Cannon-Clary College of Education

Mission

The mission of the College of Education is to equip and sustain reflective, lifelong learners who are competent, confident, compassionate and courageous professionals, who, in turn, will inspire and enable those they serve.

The Cannon-Clary College of Education strives to develop principled professionals who possess the knowledge, skills, and disposition to:

Integrate their faith, learning and living to serve their communities as models and mentors for moral and ethical leadership.
Respect and recognize variance in those they serve and have knowledge and skills to accommodate those variances.
Develop critical thinking skills within those they serve so they can make responsible choices about their learning and behavior.
Challenge themselves to grow professionally through rigorous study, reading, reflection, and research.
Possess superior knowledge of the discipline(s) they teach or practice as well as a general knowledge of all disciplines.
Seek to establish collegial relationships for meaningful collaboration.
Effectively use and apply emerging technologies in changing environments.
Possess skills to enable them to effectively serve in a variety of settings.

Accreditation

The Cannon-Clary College of Education is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). In addition, programs leading to licensure are approved by the Arkansas Department of Education.

Undergraduate programs	Graduate Programs

Admission to the Supervised Teaching Semester	Academic Regulations
Admission to the Teacher Preparation Program	Academic Standing Requirements
Governance	Governance
Program Overview	Programs/Endorsements
Retention in the Teacher Education Program	Programs Overview
Teacher Education Appeals Process

Undergraduate Programs

Governance

The dean of the College of Education is the chief administrator and certification officer of the College of Education. The Administrative Council for Teacher Education (ACTE), comprising both faculty and students, formulates policies and coordinates aspects of the Teacher Preparation Program and is chaired by the dean of the College of Education. The Committee on Admission and Retention to Teacher Education (CARTE) recommends criteria in this area, applies the policies adopted by ACTE, and is directed by the chair of Teacher Preparation.

Program Overview

The Cannon-Clary College of Education offers programs leading to the Bachelor of Arts in special education, birth-kindergarten, elementary, middle-level and secondary education. Content areas include licensure in art , biology , drama/speech , English , family and consumer sciences , French , kinesiology and health , mathematics , music education-instrumental , music education-vocal , physical science with chemistry emphasis , social science , and Spanish . Students may add endorsements to each level by meeting Arkansas licensure requirements in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL), special education, or coaching.

Arkansas Teacher Licensure

Students completing the Teacher Preparation Program (which includes, but is not limited to successfully meeting competencies for novice teachers, field experiences, internship, Arkansas cut-scores on appropriate Praxis assessments, and degree conferred) will be recommended for standard Arkansas Licensure for five years.

Admission to the Teacher Preparation Program

All students seeking licensure must apply for and be admitted to the Teacher Preparation Program. Criteria for admission to and retention in the Teacher Preparation Program include emotional stability; ability to communicate effectively through speaking and writing; personal, social, moral, and ethical fitness; general intellectual ability; and field experiences.

For admission to the Teacher Preparation Program, a student must:

Be enrolled at Harding University.
File a formal application for admission into the program with the chair of Teacher Preparation. Transfer students who plan to teach should make application for admission to the Teacher Preparation Program if they have completed 45 semester hours of required work. Admission to the Teacher Preparation Program is a prerequisite for admission to all required professional education courses except EDFD 202 , EDFD 203 , ELED 310 , EDFD 311 , EDFD 315 and SPED 303 .

The following deadlines apply to applications for the Teacher Preparation Program:

Fall semester: August 1*
Spring semester: November 1
Summer semester: April 1

*Students planning to enroll for the first time in education courses (except EDFD 202 , EDFD 203 , ELED 310 , EDFD 311 , EDFD 315 and SPED 303 ) for the fall semester should apply for admission to the Teacher Preparation Program in Thornton Education Center 130 during the previous spring semester.

