Working the System: Exemplars from the University of Colorado at Boulder

1
Working the SystemExemplars from the
University of Colorado at Boulder

• American Association of Colleges of Teacher
  Education
• February 21, 2004
• Jennie Whitcomb
• Assistant Dean for Teacher Education
• jennie.whitcomb_at_colorado.edu

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The Colorado Context Performance-Based Standards

• Candidate Knowledge Responsive to K-12 CO Model
  Content Standards
• Educator Licensing Act outlines standards for
  content knowledge for each licensure area
• Colorado Commission on Higher Education approves
  academic majors for undergraduate candidates and
  limits though majors to 126 credits
• Candidates must pass licensure exam (PLACE or
  PRAXIS) prior to student teaching
• Pedagogical Content Knowledge, Professional and
  Pedagogical Knowledge Responsive to
  Performance-based Standards for Colorado Teachers
• 45 standard elements in eight broad areas,
• e.g., 1 Knowledge of Literacy or 6 Knowledge of
  Individualization of Instruction
• 800 hours supervised field experience
• Teacher Work Sample required of all candidates
  before licensure
• Electronic Inventory of Satisfied Standards must
  be created for each candidate
• Schools of Education went through state review
  within one year of legislations passage to
  ensure full implementation of performance-based
  system
• Draw upon our conceptual framework and teacher
  education program goals to give coherence and
  intellectual framing of state standards and
  regulations

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Major Components of CUs System Sources of Data
for Each Candidate
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Major Components of CUs System Sources of Data
to Evaluate Programs
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The System at Work Knowledge of Literacy Standard

• Mapping the Performance-Based Standards
• Program Map
• Course Map
• Refining and Aligning Benchmark Assessments in
  Courses
• Refining and Aligning Student Teaching Assessment
  Instruments
• Developing an Inventory of Satisfied Standards
• Analyzing First-Year Principal Survey Data

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The System at Work CO Performance-Based
Standards Knowledge of Literacy

• 1.1 Plan and organize reading instruction based
  on ongoing assessments.
• 1.2 Develop phonological and linguistic skills
  related to reading.
• 1.3 Develop reading comprehension and promotion
  of independent reading.
• 1.4 Support reading through oral and written
  language development.
• 1.5 Utilize Colorado Model Content Standards in
  Reading and Writing for the improvement of
  instruction.

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The System at Work Program Map for Literacy
Standards
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The System at Work One Course Map Referencing
Literacy Standards
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The System at Work One Benchmark Assignment in a
Course

• Integrated Literature/Social Studies Unit (35)
  In addition to ongoing participation in the
  class, the team will develop their integrated
  literature/social studies unit. The assigned
  university mentor will aid teacher education
  candidates in thinking about issues of diversity
  and social action, specific resources, district
  and state standards, and related research that
  would enhance the work. The classroom teachers
  are invited to add their insights into the
  development of the unit. The unit should include
  the following
• a one to two-page rationale, which explains what
  the children will learn by participating in the
  unit, with particular attention to the Colorado
  Model Content Standards 1.5 S, 3.8 S
• a five- to six-page summation of curricular
  components in childrens literature and social
  studies emphasized in the unit
• a calendar describing daily activities of the
  unit
• three lessons on selected narrative elements
  (e.g., character, theme, style) addressed in the
  curricular components 1.1 S, 1.3 S, 1.4 S,
  1.5 S, 3.1 S, 3.2 S, 3.3 S, 3.6 S, 3.8 S
• three specific social studies content lessons
  reflected in the curricular components 1.3 S,
  1.5 S, 4.2 S, 3.1 S, 3.2 S, 3.3 S, 3.6 S, 3.8 S,
  4.3 S, 4.4 S, 7.1 S, 7.5 S, 8.1 S
• an annotated bibliography of 3 to 5 books
  selected for the unit, featuring a foundation
  text along with intertextually related books
  1.3 S, 3.8 S
• a reference list of all sources in APA style.

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The System at Work Benchmark Assignments in the
Inventory of Satisfied Standards

• Elementary Education Program - University of
  Colorado at Boulder
• School of Education UCB 249, Boulder CO 80309
• The following Inventory of Satisfied
  Standards provides you with a record of how you
  have satisfied the required Performance-Based
  Standards for Colorado Teachers. Although the
  Inventory does not include all teacher education
  course assignments that satisfied standards, it
  does include selected assignments from your
  teacher education courses and student teaching
  experience that document how you have satisfied
  each standard. You should keep this inventory for
  your records along with appropriate class
  assignments and your Teacher Work Sample.
• Standard One Knowledge of Literacy
• 1.1 Plan and organize reading instruction based
  on ongoing assessment.
• Performance evidence demonstrating proficiency
• Integrated Literacy Social Studies Unit The
  candidate developed an integrated unit to
  highlight the content areas of literacy and
  social studies as well as to reflect the
  particular needs of children in the assigned
  elementary practicum classroom.  Lessons, based
  on Colorado Model Content Standards, were
  developed for reading, language arts, social
  studies, and literature. One of the lessons was
  taught to the class. EDUC 4311
• Literacy Development Portfolio The candidate
  interacted with an individual child at least once
  a week for a minimum of two hours and kept
  detailed notes on the child's reading and
  writing.  Based on the information gathered and
  the Colorado Model Content Standards in Reading
  and Writing, the candidate planned and organized
  instruction for the child. EDUC 4321
• Source of Evidence Checklist During student
  teaching, the candidate planned and organized
  reading instruction based on ongoing assessment.
  Evidence that this standard was satisfied is on
  the Source of Evidence Checklist, compiled during
  student teaching. Evidence came from one or more
  of the following sources observation by
  cooperating teacher or University supervisor,
  lesson plans, conference, journal, or TWS. To
  satisfy this standard, multiple pieces of
  evidence were required to show that the candidate
  performed consistently at an acceptable to good
  level. EDUC 4513 EDUC 4691

