A. Purpose:

This program is be a graduate-level certificate program for in-service (and, in some cases, pre-service) teachers who would like to become skilled in the use of technology in their classrooms and schools. This program is not designed to prepare school media specialists and it does not result in teachers receiving official State of Florida certification in any area. The program is designed specifically for classroom teachers and does not overlap with any programs in the university.

B. Application Procedures:

Prospective students must submit a brief admissions packet that includes their current academic status (a degree-seeking graduate student with a particular major clearly identified, or a special student at the graduate level), a statement of purpose, and a listing of their previous academic background and relevant job experience (if any). This packet should be submitted to the current program coordinator:

The program coordinator and two faculty members affiliated with the program will review admissions requests and will vote whether to admit the applicant into the program. A two-thirds vote will be required to admit an applicant.

Only those students who already have a bachelor’s degree will be eligible for admission to the program. A prospective student must be either a degree-seeking graduate student (i.e., a student already admitted into a graduate-level degree program) or a special student at the graduate level at Florida State (note: as per university regulations, no more than 12 hours earned as a special student may be applied toward a graduate degree). Prospective students must, at a minimum, meet the minimal standards for admission to graduate school at Florida State University. Once a student is admitted into the program, the student will choose an advisor and two other committee members from among the faculty affiliated with the program (see section G of this document).

D. Program of Studies:

Students in the program are required to take a total of fifteen credits hours in the program. These credits shall include one foundations course, three speciality courses (a second foundations course could be taken in partial fulfillment of this requirement), and the "Applications of Technology in Teaching" course. These courses are listed by category in Attachment A. The student’s committee and the program coordinator must approve each student’s program of studies.

During their last semester of coursework in the program, students will also register for a zero-credit-hour portfolio review. Students will (a) prepare a portfolio of the work they have done while in the program, (b) present this portfolio to their three-member committee, and will (c) discuss it with the committee during an oral review session which will take place near the end of the semester. The committee will review the student's work and decide whether the portfolio meets the specified standards. Students who have taken and passed the necessary courses and have an approved portfolio will be awarded the program certificate.

The following requirements apply for award of the certificate:

(a) Students will be required to complete a total of 15 credit hours as specified in the program of studies section of this document.

(b) No more than three credit hours taken prior to admission to the program will count toward meeting the certificate requirements. The student's committee will decide upon the acceptability of previously taken courses on a case by case basis.

(c) Students must earn a GPA of 3.5 or better in certificate coursework in order to qualify for the certificate.

The proposed design and wording of the certificate are attached.

Those faculty who are affiliated with the program are responsible for deciding upon program policies, assisting with program operations, teaching courses in the program, supervising students in the program, and serving on student committees.

The initial group of faculty affiliated with the program include those active in its establishment (Barbara Edwards, Janice Flake, Elizabeth Jakubowski, Scott Merydith, Bob Reiser, Bob Stakenas, Walt Wager and Beverly Yerg) and those who teach the courses designated as part of the program.

Other faculty who would like to be affiliated with the program will submit (to the program coordinator) evidence of their experience (research, teaching, and/or service) with technology. Those already affiliated will review this evidence and, unless the evidence clearly indicates otherwise, invite the faculty member to become affiliated with the program.

CGS 5310: Information Management Technology

EDE 5346: Technology in Elementary/Middle School

EME 5054: Educational Technology: Theory and Practice

EEX 5245: Introduction to Special Education Technology

EME 5603: Introduction to Systematic Instructional design

LAE 5931: Teaching Reading Using Technology (Special Topics course)

CGS 5112: Using Computer Graphics as an Instructional Tool

CGS 5113: Using Computer Simulations as an Instructional Tool

EEX 5931: Assistive Technology (Special Topics course)

EME 6415: Development of Computer Courseware

EME 6507: Development of Multimedia Instruction

EME 6640: Design and Development of Electronic Support Systems

MAE 5655: Computers in Mathematics Education

EME 6635r: Distance Learning (Seminar)

This is a new course designed to help students on a project of their own choosing that involves integrating technology into the classroom. Students who can demonstrate, to the satisfaction of their committee, that they have already developed a project involving integration of technology into the classroom may be exempted from taking this course and may take an additional speciality course instead.

As indicated above, this is a new zero-credit-hour course (the course proposal will be forthcoming) that students will register for during their last semester of coursework in the certificate program. Students will (a) prepare a portfolio of the work they have done while in the program, (b) present this portfolio to their three-member committee, and (c) discuss it with the committee during an oral review session which will take place near the end of the semester. The committee will review the student's work and decide whether the portfolio demonstrates that the student is skilled in the use of technology in classrooms and schools. A grade of "P' or "F" will be awarded on the basis of this review.