OATdb Archive

2011 - 2012

Language, Literacy And Special Populations, Department Of

Goal
Faculty Excellence
The Department of Language, Literacy & Special Populations will create an environment conducive to research and writing, collaborative teaching, professional growth, and faculty community.

Objective
Research And Writing
Faculty will engage in collaborative research and writing.

KPI
Research And Writing Groups
Faculty groups for research collaboration and research and writing accountability will be established within the department. Our goal is to have at least four articles submitted for publication.

Result
Research And Writing Group
Faculty in the research and writing groups submitted 7 articles for publication.  We have noticed inconsistent attendance at group meetings.

Action
Research And Writing Groups
LLSP will hold weekly meetings of the Research and Writing Groups. To encourage attendance, we will send e-vites twice a month for which group members will have to RSVP regarding their attendance.

Objective
Scholarly Productivity
Faculty will engage in collaborative research and writing

KPI
Manuscript Submissions
Faculty will submit 2+ manuscripts for peer review and publication.

Result
Manuscript Submissions
92% of faculty submitted at least 2 manuscripts for publication. The other 8% of faculty submitted one manuscript for publication.

Action
Manuscript Submissions
Through research symposia and research and writing groups, faculty will  be encouraged to submit manuscripts for publication.  Additionally, we will encourage collaboration between mentors and individual faculty regarding research and writing as well as encouraging faculty to join the specific support groups ("research collaboration" and "research and writing accountability."

Objective
Collaboration In Teaching
Faculty will engage in collaborative teaching

KPI
Co-Teaching
Faculty members will share expertise across classes of colleagues, which will be documented on the Chair's Evaluation of Teaching. Last year 48% of faculty shared expertise.  Our goal this year is 55%.

Result
Co-Teaching
60 % of Faculty members shared expertise across classes of colleagues, as documented on the Chair's Evaluation of Teaching. We were delighted with such a high percentage and think we may can do even better.

Action
Co-Teaching
Faculty members will share expertise across classes of colleagues, which will be documented on the Chair's Evaluation of Teaching. Last year 60% of faculty shared expertise. Our goal for 2012-2013 will be raised from 55% to 60%.

Objective
Professional Development
The Department of Language, Literacy & Special Populations will provide opportunities for professional development in areas of interest and need.

KPI
Faculty Concerns Committee
The Faculty Concerns Committee will survey faculty regarding areas of interest and need, and subsequently schedule faculty workshops. We hope to offer at least two faculty workshops recommended by the committee.

Result
Professional Development
The Faculty Concerns committee did not survey the faculty regarding areas of interest and need for professional development. We did, however, hold three research symposia in the department in order for faculty members to present their research and receive feedback. In addition, many of our faculty members took part in the College of Education Professional Development series.

Action
Professional Development
The Faculty Concerns Committee will survey faculty regarding areas of interest and need, and subsequently schedule faculty workshops. We hope to offer at least two faculty workshops recommended by the committee.

Objective
Faculty Community
The Department of Language, Literacy & Special Populations will provide opportunities for faculty to build professional collegiality and community.

KPI
Departmental Days
Fridays will be designated as Departmental Days, with the expectation of faculty being present and visible on those days in order to build professional community. All departmental faculty meetings will be scheduled on Fridays. Our goal is to have 90% of faculty present at each meeting.

Result
Departmental Days
Fridays were designated as Departmental Days, and a large percentage of faculty were present and visible on those days. All departmental faculty meetings were scheduled on Fridays, and 90% of faculty were present at each meeting, as documented on minutes from the meetings.

Action
Departmental Days
Fridays will be designated as Departmental Days, with the expectation of faculty being present and visible on those days in order to build professional community. All departmental faculty meetings will be scheduled on Fridays. Our goal is to have 92% of faculty present at each meeting.

Goal
Institutional Effectiveness
The Department of Language, Literacy & Special Populations will develop programs to meet student needs.

Objective
Program Options
The Department of Language, Literacy & Special Populations will provide instruction using a variety of formats: face-to-face, online, and hybrid.

KPI
Course Formats
More courses will be offered using an online or hybrid format. Last year we had six courses go online which was an increase over the previous year.  We will keep our criterion at six courses again this year.

Result
Course Formats
This year, we had seven new courses go online, and we offered additional sections of existing online courses as well.

Action
Course Formats
More courses will be offered using an online or hybrid format. This year we had seven courses go online which was an increase over the previous year. We will keep our criterion at seven courses again for 2012-2013. In addition, we are planning to offer Reading Doctoral Courses online.

Goal
Program Quality And Effectiveness
The Department of Language, Literacy & Special Populations will improve graduate and undergraduate course offerings.

Objective
Collaboration With Curriculum & Instruction For EC-6 Program
The faculty of Language, Literacy & Special Populations and Curriculum & Instruction will discuss programmatic issues related to the joint EC-6 Program and 4-8 Programs.

KPI
Elementary Education Advisory Committee
The Department of Language, Literacy & Special Populations and Curriculum and Instruction will meet to discuss issues related to the EC-6 Program via the Elementary Education Advisory Committee. Our goal is that for each problem issue, at least one appropriate solution will be identified.

Result
Elementary Education Advisory Committee
The Department of Language, Literacy & Special Populations and Curriculum and Instruction did not meet to discuss issues related to the EC-6 Program via the Elementary Education Advisory Committee.

Action
Elementary Education Advisory Committee
The Department of Language, Literacy & Special Populations and Department of Curriculum and Instruction will meet to discuss issues related to the EC-6 Program via the Elementary Education Advisory Committee. Our goal is that for each problem issue, at least one appropriate solution will be identified.

Objective
Doctoral Program In Special Education
The Doctoral Program in Special Education will be approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

KPI
Program Approval
The Doctoral Program in Special Education will be submitted to and approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

Result
Program Approval
The Doctoral Program in Special Education was not approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

Action
Program Approval
LLSP will not further pursue approval of the Doctoral Program in Special Education at this time, though we are incorporating Special Education Doctoral Courses into other existing doctoral programs in the College of Education.


Update to previous cycle's plan for continuous improvement

Plan for continuous improvement The faculty have reviewed the goals for the department of Language, Literacy and Special Populations. We will continue to promote departmental collaboration through writing groups, departmental days, collaborative research, research symposia, and regular meetings with the faculty in Curriculum and Instruction through the Educational Preparation Leadership Team. We will encourage faculty members who are not publishing an average of 2+ publications per year to find a mentor or join a support research or writing group. We are raising our criterion for the co-teaching from 55% to 60% for 2012-2013. For continued professional development within the department, we will increase offerings based upon faculty needs. Faculty will need increased support in developing new programs such as the new doctoral courses in Special Education and online instruction, including online doctoral courses. We will seek support from the Distance Education and Learning Technologies for Academics (DELTA) Center for assistance in developing online and hybrid instruction.