OATdb Archive

2009 - 2010

Education, College Of

Goal
Academic Programs
Enhance quality and effectiveness in the academic programs

Objective
Candidate Preparedness
As the leader of the educator preparation unit, the College of Education will assure candidate preparedness for teaching, or a role as another school professional, through benchmark assessments at entry, entry to clinical experience and at exit. The assessment system for initial and advanced program candidates includes measures of proficiency which occur at specified transition points. These measures are aligned with institutional, state and professional standards.

Indicator
Benchmark: Oral Communication Proficiency At Entry To Program
Candidates for admission to the Educator Preparation programs are required to demonstrate target level performance on the benchmark assessment for Oral Communications. This assessment is completed in EED/ SED 374 by all undergraduate candidates for initial certification.

Criterion
Benchmark: Oral Communication Performance
90% of certification candidates will score ≥ 37 on TK 20 assessment entitled “EED/SED 374 Oral Presentation Grading Rubric” developed by departmental faculty.

Finding
Oral Communications Proficiency
For 2009-2010, 544 certification candidates completed the assessment of Oral Communications Proficiency. Of those, 539 demonstrated a total score greater than or equal to 37. Thus the percentage demonstrating proficiency on this assessment, required for entry to the program was 99.1 %

Indicator
Benchmark: Novice Level Dispositions At Entry To Literacy Block
At this transition point, all candidates must meet several criteria including course completion, GPA and grade requirements and must demonstrate novice level dispositions. Dispositions are assessed in EED 374 for those candidates in EC-6 and 4-8 programs, in order to proceed to Level 2 Field Experience Coursework. Candidates complete a self-assessment of their development and submit evidence to support their rating to their instructor. A score of 8 at the novice level indicates target level performance in the areas of values, commitment, ethics and organization/ flexibility.


Criterion
Benchmark: Novice Level Dispositions Performance
90% of candidates in EC-6 or 4-8 programs will attain ratings of "8" on TK 20 assessment "TEACHER DISPOSITIONS-NOVICE LEVEL-in EED 374 in order to proceed to LITERACY METHODS.

Finding
Novice Dispositions Proficiency
Certification candidates for grades EC-6 or 4-8 demonstrated dispositions at the novice level at the 95.2 % level. Of the 272 assessments completed, 259 were scored at the target level of 8.

Indicator
Benchmark: Emerging Level Dispositions At Entry To Content Methods
Demonstration of emerging level dispositions is required for progression toward certification, one step of which is entry to CONTENT METHODS. Performance at this level requires that the candidate complete a self-assessment of personal dispositions development and provide evidence to the instructor to support the ratings in the areas of values, commitment, ethics, and organization /flexibility. Target level performance requires a score of 8 by the instructor.


Criterion
Benchmark: Emerging Level Dispositions Performance
90% of certification candidates in EC-6 or 4-8 programs will attain ratings of “8” on TK 20 assessment “TEACHER DISPOSITION EMERGING LEVEL"- in RDG 370 prior to entry to CONTENT METHODS.

Finding
Emerging Dispositions Proficiency
Of the 262 assessments scored for certification candidates in the EC-6 or 4-8 programs, 247 were scored by the faculty at the target level of 8, thus the percentage of candidates preparing to enter content methods that demonstrated emerging level dispositions was 94.3%.

Indicator
Benchmark: -Dispositions At Entry To Student Teaching
Entry to STUDENT TEACHING requires demonstration of emerging level dispositions in the Content Methods block, along with course completion in the content area and successful completion of the Instructional Lesson Plan in CONTENT METHODS.

Criterion
Emerging Level Dispositions Performance
90% of certification candidates in EC-6 or 4-8 programs will attain ratings of "8" on T20 assessment "TEACHER DISPOSITION EMERGING LEVEL" in Content Methods prior to entry to Student Teaching.

Finding
Emerging Dispositions Proficiency 2
As assessed at the conclusion of the content methods semester, of the 174 EC-6 or 4-8 candidates who were assessed at this benchmark, 168 were scored at a target level of 8, thus 96.6% demonstrated the target level of proficiency prior to student teaching.

