NCATE Accreditation: NCATE Accreditation: Views from the FieldViews from the Field

Christopher CratsleyChristopher CratsleyFitchburg State CollegeFitchburg State College

Robert A. CohenRobert A. CohenEast Stroudsburg UniversityEast Stroudsburg University

How many reports?How many reports?

One for each programOne for each program Each program may have multiple Each program may have multiple certifications that share the same certifications that share the same assessmentsassessments

All science areas are typically All science areas are typically considered to be part of one program considered to be part of one program and, as such, are expected to share and, as such, are expected to share the same assessmentsthe same assessments

ALL of the assessments must be ALL of the assessments must be required for ALL program completersrequired for ALL program completers

List of Assessments (2004)List of Assessments (2004)

1.1. Content Knowledge –Licensure TestsContent Knowledge –Licensure Tests

2.2. Content Knowledge – Conceptual*Content Knowledge – Conceptual*

3.3. PPKSD – Planning InstructionPPKSD – Planning Instruction

4.4. PPKSD – Student Teaching PPKSD – Student Teaching

5.5. Effects on Student LearningEffects on Student Learning

6.6. PPKSD – Research & InvestigationPPKSD – Research & Investigation

7.7. PPKSD – Legal/Safety/Ethical IssuesPPKSD – Legal/Safety/Ethical Issues

8.8. Content Knowledge – ContextualContent Knowledge – ContextualPPKSD = Pedagogical and Professional Knowledge, Skills and PPKSD = Pedagogical and Professional Knowledge, Skills and

DispositionsDispositions

List of Assessments (1998)List of Assessments (1998)

1.1. Content Knowledge –Licensure TestsContent Knowledge –Licensure Tests

2.2. Content Knowledge – ContextualContent Knowledge – Contextual

3.3. Content Knowledge – Research & Content Knowledge – Research & InvestigationInvestigation

4.4. PPKSD –Safety and Living ThingsPPKSD –Safety and Living Things

5.5. PPKSD – PlanningPPKSD – Planning

6.6. PPKSD – Assessment*PPKSD – Assessment*

7.7. PPKSD – Teaching Practices and PPKSD – Teaching Practices and DispositionsDispositions

8.8. Effects on Student LearningEffects on Student LearningPPKSD = Pedagogical and Professional Knowledge, Skills and PPKSD = Pedagogical and Professional Knowledge, Skills and

DispositionsDispositions

Parts of a Program ReportParts of a Program Report

I.I. ContextContextPrograms of studyPrograms of studyNumber of candidates and completersNumber of candidates and completersProgram faculty expertise and experienceProgram faculty expertise and experience

II.II. List of AssessmentsList of AssessmentsIII.III. Relationship of Assessments to StandardsRelationship of Assessments to StandardsIV.IV. Evidence for Meeting StandardsEvidence for Meeting Standards

Description of assessmentsDescription of assessmentsAlignment with standardsAlignment with standardsTabulation of dataTabulation of data

V.V. Use of Assessment Results to Improve Use of Assessment Results to Improve Candidate and Program PerformanceCandidate and Program Performance

How did ESU do?How did ESU do?

SPA Decision: National RecognitionSPA Decision: National Recognition

Programs covered:Programs covered:- Biology (7-12)Biology (7-12)- Chemistry (7-12)Chemistry (7-12)- Earth and Space Science (7-12)Earth and Space Science (7-12)- Physics (7-12)Physics (7-12)- General Science (7-12)General Science (7-12)

ESU ProgramESU Program

I.I. StrengthsStrengthsa.a. Standard five (skills of teaching)Standard five (skills of teaching)

b.b. Intern training program (action Intern training program (action research?)research?)

c.c. ““Assessments are reviewed and Assessments are reviewed and reflected upon in a systematic manner”reflected upon in a systematic manner”

II.II. WeaknessesWeaknessesa.a. Lack of data for student teachingLack of data for student teaching

b.b. Rubrics lacked criteria for some Rubrics lacked criteria for some Nature of Science, Context of Science Nature of Science, Context of Science and Social Context standardsand Social Context standards

Difficulties ESU EncounteredDifficulties ESU Encountered

1.1. All candidates had to complete all All candidates had to complete all assessmentsassessments

2.2. We weren’t allowed to add creditsWe weren’t allowed to add credits

3.3. The target kept changingThe target kept changing

4.4. Student teaching evaluation forms at ESU Student teaching evaluation forms at ESU didn’t match science standardsdidn’t match science standards

5.5. General pedagogy was left out of the General pedagogy was left out of the looploop

6.6. State Dept of Ed requirements are State Dept of Ed requirements are differentdifferent

7.7. The feedback lacked detailThe feedback lacked detail

How did FSC do?How did FSC do? Program covered: 9-12 Single-Field Program covered: 9-12 Single-Field Biology.Biology.

