Spalding College of Education Mission

In keeping with the Spalding University pioneer spirit of service and the tradition of collaborative commitment to the development of the total person, the College of Education has as its mission the preparation of educators who possess intellectual understandings, holistic perspective, and professional skills to lead others to the maximum use of their potential, for lifelong learning in a pluralistic society.

Vision for Technology

At the center of the mission and vision of the College of Education is preparation of teacher candidates who will provide meaningful student learning. We believe that effective educators create environments where students construct knowledge from experience. Our candidates design classrooms and schools that are places of inquiry, where their students value learning and place their knowledge in the context of our global society. Our candidates are prepared to become leaders who teach their students to use a variety of skills and technological tools to demonstrate that their knowledge meets clearly defined standards.

Spalding College of Education recognizes technology as a tool that can connect faculty and students to the world, leverage the way we learn by addressing multiple learning styles, empower special education students, improve communication, and facilitate administrative responsibilities.  Students remain the focus and center of the education process, with teachers in control of guiding student learning.  Technology provides a wealth of various tools that can be harnessed by the teacher to address the diverse needs found in classrooms today.

Faculty in the College of Education have come to believe that teacher successes in today’s classrooms is predicated in part by a level of competence in the use of technology (Levy, L., Daniels-Simmonds, L. & Snider, S. (2005). On the other hand, the value of technology in schools depends on how teachers are prepared to use it.  In agreement with Good and Brophy (2003) unit faculty, candidates, school partners and our stakeholders recognize that some students bring few skills and little background knowledge to the classroom, and require direct teaching of skills and ongoing positive behavior support.  For that reason, unit faculty hold the belief that educators must use technology in their own learning and teaching.  Candidates must demonstrate proficiencies in the use of various forms of appropriate instructional technology to provide meaningful experiences and personalized instruction for students.  Unit faculty demonstrate excellence in the use of technology and require that all candidates, in both initial and advanced level, use technology to complete in-class and field-based assignments, conduct action research, and give class presentations.