Action
Tracking And Communicating Benchmark Performance
Improving communication with candidates and faculty regarding individual performance on these benchmark assessments is needed. The benchmark scores serve two purposes. The first is to gauge preparedness of the candidate group by comparing targets to actual performance. Candidate performance exceeded targets at each benchmark, so examination of the individual measures may be needed. Review of the dispositions assessments by the Dispositions Committee and the Assessment Committee will be scheduled for 2010-2011.
The second purpose for benchmark assessments is to provide feedback to candidates regarding individual performance as it relates to timely completion of the program. Providing each candidate with an eligibility report that displays individual performance at benchmark points in the program is a goal for the coming year.

Goal
Operational Excellence
Operational excellence is examined by determining the extent to which operations, programs and services within the college are managed in ways that meet candidate needs. In addition, candidates are quesioned about their perceptions of the efficacy and importance of their learning experiences as related to key elements of the Conceptual Framework-i.e. the extent to which  1)Techonology, 2) Assessment, 3) Communication,4) Knowledge, and 5) Experiences with Diverse Populations were a part of their learning. Annual operations surveys are administered to all graduates in the last class in the program.

Objective
Productivity Of The College
Increase semester credit hour production in undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs.

Indicator
SCH Production
Semester Credit Hour production for undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs provide a measure for tracking growth in the various departments at each level in the College of Education. This is a critical measure that provides information to our analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. For example, some master's level programs have experienced a drop in enrollment over the past two years attributed to online programs offered by another University at reduced cost. Strategic planning to address this threat is informed by this data set.

Criterion
Undergraduate SCH Production
Growth in Undergraduate SCH Production should meet or exceed 2%

Finding
UG Semester Credit Hour Production
In 2009-2010, for the fall and spring terms, semester credit hours offered by COE totaled 42,186. In 2008-2009, the comparable total was 41,694. This reflects an increase of 1.2%

Criterion
Master's Level SCH Production
Master's level growth in SCH production should meet or exceed 20%

Finding
Semester Credit Hour Production-Masters
In 2009-2010, for the fall and spring terms, semester credit hours offered by the college at the master's degree level totaled 11, 639. In 2008-2009 the total was 12, 705. Thus the percent of change was -8.4%.

Criterion
Doctoral SCH Production
Growth in Doctoral level SCH Production should meet or exceed 2%

Finding
SCH Production Doctoral
For 2009-2010, COE semester credit hour production for doctoral programs totaled 1610. For the comparable period, both long semesters in 2008-2009, the total SCH production for doctoral programs was 1546. Thus the percentage of change was 4.1%.

Action
Addressing Declining SCH Production
Semester credit hour production continued to decline in the masters program and did not meet target levels at the undergraduate or doctoral levels.
Given the state budget shortfall and prospective budget cuts within the University, communication with faculty members regarding the drop in unit production and the prospect of reduced resources must be a priority. Strategic planning processes for the coming year must address recruiting challenges, thus detailed enrollment information by program should be provided by the Office of Accreditation and Assessment to each department. In addition, seeking added funds for graduate and undergraduate scholarships must be planned and executed in the coming year.

Objective
Candidate Satisfaction With College Operations, Services And Learning Experiences
Candidate ratings of the quality of services and experiences offered by the College of Education provide several measures of efficiency and effectiveness. The Conceptual Framework of the unit is the organizing framework for programs, services, teaching and evaluation. Thus, an important measure of the efficacy of programs is evaluation of the extent to which learning experiences of candidates were connected to key elements of the Conceptual Framework. In addition, candidates rate the assessment practices within the programs, the quality of interactions that they experience with diverse peers, faculty and P-12 students. They also rate the quality of management and organization of their learning experiences. A survey to assess the quality of operations, services and programs is disseminated to all graduates during the final class in their program and data is collected, analyzed and reviewed in order to promote improved efficiency and effectiveness of operations and services in the college.

Indicator
Quality Of Learning Experiences Related To The Conceptual Framework
Candidates are surveyed upon completion of their program as to the quality of learning experiences connected to the conceptual framework. Questions in this section relate to creating authentic technological environments, communicating effectively, use of assessment and feedback to improve P-12 learning, use of learner profiles for improving instruction, all key elements of the unit's Conceptual Framework.

