Planned learning outcomes for curricula mean nothing if the learning experiences for students are insufficient. An online Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Educational Leadership (K-12) program from The University of New Orleans (UNO) empowers educators to lead their campuses and districts to a higher level of pedagogy using highly effective, data-driven learning tools.
With the understanding that teaching is a craft, this program assists educators in supporting the creation of experiential and inspiring classrooms, lessons and differentiated assessments that improve results.
The Power of Learning Experiences
Teacher leaders can nurture meaningful scholarship, but their faculty must believe in the power of active learning.
Active learning demands great planning so that once students begin their role in the process, any findings can take on a life of their own. Teachers should become facilitators rather than lecturers, managers instead of disciplinarians, and advocates of an environment that fosters experiential learning. Therefore, potential instructional coaches should seek a degree like that offered at UNO to enable teachers to spend time on both pedagogy and analysis of student performance.
Educators must build learning environments that foster discovery, and Edutopia offers four specific themes common to authentic learning experiences that educators should remember:
- Students are engaged when they can solve real-world problems and present their findings to audiences outside the classroom
- Students have the chance to ask questions, apply critical thinking, and analyze ideas
- Students form a community of problem solvers to practice social learning
- Students have a voice in their learning experiences
In summary, experiential learning is solving real-world problems and having the opportunity to present those solutions to an audience greater than their teachers and peers. By prioritizing these themes, educators can effectively improve learning outcomes.
However, they cannot do this alone. While easier said than done, teachers need guidance from curriculum experts to scaffold the content that students require before participating a project-based lesson. “All students benefit from being provided with rich, authentic learning tasks that make what is being taught come to life,” notes Edutopia.
Involve Students to Optimize Learning Outcomes
Edutopia maintains that “school becomes dull and forgettable” without investment from those attempting to learn. In project-based learning, it is the student’s responsibility to make decisions. That autonomy results in increased human capital and student investment in one’s path to mastery. One of the most progressive approaches to a well-rounded, positive learning experience is when educators mimic what works in looser extracurricular settings and add as much choice as possible to their classrooms.
UNO’s online M.Ed. in Educational Leadership (K-12) program encourages the four objectives noted in Edutopia’s article. In addition to the aforementioned four objective, educators should keep in mind that developing and evaluating effective assessments is critical, as is student retention.
Using effective assessments to understand why students do not master a specific learning objective directly relates to developing more effective instructional approaches to evaluate how well a class progresses.
Retention does not have to mean repeating an entire year of school and falling behind one’s peers. Other options for students staying up to speed include summer school, before-school and after-school programs or extra help during the school day.
Another option includes utilizing a response to intervention (RTI) strategy, which “aims to identify struggling students early on and give them the support they need to thrive in school. … The goal is for the school to intervene, or step in, and start helping before a student falls really far behind,” according to Understood for All. These retention options can result in more productive progression in K-12 schools, but only with a differentiated curriculum.
Improved retention, especially in early grades, can aid social and emotional learning. Any student who feels singled out or marginalized with regard to their ability to learn will not enjoy learning and might see education as a harmful experience. The negative emotional impact of not moving ahead with peers or being remediated in a non-experiential classroom or course can adversely affect positive learning experiences.
Learn to Apply These Practices in UNO’s Online M.Ed. in Educational Leadership (K-12) Program
Through a curriculum that includes a Leading the Learning Environment course and a Leading Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment course, UNO’s program equips students to pursue and thrive in school and district leadership positions. Amid a changing educational landscape, due to the role of online learning and an increased need for in-class remediation, the demand for professionals who can guide educators to succeed (using effective instruction, assessment and retention practices) in a K-12 program is growing.
Graduates of the program can apply to the Louisiana Department of Education for both the Educational Leader Level 1 (EDL1) license and the Teacher Leader endorsement to be added to their teaching licenses. Note that before degree completion, all students must earn a passing score on the School Leaders Licensure Assessment (SLLA).
Learn more about UNO’s online Master of Education in Educational Leadership (K-12) program.