STANDARD 1:   CANDIDATE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND DISPOSITIONS

Element 1:  Content Knowledge for Teacher Candidates

         Teacher education candidates are highly knowledgeable in a variety of content areas.  They are required to take two Praxis II exams:

• Elementary Education: Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment

• Reading Specialist

These must be passed at the required state level in order to be recommended for a teaching license.  Table 1.1 provides the pass rates for PNC program completers for the last two years.

Table 1.1: Praxis II Pass Rates -2003-2004

Teacher education candidates are also required to take extensive content area courses including mathematics, English, biology, physics, earth science, and history in order to provide them with the necessary background in the content areas that they will teach.  In order to complete the program an overall GPA of 2.8/4.0 must be maintained in general education courses.  Table 1.2 provides the overall GPA of program completers in these content areas. (Exhibit 1.1.1: Content Area GPA data)

Table 1.2:  Overall GPA of Program Completers in Content Area Courses

The Student Teaching Evaluation form (Exhibit 1.1.2: Student Teaching Evaluation Forms) includes items related to Content Knowledge.  Candidates’ content knowledge is assessed by both the university supervisors and the cooperating teachers.  Exceeds expectation (4) indicates that the candidate shows exemplary ability. Independent rating (3) indicates that the candidate shows a level of consistent and effective skills in the classroom.   Learning (2) indicates that the student teacher is making satisfactory progress and Needs to Learn (1) indicates that the candidate has had intermittent success.  Table 1.3 shows candidates’ performance in this area for the 2004-2005 school year and fall 2005.  Prior to the 2004-2005 school year, evaluation forms were adopted that reflected Purdue West Lafayette’s conceptual framework, since PNC was a non-autonomous campus.

Table 1.3: Student Teaching Evaluations- Content Area Knowledge*

*Exceeds Expectation (4) Independent (3) Learning (2) Needs to Learn (1)

During field experiences, candidates are rated on their content area knowledge by the course instructor or classroom teacher using the Field Experience Evaluation Form. (Exhibit 1.1.3: Field Experience Evaluation Forms) The person who actually observes the candidate as they work with students fills out the form.  In 2004-2005 candidates were evaluated on a rating scale of 1 to 4, and beginning in 2005 the scale was changed to 1-5.    Table 1.4 shows that PNC candidates have demonstrated knowledge in their content areas. 

Table 1.4:  Late Field Experience Evaluations – Content Area Knowledge

    * Indicator Met (4) Developing at Appropriate Level (3) Not Met (2)

       No Performance Opportunity (1)

  ** Indicator Consistently Met (5) Usually Met (4) Rarely Met (3) Never Met (2) No    

       Performance Opportunity (1)

School administrators who have employed our candidates rate PNC graduates highly on their ability to base instruction on their knowledge of content. (Table 1.5)  (Exhibit 1.1.4: Administrator Surveys)

Table 1.5:  Survey of School Administrators - 2003 - 2004 program completers*

*Strongly Agrees (5) Agrees (4) Undecided (3) Disagrees (2) Strongly Disagrees (1)

Element 3: Pedagogical Content Knowledge for teacher Candidates

Candidates in the elementary education program are assessed for pedagogical content knowledge as they pass through the gates.  At Gates 2, 3, 4, and 5 the candidates are checked to ensure that they have at least a C in pedagogical content courses and an overall professional GPA of 3.0/4.0.  In addition certain performance indicators associated with the PNC outcomes on field experience and student teacher evaluation forms and administrator surveys are closely aligned with pedagogical content knowledge.  Table 1.6 provides some examples of these indicators.  (Exhibit 1.3.1: Field Experience Evaluation form, Exhibit 1.3.2: Student Teaching Evaluation form, Exhibit 1.3.4: Administrator Surveys)

Table 1.6:  Alignment of PNC Outcomes and Pedagogical Content Knowledge Indicator      

The following tables (Tables 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 1.10) provide information related to how well our candidates are meeting these indicators during field experiences, student teaching, and how building administrators rate our graduates. 

