Table of Contents
Glossary of Terms
..................................... 2
Standard 1: Candidate Knowledge, Skills, and Dispositions
................. 12
Content Knowledge for Teacher Candidates
. 12
Content Knowledge for Other
Pedagogical Content Knowledge for Teacher Candidates
18
Professional and Pedagogical Knowledge and Skills for
Teacher Candidates
. 21
Professional Knowledge and Skills for Other
Dispositions for All Candidates
25
Student Learning for Teacher Candidates
. 29
Student Learning for Other
Standard 2: Assessment System and Unit Evaluation
33
Assessment System
... 33
Data Collection, Analysis, and Evaluation
42
Use of Data for Program Improvement
. 47
Standard 3: Field Experiences and Clinical Practice
..................... 51
Collaboration between Unit and School Partners
.. 51
Design, Implementation, and Evaluation of Field
Experiences and Clinical Practice
.. 55
Candidates Development and Demonstration of Knowledge,
Skills and Dispositions to Help All Students Learn
61
Standard 4: Diversity
.. 66
Design, Implementation, and Evaluation of Curriculum
and Experiences
... 66
Experiences Working with Diverse Faculty
. 68
Experiences Working with Diverse Candidates
70
Experiences Working with Diverse Students in P-12
Schools
. 72
Standard 5: Faculty Qualifications, Performance, and
Development
.. 75
Qualified Faculty
.. 75
Modeling Best Professional Practices in Teaching
... 76
Modeling Best Professional Practices in Scholarship
.. 79
Modeling Best Professional Practices in Service
. 79
Collaboration
82
Unit Evaluation of Professional Education Faculty
Performance
82
Unit Facilitation of Professional Development
83
Standard 6: Unit Governance and Resources................................................................................................ 85
Unit Leadership and Authority
..... 85
Unit Budget
93
Personnel
95
Unit Facilities
99
Unit Resources Including Technology 100
AA--Associate of Arts
AACTE--American Association of the Colleges for Teacher Education
AAGE--
AASCD--
ACT--
ACTFL--American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages
ADE--Arkansas Department of Education
ADHE--Arkansas Department of Higher Education
AECT--Association for Educational Communications and Technology
AGATE--
AP--Advanced Placement
ASCA--
ASCD--Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
ATU--
BA--Bachelor of Arts
BS--Bachelor of Science
CAAP--Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency
CACREP--Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs
CEC--Council for Exceptional Children
CLEP--College Level Entrance Program
CLL--Center for Leadership and Learning
CPI--Clinical Practice Instructor
ECED--Early Childhood Education
ECIT--Educational Communications and Instructional Technology
EDFD--Educational Foundations
EDMD--Educational Media
Ed.S--Educational Specialist
ELCC--Educational Leadership Constituent Council
ETS--Education Testing Service
FEEF--Field Experience Evaluation Form
GPA--Grade Point Average
GTED--Gifted Education
INTASC--Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium
ISLLC--
ISTE--International Society for Technology in Education
ITP--Initial Teaching Portfolio
MEd.--Master of Education
MLED--Middle
Level Education
MSERA-- Mid-South Educational Research Association
NA--Not Applicable
NAEYC--National Association for the Education of Young Children
NASPE--National Association for Sport and Physical
Education
NBPTS--National Board of Professional Teaching Standards
NCATE--National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education
NCSS--National Council for the Social Studies
NCTE--National Council of Teachers of English
NCTM--National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
NEA-- National Education Association
NMSA--
NSTA--National Science Teachers Association
PDK-- Phi Delta Kappa
PE--Physical
Education
PLT--Principles of Learning and Teaching
PPST--Pre Professional Skills Test
SAEA--Student
SEED--Secondary Education
SNEA--Student National Education Association
SOE--
SPA--Specialized Professional Association
SRATE-- Southeastern Regional Association of Teacher Education
TEC--
TESS--Teacher Education Student Services
UAC--Unit Assessment Committee
UAS--Unit Assessment System
Arkansas Tech University (ATU), with its 517 acre campus, is
located in the northern section of Russellville. This growing community, located on Interstate
40 and in the
The basis for the students intellectual growth and scholarly skill development is the general education program. It provides the context for more advanced and specialized studies and the foundation for life-long learning. The general education curriculum is designed to provide university-level experiences that engender capabilities in communication, abstract inquiry, critical thinking, analyzing data, logical reasoning, in addition to the understanding of scientific inquiry, global issues, historical perspectives, literary and philosophical ideas, social and governmental processes, the development of ethical perspectives, and an appreciation for the fine and performing arts.