Submit a curriculum plan showing a program of study approved by the academic adviser to the chair of Teacher Preparation in Thornton Education Center 130.
Have at least a 2.7 GPA at the time of admission and pass the Praxis CORE with scores at or above the current Arkansas requirement in Reading, Writing, and Mathematics.
Demonstrate proficiency in English by completing ENG 113 and ENG 211 with a minimum grade of “C.”
Demonstrate proficiency in oral communication by completing COMM 101 with a minimum grade of “C.”
Demonstrate proficiency in mathematics by completing MATH 151 with a minimum grade of “C.” MATH 200 will not meet this requirement.
Complete EDFD 202 and EDFD 203 with a minimum grade of “C.”
Be free of mental or physical conditions inimical to effective teaching.
Meet acceptable standards of adjustment in the areas of personal, social, moral and ethical behavior. Letters of recommendation from University personnel are used, and special interviews may be required to make evaluations in these areas. In addition, information obtained from the instructors of EDFD 202 , the dean of students, and the University faculty will be used.
Have a recommendation form completed by the chair or the chair’s designee of the student’s appropriate major academic area and two faculty members from whom courses have been or are being taken.

ACTE may impose further standards not specified in this catalog or change present standards as the need arises in order to conform to the standards of CAEP and the regulations of the Arkansas Department of Education for teacher licensure. Such changes become a part of the Teacher Preparation Program requirements at the time specified by the council or Arkansas Department of Education (ADE).

To be Retained in the Teacher Preparation Program

Continuation in the Teacher Preparation Program is based on maintaining the requirements for initial admission to the program. Failure to maintain these requirements will result in probation or suspension from the Teacher Preparation Program.

At the end of each semester, the names of students applying for admission into the Teacher Preparation Program and the names of those already admitted will be sent to the dean of students requesting the office note those, if any, whose behaviors required administrative action. In addition, the chair of Teacher Preparation will monitor students’ overall GPA and GPA in their majors to ensure continued compliance with a minimum GPA of 2.7 in each.

If a student’s end-of-the-semester GPA falls below the required 2.7, the student will be dropped from the program and must reapply for admission.

If there is an indication of inappropriate behavior, questionable personal characteristic or concern, the CARTE committee will determine what action, if any, should be taken. Choice of actions may include one of the following:

Monitor specific behaviors or accomplishments.
Arrange an interview with a committee composed of representatives from CARTE, one student, one faculty member from the student’s academic major, and one faculty member from the College of Education.
Place student on probation with specific expected behavior, course of study, minimum GPA required, or other action to be completed in order to continue in the Teacher Preparation Program.
Drop student from the Teacher Preparation Program. This would also result in the student being unable to complete the internship semester.

Teacher Preparation Appeals Process

The Admission and Retention Committee will notify in writing the decision regarding a student’s admission, terms of probation for admission, or suspension from the Teacher Preparation Program or the internship semester.
Notice of probation or suspension may be appealed in writing within 24 hours to the chair of the Administrative Council for Teacher Education, or the student forfeits that right. Also, a student who fails to appear within 15 minutes of the arranged time and place of the appeals meeting will forfeit the right of appeal.
The chair of the Administrative Council for Teacher Education shall schedule a time and place for the appeals meeting with the student and members of the committee. The appeals meeting should take place as soon as possible, but not sooner than 24 hours after the appeal is made. A quorum shall consist of one-half plus one of the members of the committee. In every way, the appeal shall be conducted in a fair, orderly and reasonable manner.
The chair of the Administrative Council for Teacher Education shall conduct the meeting and shall vote only in case of ties.
A student who appeals shall be required to affirm the truth of his or her testimony.
A student is permitted a maximum of two witnesses. Witnesses shall be required to affirm the truth of their testimony. The committee may also call two witnesses.
The appeal shall be recorded. Students and witnesses will affirm that they understand that the session will be recorded.
Both parties shall have reasonable opportunity for questioning of witnesses.
Presentation of the appeal shall be as follows:
1. The nature of the probation or suspension will be presented by the chair of the Admission and Retention Committee.
2. The student states his or her reasons for making the appeal.
3. Both student and chair may be questioned by the committee.
4. After all questions have been asked, both student and chair will give brief closing remarks.
The meeting will be open to the appealing party, witnesses with relevant information to present, and members of the Administrative Council for Teacher Education. Neither legal counsel, guardian, nor parents of the student making the appeal shall be permitted to appear before this committee.
Following the appeal, the Administrative Council for Teacher Education will meet in closed session. The committee will inform the student of its decision in writing. This decision shall be final.

