Teacher as Instructional Leader, MEd

Program Overview

This graduate program is designed for those qualified individuals who wish to advance their professional teacher leadership knowledge and skills critical for developing personal instructional practice and impacting the instructional practice of other teachers. The program requires satisfactory completion of 48 total quarter credit hours and is designed to be delivered in four consecutive quarters over a period of 1 year (12 months) for full-time students. Part-time students may enroll in a minimum of one class per quarter. Admission to this program may occur in each quarter of the year.

The Teacher as Instructional Leader (TIL) curriculum focuses on building in-service candidates’ professional leadership knowledge, skills, commitments, and dispositions essential to developing personal instructional practice and the instructional practice of other teachers. The TIL program, designed for any K-12 educator, offers a curriculum that permits inquiry into the philosophy, theory, and issues of leadership to extend candidates’ knowledge and skills in effective instruction and assessment. In-Service Candidates inquire, problem-solve, and make decisions relative to the success of all students.

In-Service Candidates rely on their expanding knowledge, skills, commitments, and dispositions in leadership as foundational to developing their action research project, their personal professional development plan, and their professional portfolio that are showcased as the capstone experience at the end of the practicum. In-Service Candidates’ classrooms serve as the site for conducting action research and collecting work samples for their assignments and practicum. The program of study concludes with a practicum experience designed for presentation of the personal professional development plan, action research project, and professional portfolio with work samples documenting enhancement of personal instructional practice.

Program Design

The program will be completed primarily via an asynchronous online format using Canvas as the learning management platform that provides flexibility to accommodate schedules of working professional educators. The curriculum permits inquiry into philosophy, theory, and issues of teacher leadership to extend in-service candidates’ knowledge and skills in effective instruction and assessment. In-Service Candidates inquire, problem-solve, and make decisions in support of all students’ success. They culminate their program of study with a final presentation of a personal professional development plan, an action research project and a professional portfolio. A South College online orientation introduces students to instructions for accessing South College email and Student Portal accounts, a review of candidates’ roles and responsibilities in an online asynchronous format, and a discussion and review of South College learning resources and student services.

Program Purpose and Candidate Learner Outcomes

The purpose of the Master of Education in Teacher as Instructional Leader program is to develop the knowledge, skills, commitments, and professional dispositions of in-service candidates to become exceptional instructional leaders who advocate inquiry for self and all members of the learning community as a tool for continuous learning; who embrace diversity and advocate tolerance; who exhibit ethical behaviors; who exemplify integrity and fairness; who can think systemically; who can work independently and collaboratively; who exercise wise communication; and, who extol the belief that all students can learn.

The Teacher as Instructional Leader curriculum has specific work products, objectives, and assessments that provide evidence to support in-service candidates’ achievement of program learner outcomes for their role as an exceptional instructional teacher leader for which they have been prepared.

In accordance with CAEP Standards, candidates completing the Teacher as Instructional Leader program accomplish the following program learner outcomes:

1. Demonstrate a commitment to inquiry that results in the use and generation of research.
2. Demonstrate content and professional knowledge and skill that supports the success of all students.
3. Demonstrate professional dispositions and commitments.
4. Engage in assessment practices that assure the continuous growth of self and all students.
5. Utilize technology to ensure learning of all students and to advance professional growth of self and the learning community.
6. Work independently and collaboratively to support the success of all students.
7. Demonstrate professional communications skills.

In-Service Candidates participate in multiple assessments while enrolled in coursework over four consecutive quarters and demonstrate achievement of program learner outcomes from various assessments.

Application, Admission, and Program Completion Requirements

According to state and national standards, different levels of assessment must occur throughout a program of study to inform candidates of their progress. Applicants interested in the M Ed Teacher as Instructional Leader (TIL) program are required to confer with an admissions representative and complete an application. It is expected that all applicants will present a strong level of interest for leadership and demonstrate high capability for program success by satisfying admission requirements that include the following:

• completed online South College application;
• official transcripts from each regionally accredited institution of higher education attended for earned bachelor’s degree;
• evidence of active teaching license(s);
• evidence of a minimum overall GPA of 2.75 earned in the bachelor’s degree or 3.00 for master’s degree.

Applicants interested in the Master of Education Teacher as Instructional Leader program should be aware that all courses in the curriculum are required and must be completed at South College. The Master of Education program does not grant transfer credits, experiential learning, or advanced placement from another institution’s program.

South College seeks to make available all online programs/courses to residents of Tennessee and other states, and to allow completion of required clinical or practical experiences in those states. We work through the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) process and with states directly to ensure that when authorization or licensure is necessary, required approvals are secured. Tennessee is a member of SARA and South College is an approved SARA institution. As such, we adhere to a set of national standards for interstate offering of post-secondary distance education courses and programs. SARA also covers all interstate placements in clinical or practical situations among SARA member states, no matter the nature of the main program. However, not all states are SARA members. While we do monitor the laws in each state, authorization of distance education is a dynamic environment and prospective students should check this site often for updates. It is the student’s responsibility to understand current circumstances or special requirements in their state of residence.

Professional Licensure

This program is not normally an academic program that requires additional professional licensure other than the teaching license required for admission to the program. However, not all states have the same requirements. It is highly recommended that you first seek guidance from the appropriate licensing agency in your home state BEFORE beginning the academic program located outside your state. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the appropriate licensing board in his/her home state to confirm whether a South College program will meet the requirements for licensure in that state.