The University provides a range of specialized studies to prepare students to enter career fields or to continue the education at the post-graduate level. Specialized studies are offered within several areas of emphasis: business, professional education, liberal and fine arts, physical and life sciences, information technology, engineering, and applied science. Graduate work leading to the masters degree in selected disciplines provides advanced, specialized education that strengthens the academic and professional competence of students and enhances their capacities for scholarly inquiry and research.
The primary function of the University is teaching. Scholarly research and other professional activities of the faculty, continuing education, and community service are encouraged, promoted, and supported. In keeping with its focus on teaching, the University seeks to recruit, develop, and retain faculty who are dedicated to quality teaching and to providing dynamic classroom learning experiences that integrate theory and practice. The institution values academic freedom and the concept of shared governance. Faculty and student organizations such as the Faculty Senate, Graduate Council, and the Student Government Association participate in University governance by making policy recommendations. Leadership and management of the University are the responsibility of the President. Governance of the institution is the responsibility of the Board of Trustees.
ATU is a rural, regional, multi-purpose, state-supported
institution of higher education whose primary objective is to provide strong
undergraduate and graduate programs and activities. The total number of students enrolled in the
fall semester 2004 was 6,483, including on-campus and off-campus classes,
regular and off-schedule graduate and undergraduate. Many of these students represent the first
generation in their families to pursue higher education. The average ACT score for entering freshmen
in the fall semester 2003 was 22.0, the state average was 20.3 and the national
average was 20.8. For the fall semester 2004 the average ACT was 22, state
average 20.4, national average 20.9. The
average high school grade point for fall 2003 was 3.26; average grade point for
fall 2004 was 3.22. The Ethnicity percentages for the institution and the
Ethnicity
|
|
Asian |
Black |
Hispanic |
Native |
White |
|
ATU |
.98% |
4.11% |
1.80% |
1.54% |
89.86% |
|
SOE |
.55% |
4.55% |
1.33% |
1.33% |
91.22% |
The University is organized into six schools: the
The
Two programs within the
Units
The current mission/purpose statement was written in the
fall 2003. The current statement focuses
upon standards and performance outcomes that impact student learning. This mission statement is directly aligned
with the mission of
The current mission is as follows: The mission of the
In carrying out its mission, the Unit offers programs of study leading to baccalaureate degrees in Early Childhood Education, Middle Level Education, and Secondary Education with specialization in Health/Physical Education, English, Foreign Language, Mathematics, Music, Science and Social Studies. Programs of study leading to a master's degree are offered in the Liberal Arts and in Elementary Education, Educational Leadership, (including a specialist degree in Educational Leadership), Counseling, Instructional Improvement, Teaching, Learning and Leadership, Gifted Education, and Secondary Education Degree with specialization in English, Instructional Technology, Mathematics, Physical Education, and Social Studies.
