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Online Master of Education in Literacy and Learning Science With a Concentration in Literacy, Learning and Artificial Intelligence

Program Highlights

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30 credit hours |  In-state tuition: $490/credit hour | Out-of-state tuition: $575/credit hour

  • Available in an easily accessible 100% online format from UTEP’s College of Education
  • Prepares teachers and other educational professionals to become literacy leaders in formal and informal literacy education settings
  • Aligns with national standards and employs a cutting-edge approach to literacy research and literacy education that includes the latest knowledge on learning sciences and artificial intelligence (AI)
  • Deepens knowledge of literacy with linguistically diverse learners 
NOTE: YOU MUST HAVE A BACHELOR'S DEGREE TO APPLY. 

PROGRAM ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS 

Prepare to Be a Reflective Reading Specialist

The online Master of Education in Literacy and Learning Science with a Concentration in Literacy, Learning, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) prepares students to be specialized literacy professionals with a particular focus on modern literacy education in linguistically diverse settings. This degree is ideal for:

  • Teachers who would like to take on leadership roles that fosters skills in not only traditional literacy instruction but also prepares learners to navigate the evolving landscape of twenty-first-century literacies
  • Teachers who would like an advanced degree to deepen their knowledge of literacy with linguistically diverse learners
  • K-12, community-based, and adult educators who want to apply specialized knowledge of multimodal literacy and the learning sciences in classroom settings in schools and communities across the lifespan

 As a student of the program, you will learn how to

  • Balance forward-thinking theories/current scholarship in teaching/research in literacy education and apply them to practice
  • Develop, implement, and assess literacy curriculum the incorporates the science of reading, the learning sciences, generative artificial intelligence (GEN AI), and multimodality into the curriculum
  • Apply your knowledge across diverse learners/learners with diverse needs

The program’s flexible, accelerated online format includes:

  • action research projects to link theory to practice
  • engagement with new digital tools
  • individualized capstone project linking research, theory, and practice in literacy education as a culminating program experience

 Graduates of our program are well-qualified for the following types of positions: 

  • Teacher or Community-Based Educator – Applies specialized knowledge of literacy in classroom settings across the lifespan, in schools and communities;
  • Literacy or Instructional Coach – Applies specialized knowledge of literacy, curriculum, and assessment to support teacher learning and professional development

Other positions well suited to our graduates include curriculum developer, literacy specialist or consultant in publishing and industry, doctoral student, community college instructor, adjunct faculty.  

Course Overview

Literacy and Learning Sciences Core (15 hours)

Get an overview of the study of literacy for K-12 educators, adult educators, reading teachers, and other literacy professionals. Learn the historical, social, cognitive, and critical knowledge needed to teach literacy in schools and classrooms. Special emphasis is placed on literacies of the U.S./Mexico border region and the literacy education of emergent bilingual students. The course aligns with Standards I and IV of the Texas Reading Specialist certification standards.

Examine the methods and materials for developing maturity in reading and study skills, especially in the content areas from K-12. Special emphasis is given to the development of interest, the matching of students to proper materials, and instructional techniques for integrating the teaching of skills with the teaching of content.

Focus on practical application in the study of classroom discourse (language in use) as it influences language and literacy learning. Study the convergences of interactional sociolinguistic, critical discourse analysis, and sociocultural studies of language and literacy learning. Undertake an applied study of language in use in language arts classrooms.

Write scholarly papers using archival research, documented sources and electronic databases. Work closely with the instructor and a professor in their area of study, students produce publication quality papers. Study issues of conceptualization, argumentation and evidence, and citation and referencing.Also explore style, audience, organization, and mechanics; relies heavily on peer editing and review. 

Learning sciences represents an interdisciplinary field that examines how people learn to understand, reason, and solve problems in diverse and complex settings. Examine how learning sciences has and continues to evolve as a research field that informs practice through the design of effective learning environments across socioculturally mediated contexts. Engage with foundational field perspectives to interrogate such ideas as the goals of education, learning design features, and social and cultural influences. 

Artificial Intelligence Concentration (15 hours)

Identify principles, problems, and issues of primary and second language acquisition, specifically the relationship between the development of these languages, to facilitate and promote literacy/ biliteracy.

Explore how new technologies and modes of communication have transformed the ways youth engage in literate practices both inside and outside of school. Key concepts include multiliteracies, multimodal designs for meaning-making, and media literacy. Special emphasis is placed on youth literacies in the U.S./Mexico border region.

Study the major of instructional design theory, and the role that Artificial Intelligence (AI) may play in learning and in the design of instructional experiences. Emphasis is on competence development through the evaluation and/or redesign of existing learning environment and the creation of new learning environments. With a focus on practice-base application, examine theories, models and activities associated with the design of experiences, feedback cycles, and environments where Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI) can play a role.

Explore the convergence of Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI) and collaborative learning. Learn how Gen AI may enhance collaborative learning platforms, the potential impact of AI on student group learning experiences, and ethical considerations of AI-driven small to large group, student-centered learning. Explore group assessment strategies that evaluate critical thinking, analysis, problem-solving, and creativity, as well as innovative collaborative methods to gauge conceptual understanding across subjects. Keywords: Generative Artificial Intelligence.

An internship served with university faculty or a team of university and clinical faculty in an elementary, middle, secondary, community college, or university setting. Course content and requirements will be contracted on an individual basis.

CONNECT WITH US

The University of Texas at El Paso
UTEP Online Programs
Kelly Hall, Ste. 115
500 W. University Ave.
El Paso, Texas 79968
E: utepconnect@utep.edu
P: 1-800-684-UTEP