University of Nebraska Kearney

Teacher Education Assessment Report 2006

Submitted Fall, 2006

INTRODUCTION

This assessment report for the fall of 2006 focuses on the overview of the Teacher Education (TE) common core (TE 100, TE 204, & TE 206) in the first section. In the second section, several additional assessments dealing with the subject/field endorsements are analyzed. These five endorsement areas in Teacher Education are the following: Elementary K-6; Early Childhood United (ECU); Mild and Moderate (K-6); Middle Grades; and English as a Second Language (ESL).

METHODOLOGY

The assessment plan for the Teacher Education Department calls for a combination of direct and indirect measures relating to the renewed teacher education program which is nearing full implementation. The assessment plan initially focuses on nine direct measurements which were referred to as "common assessments." These remaining assessments listed below form the structure for assessment in the Teacher Education program.

Table One
Assessments for the Teacher Education Renewed Program 

These direct measurements of assessments utilize a point-scale approach based on a series of rubrics which ensured consistency as instructors either graded or evaluated student work. Of the nine listed above, those in red were used in this report. These six have been chosen because first four have been well established in the core courses. It ought to be noted that the Teaching Dispositions assessment is now debuting for the first time in this annual report, now that its scoring rubric has been stabilized. The remaining two, Case Study of a Classroom and Student Teaching, have produced some data for the 2005-2006 academic year and it was thought that “looking ahead” to the student teaching experience might produce some insight into where the TE program is headed.

The remaining common assessments listed above but not a focus of this report have produced some data which will be included in future annual reports. These common assessments will yield viable data by the end of the 2006-2007 academic year.

The indirect measurements assessment is still an area needing work in these programs. Of particular need is the development of surveys and phone interviews to get additional information from graduated students.

Please note that rubrics for the assessments disclosed in this report can be found in Appendix A. More detailed statistical breakdowns of these assessments by subcategories can be found in Appendix B.

RESULTS

The following tables list four common assessments collected in Levels one, two, and three of the renewed program: the Morally Responsible Teacher; the Five Looks Case Study of Schools; Individual Case Study; and Teaching Dispositions. Note that the results in these tables provide a summary of overall performance on these assessments. The appendices contain the breakdown of the specific criteria for each item. The summary averages are reported in the following tables.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Moral Responsibility

In Table Two, the overall mean scores for Moral Responsibility have generally increased since the spring of 2003. In examining the four criteria that make up this assessment, it appears that TE 100 students are increasingly more adept at identifying the grade level and subject area that he/she expects to teach (criterion #2) and at describing his/her beliefs regarding the purpose of education (criterion #3). Students were also marginally better at declaring his/her philosophy regarding the four moral dimensions of enculturation, access to knowledge, nurturing pedagogy, and stewardship. It might seem that the department is becoming better at imparting the philosophy of the renewed program to our students. Certainly, they are much more aware of the significance of these criteria in helping students to shape their way of viewing education.

Recommendation: As more data is gathered on this assessment at Level II in TE 206 and again during Student Teaching in Level IV in TE 400, it is recommended that a group interview of post-TE 400 students be used to determine the what factors in the program that impacted and helped evolve their statements regarding these criteria.

Five Looks Case Study of Schools

Table Three displays the means achieved by students on their case study of schools. The five looks or visits to five different schools in Central Nebraska are part of the introductory TE 100 course and highlight the themes of democracy (stewardship, access to knowledge, enculturation of youth in a democracy, and nurturing pedagogy), diversity, and technology. Means were consistently ranging from 23.94 to 26.36 on a 30-point scale. The Fall, 2005 and Spring, 2006 show the mean cumulative score of 26.24 and 26.55 respectively. This demonstrates a long term improvement in this TE 100 assessment. Specifically, the two highest

Beginning in the Fall of 2004, the rubric for the Five Looks was revised to make the rubric more explicit. Specifically, belief statements are now viewed in terms of their boldness, completeness, and evidential support. In addition, the candidate is to make specific Action/Application Strategies connections between what was observed in the school visits and his or her own grasp of how these strategies might be applied to the candidate’s own future classroom. This was intended to bridge the aforementioned gap between belief and action statements.

An examination of these criteria shows that TE 100 was particularly strong in the areas of Completeness and Consistency. These two criteria deal with eight easily recognized belief statements and a clear and coherent match between the student’s beliefs about teaching and his/her understanding of observed teaching strategies for his/her future classroom.

Recommendation: The criterion causing the most concern is Support Power. TE 100 students, as might be expected, have difficulty providing evidence to support their belief statements. It is recommended that instructors devote more time to helping students make the connections between their belief statements and the TE 100 content including field visits, readings, and classroom discussion.

