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CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK for

Teacher Education at

Southeastern Oklahoma State University

"Teacher: Manager of Learning" INTRODUCTION

The Teacher Education Program at Southeastern Oklahoma State University

builds on the past to prepare teachers for the future. The program is constantly evolving

to bring the newest and most up-to-date information and trends to Teacher Candidates.

Significant changes have occurred in the Teacher Education Program at Southeastern, yet

these changes serve only to enhance the existing foundation.

The most significant change as reported in the AACTE/NCATE Joint Data

Collection System (now called Professional Education Data System or PEDS) occurred

in response to the development of a new governing body for teacher education in

Oklahoma: The Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation (OCTP). As part of a

legislative mandate, the Teacher Education Program was revamped to reflect current

trends and issues in the professional education courses. The Teacher Education Program

at Southeastern Oklahoma State University, in conjunction with the OCTP and NCATE,

strives to prepare and produce the best teacher educators in the state of Oklahoma.

Keeping that goal as the focus, the Teacher Education Program incorporates the

theme: "Teacher: Manager of Learning" throughout the Teacher Education Unit.

The program is based upon the following philosophies shared by the professional

education faculty concerning students, learning, knowledge, and pedagogy:

STUDENTS

All students can learn. Cultural, psychological, and physical differences in students influence

learning. The self-concept is critical to teaching and to learning.

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LEARNING

Learning occurs in different settings. Learning is a continuing process. Error is an essential part of learning.

KNOWLEDGE

General/liberal education and academic/specialty studies are critical as a foundation for professional studies.

Knowledge is a requirement of individual freedom. Knowledge of subject matter is essential to effective teaching. Education involves knowing, comprehending, applying, analyzing,

synthesizing, evaluating, and assessing data. Knowledge and critical thinking skills are essential if a democratic and

technological society is to survive.

PEDAGOGY

There is more than one way to teach. Teaching is both an art and a science. The most important purpose of schools is to produce students who are

problem solvers and critical thinkers. The primary role of our graduates is to become skilled managers of

learning. Clinical and field-based experiences give the Candidates an opportunity to

apply what they have learned. Teaching is a profession, not a job. Effective educators are receptive to positive change and are able to think

critically in determining whether change is positive, neutral, or negative. The quality of teaching is directly contingent upon the quality of the

decision making which precedes teaching. Teaching is a complex, multi-faceted activity requiring principled thought

and reflective decisions. Teaching is both a learned behavior and a developmental process. Instruction is based on the most effective strategies, methods, techniques,

and behaviors as determined by cumulative and current research as well as collective faculty experience.

Teaching is a process of personal invention created from a sound knowledge base.

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The Institutional Standards for the Teacher Education Program at SEOSU are:

1. Candidates demonstrate knowledge in General Education, Major Subject

Area Education, and Professional Education.

2. Candidates demonstrate skills to support student learning in the following areas: communication, technology, subject matter, critical thinking, and pedagogy.

3. Candidates demonstrate the dispositions of integrity, professionalism,

competence, and a personal commitment to the education of all students.

4. Candidates demonstrate attainment of Teacher Education Program objectives through clinical and field experiences.

5. Candidates demonstrate the ability to plan and deliver instruction while

motivating students to learn.

6. Candidates demonstrate the use of multiple assessment tools to monitor student learning and to modify instruction.

A synthesis of these institutional standards identifies the following eight essential

elements of the Teacher Education Program: knowledge, experience, ethics, skills,

planning, delivering, motivating, and assessing. Based on previously stated information,

the approach to the preparation of teachers is contained in the theme: "Teacher:

Manager of Learning." The implications of the thematic statement are best

communicated by addressing the elements contained in the Conceptual Framework.

The focus of the theme "Teacher: Manager of Learning" is to better prepare

Candidates for their roles in the elementary and secondary schools. However, the theme

also allows for the faculty to demonstrate how personal learning is managed. In this

sense, the theme takes on life as faculty manage personal learning and model for Teacher

Candidates the management of learning in the classroom. Teacher Candidates then

develop into teachers who are capable of managing personal learning. The reality of the

theme is that the cycle is never-ending as enhancement and management of learning

continues.