Table 1.7: Early Field Experiences Blocks I, II, and III -Pedagogical Content Knowledge

 Table 1.8: Late Field Experiences (Blocks IV and V) Pedagogical Content Knowledge

  * Indicator Met (4) Developing at Appropriate Level (3) Not Met (2)

     No Performance Opportunity (1)

** Indicator Consistently Met (5) Usually Met (4) Rarely Met (3) Never Met (2) No    

     Performance Opportunity (1)

Table 1.9: Student Teaching Evaluation – Pedagogical Content Knowledge

*Exceeds Expectation (4) Independent (3) Learning (2) Needs to Learn (1)

Table 1.10: Survey of School Administrators on Pedagogical Content Knowledge of Program Completers

*Strongly Agrees (5) Agrees (4) Undecided (3) Disagrees (2) Strongly Disagrees (1)

The tables clearly indicate that PNC candidates are rated highly in pedagogical content knowledge by all evaluators.

All candidates are required to take a course in technology where they learn about the integration of instructional design, media, computers and related technologies within the classroom setting.  An additional course in technology was an elective prior to fall, 2005.  This course is now required of all candidates because it is the course where the classroom applications of technology are explored. Faculty reported that candidates who had not taken this course were not as prepared as they should be to utilize technology in their course assignments and in classrooms during field experiences and student teaching.  Requiring this course will allow candidates to more fully develop their ability to effectively utilize technology in their classrooms.   (Exhibit 1.3.5: Justification data and minutes for requiring EDCI 271)  Candidates also have many opportunities during other pedagogical coursework to develop their knowledge of how to effectively make use of technology in their teaching.   As can be seen from the evaluations and survey, PNC candidates and graduates are rated highly in their ability to use technology and integrate it into their teaching.  Table 1.11 highlights how candidates have been rated on performance indicators related to technology. (Exhibit 1.3.6: Technology Indicators)

 Table 1.11: Use of Technology

  * Exceeds Expectation (4) Independent (3) Learning (2) Needs to Learn (1)

Administrators who have employed our graduates also rate them highly in their use of technology.   The aggregated score for technology use was 4.4/5.0 with a 5 indicating strongly agrees and a 4 agrees.

Element 4:  Professional and pedagogical knowledge and skills for teachers

Candidates complete two blocks of foundations courses before they are assessed at a gate and begin taking higher level education courses or methods courses.   These courses are aligned with the PNC outcomes which have been aligned with state and national standards. (Exhibit 1.4.1: Alignment of Outcomes and Standards) These courses and their related PNC outcomes can be found in Table 1.12.

Table 1.12:  Foundations Courses and Associated PNC Outcomes

These classes cover topics related to educational psychology, diversity and philosophical foundations of teaching. EDCI 205 is taught in an elementary school and candidates have experience in a classroom.  EDPS 265 requires candidates to have a field experience working with exceptional students in an inclusive classroom setting.  Both experiences allow candidates to develop an understanding of the roles of the teacher and the complexity of their responsibilities.

         Candidates begin to plan lessons and become acquainted with the PNC lesson plan format during Block I.  During the fall, 2005 semester candidates were required to purchase TaskStream which is a web-based tool for teacher education programs.  Candidates submit the required portfolio artifacts on TaskStream which is then assessed with a PNC outcomes-based rubric.  It has been decided that the TaskStream basic lesson plan format (Exhibit 1.4.2: Lesson Plan Format) is the preferred lesson plan format for our candidates.  This format requires candidates to consider the prior experiences of their students, the Indiana state academic standards and how they will assess their students as they plan their lessons.  There is also a component that requires the candidate to reflect on their teaching and the students’ learning after they have taught the lesson.  Reflective Practitioner is one of the PNC outcomes, and candidates engage in regular reflective activities throughout the program. (Exhibit 1.4.3: Course Syllabi)

         Course assignments that are the required artifacts in the PNC Professional Portfolio are called key assignments. Key assignments have been carefully designed by the education faculty to be aligned with the PNC outcomes.  They were developed because the faculty wanted to ensure that candidates were given the opportunity to meet the PNC outcomes by the time they completed student teaching, and also so that topics related to the outcomes would be presented developmentally. Rubrics aligned with the PNC outcomes are used by the course instructor to assess each key assignment.  Key assignments were implemented for the first time in the fall of 2005.   The Block V key assignments are an Integrated Unit and a Classroom Management Plan.  The data from the analysis of the rubrics used to assess these assignments shows that the aggregated score for candidates was 3.78/4.0 on indicators related to Professional and Pedagogical Knowledge and Skills.  A rating scale of 1-4 was used to score the rubric.

