NCATE Vocabulary• Candidates--university/college students

• Students--the children in P-12 classrooms

• Unit--body with the responsibility for managing or coordinating all programs offered for the initial (1st license) and continuing preparation (after 1st license) of teachers and other school personnel

NCATE Vocabulary• Faculty--full and part-time university faculty• School Faculty--teachers in P-12 classrooms• Clinical Faculty--those supervising candidates in

P-12 classrooms• Dispositions--professional behaviors

demonstrated as educators interact with others in support of student learning and development.

• SPAs--Specialized Professional Associations--those organizations responsible for standards for students and for teachers. Key to the external review of programs.

NCATE Unit Standards

• Standard 1: Candidate Knowledge, Skills, and Professional Dispositions

• Standard 2: Assessment System and Unit Evaluation • Standard 3: Field Experiences and Clinical Practice • Standard 4: Diversity • Standard 5: Faculty Qualifications, Performance, and

Development • Standard 6: Unit Governance and Resources

NCATE Unit Standards

• Standard 1: Candidate Knowledge, Skills, and Professional Dispositions

• Standard 2: Assessment System and Unit Evaluation • Standard 3: Field Experiences and Clinical Practice • Standard 4: Diversity • Standard 5: Faculty Qualifications, Performance, and

Development • Standard 6: Unit Governance and Resources

Standard 1: Content Knowledge for Teacher

Candidates

• Candidates preparing to work in schools as teachers or other professional school personnel know and demonstrate the content, pedagogical content knowledge, pedagogical, and professional knowledge and skills, and professional dispositions necessary to help all students learn. Assessments indicate that candidates meet professional, state, and institutional standards.

Standard 1 Candidate Knowledge, Skills, and Dispositions

• Element 1a. Content knowledge for teacher candidates– know the content that they plan to teach – can explain important principles and concepts

delineated in professional, state, and institutional standards.

– 80% or more of the unit’s program completers pass the content examinations in states that require examinations for licensure.

NCATE Standard 1: Element 1aContent Knowledge for Teacher Candidates

UnacceptableAcceptableTarget

Teacher candidates have Teacher candidates have inadequate knowledge of inadequate knowledge of subject matter that they subject matter that they plan to teach as shown by plan to teach as shown by their inability to give their inability to give examples of important examples of important principles or concepts principles or concepts delineated in professional, delineated in professional, state, and institutional state, and institutional standards. standards. Fewer than 80 Fewer than 80 percent of the unit’s percent of the unit’s program completers pass program completers pass the academic content the academic content examinations in states that examinations in states that require such examinations require such examinations forfor licensure.licensure.

Teacher candidates know Teacher candidates know the subject matter that the subject matter that they plan to teach as they plan to teach as shown by their ability to shown by their ability to explain important explain important principles and concepts principles and concepts delineated in professional, delineated in professional, state, and institutional state, and institutional standards.standards. Eighty percent Eighty percent or more of the unit’s or more of the unit’s program completers pass program completers pass the academic content the academic content examinations in states that examinations in states that require such examinations require such examinations for licensure. for licensure.

Teacher candidates have Teacher candidates have in-depth knowledge of the in-depth knowledge of the subject matter that they subject matter that they plan to teach as described plan to teach as described in professional, state, and in professional, state, and institutional standards. institutional standards. They demonstrate their They demonstrate their knowledge through knowledge through inquiry, critical analysis, inquiry, critical analysis, and synthesis of the and synthesis of the subject. subject. All program All program completers pass the completers pass the academic content area academic content area examinations in states that examinations in states that require such examinations require such examinations for licensure. for licensure.

How do we know candidates know and How do we know candidates know and

understand the contentunderstand the content?

• Assess the content– State Licensure Test (PRAXIS II Content

not PRAXIS II Principles of Learning and Teaching [PLT])

– Grades– Traditional tests (t/f, multiple choice, short

answer, essay, annotated timelines)– Comprehensive Exams– Performance Assessment

Performance Assessment• Performance Assessment Performance Assessment

– measure of assessment based on authentic tasks such as measure of assessment based on authentic tasks such as activities, activities, exercises, or problems that require students to show what exercises, or problems that require students to show what they can do.they can do.

