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Education

Professional Knowledge and Skills for Other School Personnel

Candidates for other professional school roles have an adequate understanding of the professional knowledge expected in their fields and delineated in professional, state, and institutional standards. They know their student, families, and communities; use current research to inform their practices, use technology in their practices; and support student learning through their professional services.

(Due to the integrated nature of advanced programs much of the data reported in support of Standard 1.B Professional Knowledge and Skills for Other School Personnel was already reported in Standard 1.A Content Knowledge for Other Professional School Personnel. Specific items will be discussed in more detail.)

Candidates for other professional school roles have an adequate understanding of the professional knowledge and skills expected in their fields and delineated in professional, state, and institutional standards. They are able to collect and analyze data related to their work, reflect on their own knowledge and practice, and use research and technology to improve student learning. In coursework and field experiences candidates are expected to integrate theory, practice, research, and evaluation tools to support the learning process. Administrative programs at the masters and specialist levels are based on the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium Standards for School Leaders (Council of Chief State School Officers, 1996). The ISLLC standards were adopted by the Nebraska Department of Education as reflected in Nebraska Department of Education Rule 24. Coursework, field experiences, and assessments are designed to prepare candidates for professional roles and assess their competence for those roles based on the ISLLC standards.

The School Counseling program is based on the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) standards and the State of Nebraska Comprehensive School Counseling Program. Nebraska supports and has adopted the school counseling comprehensive model of the American School Counseling Association (ASCA). (Please see the Nebraska/ASCA Comprehensive School Counseling Model at http://www.nde.state.ne.us/cared/standards.html.) Coursework, field experiences, and assessments are related to the CACREP and ASCA standards. Candidates use simulations, case studies, projects, and portfolios to build professional knowledge and reflect on their own learning. They use technology to access current research, communicate effectively, and in some cases enhance student learning. Courses are taught by faculty who have the appropriate experience and qualifications at the level of licensure.

To assure that other school personnel acquire professional knowledge and skills, all advanced programs require coursework, a field experience, a graduate portfolio, and an oral exam related to the professional knowledge and skills described in the ISLLC standards [EDAD], and the CACREP and NSCA/ASCA [School Counseling] standards. In addition, candidates for the specialist degree must successfully complete an initial interview, written comprehensive exams, and a field study or thesis. Candidates learn about and apply institutional, state and national standards; professional organizations; multiple assessment techniques, use of technology; best practices in instruction, supervision, and evaluation; and working with diversity in families and communities.

Professional Knowledge and Skills of Education Administration and School Counseling programs are assessed by grade point averages of coursework taken as a part of their programs. Because almost all coursework taken at the advanced level has some component of content knowledge as well as professional knowledge and skills, the overall GPAs of program graduates provided evidence of content knowledge and professional knowledge and skills (NCATE Standards 1.A and 1.B). Table 1.11: Mean Exit GPA for Other Professional School Personnel Graduates shows mean candidate GPAs at the time of graduation for Education Administration and School Counseling programs.

All Education Administration and School Counseling candidates are required to complete an advanced field experience activity. (See complete description and data of field experiences for advanced candidates in Education Administration and School Counseling programs in NCATE Standard 1-A).

Education Administration and School Counseling candidates are required to demonstrate professional knowledge and skills through a formal comprehensive oral examination and presentation of a professional portfolio (See NCATE Standard 1-A). In addition to the oral exam and professional portfolio requirements, Education Administration Specialist degree candidates are required to demonstrate professional knowledge and skills through a written comprehensive examination and presentation of a field study or thesis (See NCATE Standard 1-A).

Assessment of the quality of programs and graduates of Educational Administration is conducted using follow-up studies. Graduates and employers of Education Administration programs are surveyed. Items that relate to professional knowledge and skills are listed and data summarized in Table 1.12: Mean Ratings of Content Knowledge & Professional Knowledge and Skills Demonstrated by Education Administration Graduates from Follow-up Studies (Summary) The data provided in Tables 1.12 and 1.12a also apply to Content Knowledge for Education Administration Graduates (See NCATE Standard 1.A for data summary and discussion of data).

School Counseling graduates and the program are assessed by collecting data from the oral examination using a rubric based on CACREP standards. Items that relate to professional knowledge and skills are listed and data summarized in Table1.13: Content Knowledge & Professional Knowledge and Skills Demonstrated by School Counseling Candidates by Oral Examination. The data provided in Table 1.13 also apply to Content Knowledge for School Counseling Candidates (See NCATE Standard 1.A for data summary and discussion of data).

Technology is integrated throughout the unit’s programs. Both Education Administration and School Counseling programs incorporate technology in coursework, candidate assignments and presentations, and field experiences. Faculty model technology use, and candidates experience technology through Internet use, course delivery through the Internet (Blackboard) and interactive distance learning system. Technology knowledge and skills are rated specifically by Item 1.4 described in Table 1.20: Mean Ratings of Technology Knowledge and Skills Demonstrated by Education Administration Graduates from Graduate and Employer Follow-up Studies.

Table 1.20: Mean Ratings of Technology Knowledge and Skills Demonstrated by Education Administration Graduates from Graduate and Employer Follow-up Studies

	EDAD Self		EDAD Employer		Specialist Self		Specialist Employer
Follow-up Study Item	Mean (n)	SD	Mean (n)	SD	Mean (n)	SD	Mean (n)	SD
1.4 Model and practice effective methodologies including the use of technology to support student learning.	4.53 (15)	.64	4.8 (5)	.45	3.83 (6)	.75	4.25 (4)	.96

Scale 5-high; 1-low Specialist:

EDAD: 10 self-evaluations sent and 6 returned (60%).

55 self-evaluations sent and 15 returned (27%). 4 supervisor evaluations sent and 4 received (100%).

7 supervisor evaluations sent and 5 received (71%).

School Counseling candidates describe their technological competence and computer literacy in the Graduate Counseling Student Interview Survey Pre-Test (Department Assessment Instrument #1) and Post-Test (Department Assessment Instrument #2). Both instruments have been administered for the first time in the Fall of 2005. Data are not available at this time to compare pre- and post-assessment responses. All candidates taking coursework via online learning and Blackboard delivery are surveyed by the Extended Campus Programs Office.

School Counseling candidates are also assessed on their knowledge and skills with technology during the graduate student oral examination. Specific questions that address technology and the results are described in Table 1.21: Technology Knowledge and Skills Demonstrated by School Counseling Candidates by Oral Examination (2002, 2003, 2004 & 2005). Results indicate that candidates rated at the superior or above average levels in using technology related to school counseling competencies.

Table 1.21: Technology Knowledge and Skills Demonstrated by School Counseling Candidates by Oral Examination (2002, 2003, 2004 & 2005)

III. Skills Demonstrated by School Counseling Candidates		2005		2004		2003		2002
4. Career Development.	n	%	n	&	n	%	n	%
4. c. Can use computer assisted career-information systems.	7	S=28% AA=57% NT=14%	7	S=14% AA=14% A=14% NT=57%	3	NT=33%	3	AA=33% A=33% NT=33%
8. Research and Program Evaluation.
8. b. Can use computers for data management and analysis.	7	AA=14% NT=86%	7	NT=100%	3	A=33% NT=66%	3	NT=100%

COUN = Orals Exam Ratings by School Counselors.

S=Superior; AA=Above Average; A=Average; BA=Below Average; F=Failed’ NT=Not Tested