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 2013-2014 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
Students enrolled in COUN 6335 were unable to accomplish the task of completing the SCCOC and develop an action plan by mid-term rather than at the end of the semester. Attempts to carry out this assignment by mid-term did not provide sufficient time for students to complete the SCCOC, develop an action plan and share with administrators in order for changes to be made as outlined in the action plan, thereby, allowing students enough time before the end of the semester to complete the SCCOC a second time to evaluate positive changes in the school environment concerning diversying. Faculty teaching COUN 6335 realized shortly before mid-term that this timeline would not work. Therefore, the assignment was modified to give students the entire semester to complete the SCCOC and development an action plan.
Action
Student Diversity
Based on the findings for this goal, one of the two actions below could be implemented for 2014-2015: 1) Revise this learning experience to be a two part assignment with part one, the initial completion of the SCCOC, development of an action plan based on the results of the SCCOC, and share results with school administrators. Part one would be included in the learning experiences for students enrolled in the COUN 5333, the first school counseling course. Part two, would be to provide assistance for identifying and implementing changes based on the results of the first administration of SCCOC and then before the end of the semester complete the SCCOC a second time to determine if a more positive school climate and environment resulted from implementing the recommended action plan. The second part of the assignment would be completed in the second school counseling course, COUN 6335. 2) Revise the assignment and omit a second administration of the SCCOC.
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 COUN 5333 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 90% Of Teachers At Site School
School Counseling students in COUN 5333 will obtain a 90% 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 5333 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
Students developed a needs assessment based on the grade level for students in the school where they carry out the "in school" assignments for COUN 5333. To complete this assignment, students were to have the needs assessment completed by 90% of the teachers in the building. While the completion rate varied amoung COUN 5333 students who had the needs assessment completed by teachers, the completion rate was 80% for the entire class of students enriolled in COUN 5333. In addition, students enrolled in COUN 5333 were assigned to schedule a meeting with the building administrator to discuss the needs assessment and request his or her support by having 100% of the teachers complete the assessment. This criteria was not accomplished by all of the students enrolled in COUN 5333..
Action
Planning And Implementing The Developmental Guidance And Counseling Program
The findings for the goal for the past two years supports a modification of the expected number of teachers completing the needs assessment required to develop and implement a developmental guidance and counseling program consistent with the needs of students attending a particular campus. Therefore, the action planned for 2014-2015 for this assignment is to modify the number of teachers completing the needs assessment to 85%.
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 enrolled in COUN 6335, Leadership, Advocacy, and Accountability will demonstrate competencies as professional reviewers of school counseling outcome research.
Indicator
Research Project Grading Rubric
MEd school counseling students enrolled in COUN 6335 will develop and present a scholarly presentation based on their review of outcome research addressing an identified counseling concern for the student population they plan to service. MEd students will critically evaluate research relevant to their respective areas of concern (i.e., social skills, respect for diversity, anger management, divorced families, self-esteem)and understand best practices and outcome research to apply findings to practice resulting in research driven and supported counseling.
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 including building administrators and all of the teachers.
Finding
Research Competence
Students enrolled in COUN 6335 did not meet the criteria of scoring 90% out of 100 points on the Reserach Project Grading Rubric. Students completed a talking points paper and presented copies of the paper to all students enrolled in COUN 6335. However, students did not provide the talking paper to the teachers, administrators, and other personnel at the school where they are completing the "in school" course objectives.
Action
Research Competence
Based on the findings for this goal, the criteria was only partially met. Therefore, the action plan will be modified for 2014-2015 and will include as part of the assignment a presentatin of the "Talking Points" paper to at least two grade level team meetings. The action plan for next year will continue to include a presentation of "Talking Points" to peer students enrolled in COUN 6335.