• Tasks Tasks – designed to have students demonstrate their understanding by applying their designed to have students demonstrate their understanding by applying their

knowledge to a particular situation.knowledge to a particular situation. • SampleSample

– Given a current political map of Africa showing the names and Given a current political map of Africa showing the names and locations of countries and a similar map from 1945--locations of countries and a similar map from 1945--• Traditional assessment: Identify and explain differences and Traditional assessment: Identify and explain differences and

similarities. similarities. • Performance assessment: Prepare a newspaper article Performance assessment: Prepare a newspaper article

explaining the changes.explaining the changes.

The Definition of Performance AssessmentThe Definition of Performance Assessment

http://www.ascd.org/portal/site/ascd/menuitem.4427471c9d076deddeb3ffdb62108a0c/

Examples of Assessment: University of Examples of Assessment: University of Kansas Medical SchoolKansas Medical School

• LectureLecture• DigitalDigital

– Lecture PodcastsLecture Podcasts– Medical Books Medical Books – JournalsJournals

• Computerized module testsComputerized module tests• Standardized TestsStandardized Tests• Problem-based Learning Problem-based Learning • Case-based DiagnosisCase-based Diagnosis• Clinical Skills LabsClinical Skills Labs

– Learn ProceduresLearn Procedures– Standardized PatientStandardized Patient

• ““Actors” tell symptoms, gather history, honing physical exam Actors” tell symptoms, gather history, honing physical exam skillsskills

• PreceptorPreceptor

SampleSample Assessments by Transition Assessments by Transition PointPoint

• Admission to the Program• Admission to Student Teaching• Exit from Student Teaching• Exit from the Program

• Recommendation for Licensure• Follow-up Surveys of Candidates and

Employers

Program Assessments

• The assessment is given to ALL given to ALL candidates in the programcandidates in the program– When given a choice of 2-3 course When given a choice of 2-3 course

sections, will all candidates take the sections, will all candidates take the same assessment? same assessment?

– When different instructors teach the When different instructors teach the course, will all candidates take the same course, will all candidates take the same assessmentassessment?

Content Assessment: The Program Template, Section II

Content Assessment

Assessing Content: PRAXIS II Content Test

Assessing Content: Grades

• Align the standards to the courses.

• Describe the courses for which the grades will be collected (catalog description)

• Describe what grades mean (catalog description)

• Set a proficiency rate.

• Tell what happens when a candidate doesn’t meet proficiency.

Content Grades: Description and Proficiency (example)

Assessing Content: Grades

Assessing Content: GradesElementary Education

Assessing Content: Other Options

• Comprehensive Assessment– Description (Collaboratively Developed, Given in

Methods Coursework)*– Rubric/Scoring Guide (Sample Questions and

Answers per Standard)*– Data Table by Standard

• Final Exams from Targeted Courses– Descriptions (Cumulative Exams)* *– Rubric/Scoring Guide (Sample Questions and

Answers per Exam--Matched to Standard)– Data Tables (Teacher Education Candidates Only)

Written Comprehensive Essay ExamsWritten Comprehensive Essay Exams

Content: Comprehensive Exam

Comprehensive Exams: Data Table

Standard 1: Content Knowledge

• Element 1c. Pedagogical content knowledge for teachers.

• Element 1d. Professional and pedagogical knowledge and skills for teachers.

• Element 1f. Professional dispositions.

• Element 1g. Student learning for teacher candidates.

Pedagogical Content KnowledgePedagogical Content KnowledgeLessonLesson Plans Plans

Step 1. Identify the content Step 1. Identify the content standard to be addressed. standard to be addressed.

Step 2. Identify the Step 2. Identify the Assessment (Lesson Plans)Assessment (Lesson Plans)

Step 3. Remove “absolutes” Step 3. Remove “absolutes” from the rubric.from the rubric.

Pedagogical Content KnowledgePedagogical Content KnowledgeLesson PlansLesson Plans

Step 4. Create the criteria for developing, meets, and exceeds the standard Step 4. Create the criteria for developing, meets, and exceeds the standard For each part of the standard.For each part of the standard.

Pedagogical Content KnowledgeLesson Plans--Data Table

Professional and Pedagogical Knowledge and Professional and Pedagogical Knowledge and Skills: ObservationSkills: Observation

Professional and Pedagogical Knowledge and Professional and Pedagogical Knowledge and Skills: Observation AddendumSkills: Observation Addendum

Professional and Pedagogical Professional and Pedagogical Knowledge and Skills: PortfoliosKnowledge and Skills: Portfolios

Artifacts• Resume

• Philosophy of education

• Plan of study

• Documentation of meeting standards, 2-3 artifacts per standard

Questions:• Consistent across all candidates?