Results of Reviews by Specialized
Professional Associations
|
Program Name |
Award Level |
Program Level |
Reviewing Agency/ Assoc.* |
Status of Reviews |
|
Early Childhood Education P-4 |
B.S. |
ITP |
NAEYC |
Complete |
|
Educational Leadership |
M.Ed./Ed.S. |
ADV |
ELCC |
Complete |
|
English Language Arts Ed. |
M. Ed. |
ITP |
NCTE |
Exempt* |
|
Foreign Language Ed. French, German, Spanish |
B.A |
ITP |
ACTFL |
Not Recognized |
|
Instructional Technology |
M.Ed. |
ADV |
AECT |
Rejoining |
|
Mathematics Education |
B.S. |
ITP |
NCTM |
Complete |
|
Middle Level Education |
B.S. |
ITP |
NMSA |
Complete |
|
Physical Education |
B.S. |
ITP |
NASPE |
Complete |
|
School Library Media Spec. |
M.Ed. |
ADV |
AECT |
Rejoining |
|
Science Education |
B.S. |
ITP |
NSTA |
Complete |
|
Social Studies Education |
B.A. |
ITP |
NCSS |
Complete |
The ADE and the Arkansas Department of Higher Education (ADHE) have approved all school personnel programs.
* Email from NCATE on file with SPAs in Deans Office
Distance Learning Technologies
ATU established a partnership with
The initial need for the online program was generated by ATUs desire to provide additional educational opportunities for students who have completed an AA degree and desire further education.
The online classes will consist of junior/senior upper division classes. The program will be delivered online to give students greater flexibility in completing their upper division studies. Many students work or live in communities that impose restraints of time and distance. The flexibility of using asynchronous instruction in the online environment will provide these students greater access to education. This program was approved by the Arkansas Department of Higher Education in August, 2004. As of the fall semester 2004, there were only two early childhood classes being offered. More courses will be offered in the spring semester 2005. Below are the courses which will be offered in the program.
BIOL 3003: Science in Elementary and Middle School Education
ECED 3023: Foundations of Early Childhood
ECED 3033: Child Development
ECED 3043: Developmentally Appropriate Practice
ECED 3053: Children and Families in a Diverse Society
ECED 3113: Integrated Curriculum I
ECED 3162: Diagnosis and Assessment of Young Children I
ECED 3172: Guiding Young Children I
ECED 3192: Children's Literature I
ECED 3213: Integrated Curriculum II
ECED 3262: Diagnosis and Assessment of Young Children II
ECED 3272: Guiding Young Children II
ECED 3283: Language and Literacy II
ECED 3292: Children's Literature II
MATH 3033:
Methods of Teaching Mathematic
Recent
Developments: An Overview
Since the last Board of Examiner visit in 2000, the unit has experienced and continues to experience a number of changes. The changes are as follows:
Professionals for the Future
The Process
Discussion on the
current conceptual framework began on
To further assist
in the development of the conceptual framework, several committee members
of the faculty attending the NCATE training session in Washington, DC and
met to discuss findings that might affect the construction of the developing
conceptual framework, vision, and mission.
Many opportunities existed for feedback, revision, and discussions
from the various stakeholders (public school cohort,
These discussions
were particularly important due to faculty, departmental, and campus
changes. For example, during this time
period, Westark became an official member of the
Our Vision
Students will become Professionals for the Future who will internalize, initiate, and sustain a professional commitment to impact learners in diverse learning communities.
Our
The mission of the
We will do this by modeling best practices, by being committed to continuous learning and purposeful reflection, and by working collaboratively with internal and external constituencies.
This mission statement is directly aligned with the mission
of
The basis for the student's
intellectual growth and scholarly skill development is the general education
program, which provides the context for more advanced and specialized
studies and the foundation for life-long learning. The general education
curriculum is designed to provide university-level experiences that engender
capabilities in communication, abstract inquiry, critical thinking, analysis of
data, and logical reasoning; an understanding of scientific inquiry, global
issues, historical perspectives, literary and philosophical ideas, and social
and governmental processes; the development of ethical perspectives; and an
appreciation for fine and performing arts.
The primary function of the University is teaching.
