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Education

Content Knowledge for Teacher Candidates

Teacher candidates know the subject matter that they plan to teach and can explain important principles and concepts delineated in professional, state, and institutional standards. Eighty percent or more of the unit’s program completers pass the academic examinations in states that require examinations for licensure.

Content knowledge, skills, and dispositions are developed through General Studies, Specialty Studies, and Professional Studies. These include professional and pedagogical coursework and field experiences, content area coursework, and field experiences. Preparing educators at Chadron State College requires the effort of each department on campus.

All teacher education programs that lead to licensure, initial and advanced, are governed by the rules and procedures of the State of Nebraska. Nebraska Department of Education Rule 24 is the primary policy that describes minimum program proficiency standards for content knowledge, skills and dispositions. Endorsement programs identified in Rule 24 are reviewed on a five-year rotation basis. All teacher education institutions, public school personnel, school administrator association, and state school board association comprise the membership of committees reviewing these endorsements. Unit faculty at CSC continue to be involved in this process. The Nebraska P-12 curriculum standards and School-based Teacher-led Assessment Reporting System [STARS] are used in defining the endorsement programs statewide.

Initial Teaching Programs

Initial programs and assessments are based on the unit conceptual framework and the Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) professional education and content standards (Rule 24). NDE initial program performance standards are based on national program standards. All unit programs and assessments relate to state and national standards. Course syllabi reflect relationships to the conceptual framework and standards.

Chadron State College’s professional preparation and program is designed to produce Visionary Leaders at the early childhood, elementary, middle, secondary and graduate levels. Content and pedagogical knowledge, skills and dispositions are embedded in program curricula from the Education Department and the eleven (11) departments that offer endorsement programs.

Candidates move through the following program gateways:
Gateway 1: Admission to Chadron State College
Gateway 2: Application to Teacher Education Program
Gateway 3: Admission to Teacher Education Program
Gateway 4: Admission to Professional Year (4a and 4b)
Gateway 5: Graduation (Program Completion)
Early childhood, elementary, middle, and secondary program candidates must meet the same requirements at each Gateway point. Early childhood, elementary and middle level candidates are reviewed by the Education Department, while secondary level candidates are reviewed by their respective content area departments as well as the Education Department.

A variety of assessment techniques are used by the various departments to evaluate candidate knowledge, skills, and dispositions. These include portfolios, microteaching, exams, case studies, simulations, technology demonstrations, collaborative activities, research projects, and class presentations, projects, and discussions. These assessments are documented by candidate work and course syllabi in the documents room.

A description of each Gateway and the applicable criteria are presented here:Gateway 1: Admission to Chadron State College: Upon admission to the College, candidates must:

• have an ACT score higher than 18 or an SAT score higher than 469 (459 for mathematics), or an ASSET score higher than 42 before registering for Chadron State College composition and/or mathematics courses, as required by the Nebraska State College system.
• take remedial community college composition and/or mathematics courses if they do not obtain the minimum scores. (See CSC General Bulletin, 2005-2007, Admission Requirements, p. 16-29).

Gateway 2: Application to Teacher Education Program: To make application, candidates must:

• complete EDUC 131, “Introduction to Education” with a minimum grade “C” (10 hours field experience required and verified). Portfolio requirement is explained.
• complete notarized “Policy Pertaining to Students with Convictions” and “Mental Capacity Oath” statements.
• complete “Application for Admission to the Program” form.
• submit three community references

Gateway 3: Admission to Teacher Education Program: Prior to admission to the Teacher Education Program (and prior to enrollment in EDUC 300 or 320), candidates must:

• earn a grade of “C” or above in all completed professional education coursework (EDUC 131 Intro to Teaching, EDUC 224 Multimedia Support of Instruction/Learning, SPED 230 Introduction to the Exceptional Learner, and PSYC 231 Educational Psychology) (15 hours field experience verified). Portfolio required elements are developed as course assignments.
• must have an overall GPA of 2.50 in 30+ hours.
• earn a “C” or above in English 135, 136, and Com Arts125 or equivalent courses.
• must pass the Pre Professional Skills Test (PPST) with minimum scores (170 in reading, 172 in writing, and 171 in mathematics).
• complete notarized “Policy Pertaining to Students with Convictions” and “Mental Capacity Oath” statements each semester that students are enrolled in courses that include field experiences (CSC General Bulletin, 2005-2007, p. 161).

