Western Education's MPEd | Field of Mathematics Education
The Master of Professional Education in the field of Mathematics Education will prepare you for professional and leadership roles in mathematics education. Using a practitioner-scholar approach, the online courses are designed to link research and practice, and course assignments offer opportunities to apply knowledge and investigate authentic problems of practice related to mathematics education.
The MPEd in the Field of Mathematics Education is an exclusively online graduate degree program.
Expertise & Leadership in Mathematics Education
Help children succeed at math
Online degree – study anywhere
Use practical and research knowledge
What I like about my program is the practicum! I like that we can shadow teachers and see how they hold/handle themselves and how they build relationships with the students. I also enjoy kind of getting a view of our end goal.
My degree program helped me appreciate the many different backgrounds my future students might have, and how to be inclusive and/or accomodating of them. I also have had the opportunity to build a lot of valuable friendships with my classmates and it is nice to know that we can all support each other on the next leg of our journey.
- Tianyi Yan, Graduated 2020
Beyond the program details
Admissions
Required:
- A four-year degree (20 full courses or equivalent) from an accredited university.
- Minimum "B" standing (70%) or equivalent in the final two years of study.
Notes & exceptions:
- Bachelor of Education and Additional Qualification course grades aren’t used in calculating admission averages.
- Applicants with three-year degrees will be considered on a case-by-case basis if seats are available in programs. Successful experience as an educator in a professional setting may be considered in the selection process.
- Probationary status: If an applicant doesn’t meet all of the minimum admission requirements (e.g., average below 70% and/or has only a three-year degree plus B.Ed.) the applicant may be offered admission as a Probationary Student with Conditions.
- Conditions: Applicants will be required to maintain a 75% average in each of these courses to clear conditions.
- The successful completion of an MPEd degree doesn’t lead to certification with the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT).
Tuition
Tuition amounts are set each year by Senate and then published on the Office of the Registrar's Fees Schedules web page. Fees are assessed once each term (Fall, Winter, Summer).
Current students can access fee information by logging into the Student Centre (use your Western email log in and password). Students are notified each term once fee amounts have been posted in the Student Centre; it is each student's responsibility to log into the Student Centre and pay fees by the due date indicated. Failure to do so may result in a late payment fee or deregistration.
For questions about fees, including how to pay fees and the methods of payment that are accepted, students should go to the Student Financial Services pages of the Office of the Registrar's web site or contact Student Financial Services (Office of the Registrar) at 519-661-2100.
The Graduate Student Affordability Calculator was designed for you to get a better estimate of what it will cost to attend one of Western's graduate programs for one year. The calculator is not a promise of funding or a place to access scholarship support or financial aid; rather, it is intended to provide you with an accurate estimate of how much money you will need to pay for your tuition, fees, housing, food, and many other necessities for a 12-month (three-term) academic year.
Funding
The Faculty of Education recognizes the financial commitment required to pursue professional graduate studies.
As the majority of our programs are fully online, we offer students flexible learning that allows them to fund their education by remaining in their current employment. Some employers offer subsidization or time release opportunities for the professional learning of their employees. As a result, internal funding is not available for these programs.
There are also many external funding opportunities for competitive candidates in our professional programs. Download this PDF file for an additional list of over 30 external awards (see more information below). Also, visit online sites that contain numerous award opportunities.
Please note that students must apply for these awards individually. Read the qualifications carefully, and contact the award provider for more criteria and award information. Some application support is available from the Research Office for research-based awards only.Many private financial institutions offer financing options (with particular rates and payment plans) to full-time students. Please contact a representative of your preferred financial institution for more information.
Provincial governments offer a variety of loan programs to help students finance their studies. Ontario residents may be eligible to apply for OSAP.
The Government of Canada's CanLearn website provides a listing of contact information for the offices of all government student financial assistance programs. Please visit CanLearn to find your province or territory listing. The Government of Canada implemented the Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP) to encourage higher education and training. The LLP allows you to withdraw up to $10,000 a year from your registered retirement savings plan (RRSPs) to finance training or education for you or your spouse or common-law partner. For further information on this plan, visit the government's LLP website
Technology
Instructors of onsite courses use the Sakai OWL platform, although it is not required. Access to a course in Sakai OWL is typically opened the first business day of each term. Please note that although your own access may be granted prior to the first business day, course content may not be posted until closer to the scheduled term start. Your Western University login and password is required to access the course (your Western email without the @uwo.ca and its accompanying password). Access to the learning management system is found here: Sakai OWL.