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THE CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK THEME

"Teacher: Manager of Learning" is the theme chosen by the unit to provide an

overall framework for the Teacher Education Program. A logo was developed to clarify

the relationship of the Conceptual Framework theme to other elements of teacher

education.

LOGO EXPLANATION:

The hexagon-shaped plane of the logo consists of three components--General

Education, Major Subject Education, and Professional Education. The three points of the

triangle, defined by NCATE standards, the state of Oklahoma, and the learned societies,

rest on the remaining three sides of the hexagon. This plane serves as the foundation for

the development of the theme "Teacher: Manager of Learning." Each component is

essential and contributes to the creation of the final product: a beginning teacher who is

prepared to manage the learning of all students as well as one’s self.

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The circle symbolizes the ongoing interdependence of accepted theory,

cumulative and current research, and wisdom of practice. These guiding influences serve

in the selection of content to be included in the Conceptual Framework for General

Education, Major Subject Education, and Professional Education.

The structure inside the circle represents Morrison Hall. Traditionally, this

campus landmark has been closely associated with teacher education. The structure has

three parts: the steps, the columns, and the pediment.

The steps represent the knowledge, experience, ethics, and skills Candidates bring

with them to the program. These elements are refined and expanded while Candidates

are in the program. The Unit expects Candidates to demonstrate evidence of these

elements when they complete the program. The steps, therefore, denote both the

beginning of the learning process and the maturation of the final product as the

Candidates prepare to become professionals in the field.

• Knowledge includes theory and practice, curiosity, creativity, risk-taking,

academic competence, and a variety of teaching styles based on sound

professional pedagogy.

• Experience includes the background candidates bring with them. While in the

program, the Candidates expand their repertoire of experiences through a variety

of field-based opportunities. A well-planned sequence of experiences begins with

observation of practices that support learning; opportunities for classroom

interaction; and collaboration with professionals, parents, other family members,

and the community. These opportunities also develop global awareness,

multicultural experiences, and involvement with students with special needs.

• Ethics include integrity, professionalism, competence, and a personal

commitment to the education of all students.

• Skills include general skills such as critical and reflective thinking, inductive and

deductive reasoning, communication, and problem solving, as well as specific

skills in subject matter, technology usage, and pedagogy to support student

learning.

The columns represent the teaching behaviors that are acquired in the program.

Candidates will be able to effectively plan and deliver instruction while motivating and

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assessing students. The teacher, when acting as a Manager of Learning, is engaging in

a complex and multi-faceted endeavor as depicted by the four columns in the model:

• Planning includes devising educational objectives and formulating instructional

strategies;

• Delivering includes employing instructional methods and techniques to execute

instructional strategies and achieve educational objectives;

• Motivating includes energizing the learning process; and

• Assessing includes determining the degree to which educational objectives have

been achieved. Effective teachers draw upon their knowledge and utilize a

variety of skills in order to make the subject matter meaningful.

The pediment resting on the columns contains the theme of the program

"Teacher: Manager of Learning." The theme statement describes the role of the

teacher as manager of learning in partnership with professionals, parents, and the

community to facilitate the education of all students. In addition, the theme statement

describes the teacher education faculty's perception of the role of the teacher and the

direction of the Candidates' development. The theme and its components are strategies to

capture the distinctiveness of the Unit's philosophy and mission and to link its curricula

to a codified knowledge base essential for beginning teachers. Its choice was based on

the history and mission of the University, departmental and Unit goals, Institutional

Standards, philosophies of the Unit and faculty, current research, theory, and wisdom of

practice.

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

The Conceptual Framework was developed around the eight essential elements

that are deemed necessary for teachers and is derived from research, theory, and wisdom

of practice. In the construction of the eight elements, consideration was also given to

requirements of the state, accreditation agencies, and learned societies. The knowledge

base institutional standards outlined below serve as the underpinning for the Conceptual

Framework. The Unit’s standards for sound teaching practices are influenced by the

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work of Bloom (1956), Dewey (1938), Gardner (1993), Glasser (1993, 2000), Hunter

(1982), Slavin (1990) and Wong (1998).