Case Study of an Individual

Table Four contains the means for the case studies of individuals which is the major culminating assessment for students completing this TE 204 class, Typical and Atypical Development. The six semesters included in this data demonstrate an overall improvement in the means from the 104.95 (fall, 2003) to 112.47 and 112.77 in the fall of 2005 and spring, 2006 respectively. The rubric for TE 204 (Appendix A) measures the candidate’s mastery of observing and understanding the typical and atypical development of children in the areas of physical, behavioral/emotional, social, linguistic, and cognitive growth. An examination of the sub-categories revealed that TE 204 students scored highest in the areas related to Typical development; whereas, their performances in Atypical areas, particularly behavioral/emotional and emotional, were some of the lowest scores on the assessment.

Recommendation: Generally speaking the Case Study of an Individual is working well as an assessment as evidenced by the overall increase in cumulative scores. It is recommended that more effort be directed toward the atypical aspects of individual development. Perhaps department resources such as videos, new websites, or special presentations for TE students should be utilized to strengthen students’ grasp of atypical development. The TE 204 class is a very intensive course and any additional content within the limited class time would be unwise.

Teaching Dispositions

Table Five presents the results of the essential dispositions that a teacher candidate ought to be demonstrating. These are broken down into three main categories (responsibility, reflection, and collaboration) with specific characteristics scored. Students scored highest in attributes of Responsibility (punctuality, preparedness etc.). Two areas of concern are noted. Under Reflection, “seeking out professional growth experiences” is 2.11 and all sub scores in the area of Collaboration are below three.

Recommendation: More attention should be directed toward developing opportunities for collaboration growth in the TE program. Also, the program ought to consider promoting more professional growth experiences for students. Perhaps TE students should be encouraged to join professional organizations related to their particular areas of interest such as the Student Educators Association of Nebraska (SEAN) or the Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) for students interested in pursuing an English as a Second Language endorsement.

SECTION II: ENDORESEMENT SPECIFIC AREAS

Data for five endorsement areas in the Teacher Education Program is now available. These five areas (Elementary Education K-6, Mild-Moderate K-6, Early Childhood United, Middle Grades, and English as a Second Language) have data in Appendix A related to two assessments: the Case Study of a Classroom and Student Teaching (Lesson/Instructional Planning, Assessment/Evaluation, Lesson Delivery, Classroom Management, and Dispositions). While some of these classes do have limited numbers of students, it was thought that even a cursory review of the data might prove helpful.

Elementary K-6:

An examination of the data from the 2005-2006 academic year (Appendix B) for Elementary K-6 students provides interesting insights. Elementary K-6 students scored very well on the Case Study of a Classroom, particularly in the areas of demonstrating reflection (above 3.7 out of 4) and making meaningful inferences about student learning (above 3.6 out of 4).

In terms of the Student Teaching, this group did very well in lesson planning in the following areas: “seeking out multiple resources for teaching to meet individual needs” (3.52 out of 4) and creating “appropriate developmental objectives to meet the needs of a range of learners” (3.53). The only area of some concern was “considering the students’ cultural backgrounds and interests when planning” (3.17 out of 4).

Instructional delivery was a very competent with most scores from 3.40 and up on the four-point scale. Elementary K-6 student teachers were especially strong in (1) engaging students in meaningful activities, (2) showing energy and enthusiasm for teaching and subject matter, and (3) monitoring student understanding. While still well above 3.24, the lowest scores appeared in (1) making objectives clear to students and (2) using appropriate closure activities. Finally, student dispositions scores were very high across the board in terms of Responsibility, Collaboration, and Reflection, obviously demonstrating a very polished professional demeanor.

Finally, Elementary K-6 student teachers were consistently performing at high levels in terms of classroom management. It is noted that they were especially high in the areas of (1) creating a positive classroom environment with respect and caring (3.66), (2) demonstrating high expectations of students (3.54), and developing good teacher-student relationships (3.50).

Recommendations: Many of the expectations of the student teaching experience are being met, but some areas still need attention. Although this is only one year of data, it appears that student teachers may need more preparation in the areas of (1) working with K-6 students and their families in terms of communication and (2) in understanding students from diverse backgrounds.

Mild-Moderate K-6/Mild-Moderate 7-12:

This report will only examine the twenty students who did student teaching in Mild-Moderate K-6 since the MM 7-12 had too few student teachers this past year.

The Case Study of a classroom was an area of great strength with high scores for (1) documenting & interpreting important characteristics and (2) making meaningful inferences about student learning.

Strongest areas for students in Mild-Moderate K-6 in terms of Lesson Planning & Instructional Planning were the following: (1) unit/lesson plans linked to student learning outcomes (3.39), (2) taking into account the needs of diverse learners (3.36), and (3) seeking multiple resources for teaching to the range of individual needs (3.3). Working with individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds (3.16) was the one area in need of further consideration.

Classroom management during student teaching was an area of excellent scores, especially in terms of creating a positive classroom climate (3.57 out of 4) and demonstrating high expectations for students (3.52).

