Education

B.A. Early Childhood Education

This degree was developed based on the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) initial licensure standards for teacher preparation programs. This degree has two emphasis options: 1) Birth to Preschool, to earn a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Early Childhood Education as required by Head Start and 2) Birth to Grade 3, to earn a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Early Childhood Education and South Dakota Department of Education teacher licensure. Candidates pursuing this option must pass the required Praxis Series content and pedagogy area exams to be eligible for graduation and state licensure. Students pursuing the Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education degree must meet the entrance requirements of the Teacher Preparation Program

Program 2 Learning Outcomes (P2LO) – Bachelor of Arts Degree in Early Childhood Education

P2.LO1: Candidates demonstrate Lakota cultural values in all learning contexts.

P2.LO2: Candidates recognize the diverse influences impacting the development and learning of young children and effectively utilize strategies to enhance the learning potential of all children.

P2.LO3: Candidates demonstrate proficiency integrating solid content knowledge and sound pedagogical understandings to design and implement academic and co-curricular experiences that include families and communities to promote positive development and learning for young children.

P2.LO4.1: Candidates demonstrate understanding of the goals, benefits, and uses of effective assessment strategies to positively impact the learning and development of young children.

P2.LO4.2: Candidates engage in continuous, reflective learning, following ethical guidelines to make informed decisions to advocate for young children and their families.

A.A. Elementary Education

This degree prepares individuals to work as paraprofessionals in K-12 educational settings. This degree tracks into the B.S. in K-8 Elementary Education.

Program 3 Learning Outcomes (P3LO) – Associate of Arts Degree in Elementary Education

P3.LO1: Candidates demonstrate Lakota cultural values in all learning contexts.

P3.LO2: Candidates utilize developmental concepts and theories to construct learning opportunities that support the individualities of children and young adolescents.

P3.LO3: Candidates demonstrate proficiency in content area concepts when planning academic and co-curricular learning activities, projects, and explorations for students, families and communities that augment learning experiences.

P3.LO4: Candidates engage in reflective practices to develop an understanding of best practices for teaching and learning.

B.S. K-8 Elementary Education

Successful completion of this degree prepares the student to teach grades K-8 with Middle Level endorsements in the state of South Dakota. This program is aligned to the Council for the Accreditation of Education Preparation (CAEP) Elementary Teacher Preparation Standards for initial teacher licensure. Candidates need to meet entrance requirements and pass the required Praxis Series exam to be admitted to the Teacher Preparation Program. Candidates also need a passing score on the required Praxis Series pedagogy examination prior to student teaching and to meet graduation and licensure requirements.

Program 4 Learning Outcomes (P4LO) – Bachelor of Science Degree in K-8 Elementary Education

P4.LO1: Candidates demonstrate Lakota cultural values in all learning contexts.

P4.LO2: Candidates utilize developmental concepts and theories to construct learning opportunities that support the individualities of children and young adolescents.

P4.LO3.1: Candidates demonstrate proficiency in content area concepts when planning academic and co-curricular learning activities, projects, and explorations for students, families and communities that augment learning experiences.

P4.LO3.2: Candidates develop and implement instructional units that demonstrate sound pedagogical practices to foster active engagement in learning, critical thinking, and problem solving for K-8 students.

P4.LO4.1: Candidates utilize formal and informal assessment strategies to monitor and plan for instruction that will promote continuous growth and learning for K-8 students.

P4.LO4.2: Candidates engage in continual reflective practices connecting educational research and the impact of their professional decisions on students and families.

B.S. 7-12 Secondary Physical Science

This degree, offered in conjunction with the Mathematics and Science Department, leads to a Bachelor of Science Degree in Secondary Education. Students are offered a strong background in Mathematics, Physics, Earth Science, and Chemistry. This program is aligned with the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) Science Standards for Teacher Preparation. Candidates need to meet entrance requirements and pass the SD DOE required content knowledge credit hours or Praxis Series content exams relevant to this degree to be admitted to the Teacher Preparation Program. Candidates also need to pass the required Praxis Series pedagogy exam prior to student teaching and to meet graduation and licensure requirements.

