UF Prepares Exemplary Educators Through Online Learning

“In addition to generating knowledge and collaborating to solve our society’s greatest challenges, our mission-driven faculty strive to prepare exemplary practitioners and scholars each and every day. This is reflected in our continued strength in ranking performance and in all that our alumni go on to achieve.”

Glenn Good

College of Education Dean

UF is recognized as one of the best in the nation earning the No. 2 among 303 other education colleges and the top spot in the state of Florida.

Collaborative efforts between college faculty and staff contribute to UF’s continued success. The college’s E-learning, Technology and Communications (ETC) department provides mission-essential support to faculty engaged in online programs. Staff in ETC partner with college faculty and capitalize on dynamic research conducted through the Institute for Advanced Learning Technologies to elevate programs and improve student outcomes. Jason Arnold, Ed.D., leads the dedicated team, including faculty, instructional and graphic designers, and videographers, who are at the forefront of adopting innovative teaching and assessment practice in a “continuous journey to enhance online learning.”

“Guided by the latest research, student feedback and our collaborative efforts across discipline areas, we strive to create empowering and engaging online courses, …Our commitment to improving and expanding our understanding through research grants and partnerships has established us as national leaders in online education, proving that our achievements are the result of relentless dedication and a collective vision for excellence in online learning.”

Jason Arnold, Ed.D

Director of E-Learning, Technology and Communications

“The College of Education’s online programs are innovative and accessible and provide students with knowledge and skills that can be immediately applied in their employment context to improve their practice and make an impact.”

Elayne Colón

Interim Associate Dean of Academic and Student Affairs

U.S. News Rankings for Specialty Areas

No. 1 — Instructional Media/Educational Technology
No. 2 — Curriculum and Instruction
No. 2 — Special Education
No. 3 — Educational Administration

According to U.S. News, “a master’s degree in education can help further careers in teaching, instructional design and educational administration.” Programs are ranked based on five main categories:

Leadership, it is such a people-driven job, and it takes intention, practice to do this job… I loved the program. It is a great program. I wanted to learn, this was so relevant.
I believe our program is consistently ranked highly because we listen to our students and adapt to changing trends and needs. In addition to engaging with our students as instructors, we conduct in-depth one on one interviews with every single graduate. We ask them what works, what could be improved, and we seek clarity on how the program has prepared them for the next step of their journey. We also collaborate with our advisory board comprised of educational leaders and district partners to hear what their needs are. We then adapt our course of study to apply these insights across the board, from course content to modalities.

I receive many inquiries from potential students on a weekly basis, and what we hear repeatedly is that they aspire to lead in education, but they are not sure whether it is as a school leader, or some other role. What I tell current and prospective students is that a graduate from the University of Florida Ed leadership program is trained in organizational leadership, and that applies to everything—whether you are running a school, a non-profit- or an education startup. It all comes back to understating people, human behavior, systems, and above all, yourself as a leader. That’s what we do at UF! As a Gator, you will emerge as an organizational leader ready to face any challenge.
The CS Education Program at the University of Florida is so beneficial to educators who are currently CS teachers. The pedagogy and hands-on learning approach has allowed for me to gain a better understanding, acquire new knowledge, and most importantly give my students a better educational experience.
I can say that was one of my best experiences, having the opportunity to learn from the best. They not only teach you the pedagogy and principles but they treat you like a family. 
The CS Education program is designed to meet the needs of the diversity of people who are interested in CS education. Regardless if you have teaching experience, computer science experience, or little of both this program provides comprehensive professional development focused on the best practices for CS education. This program will give the knowledge, skills, and resources to become a highly effective educator and an advocate for CS education for all!
My experience in the TLSI program was truly a turning point in my career. The collaborative nature of course design was what drew me in. The rich, meaningful content is what kept me enthralled. The job-embedded coursework is what sustained me beyond graduation. The knowledge I gained has permeated my practice in a way that serves as ongoing professional development unlike any other.  
A program like this is definitely central for all teachers because it helps build schema as well as it creates foundational skills that teachers actually need in the classroom. It also teaches how to differentiate and structure and how to meet the needs of all students in your classroom.
Our program is continuously highly ranked because our faculty have a broad range of expertise in the field as well as knowledge of how to provide quality online teaching and learning experiences. In addition, our faculty keep up to date with current trends in the field to ensure students are prepared for the plethora of jobs available across K-12, post-secondary, corporate and not-for-profit environments.

I would tell potential students to expect a challenging and exciting program in which they have opportunities to interact with faculty and peers and gain the knowledge, skills and abilities to succeed in a rewarding career.

The College of Education remains a leader in merging cutting-edge research with the best online pedagogical practices by integrating new technologies like generative AI, providing ongoing faculty development, and steadily evaluating and improving online courses each semester.
The Reading and Literacy Education program at UF offers a rigorous, well-rounded, and coherent curriculum that addresses pressing issues in the field. We have a knowledgeable, collaborative, and supportive faculty team that works hard to provide rich, meaningful, and engaging learning experiences for all students. Our graduates from across the country have found our classes informative, challenging, thought-provoking, and extremely relevant to their practice.
Our program stands out for its diverse faculty expertise, such as robust computer science knowledge, extensive CS pedagogy, expertise in learning experience design. Leveraging these strengths, we commitment to continuous improvement, and integration of innovative technologies, all rooted in the University of Florida’s AI and renowned Educational Technology program. By focusing on cultivating a holistic and optimal learning experience, we meet the varied needs of our students, as evidenced by positive student feedback.
Teaching is a profession. It’s a serious one… we can retain teachers better if they go through programs like this, we won’t have teacher turnover.
In early January, I transitioned into my field as a Coordinator of Training for the Center for Instruction and Research Technology at the University of North Florida. In my role, all of the concepts and skills I have developed such as learning theories, instructional design, project management, educational technology tools, etc. has shown up in my role. The program prepared me to be the practitioner I am today but being intentional and aware of the trends, skills, and knowledge that the industry of educational technology requires.

My favorite part of being in the educational technology program is the passion and unwavering support faculty and staff exude. I have grown so much as a person, professional, and researcher. I can’t imagine what my scholarly experience would be like if I wasn’t an EduGator.
Since completing the Graduate certificate program in CS education, I successfully passed the k-12 Computer Science certification exam in Florida. I am now part of a passionate community of CS teachers and have attended several professional development opportunities on current CS topics like AI. I’ve gained access to abundant resources to make teaching CS engaging and relevant.

“This recognition is such an honor because the ranking reflects the truly outstanding work of our faculty and instructional designers,” “As a result of their longstanding commitment to excellence in online education, students who wouldn’t otherwise be able to attend university have the opportunity to experience the best in undergraduate education. Engaging courses, designed and taught by experts, increases student achievement and persistence, and enables students from all walks of life to reach their potential.”

-Tina Smith-Bonahue, Associate Dean of academic and student affairs.

Combined with our extensive domain expertise and expansive research agenda, our efforts to develop tomorrow’s educators are transforming education in more ways than you can imagine

College leadership acknowledges the shared responsibility of our faculty, students, staff, alumni and partners for nine years of continued excellence in online programs. Dean Good noted the ranking is one aspect of how our exemplary work is demonstrated, but not a singular measure.