For online courses, students are required to have access to the following:
- High speed Internet access
- Access to a computer that enables connection to outside websites (flexible firewall restrictions)
- Multimedia playback capabilities (video/audio)
- WebCam
- Computer capable of running a recent version of Internet Explorer, Safari, or Firefox; and/or Cisco MOVI client for PC or Mac
- Audio headset and microphone for computer
Program information
Description
The Master of Professional Education in the field of Mathematics Education will prepare you for professional and leadership roles in mathematics education
Students will experience a program solidly embedded within the adult learning literature and employing signature pedagogies; an in-situ opportunity designed to facilitate the application of research and theoretical knowledge; a participatory culture; technologies to map knowledge and knowledge-producing systems through eLearning; and, a cohort model constructed on the principles underlying communities of learners. Although research is embedded within all courses, the program itself is course-based and offers a capstone project component in the final term.
A degree or specialization in mathematics is not a requirement for admission to this program.
Important Note
The successful completion of a Master of Professional degree does not lead to certification with the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT).
Objectives
- The objective of the MPEd in the field of Mathematics Education is to provide in-depth, graduate-level, in-service educational professionals who will be competent in identifying and responding to complex problems in mathematics curriculum and pedagogy. Emphasis is on developing thoughtful, innovative and reflective critical practitioners.
- Support the professional learning of educators who can construct and apply knowledge to make a positive difference in the lives of individuals, families, organizations, and communities;
- Provide opportunities for candidates to develop and demonstrate collaboration, communication skills, and leadership skills to work with diverse professionals and communities and to build partnerships;
- Provide field-based opportunities to analyze problems of practice and use multiple frames to develop meaningful responses;
- Draw on and develop a critically reflective professional knowledge base that integrates both practical and research knowledge and that links theory with systemic and systematic inquiry; and,
- Emphasize the generation, transformation, and use of critically reflective professional knowledge and practice.
Timing and Delivery
The MPEd is designated as a 2-year, full-time, online program. Full-time status requires that students complete four half-courses per year. MPEd students will complete one course per semester (fall, winter, intersession, summer) for two years. Full-time students have access to all student services at Western. See SGPS for details.
This program of study is a course-based cohort model. Approximately 20 students will be admitted to each cohort. This cohort structure will provide ongoing support within the course work, enabling students to develop a professional community of practice. To ensure the integrity of the cohort model, continuous enrollment is required, and will necessitate that students complete all the required courses within the timeframe stipulated.
The MPEd in the Field of Mathematics Education is an exclusively online program.
Courses
All courses are online and will primarily be delivered in an asynchronous format. Some may have synchronous components depending on the topic and Instructor. Please refer to the course outline for additional information about such details.
Year 1 Fall
ED 9411 Teaching and Learning Mathematics Today
The professional and theoretical perspectives associated with learning and pedagogy in mathematics. Participants will be expected to reflect critically on both theory and practice, based upon psychological, epistemological, mathematical, and current pedagogical and curricular approaches, in light of how mathematics is taught in schools.
Year 1 Winter
ED 9418 Computational Thinking in Mathematics and Science Education
A critical introduction to the role of computer coding and digital making as ways of teaching mathematics and science concepts and relationships. The history, current trends, future possibilities of computational thinking in mathematics and science education are situated within the broader context of mathematics, science, and technology education.
Year 1 Summer - Intersession
ED 9419 Mathematics for Teachers
A focus on making mathematics engaging and meaningful for learners. Participants explore ways to develop connected knowledge, consistent beliefs, and positive attitudes towards mathematics, and are introduced to research on the nature, role, and development of teachers' knowledge of mathematics.
Year 1 Summer - Summer Session
ED 9413 Mathematics Education through the Arts
What can we learn from the Arts about designing effective mathematics teaching, learning, and communication? This course explores parallels between what makes for a good math lesson or learning experience and what makes for a good book or a good movie. The course also explores how the Arts may be used to enhance student communication in mathematics.
Year 2 Fall
ED 9496 Understanding Research Methods for Educational Practice
An introduction to curriculum research as an innovative process with emphasis on designs involving students, educators, community members, and/or educational practitioners. Topics may include theoretical understanding and practical application of various research designs, relating to the topic of curriculum, including quantitative and qualitative methods to offer guidance in developing inquiry/questions of practice and reading/interpreting research.
Year 2 Winter
ED 9497 Understanding Curriculum Leadership for Educational Practice
Focus on leading the development, implementation, and evaluation of positive curricular change. Emphasis on ways of conceptualizing curriculum leadership and advocacy and professional learning and reflective practice to promote equitable and enabling environments for all. The course will give students opportunities to explore curriculum leadership in their MPED focus.
Year 2 Summer - Intersession & Year 2 Summer - Summer Session
ED 9498 Capstone Course
The Capstone Course provides students with an opportunity to expand breadth of experience and to gain working knowledge of applied theories in a real-world education setting. Students will develop a project to apply their learning to practice, investigate and reflect on their findings, write a project report, and gain practical experience under the guidance of a supervisor and/or instructor.