The mission of the unit is
founded upon a set of core values, which ultimately drives the conceptual
framework, which guides the development of programs and the delivery of courses
within each program. The core values are
born of our consideration for the goal of excellence in teaching, which is also
the primary function of
Our Philosophy, Purposes, and Goals
The
The core values are the context for how professional, state, and institutional standards are addressed within the programs as we prepare Professionals for the Future. The core values direct the development and refinement of programs, courses, design of instruction, research, service, and assessment. Our assessment of student learning (both of our students and the students they work with) then drives the process in the other direction to assist us in improving each of the aforementioned factors and in revisiting and/or the reconsideration of the outworking of these core values within our students. The core values include the following statements of belief:
1. All human beings grow, develop, and learn.
2. Educational processes have key components.
3. Educational practices are systemically coherent and developmentally appropriate.
4. Educators are moral and ethical professionals.
5. Educators focus on maximizing growth, development, and learning opportunities for all students.
Founded upon these core values, our mission, vision, and conceptual framework Professionals for the Future, has been developed. The framework emphasizes the Professional for the Future as a continuously learning individual with a strong and developing knowledge of the school culture; with an increasing level of professional and pedagogical knowledge, skills, and dispositions; with a strong and growing liberal arts background; and with growing expertise concerning systemic and developmentally appropriate practices. As candidates progress through their undergraduate preparation and then pursue their graduate preparation, these areas of expertise are expected to grow. Ultimately, this preparation is centered upon the improvement of student learning.
This framework agrees with the expressed mission of
To summarize, the Professional for the Future is a continuously learning expert with a(n):
¨ Increasing level of professional and pedagogical knowledge, skills, and dispositions;
¨ Strong and developing knowledge of the school culture;
¨ Growing expertise concerning systemic and developmentally appropriate practices; and
¨ Strong and developing liberal arts background.
These four foundations are unified through the following factors:
· Diversity
· Leadership
· Oral and Written Communication
· Technology
· Purposeful Reflection
· Parents and Community
In other words a strong and developing knowledge of the school culture should include the understanding of the diversity within the school culture, leadership structures and processes within the school culture, and the key role of technology in the school culture and more areas. An increasing level of professional and pedagogical knowledge, skills, and dispositions should include emphasis upon issues of diversity, technology, oral and written communication. The emphasis of these same unifying aspects throughout each of the four foundations of the conceptual framework is present and evidenced in each separate program that seeks to prepare Professionals for the Future. As our candidates progress through each program (undergraduate through graduate) their expertise in these aforementioned unifying forces and foundations should continually grow.
These key unifying forces and the aforementioned four
foundations are evidenced in each program via the particular program standards
and the assessments of our students based upon the program alignment with these
respective standards. Each undergraduate
and graduate program is standards-based in the development and refinement of
programs, courses, design of instruction, and assessment. In summary, the
Based upon this alignment to state and national standards, the Arkansas Tech University School of Education has three primary goals:
¨
Our Professionals for the Future will
meet and/or exceed the standards of the State of
¨ Our Professionals for the Future will impact learners in diverse learning communities.
¨ We as a faculty will exhibit professionalism by modeling best practices, by being committed to continuous learning and purposeful reflection, and by working collaboratively with internal and external constituencies.
There are several knowledge bases that inform our conceptual
framework. The work by Danielson (1996)
in agreement with the INTASC standards (Interstate New Teacher Assessment
and Support Consortium, 1992) and directly aligned to the Pathwise criteria
provide the initial support for each of our four foundational areas previously
discussed. The importance of each of
these four foundational areas connected through the six unifying factors cited
previously is strongly established upon a rich theoretical, research, wisdom
of practice, and educational policy base (e.g., Borko & Putnam, 1996;
Darling-Hammond, 2002; Donaldson, 2001; DuFour & Eaker, 1998; Ferguson
& Womack, 1993; Fullan, 2001; Stronge, 2002; Wilson, Floden, Ferrini-Mundy,
2001). For a full review of these sources
as they relate to the Arkansas Tech University Conceptual Framework, see the
Conceptual Framework document at: http://education.atu.edu/ncate/exhibits/Conceptual_Framework.htm
Candidates
preparing to work in schools as teachers or other professional school personnel
know and demonstrate the content, pedagogical, and professional knowledge,
skills, and dispositions necessary to help all students learn. Assessments indicate that candidates meet
professional, state, and institutional standards.
All programs
in the