Educator: Para-Professional

College of Rural and Community Development
Interior-Aleutians Campus
907-474-5439
www.uaf.edu/iac/

Certificate; A.A.S. Degree

Minimum Requirements for Certificate: 30 credits; for A.A.S. Degree: 60 credits

The educator: para-professional (EDPA) program is designed to prepare students to work in classrooms assisting the classroom teacher. The EDPA curriculum emphasizes school protocols, classroom methods, management and assessment. This program prepares students for employment as a para-professional educator and will improve the skills of those currently employed in various educational settings.

The certificate provides students with fundamental knowledge of how a school system "works" as well as hands-on training in content, methodology, classroom management and student assessment. The curriculum leads into the educator: para-professional associate of applied science degree. Graduates of the A.A.S. degree program may pursue many opportunities with school districts and local education agencies. The program meets mandates established by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2002 for teacher aides as well as the competencies developed by the state of Alaska. Students entering either the certificate or the A.A.S. degree program must meet with a program advisor to discuss a program of studies and to develop an individual learning plan. Students may receive credit for prior learning through work-based experience after evaluation of their learning experiences.

Certificate Program

  1. Complete the general university requirements.
  2. Complete the certificate requirements.
  3. Complete the following core requirements:
    CIOS F100—Intro to Personal Computers—1 credit
    ED F110—Becoming a Teacher in the 21st Century—1 credit
    PSY F101—Intro to Psychology—3 credits
    EDPA F190—Integrating Local Knowledge into the Curriculum—1 credit
    EDPA F199—Practicum—1 credit
    EDPA F210—Technology in the Classroom—1 credit
    ECE/PSY F245—Child Development—3 credits
  4. Complete the following program requirements:
    EDPA F110—Intro to Para-Professional Education—2 credits
    EDPA F120—Classroom Management—2 credits
    EDPA F130—Differentiating Instruction—2 credits
    EDPA F140—Developing Children as Writers—1 credit
    EDPA F150—Developing Children as Readers—1 credit
    EDPA F160—Primary Math Methods (1)
         or EDPA F170—Upper Elementary Math Methods (1)—1 credit
    EDPA F250—Current Topics for Educators (1)
  5. Minimum credits required—30 credits

Major — A.A.S. Degree

  1. Complete the general university requirements.
  2. Complete the A.A.S. degree requirements.
  3. Complete the following program requirements:*
    CIOS F100—Intro to Personal Computers—1 credit
    PSY F101—Intro to Psychology—3 credits
    ED F110—Becoming a Teacher in the 21st Century—1 credit
    EDPA F110—Intro to Para-Professional Education—2 credits
    EDPA F120—Classroom Management—2 credits
    EDPA F130—Differentiating Instruction—2 credits
    EDPA F140—Developing Children as Writers—1 credit
    EDPA F150—Developing Children as Readers—1 credit
    EDPA F160—Primary Math Methods (1)
         or EDPA F170—Upper Elementary Math Methods (1)—1 credit
    EDPA F190—Integrating Local Knowledge into the Curriculum—1 credit
    EDPA F210—Technology in the Classroom—1 credit
    EDPA F250—Current Topics for Educators (1)—1 credit
    EDPA F299—Practicum II (1)—1 credit
    ECE/PSY F245—Child Development—3 credits
  4. Complete 12 credits from one of the following concentration areas or combine no more than 2 concentration areas with 6 credits of course work in each of the two concentration areas*:

    Alaska Native Languages
    ANL F199—Practicum in Native Language Education—3 credits
    ANL F251—Introduction to Athabascan Linguistics—3 credits
    ANL F255—Introduction to Alaska Native Languages: Eskimo-Aleut (3)
         or ANL F256—Introduction to Alaska Native Languages: Indian Languages (3)—3 credits
    ANL F287—Teaching Methods of Alaska Native Languages—3 credits
    ANL F288—Curriculum & Materials Development for ANL—3 credits
    ANL Elective—3 credits

    Elementary Education
    ECE F105—Developmentally Appropriate Practice—1 credit
    ED F102—Orientation to Alaska Native Education—2 credits
    ED F201—Introduction to Education—3 credits
    ED Elective—6 credits

    Special Education
    ED F201—Introduction to Education—2 credits
    ECE F105—Developmentally Appropriate Practice—1 credit
    ECE F230—Introduction to Children with Special Needs—3 credits
    ECE F240—Inclusion of Children with Special Needs—3 credits
    ECE Elective—3 credits

    Counseling/Social Work
    HUMS F120—Cultural Diversity in Human Services—3 credits
    HUMS F125—Introduction to the Addictive Process—3 credits
    HUMS F205—Basic Principles of Group Counseling—3 credits
    HUMS Elective—3 credits

    Early Childhood Education
    ECE F105—Developing Appropriate Practice—1 credit
    ECE F120—Curriculum and Activities for Young Children—4 credits
    or
    ECE F121—Physical Activities for Young Children—1 credit
    ECE F122—Cognitive Activities for Young Children—1 credit
    ECE F123—Communicative Activities—1 credit
    ECE F124—Creative Activities for Young Children—1 credit
    ECE F130—Culture, Learning and the Young Child—1 credit
    ECE F140—Positive Social Development—3 credits
    or
    ECE F141—Class Management—1 credit
    ECE F142—Social Development of the Young Child—1 credit
    ECE F143—Developing Positive Self-Concepts in Young Children—1 credit
    ECE F210—Child Development and Guidance—3 credits
    ECE F235—Screening, Assessment and Recording—2 credits
    ECE Elective—3 credits

    Information Technology Specialist
    CIOS F150—Computer Business Applications—1 – 3 credits
    CIOS F110—Microcomputer Operating Systems—1 – 3 credits
    CIOS F146—Using Internet Tools ad Technologies—1 – 3 credits
    CIOS F233—Desktop Publishing—1 – 3 credits
    CIOS F255—Microcomputer Graphics—1 – 3 credits
    CIOS Elective—1 – 3 credits

    Rural Development
    ANTH F230—The Oral Tradition: Folklore and Oral History—3 credits
    HIST F250—Alaska History for Local Historians—3 credits
    RD F255—Rural Alaska Land Issues—3 credits
    RD F256—Co-Management of Renewable Resources (3)
         or RD F265—Perspectives on Subsistence in Alaska (3)
         or RD F280—Resource Management Research Techniques (3)
         or WLF F201—Wildlife Management Principles (3)—3 credits
    Elective—3 credits

    Other Concentration
    Any advisor-approved discipline-based concentration area—12 credits
  5. Minimum credits required—60 credits

* Student must earn a C grade or better in each course.