Submitted Spring, 2004
Methodology
Each of twenty-four graduate candidates who applied for graduation in May, 2004 were required to develop a case study for the evaluation of the second program objective during the first week of April. The objective (Program Objective #2) being evaluated was:
Students will use strategies to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate seminal research and original inquiry within the field of literacy.
This objective was used again to validate the change in the rubric after the fall 2003 results.
The case study topic focused on how the candidate utilized current research to address a classroom instructional problem in the area of reading instruction. The candidate was required to address the following items within the case study.
- Identify a problem you have resolved in your classroom (individual student or small group) with a solution from strategies learned in one or more of your master's classes.
- Describe the situation/ problem.
- Identify contributing factors that created the problem.
- Identify options available to you for solving the problem (link to research and theory).
- Evaluate the pros and cons of each of the options.
- Explain the option you chose and why.
- Describe the plan of action you implemented (or are in the process of implementing).
- Project possible outcomes to the plan of action (or describe what happened if the problem has been resolved) and link to research and theory that has supported your outcome.
The case studies were scored using a rubric that rated the following traits.
- Topical issue
- Professional sources
- Analysis of issues
- Pros and cons evaluation
- Relevant research
- Project implementation
- Project outcomes
Results
The results are as follows:
| |
Unacceptable performance |
Acceptable Performance |
| Topical Issue |
0 |
24 |
| Prof Sources |
0 |
24 |
| Analysis |
0 |
24 |
| Pros and cons evaluation |
3 |
21 |
| Ref to research |
0 |
24 |
| Project implementations |
0 |
24 |
| Project Outcomes |
0 |
24 |
Conclusions
- Revision of the rubric for program objective #2 proved effective.
- Students need to be given more opportunities in classes to analyze options and indicate pros and cons to solve the problems.
Use of Results
- Special focus will be given to the trait that was weak in the assessment.
- Special focus will be on assignments that will reflect more analysis on possible solutions. Assignments in TE 846 will be revised to reflect this change. Examples of revisions include:
- Analyze specific approaches for remediation of a reading problem and then identify pros and cons of the approaches with an explanation regarding why approaches work in specific situations.
- A reflective component in the case study to be completed will include an analysis of what worked and what did not as a method of identifying pros and cons.