Admission to the Supervised Teaching Semester

Admission to the Teacher Preparation Program does not guarantee retention.

At least one semester before the supervised teaching semester, request for admission to supervised teaching must be made by filing the required application forms with the director of professional field experiences. The following deadlines apply: For supervised teaching during a fall semester, applications must be submitted by March 1. For supervised teaching during a spring semester, applications must be submitted by October 1. If the student does not student teach the semester of application, the student must reapply for Internship II.

Applicants for the supervised teaching semester in Elementary Education must complete BIOL 408 ; ECED 410 , ECED 411 ; EDFD 202 , EDFD 203 , EDFD 311 , EDFD 315 ; ELED 310 , ELED 314 , ELED 317 , ELED 420 ; GEOG 302 OR GEOG 303 ; KINS 330 ; MATH 241 , MATH 242 , MATH 270 ; RDNG 350 , RDNG 412 , RDNG 413 , RDNG 415 ; SPED 303 and SPED 312 prior to the supervised teaching semester.

Applicants for the supervised teaching semester in Middle Level Education must complete BIOL 408 ; EDFD 202 , EDFD 203 , EDFD 311 ; GEOG 302 OR GEOG 303 ; HIST 336 OR MLED 420 ; MATH 241 , MATH 242 ; MLED 314 , MLED 416 ; RDNG 412 , RDNG 413 , RDNG 415 ; and SPED 303 prior to the student teaching semester.

Middle Level Education majors of all content combinations must also have completed all content courses. (See Middle Level Curriculum menus.)

Applicants for the supervised teaching semester in Secondary Education, except for family and consumer sciences majors, must complete EDFD 202 , EDFD 203 , EDFD 311 ; SEED 314 , SPED 418 ; and one course from SEED 420 , SEED 423 , SEED 424 , SEED 425 , SEED 426 , SEED 427 , SEED 428 , SEED 429 or SEED 430 . (Special methods courses are offered only once a year.) Students in family and consumer sciences must complete EDFD 202 , EDFD 311 ; SEED 314 , SEED 424 ; and FCS 322 or FCS 323 . Music education majors will take either MUS 424 or MUS 425 , depending on emphasis, instead of SEED 417 . Foreign Language majors will complete FLAN 419 and FLAN 420 instead of SEED 417 . Students must also complete their content major and the minimum Arkansas licensure requirements in the subject-matter area in which supervised teaching is to be done.

To be admitted to and to complete the supervised teaching semester, students must:

Be admitted to the Teacher Preparation Program.
File a formal application for admission in the Teacher Preparation Office, Thornton Education Center 130, before the listed deadlines.
Have approval of the adviser in their major.
File in the office of the chair of undergraduate Teacher Preparation a curriculum plan showing a program of study which has the approval of their adviser.
Complete “Conditions of Supervision for the Internship I / Internship II Statement of Understanding” form.
Complete all cataloged prerequisites to the supervised teaching semester.
Complete Arkansas licensure and College of Education requirements in their academic major. Family and consumer sciences majors must have 32 hours of the family and consumer sciences requirements completed.
Have at least a 2.7 GPA.
Have at least a 2.7 GPA in the major and additional licensure area. For the elementary (K-6), middle level (4-8) and secondary education (P-12 or 7-12) majors, have at least a 2.7 GPA in the professional, content and specialization courses required for the major.
Have a minimum grade of “C” in each required professional education course, including all field experiences.
File a request for degree with the registrar.
It is highly recommended that PRAXIS II exams be taken before student teaching.

*PLT after completing EDFD 311 ; specialty area exams of content coursework should be completed prior to student teaching in that area.

Supervised Teaching Semester

During the supervised teaching semester, elementary education majors must enroll in SPED 419 and ELED 441 . Middle level education majors must enroll in MLED 442 and SPED 419 9. Secondary education majors must enroll in SEED 417 , SEED 451 or SEED 461 , and SEED 480 . Special Methods for Secondary Teachers, FLAN 419 and FLAN 420 , SEED 420 , SEED 423 , SEED 424 , SEED 425 , SEED 426 , SEED 427 , SEED 428 , SEED 429 , SEED 430 , must be taken prior to or concurrent with the supervised teaching semester. These are only offered once during a calendar year. Courses required in the supervised teaching semester must be taken in residence at Harding unless otherwise approved by the dean of the College of Education. Candidate must make a “C” or better in the above professional education courses and field experiences courses.

