Understand human diversity and apply this knowledge to ensure that the developmental guidance and counseling program is responsive to all students.
Objective
Graduates Will Demonstrate An Understanding Of Ways To Create A Positive School Environment In Which Diversity Is Respected.
Graduates of the MEd in School Counseling will demonstrate an understanding of ways to evaluate, create, and maintain a positive school environment in which diversity is acknowledged and respected.
Indicator
School-wide Cultural Competency Observation Checklist (SCCOC)
MEd school counseling students enrolled in COUN 6335 will have developed skills and knowledge required to evaluate the school environment concerning diversity utilizing the SCCOC.
Criterion
Successfully Complete The SCCOC
Competence as a school counselor includes the ability to successfully complete the SCCOC and do the following: 1. respond to all items on the SCCOC 2. interpret the results of the SCCOC 3. report the results of the SCCOC to the school administrators and staff 4. make recommendations to improve the school environment in which diversity is acknowledged and respected.
For 2011-2012 school year, the plan is to have COUN 6335 students complete the SCCOC and develop an Action Plan at mid-term rather than at the end of the course. School administrators and staff will be encouraged to implement Action Plan immediately. If we are able to accomplish this task, COUN 6335, students will re-evaluate the school environment looking for improvements to the three challenges based on the results of the SCCOC. In previous years, students were unable to complete the fourth step within the semester timeline.
Finding
Results Of SCCOC And Action Plan
We offered two sections of COUN 6335 in 2011-2012 with a total of 30 students enrolled. All 30 students completed the SCCOC instrument to evaluate the school environment on areas of knowledge and respect of diversity. Based on the results of the SCCOC all students developed an action plan and presented to the campus administrator. Students met with the campus administator after reporting results of the SCCOC to determine steps taken to improve, modify, and/or maintain a respectful school environment concerning issues of diversity among students, teacher, staff, and other school personnel.The weakest area for students in completing the SCCOC is that they do not include sufficient documentation as evidence to support the ratings they assigned to the items on the SCCOC.
Action
Documentation Of Evidence On The SCCOC
Faculty who teach COUN 6335 and require students to complete the SCCOC will provide more directions on expectations for the inclusion of objective data supporting the ratings they assigned to each of the items on the SCCOC. Students will be required to include who they interviewed and reports and records they reviewed as evidence of the rating assigned to reflect the cultural sensitivity of the school environment.
Goal
Planning And Implementing The Developmental Guidance And Counseling Program
Students in the MEd school counseling program understand how to plan, implement, and evaluate a developmental guidance program, including counseling services, that promotes all students' success.
Objective
Closing The Gap Plan
Students in the school counseling program will develop a needs assessment and use to assess the needs of students in a school and based on the results of the needs assessment will develop a Closing the Gap Plan that is proactive and preventative in design.
Indicator
Implement Counseling And Guidance Activities To Close The Gap
MEd school counseling students enrolled in CNE 635 will develop and carry out a school-wide needs assessment to determine activities and learning experiences needed as part of a proactive counseling and guidance program designed to support closing the gap for students in areas of learning, social and emotional needs.
Criterion
Needs Assessment Completed By 100%
School Counseling students in COUN 6335 will obtain a 100% response rate of teachers in the school completing the needs assessment designed to develop guidance and counseling activities/experiences designed to close the gap.
In an effort to improve the response rate over last year’s results, COUN 6335 students will be required to schedule an appointment with campus administrators prior to requesting teachers complete the student needs assessments and seek permission to administer the needs assessment at a faculty meeting rather than individually.
Finding
Needs Assessment Results
While the response rate of teachers completing the student needs assessment improved over last year (of 65% to 85%) the range (75% to 90%) students continue to be unsuccessful in obtaining 100% response rate. All 30 students enrolled in COUN 6335 met with a building administrator as required.
Action
Needs Assessment Action Plan
Students enrolled in COUN 6335 during 2012-2013 will meet with a campus administrator and request to administer the student needs assessment at a campus wide faculty meeting. The plan is that teachers will complete the assessment during the meeting which will increase the possibility of obtaining 100% response rate with feedback from teachers to assist in planning and implementing a meaningful developmental guidance and counseling program.
Goal
Research Competence
To develop graduate research compentencies that result in action research projects designed to address a current need in a school.
Objective
Graduate Students Will Demonstrate Competency In Research
School Counseling MEd students will demonstrate competency in research; including design, methods, procedures, and evaluation of research in course COUN 5379, Research Methods.
Indicator
Research Project Grading Rubric
MEd school counseling students enrolled in COUN 5379, Research Methods will present a scholarly prepared and conducted action research project demonstrating graduate level research skills. Students will present the results of their action research project to school personnel.
Criterion
At Least 80 Points
Students must score 80 out of 100 points on the Research Project Grading Rubric. Last year, we decided that Counseling MEd students would be encouraged to take the results of their research projects one step further and use the results to identify a weakness or strength of the population surveyed and share the results of their study school personnel includng building administrators and all of the teachers.
Finding
Research Competence
All of the school counseling track students enrolled in COUN 5379 demonstrated sufficient research skills and understanding of research by earning a minimum score of 80 out of 100 total possible points for the action research paper/project they completed for the course. However, some of the students reported results of their research project to the buidling administrator and did not report to the faculty the results of research project, specifically identifying a strength and weakness of the population surveyed.
Action
Research Competence
All students in the school counseling track will be required to report the results of their research project to all of the teachers as well as administrators. Specifically, students will share at least one strength and one weakness identified by their action research project. Points for this requirement will be clearly identified in the action research scoring criteria.