Gateway 4: Admission to Professional Year
Gateway 4a: Admission to Professional Semester (Block): Prior to admission to the Professional Semester, candidates must:
1. have one endorsement area coursework and at least seventy-five (75) percent of other endorsement(s) and/or supporting minors completed.
2. complete EDUC 300 or 320 with a grade of “C” or above (100 hours of verified field experience).
3. have a GPA of 2.50 for all College coursework, and for coursework in each endorsement and/or supporting minor programs.
4. have completed ninety (90) credit hours and must meet residency requirements.
5. have five (5) faculty recommendations.
6. successfully complete portfolio requirement, including reflective commentaries.
7. be recommended by the department faculty of their endorsement programs.
8. complete notarized “Policy Pertaining to Students with Convictions” and “Mental Capacity Oath” statements.
Gateway 4b: Admission to Teacher Internship: Prior to placement in the Teacher Internship, candidates must:
1. must complete the Professional Semester with a “C” or above in all courses.
2. complete notarized “Policy Pertaining to Students with Convictions” and “Mental Capacity Oath” statements.
3. Have Professional Semester faculty approval on his/her portfolio.
Gateway 5: Graduation (Program Completion): Prior to graduation from Chadron State College and qualifying for a Nebraska teaching endorsement, candidates must:
1. complete the teacher intern experience with a grade of “C+” or above (2.5 average necessary for Nebraska certification) based on performance in classroom(s) as evaluated by college faculty and cooperating teacher supervisors and documented on teacher intern rubrics, lesson plans, daily log, teacher work sample project assigned in the Professional Semester .
2. submit the teacher work sample (TWS). The project will include a means to evaluate student readiness, plans for at least 2 consecutive lessons appropriate for subject and level, assessments for student learning, a format for displaying and comparing pre- and post-assessment data, and a reflection on the teaching/learning experience.
3. complete all degree requirements of Chadron State College.

Advanced Programs

Advanced Programs—Master’s  Programs
The assessment system for master’s degree candidates is based on four decision points: (1) admission to graduate study, (2) admission to graduate status, (3) application for oral examination, and (4) program completion. Data collected include both internal and external sources, multiple assessments, traditional testing, performance assessments, and recommendations.

Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction, Education Administration and School Counseling

Gateway 1 – Admission to Graduate Study
Prospective candidates for master’s programs will:
1. complete graduate school application form
a. submit three satisfactory recommendations
b. submit official transcripts
2. possess an earned BA/BS degree and any endorsements required by specific programs.
3. maintain an undergraduate GPA of at least 2.75 or have completed 12 graduate hours at CSC with a GPA of 3.25 or higher
4. Meet department and college requirements such as undergraduate content/degree, coursework, minimum content hours, and adequate GRE scores (GRE scores were dropped on April 19, 2005 in education. The Graduate Council voted to let the individual programs decide whether or not to require the GRE.)
Gateway 2 – Admission to Graduate Status
After being accepted for graduate study and completing between 9 and 18 hours into a program, the prospective candidate for the master’s degree should make application for admission to graduate status. At this time prospective candidates for master’s programs will:
1. have earned at least nine hours of Chadron State College graduate credit with a 3.0 grade point average or higher.
2. prepare a “Plan of Graduate Study,” signed by the advisor and graduate committee. The “Plan of Study will indicate Plan I, II, or III (described in Chadron State College General Bulletin, 2005-2007, p. 190-194).
3. submit the “Plan of Graduate Study” to the Graduate Dean and the Graduate Council for approval.
Gateway 3 – Application for Oral Examination
The candidates will make “Application for Oral Examination” for the master’s degree. At this time the candidates will :
1. submit the application form
2. complete the majority of coursework and practicum requirements as described by each department and college policy (scholarly project and thesis).
3. maintain a 3.00 grade point average for all program coursework and meet all college requirements for credit hours and residency and be enrolled in all coursework necessary to complete the degree.
4. complete degree requirements within a period of seven years from the year the student completes the first graduate course that is to apply toward the degree.
Gateway 4 – Application for Graduation and Conferring of Degree (Program Completion)
Candidates for the master’s degree must demonstrate professional knowledge, skills, and dispositions pertinent to their field of study. Although program completion assessments vary from program to program, each requires candidates to:
1. present a professional and academic portfolio in their area of concentration that displays examples of the candidate’s work in courses and field experiences. Reflective components are related to the conceptual framework and professional standards appropriate to the degree program.
2. pass a final oral examination in their area of concentration as described in CSC polices.
3. submit a thesis or scholarly project paper for options I or II.

