SUNY Oswego’s School of Education (SOE) strives to produce graduates who can provide meaningful opportunities and appropriate support for all students to engage in authentic learning, by which we mean self-directed inquiry, problem solving, critical thinking, and reflection in both real world and creative contexts.  The emphasis on all students implies special sensitivity to the unique characteristics and needs of each of the diverse individuals who are students in the urban, suburban, and rural schools of New York State. 

We believe that educating (e.g., teaching, guiding, leading) for authentic learning, knowledge, practice, reflection, collaboration & leadership, and social justice are the essential characteristics of and performance expectations for effective educators and successful professionals:

Authentic Learning. Educators must provide meaningful opportunities and appropriate support for all students to engage in self-directed inquiry, problem-solving, critical thinking, and reflection in real world and creative contexts.

Knowledge. Educators have a deep understanding of the organizing concepts, processes and attitudes that comprise the disciplinary knowledge base (including the New York State and national learning standards), the pedagogical knowledge base, and the pedagogical content knowledge base.

Practice. Educators have a rich repertoire of research-based strategies for instruction, assessment, and use of educational technologies, focused on promoting authentic learning by all students.

Reflection. Educators continually assess and reflect upon their professional practice in order to change and grow as life-long learners.

Collaboration and Leadership. Educators continually seek opportunities to work together, learn from one another, forge partnerships, and assume positions of responsibility and leadership.

Social Justice. Educators who graduate from Oswego State University are socially-conscious catalysts for change that promote authentic learning by all students.