SPA decision: Nationally recognized SPA decision: Nationally recognized with conditions.with conditions.

Strengths: Research Report and Strengths: Research Report and Teacher Work Sample.Teacher Work Sample.

Areas for Improvement: More data and Areas for Improvement: More data and improved Assessment 2 demonstrating improved Assessment 2 demonstrating contextual content knowledge contextual content knowledge including the Nature of Science, including the Nature of Science, inquiry and applicationsinquiry and applications

Difficulties FSC EncounteredDifficulties FSC Encountered This process required creating new This process required creating new

assessment instruments for contextual assessment instruments for contextual content knowledge, research & content knowledge, research & investigation, safety and living things investigation, safety and living things and effects on student learning.and effects on student learning.

NSTA standards suggest that candidates NSTA standards suggest that candidates should integrate elements such as the should integrate elements such as the nature of science, inquiry, nature of science, inquiry, applications and safety throughout applications and safety throughout their classes, but as we try to model their classes, but as we try to model this in our curricula, single this in our curricula, single assessments become more difficult.assessments become more difficult.

Required Courses in Science and MathematicsCourses in biology: Courses in related sciences: BIOL 1800 General Biology I CHEM 1300 General Chemistry I BIOL 1900 General Biology II CHEM 1400 General Chemistry II BIOL 2300 Introduction to Ecology CHEM 2000 Organic Chemistry I BIOL 2800 Genetics CHEM 2100 Organic Chemistry II BIOL 3250 Cell Biology PHYS 1300 General Physics I BIOL 3550 Developmental Biology PHYS 1400 General Physics II 4 additional Biology electives. 2 courses at or above Math 1250

Additional Requirements for BS in Biology with Initial Teacher LicensureEDUC 1021 Orientation to Education (1 credit course)GEOG 1100 Introduction to Earth Systems ScienceBIOL 2860 Introduction to Secondary School TeachingSPED 3800 Secondary Programs for Adolescents (14-22) with Special NeedsENGL 4700 Teaching Writing in Middle and Secondary SchoolsBIOL 4850 Biology Teaching MethodsBIOL 4860/ Biology Practicum in a Secondary School I and II

FSC Program

ExperimentalExperimentalDesignDesign

Does notDoes notMeet standardMeet standard

Acceptable with Acceptable with revisionrevision

TargetTarget DistinguishedDistinguished

ObjectiveObjective Objective lacks Objective lacks clarity, doesn’t take clarity, doesn’t take into account into account published literature published literature and addresses and addresses irrelevant questions. irrelevant questions.

Objective is clear but Objective is clear but lacks brevity, takes lacks brevity, takes some published some published literature into literature into account and account and addresses relevant addresses relevant questions.questions.

Objective is clear and Objective is clear and concise, takes into concise, takes into account most published account most published literature and literature and addresses unresolved addresses unresolved questions.questions.

Objective is clear and Objective is clear and concise, takes into concise, takes into account all published account all published literature and literature and addresses significant addresses significant questions.questions.

HypothesesHypotheses Not all alternative Not all alternative hypotheses are hypotheses are recognized and the recognized and the results will not results will not adequately support of adequately support of rule out any of the rule out any of the hypotheses.hypotheses.

Not all alternative Not all alternative hypotheses are hypotheses are recognized but the recognized but the results will support or results will support or rule out one rule out one hypothesis for further hypothesis for further tests.tests.

All alternative All alternative hypotheses are hypotheses are recognized in design recognized in design such that the results such that the results will support or rule out will support or rule out one hypothesis for one hypothesis for further tests.further tests.

All alternative All alternative hypotheses are hypotheses are recognized and recognized and addressed in design addressed in design such that the results such that the results will support a single will support a single hypothesis.hypothesis.