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The System at Work Policies for Syllabi
Benchmark Assignments

• Policies Adopted by Faculty re Syllabi
• Reference all performance-based standards met in
  the course by annotating each benchmark
  assignment to explain each standard met through
  that assignment.
• Candidates cannot earn a passing grade in a
  course unless all assignments satisfying
  relevant standards have been completed at
  proficient level.
• Practices Followed by Faculty re Syllabi
• Every syllabus is reviewed each semester to
  update program and course maps.
• Faculty collaborate and deliberate to ensure that
  as new faculty teach in the program, curricular
  changes are negotiated to ensure program
  coherence is maintained.

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The System at Work Literacy Standards in Student
Teaching Assessments (Observation Reports)

• Knowledge of Literacy
• Good Acceptable Needs Improvement
• ? ? ? Bases instruction on content needs and/or
  ongoing assessment
• ? ? ? Develops reading comprehension and
  promotes independent readin g
• ? ? ? Uses reading to accomplish a variety of
  instructional tasks
• ? ? ? Promotes sound writing practices
• Specific Notes/Artifacts

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The System at Work Literacy Standards in Student
Teaching Assessments (Sources of Evidence)
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The System at Work Student Teaching Assessments
in the Inventory of Satisfied Standards

• Elementary Education Program - University of
  Colorado at Boulder
• School of Education UCB 249, Boulder CO 80309
• The following Inventory of Satisfied
  Standards provides you with a record of how you
  have satisfied the required Performance-Based
  Standards for Colorado Teachers. Although the
  Inventory does not include all teacher education
  course assignments that satisfied standards, it
  does include selected assignments from your
  teacher education courses and student teaching
  experience that document how you have satisfied
  each standard. You should keep this inventory for
  your records along with appropriate class
  assignments and your Teacher Work Sample.
• Standard One Knowledge of Literacy
• 1.1 Plan and organize reading instruction based
  on ongoing assessment.
• Performance evidence demonstrating proficiency
• Integrated Literacy Social Studies Unit The
  candidate developed an integrated unit to
  highlight the content areas of literacy and
  social studies as well as to reflect the
  particular needs of children in the assigned
  elementary practicum classroom.  Lessons, based
  on Colorado Model Content Standards, were
  developed for reading, language arts, social
  studies, and literature. One of the lessons was
  taught to the class. EDUC 4311
• Literacy Development Portfolio The candidate
  interacted with an individual child at least once
  a week for a minimum of two hours and kept
  detailed notes on the child's reading and
  writing.  Based on the information gathered and
  the Colorado Model Content Standards in Reading
  and Writing, the candidate planned and organized
  instruction for the child. EDUC 4321
• Source of Evidence Checklist During student
  teaching, the candidate planned and organized
  reading instruction based on ongoing assessment.
  Evidence that this standard was satisfied is on
  the Source of Evidence Checklist, compiled during
  student teaching. Evidence came from one or more
  of the following sources observation by
  cooperating teacher or University supervisor,
  lesson plans, conference, journal, or TWS. To
  satisfy this standard, multiple pieces of
  evidence were required to show that the candidate
  performed consistently at an acceptable to good
  level. EDUC 4513 EDUC 4691

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The System at Work Literacy Standards in
First-Year Teacher Surveys

• Items related to specific skills developed in
  literacy methods courses
• Q22 To what degree did your experiences with the
  School of Education enhance your ability to
  integrate reading and literacy concepts and
  skills into curriculum using standards to guide
  instruction
• Scale 1not at all, 4moderately, 7extremely

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The System at Work Literacy Standards in
First-Year Teacher Surveys

• Perceived contribution of literacy courses to
  teaching effectiveness
• Scale 1not at all, 4moderately, 7extremely

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The System at Work Literacy Standards in
Principal Surveys

• Items related to specific skills developed in
  literacy methods courses
• Q22 Compared to other first-year teachers, how
  well does this teacher Integrate reading and
  literacy concepts and skills into curriculum
  using standards to guide instruction
• Scale 1not at all, 4moderately, 7extremely
• Quality Indicator 5.0

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The System at Work Data Driving Program Renewal

• 2002 First-Year Teacher Principal Surveys

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The System at Work Data Driving Programmatic
Changes

• Task Force
• Redesigned curriculum in two courses
• Piloted new syllabi in 2003-2004
• Conducted curriculum survey during pilot
• Will be able to review First-Year Teacher and
  Principal Survey data of candidates who took
  revised courses as early as 2005-2006

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Working the System What Ive Learned, So Far.

• Assessment systems must be responsive to state
  context and mandates
• Roll up your sleeves
• Deans leadership and commitment of resources
  essential
• Values coherence and actively supports policies
  that promote coherence
• Resources to develop and maintain Access data
  base system
• Reallocated FTE to create a Coordinator of
  Assessment Planning Position
• Focuses faculty on addressing one program renewal
  effort at a time
• Engages publicly in the ongoing challenge to
  manage the tension between engaging in this work
  with intellectual rigor/passion and engaging in
  this work as a bureaucratic task