Vision Statement 

Dewar College of Education and Human Services will be a leader in transforming lives and communities through education and service.

Mission Statement

The Dewar College of Education & Human Services prepares professionals for multiple roles in 21st century educational, business, and community settings. Our graduates use theory, research, evidence-based practice, and collaboration for the improvement of the health, well-being, and education of diverse citizens in our region, the nation, and the world.

Values

The Dewar College of Education and Human Services adopts the 国产AV Blazer Creed in its entirety as an expression of our values. The Blazer Creed states:

国产AV is a learning environment based on trust and mutual respect in which open dialogue, vigorous debate, and the free exchange of ideas are welcome. The University is equally dedicated to the core values of community, including a commitment to practice civility, integrity, and citizenship. As members of this community, and proud Blazers, we will strive to uphold these core values for the advancement of the University.

Civility – A Blazer shows courtesy and compassion as well as respect for the dignity of every human being.

Integrity – Each Blazer is responsible for his or her own actions, and our community is stronger when we contemplate the context of our decisions and uphold the principles of trust and honesty.

Citizenship – Every Blazer has an interest in the well-being of the community, and, therefore, a duty to stay informed, to make positive contributions, and to offer support to those who need help.

Additionally, the Dewar College of Education and Human Services values:

Social Awareness – We value the ability to take the perspective of and empathize with others from diverse backgrounds and cultures, to understand social and ethical norms for behavior, and to recognize family, school, and community resources and supports1.
Diversity – We value diversity which encompasses (1) Individual differences (e.g., personality, interests, learning modalities, and life experiences), and (2) group differences (e.g., race, age, ethnicity, abilities, exceptionalities, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, nationality, language, religion, political affiliation, and socioeconomic background2.
Excellence in Teaching – We value excellence in teaching which is an academic process by which our faculty motivate every student to learn in ways that make a sustained, substantial, and positive influence on how they think, act, and feel. An excellent teacher is a culturally responsive practitioner who contributes positively to the learning environment by providing exceptional energy, keen interest in students, and extraordinary strengths in the roles of: 1) reflective practitioner 2) subject matter expert; 3) pedagogical expert; 4) effective communicator; 5) student-centered mentor; and 6) systematic and continual assessor3.
Human Development – We value the process of expanding the freedoms and intellectual and developmental opportunities for improving the well-being of all people4.
Community Engagement – We value the opportunity to work collaboratively with community groups to address issues that impact their well-being through credible and transparent reporting and collaborative decision making5.
Ethics - We value ethical behavior and integrity based on well-founded standards of right and wrong that prescribe what humans ought to do, usually in terms of rights, obligations, benefits to society, fairness, or specific virtues6.
Lifelong Learning – We value learning that is the ongoing, voluntary, and self-motivated pursuit of knowledge for either personal or professional reasons and enhances social inclusion, active citizenship, personal development, self-sustainability, and competitiveness7.

Thus, the values of the Dewar College of Education and Human Services are:

  1. Civility
  2. Integrity
  3. Citizenship
  4. Social Awareness
  5. Diversity
  6. Excellence in Teaching
  7. Human Development
  8. Community Engagement
  9. Ethics
  10. Lifelong Learning

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1 https://www.transformingeducation.org/social-awareness-toolkit/
2 InTASC Model Core Teaching Standards, p. 21
3 http://www.schreyerinstitute.psu.edu/definition
4 http://www.measureofamerica.org/human-development
5 http://lexicon.ft.com/Term?term=community-engagement
6 https://www.scu.edu/ethics/ethics-resources/ethical-decision-making/what-is-ethics/
7 Commission of the European Communities: "Adult learning: It is never too late to learn". COM(2006) 614 final. Brussels, 23.10.2006.; Wikipedia