• Reflective of content standards?

• Reflective of INTASC Principles?

• Reflective of NBPTS Standards?

• How are data reported?

– By artifact?– By portfolio?

Professional and Pedagogical Knowledge and Skills: Portfolio Tips

• Consistent across candidates

• Artifacts not graded a second time

– Use the original grade

– Grade the reflection

• Connect each entry to unit’s conceptual framework

• Connect each entry to elements of Standard 1 & 4 of NCATE

• Construct a section on content with required items

– Content-specific rubric

Professional Dispositions

• The behaviors demonstrated as educators interact with students, families, colleagues and communities, which are expected of professionals and support student learning and development. NCATE expects candidates to demonstrate classroom behaviors that are consistent with the ideas of fairness and the belief that all students can learn. Based on their mission, professional education units may determine additional professional dispositions they want candidates to develop. NCATE expects institutions to assess professional dispositions based on observable behavior in educational settings.

Professional Dispositions

Student Learning: Initial Candidates

• Assess and analyze student learning,

• Make appropriate adjustments to instruction, and

• Monitor student progress.

• Develop and implement meaningful learning experiences – developmental levels – prior experience.

Student Learning: Analysis of Student Work

Student Learning: Analysis of Student Work

Student Learning: Teacher Work Sample

• Provides seven performance areas that if improved will significantly increase the ability of teacher candidates and school practitioners to facilitate learning of all P-12 students.– Contextual Factors– Learning Goals– Assessment– Design for Instruction– Instructional Decision Making– Analysis of Student Learning

–Self-Evaluation and Reflection

Student Learning: Teacher Work Sample

• Caution: The TWS is generic (based in INTASC Principles) in nature, not content specific.

• Solutions– Add a section VIII that outlines how content might be

used.– Make the TWS content specific; intertwine the

language of the content standards throughout.– Integrated unit could be the key for elementary, social

studies, general science licenses

Recap•Accountable to many masters

–Professorial expertise

–Institutional standards

–Unit conceptual framework

–Professional program standards

–College or unit accreditation processes

Recap•Align assessments to program standards,

unit conceptual framework, NCATE elements of Standard 1 and the first

element of Standard 4.

Start with the Standard Start with the Assessment

Recap•Report data for program reports by

program standards. Also report it by candidate proficiency (from the conceptual

framework) and the appropriate NCATE standards/elements.

Start with the Standard Start with the Assessment

Standard 2 Assessment System and Unit Evaluation

• Element 2a– Process to ensure that information is routinely collected on candidate

proficiencies (and unit operations)– Key Assessments– Transition Points (4)

• Element 2b. Data Collection, Analysis, and Evaluation – Provides information on candidate qualifications, proficiencies and

competence– Internal and external evaluations--collected, compiled, aggregated,

summarized, and analyzed – Used to focus on candidate performance, program quality, and unit

operations.• Element 2c. Use of Data for Program Improvement

2a. Assessment System

2a. Assessment System

2b. Data Collection, Analysis, and Evaluation

• Timeline for collecting data on – candidate performance– unit operation

• Process and timeline to collect, summarize, and analyze data? – How?– Who? – What format are the data summarized and analyzed? – When and how often?– What technologies are used?

• How does the unit maintain records of formal candidate complaints and their resolutions?

2c. Use of Data for Program Improvement

• What do the data indicate?• How are data used by candidates and faculty to

improve performance?• How are data used to discuss or initiate program or

unit changes on a regular basis? • What data-driven changes have occurred over the

past three years?• How are assessment data shared with candidates,

faculty, and other stakeholders?

Collection and Analysis of the Data

• Consider the research process– Statement of the problem

• Does our program adequately prepare candidates to be successful in their given field?

– Literature Review– Methodology– Analysis of the Data– Conclusions

Fairness in Assessments• The assurance that candidates have been

exposed to the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that are being evaluated in key assessments and understand what is expected of them to complete the assessments.

• Instruction and timing of the assessments should be clearly stated and shared with candidates.

• Candidates should be given information on how the assessments are scored and how they count toward completion of programs.