Program 6 Learning Outcomes (P6LO) – Bachelor of Science Degree in Physical Science Secondary Education

P6.LO1: Candidates demonstrate Lakota cultural values in all learning contexts.

P6.LO2: Candidates develop learning activities and explorations that convey the important concepts, ideas and principles of contemporary science to secondary students.

P6.LO3: Candidates engage a variety of strategies and methodologies when developing instructional units that engage students in scientific and technological processes while maintaining a safe and supportive learning environment.

P6.LO4.1: Candidates develop effective assessment strategies and utilize the results to guide and modify instruction.

P6.LO4.2: Candidates demonstrate ethical practices as they involve students in scientific studies related to locally important issues and effectively collaborate with community agencies in co- curricular scientific explorations.

B.S. K-12 Lakota Studies Education

This degree, in cooperation with the Lakota Studies Department, gives graduates the South Dakota Indian Studies credential which allows them to teach Lakota Studies and related subjects in K-12 Education. This program is aligned with the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC) standards adopted by the South Dakota Board of Education as the South Dakota Teacher Competencies. Candidates need to meet entrance requirements and pass the required Praxis Series exam to be admitted to the Teacher Preparation Program. Candidates also need to pass the required Praxis Series pedagogy exam prior to student teaching and to meet graduation and licensure requirements.

Program 5 Learning Outcomes (P5LO) – Bachelor of Science Degree in K-12 Lakota Studies Education

P5.LO1: Candidates demonstrate Lakota cultural values in all learning contexts, and demonstrate proficiency in the acquisition, understanding, and use of the Lakota language.

P5.LO2: Candidates utilize developmental concepts and theories to construct learning opportunities that support the individualities of K-12 students.

P5.LO3: Candidates exercise their understanding of Lakota history, culture, and psychology combined with sound pedagogical practices when developing and implementing instructional units in order to engage and motivate K-12 Lakota students, and their families and communities, in academic and co-curricular activities.

P5.LO4.1: Candidates utilize culturally relevant authentic assessments to evaluate student learning and achievement.

P5.LO4.2: Candidates engage in continual reflective practice to connect culture, language, and content in meaningful ways to develop cultural competence.

B.S. K-12 Special Education Preparation

This preparation program leads to an endorsement in K-12 Special Education that may be added to a professional or advanced South Dakota educator certificate. Coursework is offered for both undergraduate teacher candidates and certified teachers. The program is aligned to the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) performance- based standards for initial special education teacher licensure. Candidates complete required coursework, complete a special education practicum and, if working towards alternative certification, must pass the Praxis Series special education exam required for licensure.

Program 7 Learning Outcomes (P7LO) – Exceptional Education Preparation Program K-12

P7.LO1: Candidates demonstrate Lakota cultural values in all learning contexts.

P7.LO2.1: Candidates demonstrate understanding of special education principles, theories, laws and policies conjoin with diverse human issues to impact the delivery of special education services.

P7.LO2.2: Candidates distinguish the similarities and difference in human development and the characteristics of K-12 students with special learning needs in order to provide individualized instruction that is meaningful for the student.

P7.LO3: Candidates utilize evidence-based instructional strategies to modify learning environments and curricula to enhance learning experiences, promote positive self-esteem, build life skills, and engage students in critical thinking and problem-solving activities.

P7.LO4.1: Candidates develop long-range individualized education plans that are translated into shorter-range goals and objectives based on an individual’s abilities and needs, and modified based on assessment of the individual’s learning progress.

P7.LO4.2: Candidates demonstrate ethical practices and effectively collaborate in co-curricular activities with families, other educators, related service providers, and community agencies to advocate for the learning and well-being of individuals with special educational needs.

Bachelor of Arts Degree in Early Childhood Education

Bachelor of Science Degree in K-8 Elementary Education with Middle Level

Bachelor of Science Degree in K-12 Lakota Studies Education

Bachelor of Science Degree in 7-12 Physical Science Education

South Dakota Department of Education Accreditation

Assessment

Annual Reports

Title II Reports

Institutional Effectiveness Plans

Institutional Effectiveness Reports

Assessment Plans

Co-Curricular Activities

Course Level Assessment

Program Learning Outcomes

Academic Program Review