Licensure Examinations

All candidates in the Teacher Preparation Program must take the Praxis II Principles of Learning and Teaching and the appropriate Specialty Area Tests. English, Life Science, Math, Physical Science and Spanish are not required to take the Praxis II Principles of Learning and Teaching due to the fact that these areas require a Pedagogy exam. By action of the Arkansas General Assembly, appropriate Praxis Core and Praxis II scores must be submitted to the Arkansas Department of Education in each area for which licensure is sought. The Arkansas Department of Education has set minimum scores that must be achieved on the various sections of the Praxis Core and Praxis II in order for candidates to obtain licensure in Arkansas. Individual student’s score reports must be on file in the Office of Institutional Testing. French and Spanish licensure candidates must take the ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI).

NOTE: The Liberal Art requirements are adjusted as follows for students in the College of Education who are seeking licensure:

EDFD 203 rather than PSY 201 .
It is highly recommended that students seeking licensure at the secondary level take GEOG 302 or GEOG 303 .
Elementary and middle level majors must take GEOG 302 or GEOG 303 .
Students seeking teacher licensure must take BIOL 111 or BIOL 113 .
Students seeking teacher licensure must take MATH 151 or its equivalent. (MATH 200 is not an equivalent.)

Graduate Programs

Governance

Administration of the Graduate Program in Education is the responsibility of the Chair of Graduate Studies in Education, who is also the chair of the Graduate Education Council. The Graduate Education Council is a policy making body for the College of Education, and its members are appointed by the president of the university upon recommendation from the dean and the graduate chair. The council is composed of the following standing members: dean of the College of Education and the registrar. There are also six rotating members, three from the College of Education and three from outside the College of Education, and two student members.

Program Overview

Graduate programs in education at Harding University can lead to a variety of different degrees. Each individual program is designed to meet the needs of the student with a view toward:

Enriching and deepening the student’s professional knowledge.
Enhancing the student’s field or fields of concentration.
Creating a fuller understanding of the role of the educators in American school systems and their function in society.
Increasing the student’s understanding of the aims, purposes, operation, and administration of American schools.
Improving instructional skills and abilities through advanced work in professional courses.
Acquiring an understanding of and skills in research methods, the evaluation of data, and the adaptation of data to professional needs.
Expanding the student’s area of certification.
Providing a solid academic background for those students who plan to attain other advanced degrees.
Providing an atmosphere in which Christians standards are held in high esteem.

Classes are offered on the main Searcy campus and in several satellite locations, as well as professional centers in North Little Rock, Rogers, Arkansas, and Memphis, Tennessee.

Enrollment, advising, and degree information are available at our professional centers, in addition to the Searcy campus. For further information concerning endorsements, licensure, and degrees, contact the chair of Graduate Studies in Education, Box 12261, Searcy, AR 72149-5615; or email gradstudiesedu@harding.edu.

Admission Status

Students may be admitted in one of these categories:

Degree-seeking student: Degree seeking students in the graduate studies in education program are admitted either unconditionally or provisionally. Submission of application, fee, and listed materials is required.
Non degree-seeking student: Students seeking additional teacher licensure or those who have already taken six hours of graduate work at Harding but are not in a degree seeking program are classified as NSD students. These students must apply for admission to the Graduate Program as NSD students and submission of application, fee, and listed materials is required.
Special student: Students seeking graduate work for professional advancement or personal enrichment are classified as Special. These students will be allowed to take 6 hours of graduate course work for credit. These students are not required to pay the application fee but are required to submit a special student application.
Entrance by Letter: Any student currently enrolled in a graduate program in another regionally accredited institution who wishes to take not more than six graduate hours at Harding University, and who wishes to transfer such credit to the other institution, may register and receive such credit at Harding University by submitting a letter from his or her parent institution. This letter should state the standing of the student and that the work will be accepted in exchange. In this case, no transcripts need to be submitted to Harding University’s graduate program. The chair of graduate studies is authorized to enroll such a student.
Undergraduate student: Undergraduate students in the University may register for graduate courses during their final semester’s work, provided they lack not more than 9 semester hours of credit for graduation, make formal application for admission to graduate study, and meet the other regular requirements.

