Master of Education (major: General) study-theme cohorts

• NEW: Literacies and Numeracies  | Begins Summer 2024 | Applications open May 1, 2023
• Teaching, Learning and Neuroscience | Begins Summer 2023 | Applications closed
• Curriculum and Assessment | Summer 2022
• Multiple Literacies in Canadian Classrooms | Summer 2021

NEW STUDY-THEME: Literacies and Numeracies

To thrive in school and in life, students need a strong foundation in literacy and numeracy. The Master of Education (General) in Literacies and Numeracies helps you create that foundation. In this cohort, you will:

• Understand how language, literacies and numeracies are developed using research-based best practices and how they are applied with oral cultures.
• Learn what reading instruction looks like in areas such as decoding, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. 
• Examine the construct of numeracy and ways of teaching mathematics that promote student confidence, deeper understanding and the development of strong numeracy skills. 
• Develop an applied understanding of learning theories from multiple perspectives, including: socio-cognitive, socio-cultural, psychological and neuroscience. 
• Critically engage with, collect and use assessment data to support student development in reading and in mathematics.
• Learn how to support students as they represent their learning in diverse ways (aural, visual and textual) across multiple disciplines.
• Discover how to create rich literacy and numeracy environments and experiences in both in-school and out-of-school settings.

Sample Program Schedule

The MEd (General) study theme in Teaching, Learning, and Neuroscience is a unique collaboration between the Faculty of Education, known for its excellent undergraduate and graduate programs, and the Department of Neuroscience, which houses a vibrant and dynamic scientific community recognized internationally for its cutting-edge research.

As a student in the MEd (General) Learning, Teaching and Neuroscience, you will:

• study the principles of brain development in order to understand the impact these processes have on learning and behaviour
• examine how neuroscience and educational research can inform the design of learning environments and instructional practices
• gain the skills, tools, and knowledge necessary to enhance teaching practice and facilitate better educational outcomes
• become critical consumers of neuroscience findings, particularly as they are applied to educational settings.

“The project has instilled in me the value of teacher as researcher. If I can link behaviour to a structural or developmental issue I can go from there to best assess and move forward to benefit students.” -Riley Kostek, BSc’09/BEd’11, MEd'22  Read more

Sample Program Schedule

In the Curriculum and Assessment study theme, Christine Perreaux (BA/BEd ’99; MEd ’21) developed The 6 Ps of Student-Centred Teaching, innovative programming that departs from traditional memorization, worksheet, drill-and-practice learning, to meet curriculum outcomes through Play, Projects, Peers, Passions, Portfolios and Purpose. “Since changing the approach, we’re seeing outstanding growth in academic achievement and independence,” says Perreaux, whose forthcoming website walks Kindergarten to Grade 2 educators through the Ps, step-by-step, in a manner they can tailor to their needs. Read more

Students in this cohort-based program are shown research-informed ways to design and enact high-quality curriculum, to design and implement assessments that authentically, meaningfully and ethically inform teaching so that it can better reflect and respond to our diverse and inclusive communities, and to help educators ensure that their classrooms are environments that nurture students’ deep understanding, critical thinking, problem-solving, and their personal agency toward self-directed learning.

 Alumni and Student StoriesSample Program Schedule