Criterion
Quality Of Learning Experiences Related To The Conceptual Framework
This is the first year of surveying advanced candidates regarding their perception of the quality of learning experiences related to the Conceptual Framework. Percentage of candidates indicating high quality or very high quality should exceed 70%.

Finding
Quality Of Learning Experiences Connected To The Conceptual Framework
Of the responses, 80% indicate that learning experiences connected to the Conceptual Framework were of high or very high quality.

Indicator
Candidate Rating Of Quality Of Assessment Of Performance
Candidates rating of the quality of assessment by professors and supervisors within the unit. Questions in this section related to accuracy and fairness of assessments, how assessment practices were modeled and used, and assessment of field experiences.

Criterion
Candidates' Rating Of Quality Of Assessment Of Their Performance
This is the first year of surveying advanced candidates related to their perception of assessment by their professors and supervisors within their program. Percentage of candidates reporting high or very high quality should exceed 70%.

Finding
Candidate Rating Of Assessment Of Performance
With reference to candidates' rating of assessment by their professors and supervisors within the program, 85% indicated high or very high quality.

Indicator
Candidate Rating Of Quality Of Interactions With Diverse Peers, Faculty And P-12 Students
Candidates report their perception as to the quality of their interactions with faculty, peers, and P-12 students of other races, languages and ethnic traditions. Questions in this section relate to interactions with diverse faculty, peers, school based faculty and P-12 students.

Criterion
Candidate Rating Of Quality Of Interactions With Diverse Faculty, Peers And P-12 Students
This is the first year of surveying advanced candidates regarding their perception of the quality of interactions with faculty, peers and P-12 students of other races, languages and ethnic traditions.  Percentage of candidates indicating high quality or very high quality should exceed 70%.

Finding
Candidate Rating Of Quality Of Interactions With Diverse Faculty, Peers And P-12 Students
With reference to the quality of candidate interactions with faculty, school-based faculty, peers and P-12 students of other races, languages and ethnic traditions, 85% rated those interactions of high or very high quality.

Indicator
Candidate Rating Of Management And Organization Of Learning Experiences
Candidates report their perception as to the management and organization of learning experiences. Questions in this section relate to types of field experiences, access to needed courses, access to library materials, quality of department holdings, access to technology, and overall quality of field experiences.

Criterion
Candidate Rating Of Management And Organization Of Learning Experiences
This is the first year of surveying advanced candidates regarding their perception of the quality of the management and organization of their learning experiences within the program. Percentage of candidates indicating high quality or very high quality should exceed 70%.

Finding
Candidate Rating Of Management And Organization Of Learning Experiences
86% of respondents reported high or very high quality management and organization of learning experiences in their program

Action
Addressing Operations And Services Results
Assessment of candidate ratings of both importance and quality of services offered within the unit was expanded this year to include new indicators. These additions address graduates' satisfaction with the match between the conceptual framework and actual program outcomes; assessment of their performance by professors and supervisors; experiences and interactions with diverse faculty, school-based faculty, peers and P-12 students; and, the organization and management of learning experiences within programs. Including these unit-level data in the annual report to faculty, and sharing program-level data with faculty groups will occur in August. The unit will continue to collect these data each semester in 2010-2011, so that comparison among cohorts will inform program planning and practices within the college.


Update to previous cycle's plan for continuous improvement

Plan for continuous improvement Expanding capacity within the college for improved reporting and better communications to candidates and faculty are indicated as a priority. This would include enhanced enrollment reporting for the college as a whole and for the various program levels; dissemination of operations and services survey data to personnel across the programs; and improved reporting and feedback to candidates regarding individual benchmark performance. This priority should be considered in strategic planning and budgeting for added personnel and material resources. Alternatively, should additional resources be unavailable, examination of current work assignments of staff may be needed. Continued collaboration with the data management system vendor will be required to produce eligibility reports that add value for candidates.
It is also important to systematically examine individual benchmark assessments for validity and reliability. This work will be accomplished by college faculty committees which may require additional training or guidance in the process. A schedule for assessment review has already been developed. Identifying processes for calibration and study of these assessments will be addressed by the college leadership team.