KNOWLEDGE

Knowledge includes the information gleaned from the general education, major

subject education, and professional education curriculum which forms the foundation for

Candidates. This knowledge is demonstrated through theory, practice, academic

competence, and teaching methodologies.

EXPERIENCE

Experience includes influences that shaped the Candidates prior to entering the

Program. While in the program, Candidates expand their repertoire of experiences

through a variety of field-based opportunities. A well-planned sequence of experiences

begins with observation of practices that support learning, provides opportunities for

classroom interaction, and enables collaboration with professionals, family, and

community. These opportunities also develop Candidate global awareness, multicultural

experiences, and involvement with diverse students.

ETHICS

Ethics include integrity (honesty, trustworthiness, fairness, courage, self-respect,

and respect for others), professionalism (uses abilities to accomplish a goal, exerts effort,

takes responsibility, shows maturity, and displays confidence), competence (knowledge,

ability, and effectiveness), and a personal commitment to the education of all students

(dedication).

SKILLS

Skills include general skills such as critical and reflective thinking, inductive and

deductive reasoning, communication, and problem solving, as well as specific skills in

subject matter, technology usage, and pedagogy to support student learning.

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PLANNING

Planning is an important aspect of effective teaching. Teacher Candidates will

have experience in developing and designing daily, unit, and long-range plans for

instruction. In addition, Candidates will be exposed to strategies utilized in planning for

efficient use of time and for prevention of classroom discipline problems. Through these

varied experiences in planning, Candidates will acquire the knowledge and skills for

creating an atmosphere conducive to learning. As Candidates progress through the

program, they gain an appreciation of the value of planning while refining their ability to

effectively plan, ensuring the success of all students.

DELIVERING

Delivering covers a broad range of instructional strategies and methods (e.g.,

lecture, presentation, demonstration, questioning, performance, storytelling, etc.). The

delivery of instruction also refers to the educational practices related to creating learning

environments that promote positive social interaction, active inquiry, collaborative

learning, and engagement in educational experiences. In short, delivery refers to the

effective communication and instructional techniques by which the Teacher: Manager

of Learning promotes the students' development of critical thinking, problem solving,

and performance skills. Among the tools that promise great benefits for the delivery of

instruction are computer technologies and their attendant applications. Two of the

priorities of the Teacher Education Program are to ensure that Candidates acquire

knowledge about current applications of technology and develop skills in using

technology to deliver instruction.

MOTIVATING

Successful teachers are positive motivators. They have an enthusiasm for their

discipline which enables them to "bring it to life" for their students. They create an

enjoyable classroom environment that accommodates a variety of learning styles and

individual differences. Students are encouraged to be self-starters, active inquirers,

collaborators, critical thinkers, and problem solvers. Ideally, students acquire the

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intrinsic motivation of success in a broad range of academic disciplines and are

ultimately empowered to become productive members of society.

ASSESSING

Candidates regularly use assessment information to make important decisions

about students and programs. Candidates are taught that effective assessment is a

continuous process. Candidates are required to demonstrate the ability to improve

instruction through the interpretation of data.. Data are collected from a variety of

sources including formative and summative evaluations, district and state-mandated

competency tests, diagnostic tests, and intelligence tests. Candidates leave the program

with an understanding of the assessment cycle and its utilization in the decision-making

process.

SUMMARY

The theme and logo are common to all programs in the Unit. Each domain

represents a source of recognized knowledge relevant to training and practice. Each

course requirement in the Professional Education component incorporates an appropriate

section of the knowledge base for emphasis and application. The thematic structure

assures that important concepts are introduced, repeated, and refined throughout the

program. In addition to the traditional classroom presentation of the formal knowledge

base and related research, the program has a strong component of field experiences.

There are 105 hours of sequenced pre-student teaching field experiences related to the

knowledge base content in EDUC 2000, 3002, and 4000. Additionally, the student

teaching experience consists of 60 full days. These field experiences provide candidates

opportunities to observe, model, and practice aspects of teaching as described in the

knowledge base. This involvement supports the development of knowledge, skills,

ethics, experiences, planning, delivering, motivating, and assessing--the knowledge-based

institutional standards essential for a Manager of Learning.

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