Transcript Task Force on Program Standards

The Next Generation of NCATE
Program Standards
Emerson Elliott Rachelle Bruno
[email protected]
[email protected]
AACTE
February 7, 2009
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Agenda
 Task Force Charge
 Task Force Activities
 Challenges and Task Force Response
 Knowledge Base
 Principles
 Structure and Formatting
 Evidence
 Discussion
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Task Force on Program Standards
 Rachelle Bruno, Chair, Northern Kentucky University
 Gene Martin, former Chair of SASB, Texas State University-San
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Marcos
Joe Prus, Executive Board, Winthrop University
Gail Dickinson, Chair of SASB P&E Committee, Old Dominion
University
John Johnston, SASB, University of Memphis
Charles Duke, Chair of SASB, Appalachian State University
Ron Colbert, SASB, Fitchburg State University
NCATE Staff
 Emerson Elliott
 Margie Crutchfield
 Boyce Williams
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Our Charge
The existing SASB guidelines for SPA standards need to
be rethought in light of current research, national
experience, and constructive feedback. As a result the
SASB chair will appoint an inclusive task force to create
a conceptual framework with comprehensive guidelines
for the development of SPA program standards.
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Activities
 Reviewed current research
 Reviewed existing NCATE reports and reports from others, interviewed
representatives from INTASC and NBPTS
 Requested input from SPA’s, universities and states
 December email (SPA’s and universities)
 May Clinic (SPA’s and states)
 August email (SPA’s, states and universities)
 Web-based forum (SPA’s)
 Held four meetings (January, April, May and October)
 Joint UAB-SASB meeting (October)
 Reviewed McKinley findings, Executive Board request for
“transformation and redesign of the NCATE [unit] accreditation and
program review process,” and updated context
 Held two conference calls (November, January)
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Summary
THE CHALLENGE
STANDARDS
Require “too much”
Are too different from SPA to SPA
Are not congruent / Unit Standard 1
Some are not aligned with the 2004 program
review report
RESEARCH
Research is not consistently incorporated into
standards
Field and clinical experiences are not
emphasized enough
EVIDENCE
Data requirements are perceived as too
prescriptive
Institutions still have difficulty creating
assessments that provide valid evidence of
standards
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THE TASK FORCE RESPONSE
Principles for more common approach,
parallel to Standard 1
Formatting guides to keep standards
focused, restrict # of standards, and limit sub
categories
 Ground recommendations in research and
state trends
SPAs can propose a field and clinical
standard to SASB; NCATE is considering
additional options
Guidelines on evidence (e.g., limit # of SPA
required assessments; standards must be assessable)
Principles for assessments (e.g., assessments are
“aligned” with standards; assessments “sample” standards)
The knowledge base
On learning
• Preconceptions must be engaged
• Competence requires deep factual knowledge and a strong conceptual
framework
• Students need metacognitive strategies to monitor their understanding and
progress in their own learning
On assessment for learning
• Formative assessment makes students’ thinking visible to themselves as well
as teachers
• Training on assessment should be linked to actual classroom experience in
assessment
• Descriptive feedback to students makes their learning more effective and
efficient
On student development
• Teachers need to know child and adolescent development as it influences
learning at different levels
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More on the knowledge base
 “Knowing” content means factual information and routine procedures, but also
integration of knowledge, skills, and procedures to interpret and solve
problems in new situations
 Pedagogical content knowledge develops teacher strategies to help students
learn a domain
 Research findings are not just generic, but need adaptation to each specialty
field
 State trends
 Collaboration
 Higher order thinking, problem solving, information and media literacy skills
 Formative assessments
 Cross-disciplinary content
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Principles
Four principles; aligned with NCATE Unit Standard 1
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Unit standard 1: Content knowledge
Principle 1: Content knowledge
Unit standard 1: Pedagogical content
knowledge and skills
Principle 2: Content pedagogy
Principle 3: Learning environments
Unit standard 1: Professional and
pedagogical knowledge and skills
Principle 4: Professional knowledge
and skills
Principles, continued
1. CONTENT KNOWLEDGE—SPA standards address:
Candidates’ knowledge of content they plan to teach or use
as school professionals, and their ability to explain
important principles and concepts delineated in
professional standards.