The Dispositions for student teachers in Mild-Moderate K-6 were quite interesting. The scores were very high across the board for Responsibility demonstrating a high level of professionalism. Reflection scores were very high, particularly for personal reflection and considering the impact of actions on others (approximately 2.6 on a 3-point scale), but there was a consistent need for students to do a better job of seeking out activities for professional growth. Collaboration scores were fairly high except in the areas of (1) communicating with families and (2) recognizing aspects of diversity.

Recommendations: Again, the need to become more comfortable with issues of students and families from diverse backgrounds is a concern. It is recommended that the program consider how to make Teacher Education students sensitive to working with K-6 students and their families in terms of communication and understanding of cultural and socioeconomic diversity.

Early Childhood United:

Early Childhood United had seventeen student teachers during the 2005-2006 academic year. This is a relatively small number for evaluation so any observations are highly tentative.

The Case Study of a Classroom enjoyed high scores across the board as did most aspects of Lesson planning/Instructional Planning, Instructional Delivery, Classroom Management, and Dispositions. Unit planning (3.65 out of 4) and planning effective teaching strategies (3.64) were especially high. The only areas of concern were under the area of Lesson planning. They included (1) taking into account the needs of diverse learners and (2) considering students’ cultural backgrounds and interests when planning

Recommendations: It is recommended that the program consider how to make Teacher Education students sensitive to working with K-6 students and their families in terms of communication and understanding of cultural and socioeconomic diversity.

Middle Grades:

Again, this is an endorsement with only fourteen student teachers during the past year. Any discussion or recommendations should be considered cautiously with the proverbial grain of salt.

The Case Study of a classroom shows very high scores with student teachers especially good at making meaningful inferences about student learning (3.67) and demonstrating a strong reflective capacity (3.67). Middle grade student teachers were also strong in terms of their lesson/instructional planning (3.53 out of 4) and their willingness to seek out multiple resources for teaching to meet the range of individual needs (3.63 out of 4). Instructional delivery is also an area of strength with (1) engaging students in meaningful activities (3.56) and showing energy and enthusiasm for teaching and subject matter (3.72). Finally, their dispositions in all areas revealed a strong commitment to professionalism, a sense of collaboration and a dedication to work with other professionals in team settings (3.92)

Recommendations: Although there was some variety in the scores between the fall and spring semester, the overall high level of scores were impressive. Still there were areas of concern and again, they were lowest (but not very low) in the areas of (1) working with diverse learners and (2) communicating with students from diverse cultural backgrounds. It is recommended that sensitivity to diversity and expertise in communicating with students and families from diverse backgrounds be more efficaciously managed in the program.

English as a Second Language:

While English as a Second Language is one of the most common subject endorsements in the Teacher Education program, it averages only ten to twelve student teachers each year. This past academic year produced only eight, but it is felt that some valuable data can be mined from that number. It should be noted that the data from fall to spring showed great variability because of the small numbers. So trends will be noted where feasible.

In terms of the Case Study of a Classroom, the ESL student teachers had very high scores, averaging 3.75 or better on the four-point scale in all categories. Lesson/instructional planning, assessment, and instructional delivery were overall good with some exceptions. Among those were (1) assessment issues (with the spring of 2006 dramatically lower than the average for fall, 2005 group) and (2) the need to make objectives clear to students (2.84 in spring versus 3.46 in fall group). The dispositions were very strong in the areas of Responsibility, Reflection, and Collaboration, but the bugaboo of “demonstrating knowledge of family structures” reappeared for the spring, 2006 group.

Recommendations: More effective field experiences in applied assessment are needed for ESL-endorsed student in the Teacher Education program. Also it is recommended that knowledge of family structures (or the lack of them) in English language learner populations be emphasized in the ESL courses.

OBSERVATION OF THE PROCESS (ASSESSMENT OF ASSESSMENT PLANS)

The assessments seem to be affirming their reliability in terms of demonstrating that the Renewed Teacher Education Program is aligning its objectives with candidate outcomes. Level I and II data are now consistently being collected and evaluated. Rubrics for all levels are more or less set in place. Information for Level III has been collected for the past year, but was not presented in this report. Some Level IV data was reviewed because it was thought that “looking ahead” might benefit the Teacher Education programs as a whole. The Table below does show the dates when all assessments were finalized. It is thought that Table Six shows the timetable for full implementation of the assessments. The Electronic Portfolio is still a work in progress as efforts continue to get all TE students familiar with Live Text, the program which stores their portfolio. When fully implemented, the Electronic Portfolio will be our tenth assessment.

Note that re-evaluation of assessments, objectives, and changes in assessment will be a continuing process as teams from all four levels work together to ensure coherency and quality within the program. It is anticipated that teams on all four levels will meet twice a year to evaluate the assessments and propose changes to the program.