Education Department

The Education Department offers a major in K-8 Education (ED) that prepares students for a career in teaching. The Teacher Preparation Program provides a strong background in the liberal arts as well as professional education courses.

The Teacher Preparation Program at Alaska Pacific University carries out the holistic philosophy of the university which stresses a commitment to Alaska’s intercultural and international heritage. Participants in the program may pursue study at either the undergraduate or graduate level. The undergraduate program includes a K-8 Education certificate (for teacher aides), an Associate of Arts Degree in Education, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Education (K-8). For graduate-level coursework, refer to the Master of Arts in Teaching section. Coursework is designed to:

Prepare qualified undergraduate students to become qualified teacher aides and/or K-8 teachers.
Prepare those who hold baccalaureate or masters degrees in other fields for careers as K-8 teachers.

The Teacher Preparation Program of study and practical experience is approved by the Alaska State Department of Education as well as provisionally accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). The university provides the Institutional Recommendation for teacher certification, which is then issued by the Alaska State Department of Education.

The Education Department at Alaska Pacific University is proud of its professional team and the excellent program we have developed. Students who join this exciting learning adventure will embark on a journey that can lead to licensure as a teaching professional in the state of Alaska.

Teaching is one of the most demanding and important professions in society. As a teacher, one is expected to prevent ignorance, promote intellectual health, and lay the foundations for continued learning. The Teacher Preparation Program will challenge students to begin meeting these expectations during the first education class in which they enroll.

The following can be expected from the Teacher Preparation Program:

Opportunities to work with students in grades K-8 in a variety of settings.
Opportunities to collaborate with rural and urban Alaska teachers.
800-1000 hours of quality time in rural and urban Alaska classrooms.
Applications of theory into practice at the university and in schools.
Support and guidance from the first class through student teaching.
Opportunities for growth, transitioning from student to teaching professional.

Teacher as Professional

The Alaska Pacific University curriculum identifies five concepts which require a broad range of knowledge and practice for development and which serve to characterize the graduates of this institution. The five concepts which form the basis of the curriculum are:

(1) Pedagogy

Teachers must plan, structure, and implement instruction and assess student learning in an increasingly effective manner enabling students to construct knowledge and to connect knowledge acquired at school with knowledge acquired at home and in the community.

(2) Diversity

Teachers must be prepared to recognize, accept, and teach to diversity, addressing both groups of students and individuals, recognizing different perspectives and voices that represent various groups and interests, and recognizing shared interests that create common purposes for individuals and groups.

(3) Integrative

Knowledge Teachers must be prepared to teach central concepts, principles, and processes of inquiry and structures of the discipline in ways that make these aspects of subject matter meaningful for students. Authentic assessments of student abilities, attitudes, and understanding using evaluations to determine the strengths and needs for improvement of various educational programs and curricula are expected.

(4) Professionalism

Teachers must be prepared to search for the meanings and consequences of their own knowledge and beliefs, their teaching, and schooling; to seek out and engage in collaborative relationships-university-school family-social and community agencies in order to provide students with contextualized and experiential learning and to improve the professional expertise.

(5) Technology

Teachers and other school personnel must be prepared to use educational technology to extend and enhance their ability to provide their students with varied experiences and powerful tools for learning, as well as preparing students for entry into a workforce that is becoming more technologically sophisticated.

Goals and objectives identified for teacher preparation address the State of Alaska Standards for Teachers and are framed into three categories, using the acronym APU:

Attitudes, Behaviors and Dispositions

The teacher:

Researches his/her own practice by reflecting critically, asking questions, and seeking answers.
Develops and describes his/her philosophy of education and demonstrates its impact in the teaching and learning process
Addresses the needs of all students with respect for their individual and cultural characteristics.
Encourages, creates, and maintains a learning environment in which all students contribute and are actively engaged.
Demonstrates the knowledge that teaching means continual participation in and contribution to the teaching profession and will risk engagement in the process of change to further the improvement of the profession.
Models life long learning and understands that professional growth is an important part of the life as a career teacher.
Participates in personal wellness.
Grounds him/herself in self-knowledge and self-acceptance that leads to creation of open trusting relationships, and supports the value of diversity within an inclusive community.
Exhibits responsible, moral, and ethical professional behavior.

Participation and Skills

The teacher:

Understands teaching and learning theory and applies that knowledge to the instructional practice.
Develops meaningful lessons that address the needs of students with respect to individual and cultural characteristics.
Uses his/her understanding of content to plan, structure, facilitate, monitor, and implement instruction in the context of continual assessment.
Fosters, creates, and maintains a learning environment where all students contribute and remain actively engaged.

Understanding and Knowledge

The teacher:

Demonstrates an understanding of developmental and learning theories, and applies that knowledge in the classroom.
Understands the cultural characteristics and diversity of students in the context of their individual differences.
Knows the subject matter and how to integrate, plan and teach instructional units in the context of practical experiences.
Uses the knowledge gained from a strong liberal arts background to develop and implement curriculum that is varied and creative.
Knows and uses the theories and research related to child development and the development of young adolescents to motivate and construct learning opportunities in support of individual student development, and his/her acquisition of knowledge.