The Politics of Pedagogy: Retaining faculty authority for curriculum

despite state /national impositions

Janet Fulks, ASCCC North Representative Jane Patton, ASCCC Vice President Chuck Wiseley, Chancellor’s Office

Federal Issues in Higher Education

Action: Attacks on accreditation Effect: Discrediting accreditation

Action: Intrusive U.S. Dept. of Education Effect:3rd party Testing Effect: Implementation of Perkins

Higher Education Act

Intention of the law to strengthen the educational

resources to provide financial assistance

for students

Includes recognition standards for accreditation

Accreditation

The issues What’s in our best interest What is not in our best interest

Perkins

What it is Our concerns What could be next

External ( 3rd party) Testing

What is is Issues for higher education

Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006

‘‘(a) LOCAL CONTROL.—Nothing in this Act shall be construed to authorize an officer or employee of the Federal Government to mandate, direct, or control a State, local educational agency, or school’s curriculum, program of instruction, or allocation of State or local resources…”

U.S. Dept. of Ed.

• “GPA will probably not be accepted by the department for technical skill attainment”

• “Congress no longer trusts faculty

assessment of student learning as an indicator of student achievement” (USDE administrator)

• USDE doesn’t trust educators to control curriculum and assess learning

U.S. Dept. of Ed: “adequate assessment” includes:

o Technical skill assessments external, third-party agencies to assess national

or state-identified standards State developed

o National, state, or industry-developed

credentialing or licensing exams to control entry into a profession

o Standardized statewide assessments of technical skills• created by state administrators for local agency

use

U.S. Dept. of Ed: “adequate assessment” includes:

National/international credentialing or certification exams

e.g., ASE certification

State credentialing or licensing exam e.g., cosmetology

Industry developed exam for occupations/specialties

e.g., Certified Executive Chef

Third party exam measuring technical skills

e.g., NOCTI

Implications and Concerns

3rd party testing will become accountability

for everything

Perkins is a vulnerable place to start

The effect of 3rd party testing on the institution:

Limited summative information, therefore:• No improvement to the classroom • No contribution to student

development• Added expense, time and

administration

The effect of 3rd party testing on curriculum:

Curriculum must change to the testing criteria• Loss of locally identified criteria• Loss of skills training as a measure• Homogenization • Loss of currency• Lack of local considerations• See ETS plans to drive alignment

The effect of 3rd party testing on the individual:

Single type of measure• Unfair to students• WYMIWYG

Testing decreases class time and costsInaccurate scoringRacial and test bias (see NY Times articles)

Discussion

Identify strengths & weaknesses of:

Accreditation

3rd party testing

Effects of federal intrusion

Diminished Academic Freedom

Loss of faculty control of curriculum;

disenfranchised faculty

Driving curriculum to meet external standards

“Corporatization” of higher education

Others?

Forging Alliances for Action

What can we do? Local level State level National level

What alliances should we build?

We are not alone - H.R.4305Improving Student Testing Act of 2007 (Introduced in House)

Elementary & Secondary Education (6) Multiple measures

(7) Frequency of using high-quality assessments

(8) design innovative State assessment systems valid and reliable high-quality assessments teacher-designed formative assessments performance-based assessments portfolio assessments

(9) providing additional resources for States to encourage the use of more than high stakes standardized testing in making key decisions about students and schools

including accountability determinations, student promotion and retention decisions school funding decisions.

How do faculty retain the essential curricular autonomy to guarantee the quality assurance that we know depends on faculty?