Assessment Task Group Organizational Meeting

MINUTES

Thursday, December 6, 2001

Chambers Cafeteria East Banquet Room

Arkansas Tech University

December 6, 2001

5:30-7:30

The task group of representative stakeholders in the preparation of teachers will meet once each semester to receive information from and provide information to the school of education concerning the quality of teachers in our service area.

Group members were registered at 5:30 PM. Gwen Morgan, Chair of the Assessment Committee of the Arkansas Tech School of Education welcomed the task group assembled and thanked one and all for their interest and commitment and invited everyone to go through the buffet line. While finishing eating Gwen introduced Dennis Fleniken, Dean of the School of Education, who gave welcoming remarks. After eating, Gwen explained the purpose for the task group. She then led the development of group norms for the evening. Group members were then paired to interview someone they had not previously known to be able to introduce the new colleague to the group. Following introductions members were grouped and asked to generate the mark of a good teacher using a holiday analogy. The groups presented their analogies which led to the task of addressing the assessment challenge. Many of the "marks" of a good teacher are difficult to assess by traditional tests. Information was provided to the group including copies of recent releases from the U.S. Department of Education and Arkansas State Department of Education. Each member also received a copy of the Arkansas Tech University Performance Evidence System. Members were encouraged to visit provided web sites. The goal of the group will be to collaboratively monitor the quality of teachers prepared at Arkansas Tech. The meeting was adjourned at 7:30 PM.