Candidates are also assessed during their student teaching experience on their professional and pedagogical knowledge and skills.  Table 1.13 shows the results from the student teaching evaluation form. (Exhibit 1.4.4: Student Teaching Evaluation forms)

Table 1.13: 2004-2005 Student Teachers - Professional and Pedagogical Knowledge and Skills*

*Exceeds Expectation (4) Independent (3) Learning (2) Needs to Learn (1)           

Data from the student teaching evaluations suggest that candidates perform at an independent level on all indicators related to professional and pedagogical knowledge.

         Candidates are also assessed during their field experiences (Exhibit 1.4.5: Field Experience forms) that are associated with the Block courses.  Table 1.14 shows the results from the evaluation forms for Blocks IV and V.

Table 1.14: Late Field Experiences (Blocks IV and V) Professional and Pedagogical Knowledge and Skills

   *Indicator Met (4) Developing at Appropriate Level (3) Not Met (2)

     No Performance Opportunity (1)

** Indicator Consistently Met (5) Usually Met (4) Rarely Met (3) Never Met (2) No      

     Performance Opportunity (1)

Table 1.15 provides the data from the early field experiences associated with Blocks I, II and III.

Table 1.15: Early Field Experiences (Block I, II and III) Professional and Pedagogical Knowledge and Skills*

*Indicator Met (4) Developing at Appropriate Level (3) Not Met (2)

  No Performance Opportunity (1)

The data from the field experience forms suggests that candidates have met all indicators related to professional and pedagogical knowledge or are developing at the appropriate level.

Follow up surveys were also completed by school administrators who have hired recent program completers.  (Exhibit 1.4.6: Surveys) The results of these surveys are presented in Table 1.16

Table 1.16: Follow-up Surveys - Professional and Pedagogical Knowledge and Skills

*Strongly Agrees (5) Agrees (4) Undecided (3) Disagrees (2) Strongly Disagrees (1)

         These data indicate that school administrators have confidence that our program completers are meeting these indicators during their teaching.

         Element 6: Dispositions for All Candidates

         When the education faculty developed the ten program outcomes, it was decided that specific dispositions should be aligned with each of the ten PNC outcomes.  The disposition indicators and the PNC outcomes can be found in Table 1.17. (Exhibit 1.6.1: TEAM Meeting minutes and Exhibit 1.6.2: Outcomes including Disposition indicators)  These are assessed during field experiences and student teaching as well as during education courses.  This also ensures that disposition is assessed as candidates proceed through the gates. 

Table 1.17: Dispositions Aligned with PNC Outcomes

It is imperative for candidates to become familiar with expected dispositions related to the teaching profession.  During Block I, candidates are made aware of these dispositions by filling out a self-assessment during EDCI 205 Introduction to Teaching as a Career.  This same self-assessment is also completed at the beginning of Block IV in EDCI 363 Literacy in the Elementary School II. (Exhibit 1.6.3: Disposition and Professional Behavior Self-Assessment Form)  This self-assessment could be used for the candidate to evaluate their growth over time, but this is not formally done at this time.  This part of the disposition assessment was put into place for the first time in fall, 2005.  Candidate disposition is also assessed by instructors during every education course and a form is filled out when there is evidence of a difficulty or problem with disposition or professional behavior.  After the form is completed the candidate with their course instructor develops a plan for improvement.  This plan is given to the Department Chair and it is placed in a confidential file that is separate from the candidate’s academic file.  The Department Chair notes problems over time and if a pattern of problems occurs either within a semester or over semesters the Department Chair will confer with the candidate to discuss the problem.  The candidate may be removed from the program if a pattern of disposition problems occurs over two or more semesters.  Candidates may appeal any decisions with the Department Chair or the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.  This procedure was implemented beginning in the spring, 2005, and to date three forms for three different candidates have been submitted to the Department Chair.  No candidates have been removed from the program based on disposition referrals. (Exhibit 1.6.4: Disposition Referrals)

Disposition indicators also appear on student teaching evaluation forms. (Exhibit 1.6.5: Student Teaching Evaluation forms)  Table 1.18 summarizes the results of these assessments. 