Graduate Students Seeking a Second Master’s Degree

Graduate students seeking a second master’s degree from the College of Education will use EDFD 649 to fulfill their Bible requirement.

Academic Regulations

Ability to Communicate

Because the ability to communicate is such an integral part of teaching, each candidate for the master’s degree must demonstrate above average competency in written and spoken English.

Academic Standing Requirements

Advising and Registration

All students must contact the chair of graduate studies or the director of their specific program before their initial registration to plan an individual graduate program upon which subsequent registrations will be based. In addition to the general requirements for admission, all students should:

Submit all requested changes in their program of study for approval by the chair of graduate studies or the director of their specific program of study;
Consult frequently with the chair of graduate studies or the director of their specific program of study concerning the work progress, as it is the student’s responsibility to see all requirements are met; and
Know that registration in the graduate program automatically carries with it an obligation on the part of the student to meet all the requirements of the degree as defined by the Graduate Council and regulations of the University.

Appeals

A student may appeal any decision of the Graduate Council or the chair of graduate studies. The student should follow this process:

Write a letter to the chair stating his/her request.
Appear before the Graduate Council to make an appeal.

Attendance

Admission to the University implies the student will observe the regulations of the school in regard to attendance. Regular attendance and participation in class activities are necessary for the attainment of a student’s educational objective. The University reserves the right to dismiss a student whenever, in its judgment, the general welfare of the institution seems to require such action.

Comprehensive Examinations

Comprehensive examinations will be given on dates listed on the University calendar. An application for such examinations should be submitted by the student prior to the deadline date. Any person showing deficiency may be required to be reexamined or do additional work. Comprehensive examination requirements are listed in the requirements for each specific program.

Course Credit

Courses that are not part of a degree program at Harding University will be given graduate credit, but will not count toward a master’s degree, unless given prior approval by the chair of graduate studies in education. Students may register in approved 500-level courses for graduate credit. They must reflect, however, a quality of work appropriate to graduate standing, and are assigned additional readings, projects or term papers beyond that which is normally expected of undergraduates. All master’s degrees require a minimum of 18 hours to be taken at the 600 level. Students who register for an independent study course must show evidence through previously completed work that they are academically able to do the required work as independent study. Only two independent study courses may be part of a master’s degree. Degrees in art are the only exceptions to this policy.

Doctoral Course Load Policy

The Doctor of Education program is considered a part-time endeavor. A normal part-time student is one who is enrolled for five or more credits during the first five semesters and four hours in the sixth semester. The definition of normal course load will vary depending upon the semester requirements of the program. After the successful completion of the doctoral coursework (first six semesters), a candidate will take only dissertation hours through the semester of his/her anticipated graduation. A doctor of education student is considered to be carrying a normal part-time load during the dissertation phase if he/she is enrolled for two or more hours of credit in the fall/spring or one or more hours of credit in the summer. Although candidates may sign up for more than the minimum amounts, candidates must take a minimum of 10 dissertation hours to complete the program. For doctoral candidates to qualify for federal financial aid, they must be enrolled for at least 5 hours per term, except in the sixth semester when four hours is considered a normal load (i.e., 3-hour course + 1-hour dissertation = 4 hours) and in the dissertation only phase when a normal load is considered two hours in the fall/spring and one hour in the summer. After candidates begin registering for dissertation hours (EDFD 890: Dissertation), they must continue to register each semester until the study is completed. Extenuating circumstances for candidate maintenance status or time extension will be handled on a case-by-case basis.

Dropping Classes

To drop a class, a student must submit a properly signed, official drop form to the Office of Graduate Studies in Education. Any class dropped without the official approval of the University will be marked “F.” Please contact the Graduate Office in the College of Education for more information.

No completed class may be dropped.

Email

Communication of important information will be disseminated via Harding email accounts. It is the student’s responsibility to check his or her Harding email account regularly or forward emails sent to that account to another email address.

Examinations

A sufficient number of examinations, including a final, are given during a semester to provide a satisfactory basis for grades. Students are expected to take all regularly scheduled examinations. Students who miss an examination because of extraneous circumstances will need to contact the instructor to receive permission and rescheduling of the examination. A final examination may be taken out of regular schedule only in emergency situations approved by the instructor and the chair of graduate studies.