Content Knowledge for Teacher Candidates

Teacher candidates know the subject matter that they plan to teach and can explain important principles and concepts and delineated in professional, state and institutional standards.

Initial Teaching Programs
Nebraska does not require a content area exam for initial programs leading to licensure, therefore content knowledge test data are not available. All candidates must pass the Pre Professional Skills Test (PPST) - Praxis I, prior to being admitted to the teacher education program. Content knowledge of initial teacher education program candidates is demonstrated through the Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) evaluation of initial programs, coursework assessments, grade point averages [GPA], teacher intern evaluations, teacher work samples, content area departmental exit assessments, and follow-up studies.

Candidates are required to have a content area GPA of at least 2.50 with 75% of the endorsement courses completed before entering the Professional Year. Course syllabi validate that appropriate content knowledge is included and assessed in the program and that it is related to the conceptual framework and state standards. Course matrices show relationship of each endorsement area to Nebraska Department of Education, Rule 24: Policies Pertaining to Endorsement Programs. Content area GPA is directly linked to content area standards. Additionally, candidates are required to obtain recommendation from their departments to validate that they are demonstrating satisfactory content knowledge.

Candidate GPAs are monitored at the various gateway points. Table 1.1 Overall GPA Means At Graduation For Initial Teacher Program Candidates (Documents Center) displays the overall GPA means at graduation for initial teacher program candidates and Table 1.2 Content Area GPA Means for Initial Teacher Program Candidates(Documents Center) displays the content area GPA means at graduation for the same groups. GPA mean scores indicate that candidates as a whole have passed courses in general studies, professional studies, and specialized content areas at levels higher than the minimum GPA requirements for gateway points in the teacher education program and graduation from Chadron State College.

Table 1.1a: Overall GPA Means at Graduation for Initial Teacher Program Candidates (Summary) 

 

	2005		2004		2003		2002
	Fall	Spring	Fall	Spring	Fall	Spring	Fall	Spring
Total Elementary	3.55	3.471	3.435	3.593	3.546	3.508	3.453	3.498
Total Secondary	3.58	3.45	3.404	3.449	3.548	3.518	3.394	3.394

 Table 1.2a: Content Area GPA Means at Graduation for Initial Teacher Program Candidates (Summary)

 

	2005		2004		2003		2002
	Fall	Spring	Fall	Spring	Fall	Spring	Fall
Total Elementary	3.405	3.626	3.772	3.461	3.438	3.638	3.662
Total Secondary	3.544	3.491	3.486	3.429	3.433	3.395	3.39

 

The teacher intern assessment instrument (Teacher Intern Checklist) provides comprehensive data regarding candidate performance in the classroom. The instrument is based on the conceptual framework and was revised in the Fall of 2004. (The instrument appears in three formats that are used by college supervisors, cooperating teachers, and teacher interns.) Data exists from a similar instrument that is reflective of the previous conceptual framework. Data from equivalent or identical items will be reported. Table 1.3: Mean Scores for Content Knowledge of Teacher Interns (2003-2005) (Item F: Demonstrates sufficient and appropriate knowledge of the subject matter.) describes ratings from college supervisors, cooperating teachers, and interns (self-evaluation) related to subject matter knowledge. Data indicate that candidates are well prepared in content knowledge, rating “beyond expectations” (4) on a 5-point scale. Data from 2004 and 2005 appear below.

Table 1.3a: Mean Scores for Content Knowledge of Teacher Interns (2004, 2005)

In Spring 2005, the unit piloted a Teacher Work Sample [TWS] performance assessment (TWS, Rubric). TWS methodology is designed to demonstrate the candidate’s ability to assess contextual factors, plan and assess student learning, teach subject matter, and reflect on pedagogical decision making. Teacher interns are assigned the project during the Block semester and complete the project during the internship semester. Education Department faculty rated 58 TWS projects for the Spring 2005 semester and 22 for the Fall 2005 semester using a 5-point rubric (pilot). The data represent base-line data. Further refinement of the assessment task and the rating procedure are occurring. Steps underway include: using current intern TWS as exemplars, providing rater training, and conducting an inter-rater reliability study. Expanded TWS data from the pilot semesters is described in Table 1.4 Means Scores for Teacher Work Sample (Documents Center). Table 1.4a Mean Scores for Teacher Work Sample (Summary) indicates that candidates performed at the acceptable (3) level overall with the means very close to the proficient level (4) (5-point scale).

Table 1.4a: Mean Scores for Teacher Work Sample (Summary)

Content area departments provide information concerning candidate content preparation. Each department has a program evaluation plan and each department continues to develop outcome-based measures for program graduates (candidates). Content area departmental evaluation plans and/or results are available in the Documents Center.