Table 1.18: Student Teachers– Aggregated Disposition Data*

*Exceeds Expectation (4) Independent (3) Learning (2) Needs to Learn (1)           

Disposition is also assessed during field experiences with the Field Experience Evaluation Form. (Exhibit 1.6.6: Field Experience forms)  Dispositions related to all ten outcomes are assessed.  Tables 1.18 and 1.19 provide evidence of how candidates are meeting these indicators. 

Table 1.19: Disposition – Late Field Experiences (Blocks IV and V)

Table 1.20: Disposition – Early Field Experiences (Blocks I, II and III)*

  *Indicator Met (4) Developing at Appropriate Level (3) Not Met (2) No Performance Opportunity (1)

** Indicator Consistently Met (5) Usually Met (4) Rarely Met (3) Never Met (2) No Performance Opportunity (1)

These data indicate that PNC candidates have the appropriate professional dispositions for teaching as are delineated by the PNC outcomes.

Element 7: Student Learning for Teacher Candidates

A teacher’s effectiveness is best assessed by documenting how well their students learn.  Candidates in the education program at PNC initially learn to assess student learning and provide documentation as they learn to write lesson plans.  As candidates work with students they are required to assess their students’ learning and to reflect on their ability to ensure that all students learn.  These assessments and reflections are used to assist them in improving instruction.

Candidates are assessed during field experiences (Exhibit 1.7.1: Field Experience forms) and student teaching (Exhibit 1.7.2: Student Teaching Evaluation forms) on their ability to assess student learning.  Tables 1.20 and 1.21 provide this evidence.

         Table 1.21: Late Field Experiences - Assessment of Student Learning Student Learning

  * Indicator Met (4) Developing at Appropriate Level (3) Not Met (2) No Performance Opportunity (1)

** Indicator Consistently Met (5) Usually Met (4) Rarely Met (3) Never Met (2) No Performance Opportunity (1)

Table 1.22: Student Teaching- Assessment of Student Learning*

*Exceeds Expectation (4) Independent (3) Learning (2) Needs to Learn (1)

Beginning in the 2005-2006 academic year, student teachers learned to measure student learning through a detailed and highly structured Teacher Work Sample assignment based on several lessons they teach during their student teaching experience.  This assignment was created for student teaching to ensure that all candidates were able to determine 3-7 learning goals for a series of lessons they will teach to their students, align these goals with national and state standards, and design lessons and an assessment plan that includes pre-, formative and summative assessments.  They must then analyze the student learning and create graphs and charts to visually represent the data collected.  They include and describe examples of student work and finally reflect on student learning.  They evaluate the success or lack of success of their instruction and describe the possible reasons for those outcomes.  Finally, the student teachers reflect on areas in which they need to improve in future lessons to ensure that learning occurs.  This was piloted during the fall, 2005 and data as to their teaching effectiveness as it relates to student learning will be available in spring, 2006.  Examples of the Teacher Work Sample may be found in the exhibits. (Exhibit 1.7.3 Teacher Work Samples)  It is hoped that this assignment will ensure that candidates are prepared to assess students at all points of the learning process, are able to differentiate instruction for all learners, are able to make adjustments to their lesson plans as needed, and have evidence of student learning. 

         Candidates begin to build the PNC Professional Portfolio in their first Education courses in Block I.  They are expected to add at least two artifacts during each Block of courses so that they have at least 10 artifacts in their portfolios before student teaching.  In the early blocks, students first learn to develop lessons that include assessments to ensure student learning.  As they begin to work with students they are required to add examples of student work and to reflect on their students’ learning.  They learn to differentiate instruction and to adapt their lessons to accommodate their students’ needs.  The portfolio also contains reflections on how well candidates feel they are meeting the PNC outcomes including knowledge, performance and disposition.  The portfolio is a snapshot of the candidate over time and provides evidence of their commitment to continuous growth and school reform. (Exhibit 1.7.4: PNC Professional Portfolio examples)