excellence in teaching at the elementary level through competencies based on analysis, research and the evaluation of strategies and curriculum. In addition, it permits students to develop a broad and critical vision of the elementary level curricular component and an understanding with an interdisciplinary approach to its merits and difficulties by taking core courses in fundamental teaching areas such as Spanish, mathematics, sciences, and social studies. The Program also offers a selection of novel and attractive courses aimed at complementing students’ education, according to their needs and interest: English as a Second Language, topics of Children’s Literature, creativity and corporal movement, topics on health, environmental conservation, and computers in education, among others.

The Program is based on a constructivist and pragmatic approach by requiring the implementation of projects that add, develop or expand the knowledge of elementary level teaching, with emphasis on the development of teaching methods, strategies and materials. This results in a variety of integrated and integral experiences directed to foment reflection, research and analysis on important matters in elementary education and that, simultaneously, contribute in a creative manner to the improvement of learning in the classroom. The Program deals with, by means of reflection and application, the ethical principles characteristic of a professional in elementary education as an agent of change, a leader in the school and in the school community.

The Aguadilla, Arecibo, Barranquitas, Guayama, and San Germán campuses are authorized to offer this Program.

Program Goals

1. Provide students with an excellent preparation in the curricular content and in teaching at the elementary level.
2. Evaluate the foundations and techniques of educational research so that they may contribute, in an integral and competent way, to the professional, ethical, social, cultural and evaluative tasks of the teaching profession.

Program Objectives

1. Develop students’ skills in critical and creative thought and in decision making in the, as well as in technology, research and in the assessment process and its application in the classroom.
2. Apply significant experiences and current methodologies that will permit students to effectively develop in their teaching competency.
3. Apply ethical values and principles to their teaching.
4. Evaluate the competencies of the students in the different subjects taught at the elementary level.

Competencies Profile of Graduates

This Program is designed to develop the competencies that will allow students to:

Knowledge

1. Know the foundations of teaching at the elementary level.
2. Know the subject matter of the elementary level curriculum.
3. Know about evaluation and assessment in the classroom.
4. Know the different developmental stages of human beings and how these affect the capacity to learn.

Skills

1. Apply the use of the research process in the classroom.
2. Use processes of design and evaluation of the curriculum to attain the educational goals.
3. Integrate technology in the field of education.
4. Apply the use of the critical and creative thought in the teaching performance.

Attitudes

1. Show ethical, social, cultural and value-based principles of teaching.
2. Promote favorable changes in society through solutions or alternatives that will improve the quality of teaching at the elementary level.
3. Posses tools for assertive decision making by means of the application of values.

General Admission Requirements

According to those established in the current Graduate Catalog.

Admission Requirements for the Program

Hold a Bachelor in Education or of another major with a minimum grade point index of 2.50.

Graduation Requirements

Students will graduate in agreement with the master’s program requirements and the norms established in the applicable Graduate Catalog. In addition, students must pass 36 credits of the master’s program with a minimum general grade index of 3.00. By passing course EDUC 6932, students will comply with Section “Institutional Graduation Requirements for Master’s Programs” of this Catalog.

Requirements for the Masters of Education with a Specialization in Teaching at the Elementary Level

Specialization Requirements	33 credits
Prescribed Distributive Requirements	3 credits
Total	36 credits

Specialization Requirements - 33 credits

EDUC 5045	Family, School, Community and Ethical-Moral Awareness	3
EDUC 5114	Curriculum and Teaching of Social Studies at the Elementary Level	3
EDUC 5115	Curriculum and Teaching of Science at the Elementary Level	3
EDUC 5116	Curriculum and Teaching of Spanish at the Elementary Level	3
EDUC 5117	Curriculum and Teaching Mathematics at the Elementary Level	3
EDUC 5120	Statistics Applied to the Field of Education	3
EDUC 5122	Critical Analysis of Children's Literature at the Elementary Level	3
EDUC 6024	Educational Measurement and Evaluation	3
EDUC 6580	Integration of Technology in Instructional Design	3
EDUC 6931	Research or Application Project in the Area of Specialization I	3
EDUC 6932	Research or Application Project in the Area of Specialization II	3

Prescribed Distributive Requirements - 9 credits

Three (3) credits selected from the following courses:

EDUC 5047	Psychosocial Foundations of Education	3
EDUC 5125	Teaching Fine Arts and Corporal Expression at the Elementary Level	3
EDUC 597_	Special Topics in Elementary Education	3
EDUC 6046	Curriculum Development	3
EDUC 6050	Current Issues in Interdisciplinary Special Education	3
EDUC 6933	Continuation of the Preparation of the Research or Application Project	3