"Student Opinion on the Current Education Program

By Jessica Sterrett
Rotunda ReporterLongwood University continues to make changes not only with new construction endeavors but also with the re-examination of department programming. As the semester passes, more innovative efforts from the university are becoming apparent. Recently, a committee from the College of Education and Human Services (CEHS) met to re-examine the efficiency of the current program. Dr. David Locascio, a committee member and assistant professor of education, said that the committee has met just to do a periodical re-examination of the program, but that no efforts of change in the program will be made at this point.

The CEHS is currently using a four-year education program option. From a committee member's standpoint, the education program, like any other program, needs to have its criteria re-examined periodically. "In the educational climate as it is now in the state, and in other states, there is a certain level of appeal in looking at programs that culminated in a five-year master's degree, either in master's in teaching or some other master's degree. Some of that discussion occurred within the committee, but again nothing has been finalized," said Locascio. The committee has only been developing ideas and researching the subject of change at this point in the process. "It was a fact-finding mission charge more than anything," he said.

Several students offered their opinions about the four-year versus five-year programs. Lee Flanagan, a senior, is a K-8 education major with a concentration in middle school education, focusing on science and history. He said about the current program, "The big advantages I find is that you do two practicums, then partnership and student teaching, opposed to other schools that just have student teaching. So it's a big advantage to have those extra classroom hours. The disadvantages are that you may have to take unnecessary classes." Flanagan said that he had heard nothing of the re-examination process but that there was some talk among students of the program changing into a five-year program.

Kaylan Morris, a senior elementary and middle school education major with a concentration in English and science, offered opinions from both sides of the spectrum. "The good thing about the four-year program is, if you don't want to stay in school longer than four years you have the option of having a degree and getting a job. Especially if financial aid [is] an issue it's beneficial, but the disadvantage is there is no option of getting your master's while you're still in school." As far as gaining a five-year program, Morris said that for "those that want to get their master's degree before having experience teaching, it's good. But, for those who want that option, it's a disadvantage because not everyone wants to get their master's, because not everyone knows what their teaching specifications will be."

Morris said that she had heard of the curriculum re-examination process through some of her professors during her partnership, and also that a survey was submitted through e-mail for liberal studies majors, to get their opinions on the subject.

"From the student standpoint there's that kind of, you put yourself in the college mode when you're here. So, the argument of many of my students is, it's easier to complete the five-year program when you're in that mode as opposed to going out, getting a teaching job, and then coming back to a master program afterwards," said Locascio. The re-examination of advantages and disadvantages of each program option is only one step towards a decision. Student input is also used to provide a well-rounded conclusion. Both Morris and Flanagan agreed that the four-year program has been most beneficial to them, but added that they haven't been through the five-year program. "Graduate studies is intended to be an increased specialization, but I look at some of the five-year programs in the state and I see a program that is essentially more of the same, it's more of what we do, spread over five years. To me that's not what graduate studies is intended to be," said Locascio.

After meeting and gathering student opinion, there are no major changes to the education curriculum expected, but the CEHS will continue to monitor curriculum and make necessary program adjustments over the years.