Posted Jan. 14, 2020 鈥� The online master鈥檚 degree programs at the 兔子先生 College of Education rank among the best in the nation, according to the 2020 list from U.S. News & World Report.
Specifically, the College ranked No. 8 for its online M.Ed. programs, based on factors such as student engagement, technology tools, surveys of deans, faculty credentials and student excellence.
鈥淥ur faculty and staff strive to give students a top-notch experience online,鈥� said , dean of the UH College of Education. 鈥淲e work to emphasize high-quality instruction and support while allowing students the flexibility and personalization of an online learning environment.鈥�
The rankings, released Tuesday, cover the College鈥檚 online M.Ed. programs in higher education, special populations, and curriculum and instruction (the latter includes specializations in early childhood; health science education; learning, design and technology; math; and literacy).
U.S. News also recognized individual programs for the first time this year. The College鈥檚 curriculum and instruction programs earned a top spot on that specialty list at No. 20.
Marisa Ramirez, a student in the College鈥檚 M.Ed. in curriculum and instruction 鈥� literacy program, said she appreciates the convenience of the online experience. Working full-time as a high school English teacher, she gets home in the evening, eats dinner, and then does classwork from her laptop, spreading her books on the kitchen table.
鈥淚鈥檓 very grateful it鈥檚 online,鈥� Ramirez said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not easy work, but you can do it and have a full-time job.鈥�
She can do most of the work on her own schedule, though Ramirez said she enjoyed the monthly online classes she had at a set time with all her classmates in professor s literacy course.
鈥淚 always looked forward to the online meetings because Dr. Hale would make the meetings interesting. It wasn鈥檛 just a lecture,鈥� Ramirez said. 鈥淪he brings the teaching to life.鈥�
Hale, who serves as chair of the College鈥檚 Department of Curriculum & Instruction, said she incorporates videos, discussion boards and online polls into her online courses. For the synchronous monthly meeting, students log on via video from wherever they are 鈥� which included Texas, California and Germany last semester.
鈥淚 find different tools that make it mirror as much as possible what I would do face to face,鈥� Hale said. 鈥淢y experience in the online environment is it鈥檚 very easy to become disengaged. If I鈥檓 actively involving you in the class, then you鈥檙e less likely to be distracted.鈥�
, who serves as chair of the College鈥檚 Department of Educational Leadership & Policy Studies, said she sees the positive impact of the online programs in higher education and special populations in the actions of the graduates.
鈥淯ltimately, the strength of these programs is captured in our graduates, who are serving as positive change agents on behalf of all students,鈥� she added. 鈥淲e couldn鈥檛 be more proud of them and the difference they make.鈥�
The UH College of Education traditionally has performed well in the overall U.S. News Best Online Master鈥檚 Education Programs rankings. In 2019, the College ranked No. 19. This year鈥檚 eighth place ranking was a tie with six other universities.
鈥� By Ericka Mellon