The University of Northern Iowa College of Education - Fall 2007 - (Page 11) F Excellence in Teacher Education UNI College of Education or the past 12 years, the University of Northern Iowa’s 2+2 partnership program with Iowa community colleges has made it possible for students who cannot move to campus for family or other reasons to earn a UNI B.A. degree. The program targets students who have completed, or are completing, an A.A. degree. Students take two years of community college classes, two years of UNI classes (2+2), and earn a UNI B.A. degree. To date, 109 students have graduated from the elementary education degree program and 12 students from the technology management degree program. The most recent group of 101 students who began their 2+2 program in mid-January are from 12 community college sites. They will take all courses together either over the Iowa Communications Network, on the UNI campus, or as web-based courses. UNI faculty members teach all 2+2 courses. Another 2+2 cohort includes 18 students from multiple community college locations in the Instructional Strategist/ Elementary Education program; they will graduate in December 2007. Additionally, a 2+2 cohort of 21 students in elementary education at Des Moines Area Community College/Carroll campus graduated in May 2007, and a sixth cohort of 46 students at that location began the 2+2 elementary education program last January. Roger Kueter, community college projects director, heads the program. He notes that 2+2 has partnerships with six Iowa community colleges. They include: Des Moines Area, Western Iowa Tech, Eastern Iowa, Northeast Iowa, Indian Hills, and North Iowa Area community colleges. The original 2+2 partnership continues with Des Moines Area Community College/Carroll campus. “This three-way partnership became a model for matching a community’s educational needs with UNI’s programs and faculty members’ ability to deliver courses,” Kueter said. The partnership also involves the community of Carroll as equal participant in planning, recruiting, and supporting students. Many 2+2 students say the program is “a dream come true,” something they’ve always wanted to do. To meet the needs of employed and non-traditional persons, program Students across Iowa earn UNI degree close to their homes courses are offered after 4 p.m. to allow time for family and work responsibilities. Donna Douglas, associate professor of curriculum and instruction, coordinates the 2+2 elementary education program. “We want the 2+2 education degree programs to be of high quality and meet the state teaching endorsement requirements. We also recognize that our students need to stay close to their home community because of other responsibilities. Together we work to combine those two criteria to help students earn their B.A. degree.” Evidence of the program’s success was highlighted last year when UNI’s 2+2 program received a national award for excellence. The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education awarded UNI the 2006 Best Practice Award for Collaboration with Community Colleges. 2+2 program highlights in the AACTE Best Practice award application included: 2+2 provides access to higher education for Iowans who are location-bound and cannot move to the campus, or who are changing careers; Leaders of UNI and collaborating community colleges demonstrate solid support through personal commitments and institutional contributions of personnel and finances; Teacher education curricula is the same as on-campus programs but delivered to meet the needs of non-traditional students, often in rural areas of Iowa; University faculty members teach all courses and the degree completion rate has been well over 90%; 2+2 students have the option of joint admission to UNI and the community colleges; and 2+2 students are integrated as fully as possible into the University and College of Education through designated staff and access to the campus library and web site services. For more information about the 2+2 programs, contact: Roger Kueter at roger.kueter@uni.edu or (319)273-2203; Jo Loonan, UNI Admissions, (800)772-2037; or visit www.uni.edu/2+2. Fall 2007 11 http://www.uni.edu/coe/ http://www.uni.edu/2+2
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