Information Specific to Alabama Residents: Educator Preparation Programs: State authorization to provide a program related to the preparation of teachers or other P-12 school/system personnel does not indicate eligibility for an Alabama certificate. Applicants who complete an educator preparation program at an institution outside of Alabama must apply for an Alabama professional educator or professional leadership certificate through the Alabama Certificate Reciprocity Approach. Current requirements may be found at www.alsde.edu.

Academic Standards, Candidate Progress, and Grading

Upon entering the graduate program, candidates are encouraged to confer with their Advisor as needed. Candidates’ academic progress is monitored each quarter to ensure a cumulative GPA of 3.00, or better, with no grade lower than a B in each course. The SOE Advisor oversees each candidate’s academic record for all coursework at the end of each quarter and candidates not eligible for progression to the next quarter will be notified. If a candidate voluntarily withdraws from the program, a formal application for re-entry is required and program requirements in effect at that time must be met.

Candidate deficiencies that may impact a candidate’s academic standing, which may include warning, probation, or dismissal from the program, are monitored by the SOE Advisor.

Categories of Academic Standing for Candidates are:

• Good Standing: Status of a candidate who has met academic requirements in a satisfactory manner.
• Warning: Status of a candidate whose academic performance places him/her in jeopardy of falling below the minimum stated standard grade of B on any course assessment during the quarter.
• Probation: This status is not an option for candidates in the TIL program. Should an in-service candidate’s academic performance fall below the minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 and/or course grade(s) are lower than a B at the end of the quarter as established by the SOE dismissal from the TIL program results. Since the TIL program is a program, an in-service candidate experiencing this situation would need to seek readmission to the program. In-Service Candidates are allowed only one readmission to the TIL program.
• Dismissal: Action whereby a student will be dismissed from the Master of Education in Teacher as Instructional Leader program due to failure to adhere to academic and program requirements, and/or policies or procedures as specified in the Graduate Program Handbook, South College Student Handbook, and the South College Catalog. The SOE Advisor recommends dismissal and forwards the recommendation to the SOE Dean.

The causes of and consequences for receiving a Warning, Probation, or Dismissal are:

Warning

A candidate who receives a grade of less than a grade of B on any course assignment during the quarter receives a warning that work has not met minimum performance and that dismissal from program is possible if the cumulative GPA falls below 3.00 or if a course grade lower than a B occurs at the end of the quarter.

Dismissal

Action whereby an in-service candidate will be dismissed from the Master of Education in Teacher as Instructional Leader program due to failure to adhere to academic and program requirements, and/or policies or procedures as specified in the Graduate Program Handbook, South College Student Handbook, and the South College Catalog.

• A student fails (a grade below B) in any course;
• A student has a cumulative GPA of less than 3.00 at the end of any quarter;
• A student fails to meet professional standards as reflected in the Graduate Program Handbook, South College Student Handbook, South College Catalog, state or federal law, or for moral turpitude, unprofessional behavior, criminal activity, or other reasons as defined by South College;
• South College reserves the right to dismiss at any time a student who, in its judgment, is undesirable and whose continued enrollment is detrimental to him/herself or his/her fellow students or whose presence is disruptive to the learning environment, or the orderly operation of the College.

Grading

Course instructors determine the final grade in all courses. Grades are based on the requirements of each course, attendance and active participation in online activities, and a final examination. Examples of assignments are written assignments, action research, oral presentations with use of technology, reading assignments, reflective journal entries, development of personal portfolio, and professional development activities. The weight or value of assignments is found on the course syllabus.

Letter Grade	Q.P.	Percentage Score Range
A	4.00	90-100%
B	3.00	80-89%

In-Service Candidates must earn a course grade of B, or better, in each graduate course and must maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 to remain in the graduate program.

Graduation Requirements

In order for a student to graduate from a graduate level program in the School of Education, the student must be in a good academic and professional standing, have had satisfactory progress in all quarters of the academic program, and satisfactorily complete the following:

1. Successfully complete the required quarter credit hours of academic course work.
2. Evidence a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00 or above for the required coursework.
3. Achieve a letter grade of “B” or better in all academic courses.
4. Complete all required South College and Program documents in preparation for graduation.
5. Honor all professional and financial obligations to South College.

South College reserves the right, and the student, by the act of matriculation, concedes to give South College the right to require withdrawal at any time the college deems it necessary to safeguard the standards of scholarship, conduct, and compliance with regulations, or for such other reasons deemed appropriate by South College as set forth in the South College Student Handbook and/or the South College Catalog.

In-Service Candidate Grievance Process

If a student wishes to make a formal complaint to deviate from established Graduate Education Policies as stated in the South College Catalog, the Graduate Program Handbook or the SOE website, the student is encouraged to discuss his/her concern with their Advisor. If satisfaction cannot be attained at this level, and the student wants to make his/her concern official, he/she must complete a Candidate Grievance Form. Every effort will be made to resolve the concern at the SOE level. If the grievance cannot be resolved at the SOE level, the student would assume responsibility for following the College’s grievance process outlined in the current South College Student Handbook available in the Director of Student Affairs office and on the student portal.

The MEd Teacher as Instructional Leader degree program is currently offered Online.