Recognizing that teaching is one of the most important and challenging professions in society, the BEd at the University of Calgary promotes the view of a teacher as one who is knowledgeable, thoughtful, and deeply caring about the responsibilities associated with education.
Teaching and learning are complex acts, undertaken in diverse and uncertain environments. For this reason, the core idea that underlies teacher preparation in the BEd program is that becoming a teacher requires not only the development of pedagogical skill and subject area knowledge, but also the cultivation of practical wisdom. This complex set of qualities is developed in the BEd program by providing students with experiences based on five dimensions of engaged inquiry:
- Engaged in learning about learning,
- Engaged with/in specializations,
- Engaged with contemporary contexts,
- Engaged with/in teaching and learning communities, and
- Engaged in ethical action
The BEd program focuses on teachers as experts of learning, disciplinary specialization for the elementary and secondary routes, field experiences linked to partner research schools, and integration across program components (courses) and coherent flow across the four semesters of the program based on the following themes:
Semester 1: Introduction to learning and teaching
Semester 2: Principles of individual learning and development
Semester 3: Principles of social and cultural engagement
Semester 4: Extending teaching and curriculum expertise
The program is delivered through plenaries, seminars, and field experiences.
The Faculty of Education offers a two-year program for holders of approved degrees and a direct entry, five-year concurrent program. All program graduates will be prepared for provincially recognized schools serving students from kindergarten through grade 12. There are two distinct but connected routes - the elementary education route (kindergarten through grade 6), and the secondary education route (grades 7 through 12). Students must declare an emphasis in either elementary or secondary education and complete a practicum in their chosen area. All students must choose a specialization. All students in the concurrent program must successfully complete Education 201 (Introduction to Educational Studies) prior to beginning Semester 1 of the BEd.
Faculty of Education