SubjectsSubjects Subjects are collected Subjects are collected or reared and selected or reared and selected for experimentation in for experimentation in a manner that doesn’t a manner that doesn’t address variation . address variation .

Subjects are collected Subjects are collected or reared and selected or reared and selected for experimentation for experimentation taking into account taking into account some sources of some sources of variation.variation.

Subjects are collected Subjects are collected or reared and selected or reared and selected for experimentation for experimentation taking into account taking into account most sources of most sources of variation. variation.

Subjects are collected Subjects are collected or reared and selected or reared and selected for experimentation in for experimentation in a manner that a manner that accounts for all accounts for all individual variation.individual variation.

ConditionsConditions Experiment doesn’t Experiment doesn’t occur under occur under appropriate appropriate experimental experimental conditions and allows conditions and allows for unwanted for unwanted variationvariation

Experiment occurs Experiment occurs under appropriate under appropriate experimental experimental conditions and conditions and attempts to control attempts to control for sources of for sources of unwanted variation.unwanted variation.

Experiment occurs in Experiment occurs in an environment an environment approximating the approximating the natural context of the natural context of the biological process biological process controlling most controlling most unwanted variation.unwanted variation.

Experiment occurs in Experiment occurs in an environment an environment appropriate to the appropriate to the natural context of the natural context of the biological process, biological process, controlling for all controlling for all unwanted variation.unwanted variation.

StandardStandard Does not meet Does not meet standardstandard

Requires revisionRequires revision Meets standardMeets standard Exceeds standardExceeds standard

Unifying Unifying Concepts of Concepts of ScienceScience

The goals and The goals and objectives of Science objectives of Science Education as Education as identified in the identified in the National Science National Science Education Standards Education Standards are ignored or are ignored or misunderstood.misunderstood.

The goals and objectives The goals and objectives of Science Education as of Science Education as identified in the National identified in the National Science Education Science Education Standards are explained Standards are explained but require additional but require additional clarity or detail.clarity or detail.

The goals and The goals and objectives of Science objectives of Science Education as identified Education as identified in the National Science in the National Science Education Standards are Education Standards are explained and related to explained and related to curricular decisions.curricular decisions.

The goals and The goals and objectives of Science objectives of Science Education as Education as identified in the identified in the National Science National Science Education Standards Education Standards and other sources are and other sources are explained and explained and contrasted for contrasted for planning curricula.planning curricula.

Science as a Science as a disciplinediscipline

Types of science Types of science inquiry and science inquiry and science as compared to other as compared to other disciplines are not disciplines are not addressed properly addressed properly and without reference and without reference to lesson plan design to lesson plan design and learning.and learning.

The philosophy, The philosophy, assumptions, goals and assumptions, goals and values of different values of different approaches to science, approaches to science, technology and other technology and other fields are described fields are described without clear without clear distinctions.distinctions.

The philosophy, The philosophy, assumptions, goals and assumptions, goals and values of different values of different approaches to science, approaches to science, technology and other technology and other fields are contrasted fields are contrasted with reference to lesson with reference to lesson plans.plans.

The philosophy, The philosophy, assumptions, goals assumptions, goals and values of different and values of different approaches to science, approaches to science, technology and other technology and other fields are contrasted in fields are contrasted in terms of how students terms of how students learn.learn.

Honest Honest assessment assessment and and applications applications of science of science

No applications of No applications of science in the real science in the real world are addressed world are addressed nor is the diverse nor is the diverse nature of student nature of student learning in a skills learning in a skills and capabilities and capabilities present in a present in a classroom. classroom.

Applications of science Applications of science in the real world are in the real world are addressed in terms of addressed in terms of assessing student assessing student learning without learning without addressing the true range addressing the true range of skills and capabilities of skills and capabilities in the classroom. in the classroom.

Applications of science Applications of science in the real world are in the real world are addressed in terms of addressed in terms of assessing student assessing student learning in a number of learning in a number of different ways that may different ways that may be appropriate to be appropriate to diverse student skills. diverse student skills.

Applications of Applications of science in the real science in the real world are addressed in world are addressed in terms of assessing terms of assessing student learning in a student learning in a way that recognizes way that recognizes the diverse skills and the diverse skills and capabilities present in capabilities present in the classroom.the classroom.