Follow-up studies of initial teaching program graduates and their employers provide information regarding candidate content knowledge. Table 1.5 Mean Ratings of Content Knowledge of Initial Teaching Program Graduates from Graduate and Employer Follow-up Studieslists the item (#32 Demonstrates sufficient and appropriate knowledge of the subject matter.) from the most recent initial teaching program graduate and employer follow-up studies that relates to content knowledge. Results indicated that both graduates and their employers rate content knowledge favorably based on a 5-point scale (4=beyond expectations). Employers rated the content knowledge preparation higher than did graduates on their own self-evaluations.

Table 1.5: Mean Ratings of Content Knowledge of Initial Teaching Program Graduates from Graduate and Employer Follow-up Studies

Advanced Programs (Teaching )
Chadron State College offers one degree for advanced preparation for teachers--the Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction at the Elementary and Secondary levels. This degree is designed for individuals who hold a bachelor’s degree in education that qualifies(d) the degree holder for initial certification. The Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction does not lead to initial certification and in most cases does not result in additional areas of endorsement (certification).

As Nebraska does not require a content area exam, test data are not available for teachers completing a masters program. Content knowledge of Curriculum and Instruction candidates is demonstrated through the NDE evaluation of the program, coursework assessments, graduate portfolio, comprehensive oral examinations, exit GPA requirements, and follow-up studies.

All Curriculum and Instruction [C&I] candidates are required to document adequate preparation in the proposed area of specialization as described in the candidate’s plan of study. Content knowledge is developed through the common courses comprised of 18 credit hours of research and writing (Introduction to Graduate Studies), Educational Philosophy, Curriculum Development, School Law, Advanced Methods of Performance Assessment, and Characteristics of Mild/Moderate Disabilities. C & I—Elementary candidates complete 15 credit hours of Improvement of Instruction courses in 5 content areas of elementary education. C & I—Secondary candidates complete 3 credit hours of Reading in the Content Fields and 15 credit hours in a content area of secondary education (See complete listing CSC General Bulletin, 2005-2007, p. 200-201.) (The previous three paragraphs also apply to NCATE Standard 1-B.)

Content knowledge for each program is developed through specific coursework required in each program and through selection of elective coursework with the approval of the candidate’s advisor and committee members (Plan of Study - Elementary, Secondary, School of Counseling, EDAD). Content knowledge of candidates in the Curriculum and Instruction program is specifically related to Chadron State College, Nebraska Department of Education, and national standards. Course syllabi validate that content knowledge is related to the conceptual framework and applicable standards.

Follow-up studies of recipients of the Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction (Elementary and Secondary) and their employers provide information regarding candidate content knowledge. At this level content knowledge is broader than specific subject matter knowledge; the Curriculum and Instruction degree reflects the integration of content knowledge with other professional knowledge and skills. The knowledge component is based on Nebraska Department of Education Rule 24. The assessment instrument is tied to NDE Rule 24 and the CSC conceptual framework. Table 1.6: Mean Ratings of Content Knowledge for Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction--Elementary & Secondary Recipients from Graduate and Employer Follow-up Studies lists items (#1, #3, # 7, and #10) from the most recent graduate and employer follow-up studies that relate to content knowledge. Using a 5-point scale graduates rated their aggregate content knowledge as 4.39; while their employers rated their knowledge as 4.75. Both scores indicate a high-level of content knowledge.

Table 1.6a: Mean Ratings of Content Knowledge for Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction--Elementary & Secondary Recipients from Graduate and Employer Follow-up Studies (Summary)

Curriculum and Instruction master’s candidates also demonstrate content knowledge through exit GPA requirements, course assignments (Syllabi are located in the Documents Center.), comprehensive oral exams, and graduate portfolios. Graduate candidates develop a portfolio containing major assignments from graduate courses with reflections on their learning tied to the conceptual framework. At the time of the comprehensive oral exam, the committee reviews the portfolio. The committee judges the portfolio as well as the performance on the oral exam on a pass/fail basis. Candidates who do not pass the oral exam or present a sub-standard portfolio must complete a plan of remediation developed by the committee, before continuing toward degree completion.

Data described in Table 1.7: Mean Exit GPA for Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction—Elementary and Secondary Graduates indicate that as a whole graduates from the Master of Education—C&I program not only meet but exceed the exit GPA requirements.

Table 1.7: Mean Exit GPA for Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction—Elementary and Secondary Graduates