College of Education Conceptual Framework
The College of Education Ten Desired Outcomes
Morally Responsible Professionals in a Social/Political Democracy
The University of Nebraska at Kearney recognizes the importance of education in and for a democratic society and has identified the following desired outcomes. Therefore, by the time UNK students complete their education program, the student/graduate will:
1. Understand the relationship of the philosophy that guides the education process in a democratic society, the College of Education, their specific discipline, and the behaviors they utilize in their classrooms.
2. Understand the central concepts, tools of inquiry, instructional technology, and standards of the discipline(s) they teach and be able to create learning experiences that make these aspects of subject matter meaningful for all students.
3. Understand how cultural background influences student learning and development. They will be able to provide technologically-enhanced and other learning opportunities that support intellectual, social, and personal development of diverse students.
4. Understand different student learning styles and is able to develop a variety of instructional opportunities, including the use of technology, that are adapted to diverse learners.
5. Be reflective practitioners who continually evaluate the effects of their choices and actions on others (students, parents, and other professionals in the learning community) and who actively seek out opportunities to grow professionally.
6. Understand and use both formal and informal assessment strategies to evaluate professional standards and ensure the continuous intellectual, social and physical development of the learner.
7. Be skilled in the democratic process of collaborative decision-making.
8. Understand the strengths and needs of their students and possess the necessary skills to work effectively with individuals and groups from a variety of racial, cultural, ethnic, experiential, and linguistic backgrounds.
9. Have knowledge of family and school influences that affect student wellness, learning, and achievement. They must be able to form partnerships among parents, educators, and the community in the best interests of their students.
10. Understand the school as a democratic system and to work with individuals and groups to facilitate structures and policies that create and maintain school as a safe, caring, and inviting place for members of the school community.
College of Education - Dispositions
Collaboration:
Graduates will demonstrate the ability to work jointly with others in making decisions for the common good in a democracy that respects equity, fairness, honesty, and social justice.
Responsibility:
Graduates will demonstrate an ability to fulfill the obligations of being an educational professional by being reliable, trustworthy and accountable for one’s work. They must understand that they are liable for and can answer for their acts or decisions. They should have the knowledge and skills of their professional discipline
Reflective Capacity:
Graduates will demonstrate the ability to self-assess concerning attitudes, beliefs and skills when working with others (students, parents, clients, administrators) and modify or adjust efforts as an educational professional.
College of Education – Conceptual Framework
NCATE
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK (Renewed, October, 2009)
Democracy
Public
education is the single unifying institution charged with the
preparation of the young for life in our social and political
democracy. Through their continuing commitment to providing
quality education for all, regardless of background or heritage,
schools have the responsibility to ensure that young people acquire
the knowledge, skills, dispositions, and ethical guidance needed for
lifelong learning and for productive living in a democratic society.
Accordingly, educator preparation programs at the University of
Nebraska at Kearney demonstrate an enduring commitment to high
quality education. The foundation for this commitment is insuring
that graduates acquire the content knowledge and demonstrate the
pedagogical skills associated with a high quality education.
Maintaining
and advancing our democracy requires firm commitment to a system of
education rooted in the core ideals of liberty, equality, and
justice. Moving close to realizing these ideals, which are set forth
in the United States Constitution and in the constitutions of the
fifty states, requires citizens who are both caring/compassionate and
also skillful critical thinkers. The goal for teacher educators,
based in the Arts and Sciences, College of Education, and P-12
partner schools, then, is to prepare graduates who will uphold and
promote these ideals in the public schools and in the broader
community. Accordingly, programs strive to prepare educators
who value self-reflection as a powerful tool for purposeful change,
model responsible, ethical behavior, and effectively collaborate with
others.
Diversity
Demographic
indicators tell us that student populations are becoming increasingly
diverse in the 21st
century. To prepare youngsters for full participation in a global
society, educators need to acquire and demonstrate the ability to
apply diversity-related proficiencies in the domains of knowledge,
skill, and professional dispositions.
Central to our
educator preparation programs is the belief that all students can
become successful learners. Student success will be impacted by the
educator’s skill in recognizing and understanding diversity in
learners and their families, and in understanding how diverse
perspectives and life experiences affect learning.
Therefore,
educators must work toward both quality and equity in public
education. To accomplish this, educators must be skilled in the
creation of learning environments that show understanding both for
students with exceptionalities as well as students from diverse
populations, provide students with differentiated learning tasks, and
encourage both individual and collective responsibility. Consistent
with this, educator programs strive to effectively
prepare graduates for
meaningful community and global engagement. In turn, these graduates
will facilitate the active participation of their students as
citizens of the pluralistic global community. To this end, teacher
educators, based in the Arts and Sciences, College of Education, and
P-12 schools,
endeavor to prepare, inspire, and support the development of its
graduates by promoting dispositions that respect and value
differences so that all students learn.
Technology
As
our society changes and embraces a global orientation, it becomes
essential for people to be informed about knowledge acquisition, data
analysis and management, and how to connect to others both within and
outside the community. Technology and its many applications have
provided the means to accomplish this global connection. As a result,
it has become imperative that educators
embrace
technological advances and master the nuances.
Educators should recognize the importance of technological and
information literacy and the capabilities of technology to facilitate
learning while connecting students to the larger world. They should
understand that instructional technologies and applications impact
the dissemination of information, inform professional practice, and
enhance services for students. Educators should be conversant with a
variety of instructional technologies and their applications and be
able to be reflective and discriminating in embracing and mastering
appropriate information technologies. Finally, educators must be able
to integrate technology with teaching strategies and curriculum
design, utilize technology as a tool to diagnose and plan
instruction, and be knowledgeable about legal and ethical uses of
information and instructional technologies.
To this end, teacher educators, based in the Arts and Sciences,
College of Education, and P-12 partner schools aim to prepare
graduates who can reflect and make responsible decisions concerning
the use of technology as a tool to enhance the learning process.