Grades

In order to determine the student’s scholarship level, the following points are assigned for each hour of the indicated grade: A, 4; B, 3; C, 2; D, 1; and F, 0.

Grades and Reports

Reports of mid-term and semester grades are available to the student online.

Scholarship or achievement of the student in each course is expressed as follows:

A - Excellent
B - Satisfactory
C - Passing
D - Failure
W - Withdrawn
I - Incomplete

“Incomplete” grades for final grades may be assigned only under all of the following conditions:

Completion of the course is not possible due to circumstances beyond the student’s control (catastrophic or emergency situations).
A majority of the course work has been completed.
Contact the chair of Graduate Studies in Education for required instructions.

Grade Point Average

An average scholarship level of 3.00 is required in all course work. No grade below “C” is acceptable for graduate credit (but will be used to calculate GPA), and only 6 semester hours of “C” credit may be counted. These must be balanced by 6 semester hours of “A” credit. Courses in which a grade of “C” or lower has been received may be repeated. No course may be repeated more than once.

Semester Hour Definition

A semester hour of credit requires 15 hours of lecture, recitation, discussion or equivalent, exclusive of time devoted to final examinations.

Student ID Every student is required to have a student ID. In order to use the library and other facilities on campus, an ID is required.

Faculty

Dean: Raymond “Donny” Lee, Ed.D.
Associate Dean: Clara Carroll, Ed.D.

Professors:

Jenene Alexander, Ed.D., NCSP, LPC
     Director of Professional Counseling: Clinical and School
David Bangs, Ed.D.
     Chair of Graduate Education Programs
Michael Brooks, Ed.D.
     Director of Educational Leadership Doctoral Program
Clara Carroll, Ed.D.
Carol Douglass, Ed.D.
     Director of Special Education
Edward R. Gray, Ed.D.
Raymond “Donny” Lee, Ed.D.
James Johnston, Ed.D.
Lewis L. Moore, Ph.D.
Cheryl K. Pollard, Ed.D.
Vann Rackley, Ph.D.

Associate Professors:

Amy Adair, M.Ed.
     Director of Gifted and Talented Programs
Usenime Akpanudo, Ed.D.
Rene´ Crow, Ed.D.
Wendy Ellis, Ed.D.
     Director of Reading
Kimberly Flowers, Ed.D.
     Director of Educational Leadership Program
Susan Grogan, Ph.D.
Ileene Huffard, Ed.D.
     Director of the Mid-South Professional Center (Memphis)
Diana Julian, Ed.D.
Justin Moore, Ph.D.
     Director of Marriage and Family Therapy
Todd Patten, Ed.D., NCC, LPC-S
     Chair of Mental Health and Wellness
Cheri Smith, Ed.D.
     Chair of Teacher Preparation Program and Elementary Education
     Director of Education Degree Completion
Steve Warren, Ed.D.
     Director of Secondary Education and Master of Arts: Excellence in Teaching
Karl Wendt, Ph.D., PPC, AACC, AAMFT
     Academic Director of Professional Counseling for NW Arkansas Professional Center
Robert “Kieth” Williams, Ed.D.
Michael B. Wood, Ed.D.
Ervin E. “Gene” Wright, II, Ph.D., NCC, LPC-S
     Director of Clinical Experiences, Professional Counseling

Assistant Professors:

Adam Baker, M.Ed.
Klay Bartee, Ph.D.
Patrick A. Bashaw, M.Ed.
     Director of Non-Traditional Teacher Preparation Programs
Lauren Boone, M.A.
Lisa Bryant, M.S.E.
Mark Fager, Ph.D., LPC-S, LMFT-S
Allen Henderson, Ed.D.
     Director of the Lewis “Tony” Finley STEM Center
Leeann Howard, Ed.D.
     Director of Professional Field Experiences
Meredith Young, Ed.D.
     Director of the Northwest Arkansas Professional Center, Rogers, Ark.
Kevin Shelby, Ph.D.
Mitch Walton
     Director of the North Little Rock Professional Center, North Little Rock, Ark.