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Principles, continued
2. CONTENT PEDAGOGY—SPA standards address: Candidates
knowledge of content pedagogy (effective teaching strategies to
impart the specialized knowledge of a subject area) or of a
professional practice (such as planning, instruction, analysis, and
evaluation), including:
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Knowledge of how students develop and learn,
Students’ diversity and differing approaches to learning,
Cultural influences on learning,
Students’ preconceptions that must be engaged for effective learning, and
Familiarity with standards-based instruction, assessment, and learning.
Principles, continued
3. LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS—SPA standards address: Candidates’
ability to apply their knowledge appropriately in their education role
by creating and maintaining safe, supportive, fair, and effective
learning environments for all students—among them linguistically
and culturally diverse students and those with exceptionalities—
including:
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individual and group motivation for a disciplined learning environment
and engagement in learning,
Assessment and analysis of student learning, making appropriate
adjustments in instruction, and monitoring student progress to assure
meaningful learning experiences for all students, and
Use of a variety of instructional strategies, materials, and applications of
technology to encourage students’ development of critical thinking,
problem solving, and performance skills.
Principles, continued
4. PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS—SPA standards
address: Candidates’ knowledge of professional practices in their
field and readiness to develop them, including:
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engagement in professional experiences, and reflection on them, to
enhance their own professional growth;
understanding and ability to demonstrate a commitment to equitable and
ethical treatment of all students and colleagues; knowledge of the
collaborative roles of other school professionals and readiness to work
with colleagues, families, and community agencies; and
ability to identify opportunities for collaborative and leadership roles as
members of teams.
Discussion notes
 Do the principles reflect what is critical to professional
preparation today? What would be the advantage to having
SPA standards organized according to these principles?
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Draft guidelines for structure and
formatting
Writing standards
 The principles serve as an organizer or framework for standards
 Could be exceptions only for school professional specialties that do not
have an instructional component
 “Standards” is the term that describes the primary level and
“elements” is the term for the next level
 No additional layers of terminology (such as “indicators” or “sub-
elements”) below that
 Standards are written so that each concept that is to be an
element appears in the language of the standard
 Standards are based in research findings from consensus
reports, longitudinal data studies, and judgments on what has
been learned from practice
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Structure and formatting, continued
Limits on standards
 The number of standards and elements must be sufficiently
limited that they can be sampled in the program report
assessments (a range for number of standards will be
recommended).
 Standards are limited to SPA-specific topics appropriate for each
principle.
 Standards are limited to what education professionals who are
completing preparation programs must know and be able to do,
related to the principles.
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Discussion notes
 In what way will revisions in structure and formatting of SPA
standards assist universities in preparing program
submissions? Are there other revisions that would be useful?
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Guidelines for Evidence
Assessments should
 Sample critical elements of the knowledge and skills to be acquired by professional
educator candidates that are described in program standards
 Match the substance of the standard with a consistent form or method (e.g.,test,
essay, performance based on observation and judgment, or direct personal
communication)
 Be consistent with the method of inquiry in the discipline
 Include one or more measures that have been created, reviewed, and/or scored by
specialty professionals external to the program (such as field-based master teachers,
clinical teachers, intern supervisors, and/or supervisors/employer of program
candidates/graduates).
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Guidelines for Evidence – assessment
alignment
 Cover the same or consistent content topics as the standards
 Address the range of knowledge and skills that are described in
standards
 Be congruent with the complexity, cognitive demands, and skill
requirements in the standards
 Be consistent with the level of effort required, or difficulty or
degree of challenge in the standards
 Have rubrics to guide decisions about candidate performance that
are consistent with standards.
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Discussion
 In what way will revisions in structure and formatting of SPA
standards assist universities in preparing program
submissions? Are there other revisions that would be useful?
 Do the principles reflect what is critical to professional
preparation today? What would be the advantage to having
SPA standards organized according to these principles?
 Comments regarding evidence??
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