NCATE Board of Examiners VisitWidener University

Welcome

• Brief history of Widener and the Center for Education– Tradition of Service– Commitment to Civic Engagement– Pre-eminent Metropolitan University

The Center for Education

• Proud to be a leader in civic engagement– Field experiences in local school districts– Interdisciplinary activities with other units

• Charter School

• SWCS

– Widener Reads and Widener Counts• More than 49 tutors in 9 schools

– WSEA, Earth Force, academic days , ecology academy

Unit Structure• How do we fit together?

University

School of Human Service Professions

Center for Education

The School of Human Service Professions (SHSP)

• Four Units- Dean Stephen Wilhite

– Education Director and Associate Dean Ledoux

– Social WorkDirector and Associate Dean Silver

– Physical TherapyDirector and Associate Dean Dole

– Graduate Clinical PsychologyDirector and Associate Dean Brabender

Structure

• Semi-autonomous– Scheduling– Budget– Graduate admissions– Programs– Support staff and infrastructure– Field experience and certification– Technology

Uniqueness and Redundancy

• Uniqueness– Center Committees: Academic Affairs, Certification,

Diversity, Assessment, Awards, Admissions, Promotion and Tenure

• Allows for programmatic changes on the local level

• Allows for the distinctive nature of the field to be reflected

• Gives the unit a sense of ownership

Redundancy

• SHSP Committee: Academic Affairs, Diversity, Promotion and Tenure– Provides support and interdisciplinary initiatives

• Academic Affairs- E.g. policies for plagiarism

• Diversity-Annual diversity programming that is more “diverse” and interdisciplinary

• Promotion and Tenure-Guidelines, but flexible for unit standards, procedures.

What do we do best?

• Conceptual Framework

The Center for Education’s goal is to develop our professional expertise as educators and leaders in the classroom, the field, and the communities we serve. We realize our goal through adherence to the values of academic excellence, collaboration, diversity and life-long learning, and by our commitments to technology and best practices

Knowledge, skills and dispositions

When I see those in the field who are really successful, they have gone to Widener for their

degree. William Saccardi, EdD candidate

• Initial certification through advanced degrees, build knowledge, skills and dispositions through classroom and field experiences.

Assessment

• Lots of input from field supervisors, cooperating teachers, TEC, faculty, support staff.

• Continued review of data and assessment of data quality. Fairness, not only to student but to the users (E.g. Portfolios)

• Redundancy and information for candidates and outside constituencies

• Use of data for program improvement (shared with faculty, TEC, advisory boards, etc.)

Field Experience

• Early and often• Collaborative (meeting the needs of candidates

and districts)• Relationships• Diversity of placements• Progressive and regular• Reflective

(KSS)/Diversity/Standards/Technology

Not just learn it, experience it!

Diversity

• Challenge of underrepresented faculty• Actually a real strength:

– HSED program at advanced levels– Field experiences and placements, collaboration, ELL– SHSP and University connections- strategic plan– Outreach in new hires– Exceptionalities

Faculty

• PDE new norms• All doctorally prepared• Excellent teachers• Productivity in scholarship (P&T Guidelines)• Academic Citizenship• Teacher/Scholar model (University)• Basic education experience

Professional development

• Conferences• Tea and Technology• Research Symposium• Collaboration among faculty• Learning assistance programs• Mentoring of new faculty

Review of Additional Resources

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Thank You.