Teacher Education at ISU

The ISU Educator Preparation Program is founded on the land grant commitment of access and opportunity when serving the people of Iowa, the nation, and the world. Like the university, the ISU Educator Preparation Program is fundamentally grounded in the science and technology of living and learning. The themes of leadership, equity, critical thinking, and innovation are intentionally woven throughout the fabric of this program in order to help today’s learners achieve to their full potential.

Belief 1: Synergy

Formal education does not occur in isolation. It exists in synergy with the education provided by families and communities and will enrich and be enriched by those connections.

Belief 2: Opportunities

Education provides learners with equitable opportunities to acquire the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to achieve cognitive, affective, social, physical and economic well-being.

Belief 3: Education

Education prepares learners to positively influence people’s lives by successfully engaging in our democratic society and in the broader global community.

Belief 4: Learner-centered process

The educational process is intentional and learner-centered. It requires the application of rigorous research-based content and pedagogical knowledge that is supported with the innovations of technologies.

Belief 5: Transformation

Transformational educators engage in a continual cycle of learning, practice, and reflection that informs their curricular, instructional, evaluative, and interactional decisions. Transformative educators have an ethical responsibility to expand human potential and improve people’s lives.

Belief 6: Collaboration

High quality educator preparation includes collaborative field-based experiences that promote on-site learning opportunities that are varied, developmentally appropriate, and linked closely with academic preparation.

Belief 7: Assessment

Ongoing, multi-dimensional assessment is a critical tool of educators leading towards a better understanding and improvement of student learning.

Vision

The Educator Preparation Program at Iowa State University aspires to provide a premier pathway of rigorous research-based academic experiences complemented by exceptional quality and diverse field experiences leading to the skillful preparation of highly effective teachers and school leaders.

Mission

The mission of the ISU Educator Preparation Program is to prepare teachers and administrators as continuous learners, collaborators, and transformational leaders through the application of rigorous research-based content and advanced pedagogy integrated with rich field experiences and fundamentally grounded in the land grant mission of community access and opportunity.