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This MA programme exposes professionals to rigorous training through progressive educational approaches that are trans-disciplinary, and immersed in pedagogical creative and innovative methods. The offered courses will allow for systemic change in teacher education, school practice, and in other learning centers within the communities of which schools are a part.

It qualifies educators with sustainable creative pedagogies and arts-based research methods that would help in practice and in application as community agents.  It would also assist educators to foster young and adult learners’ critical and creative thinking skills, as well as their own commitments towards the local communities in which they work in and with.

Learners will be exposed to the utilization of different strategies of thinking and investigating; particularly creative, critical and reflective ones.   From a wide range of courses, applicants have the chance to experience firsthand creative pedagogies such as Arts in Education: visual and performing including, music, drama, and theatre in education; methods and techniques to enhance learning and development of skills. Such an exposure offers various strategies for recognizing, adapting, and applying with a diverse body of students in wider range of learning contexts.

This programme will also host international experts from the University of Chester and researchers to engage in teaching different courses of the program.

Program Objectives

• Participating in transforming the educational sector approaches from a traditional teachers-centered approach to an inclusive, equitable learner–centered approach.
• Changing the role of teachers and other education trainers, and practitioners from knowledge providers to facilitators of knowledge
• Equipping educators and practitioners with creative pedagogies and techniques in formal and non-formal teaching and learning settings where learning is taking place.
• Equip educators and practitioners with the skills and knowledge to use arts-based research methodology.
• Contributing to the development of a culture of research in education and community practices.
• Strengthening the role of the arts as powerful tools in creative pedagogies in community and educational settings.
• Contributing to a new culture of Teaching and Learning

Program Outcomes

By the end of the programme students will be able to:

• Demonstrate a higher level of understanding of key concepts and principles related to the philosophy of learner-centered approach in humane inclusive learning environments.
• Become familiar with the factors that influence the learning process in the formal, and non-formal educational settings.
• Recognize the different theories of creative pedagogies and their applications.
• Demonstrate understanding of the differences between the creative, critical and reflective thinking as a cognitive and embodied process.
• Demonstrate understanding of arts-based research methodology and how this is positioned in relation to conventional social science methodologies.
• Apply arts-based and action research methodologies in different educational settings.
• Use creative pedagogies to support learners’ creative and social thinking capacities.
• Plan inclusive and equitable learning opportunities for learners (young and adults) based on creative pedagogies.
• Analyse educational settings that support or limit opportunities for the applications of creative pedagogies.
• Appreciate the importance of reflective practice in the process of self and professional development
• Developing personal commitment to the transformation of education towards inclusive and equitable active methods and learner – centeredness.
• Become actively engaged in the process of community awareness towards creative pedagogies and community practices.
• Appreciate the distinctive contributions arts-based and participatory action research can make to the learning process and sustainable teaching practices.

Criteria of Admission

To apply for the program of study applicants must:

• A Bachelor Degree in Education, Teaching subjects (English, Arabic, Science, History and Geography etc.) in lower and upper basic stages, Pre- School, as well as degrees in Humanities or Arts.
• A certified degree by the Palestinian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.
• Applicants must have successfully completed a Bachelor Degree with an average greater than or equal to 75% (>=2.5 GPA).
• Preferably having at least one-year practical experience in teaching or community learning programs.
• A good command of English Language
• A letter of Interest and an interview

Program Requirements

To earn a Master’s Degree in “Creative Pedagogies & Community Practices”, a student has to complete 37 credits over five semesters including one intensive summer semester.  During the Fall and Spring semesters, students will attend weekly sessions including intensive summer sessions. International experts will be invited to share research experiences with students. The four semesters will be spread on courses across 4 main themes which are related to education, research, creative and critical thinking, creative pedagogies and community practices. The last and fifth semester, students will be directed to conduct their own research projects and work towards a final dissertation. Field visits to institutions to learn about formal, and informal contexts in teaching and learning and how to use creative pedagogies in these different contexts.

Career Opportunities

Master degree holders specialized in “Creative Pedagogies and Community Practices” will have different options of employment available in:

• Schools as teachers with an advanced pedagogical practice and training.
• Centers and organizations interested in education, arts, and cultural activities as cultural educators.
• Research centers interested in educational issues, arts, and culture and the use of arts-based research methodology and methods.
• Settings for capacity building including: planning, supervision, evaluation and monitoring will be provided where need arises whether in formal and non-formal settings.

• Degree Requirements
• Program of Study
• Paradigm

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