Mar 29, 2024  
2012-2013 UMass Dartmouth Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2012-2013 UMass Dartmouth Undergraduate Catalog [Archived Catalog]

School of Education, Public Policy, and Civic Engagement


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The School of Education, Public Policy, and Civic Engagement at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth uses innovative, collaborative and interdisciplinary teaching models, and offers professional development and research linking academic programs in education and public policy within a context of civic engagement. Its aim is to improve and sustain regional educational attainment, as well as to retain highly educated and skilled citizens equipped to compete in a global knowledge-based society.

To achieve this, the school has established an applied research agenda that centers on programmatic evaluation and policy analysis, using data-based tools and information with which to guide response to the educational needs of the region. In concert with research findings and regional opportunities, the school provides best practice models for linking content and pedagogy for novice-through-professional teacher preparation programs, as well as for school-leader initiatives.

Initial curricular focus of the school centers on three key areas: student learning in the STEM disciplines (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), innovation and improvement in the delivery of teacher preparation programs, and delivery of highly trained teachers and educational leaders who can improve K-12 student performance while encouraging students to pursue higher education. With insight gained from close collaboration with regional stakeholders, the school is developing innovative leadership programs to ensure that a new generation of leaders, well-trained in policy and management, is ready to take bold and coordinated action for equity and access through a foundation of distributed leadership.

Of particular importance is the school’s capacity to integrate public policy research and academic programming that ensures that its faculty members remain at the forefront of emerging policy proposals and enhances their ability to shape and influence education policy and reform in our region, Commonwealth, and nation.

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