More Thoughtful Guidance

There has been much discussion among the Elementary and Secondary TED Faculty about what constitutes credible MA capstone practitioner research for the MA examination.

TED Secondary Education Chairperson Lyn Oshima further defines what the practitioner research should be. Our masters program is similiar to the  M. A. in Reflective Practice (MARP) and mirrors goals for your practitioner research narratives. The following is excerpted from a recent email from Dr. Oshima to Coila and myself. I think her workds will help clarify the process and content involved during your capstone experience.
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Attending the presentations at Farmington were a good reminder of how personal the culmination of their degree program should be. Deciding what the product should has been a topic for frequent discussion by the faculty.
This first MARP cohort gave us an opportunity to experiment with the format. Here is how the paper was described to them:
They were to review course syllabi and major course assignments from all MARP courses. They were to identify themes in what they learned and areas of their practice in which they have put their learning to use.
The final paper was to present students' individual journeys through the program, documenting what they learned both theoretically and practically. Their conclusion was to end with a description of specific directions they see for further learning and growth. They were expected to reference literature previously studied in coursework and augment this literature with current relevant literature that is needed to support their understandings and future directions. The oral and visual presentation should demonstrate and best represent what they learned and planned to do in the future.
Their references to readings and past assignments were consistent across the students. From this cohort came a clearer purpose for the MA exam/paper. We asked what matters at this level of graduate study for experienced professionals? We believe it is to understand why and how they learn and apply it to student learning in their classrooms. (Email, Dr. Lyn Oshima, September 9, 2010)