News Archives: Bachelor of Education Secondary at GPRC: Applications now being accepted for Fall 2012!
Tuesday, October 11th, 2011
The University of Alberta Faculty of Education visited GPRC today to finalize programming details for the Bachelor of Education (Secondary,) which will be offered on campus in Grande Prairie beginning September 2012 through a collaboration of the two institutions. Topics under discussion included program design, instruction, and application of academic policies and awards. The collaborative BEd Secondary degree will be the first-ever opportunity for the education of secondary teachers here in northwestern Alberta, and the goal of all participants is to meet the demand for high school teachers in our region. This is a pilot project, with funding committed for a single cohort of students at this time. Qualified students may be admitted to year 3 following completion of two years of appropriate coursework at the College, University or equivalent. The highly successful Teacher Education North (B Ed Elementary) collaboration has been paving the way for this opportunity for more than ten years " over 150 elementary teachers now employed at schools throughout our region are alumni of the GPRC/U of A collaborative degree. Students have long been requesting the option of Secondary route degree completion at GPRC as well. Area school districts have been working closely with government, GPRC and the U of A to facilitate this pilot project, and the great cooperation and effort of all the people involved is recognized as its major strength. “We are fortunate to have wonderful partners who have made this pilot project possible,” says Susan Bansgrove, GPRC Vice-President Academics and Research. “It is a collaborative effort in every sense, and all partners are excited at the potential to increase access to needed education for learners in our northern and remote region.” Peace Wapiti School District is excited about the recruitment opportunities that this pilot program represents, according to Superintendent Sheldon Rowe. “We expect that in the upcoming years, as a result of a considerable increase in retirements, we will be facing a significant and growing shortage of secondary teachers,” says Rowe. “This U of A program brokered by GPRC will help address this issue and also help insure that our new hires are very familiar with the advantages and disadvantages of teaching in rural northern Alberta. As a District we are always pleased to see additional locally available post-secondary programs offered to our graduates.” The pilot program will offer a general Bachelor of Education Secondary program, with majors in a variety of teachable subjects, and a minor in Science for Rural Communities. Prospective students should consult with an advisor. Those who have completed 60 credits of study may bring transcripts to GPRC for evaluation. It is hoped that a cohort of 20 students will soon be registered for the program, which begins in September, 2012. “The opportunity for the University of Alberta to collaborate with GPRC in offering a pilot program in Secondary Education is ground breaking and extremely exciting,” says Fern Snart, Dean, Faculty of Education at the University of Alberta. “The Faculty of Education and GPRC have an excellent relationship based on a decade of delivering the Teacher Education North (TEN) Elementary Education program, and both institutions share a great pride in the many graduates who are adding strength to the teaching force in northern Alberta. We are confident that the Secondary graduates from this cohort will join the school systems with equal strength in two years, and we are delighted to have this opportunity.”