Faculty Belmont University DEPARTMENT of EDUCATION€¦ · · 2018-04-12Faculty Belmont University DEPARTMENT of EDUCATION ... Vision and mission of the Belmont University and the

1

Faculty

Belmont University DEPARTMENT of EDUCATION

Annual Assessment Report Academic Year 2008-2009

Submitted to

The Teacher Education Council

Dr. Trevor Hutchins, Associate Dean

[email protected] (615) 460-6233

Dr. Sally Barton-Arwood, Chair

[email protected] (615) 460-5452

1900 Belmont Boulevard Nashville, TN 37212-3757

Website: http://belmont.edu/education

Master of Arts in Teaching

Internship/Student Teaching

Methods

Methods

Professional Core

Professional Core

II

NN

TT

AA

SS

CC

SS

tt

aa

nn

dd

aa

rr

dd

ss

SS

tt

aa

nn

dd

aa

rr

dd

ss

II

NN

TT

AA

SS

CC

Continued

Reflective

Professional

Practice

Foundations

Master of Education

Program Emphasis

Learning Communities

Core

Program Emphasis

Learning Communities

Core

NN

BB

PP

TT

SS

NN

BB

PP

TT

SS

Continued

Reflective

Professional

Practice

Thesis

Foundations

Building Together for Excellence in Education

Annual Report 2008-2009 2

List of Tables

Table # Name

1. The Revised Membership of the Teacher Education Council. 5 2. The 2008-2009 course sequence for the core and each focus area of the M.Ed., with faculty. 10 3. Program Enrollment and Completers 2008-2009 11 4. Master of Education Enrollment Fall 2007 and fall 2008 12 5. Quality of Entering Freshman 14 6. Quality of Post-Baccalaureate Entrants 14 7. Mean GPA’s by Gateway 15 8. Title II Institutional Report, 2007-2008 15 9. Title II Institutional Aggregate and Summary Pass-Rates, 2007-2008 15 10. Title II Institutional Aggregate and Summary Pass-Rates, 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 16 11. PRAXIS Detailed Scores for Elementary Content Knowledge, 2006-2008 16 12. Portfolio, Interview, and Course-based Assessments on Content Knowledge 17 13. Content Assessment (0353) for Special Education, 2006-2008 19 14. PRAXIS Music Content Knowledge, 2007-2008 19 15. Pedagogical Content Knowledge: Mean Student Teacher Ratings on Teaching Strategies, Spring 2008 and Fall 2009 20 16. SPED Lesson Planning and Delivery 21 17. Montessori Performance Assessments 22 18. PRAXIS (0021) Detailed Scores for Education of Young Children, 2007-2008 24 19. SPED Pre Information and Lesson Evaluation 2006-2008 25 20. Percentage of Graduates responding Adequate and Very Well, to the annual survey on how well they were prepared for teaching, against selected INTASC Standards. 26 21. Mean dispositional self-ratings for the Fall 2008 and Spring 2009 27 22. SPED Professionalism/Dispositions 27 23. Student Teacher Evaluations, 2006-2008 28 24. Intern Teaching Evaluations, 2006-2008 29 25. CBA Gateways 3 & 4 for SPED Candidates 29 26. Data from the Tennessee Higher Education Report Card, 2008 30 27. Quality of Advanced 2008 Completers on Admission 30 28. Data Collection by Gateways within the Initial Program Components 31 29. Program Assessment Components for the Advanced Program, M.Ed. 32 30. Undergraduate Enrollment by Ethnicity 35 31. Graduate Enrollment by Ethnicity 35 32. Minority by gender of Post-baccalaureate

candidates, 2006-2008 36


33. Ethnicity of Full-time Education Faculty 36 34. Faculty Qualifications, 2008 37 35. Faculty Scholarship, 2008 38 36. Faculty Professional Development, 2008 40 37. Faculty Service Activities, 2008 46 38. Faculty Involvement in Grants, 2008 47 39. Budget for Education Department, 2007-08 and 2008-09 48 40. The Library Education Budget, 2007-08 and 2008-9 48


Table of Contents

Contextual Information 5

Vision and mission of the Belmont University and the Unit 5

Governance and Accountability 5

Conceptual Framework 5

Purpose and Goals 5

Initial Programs 6

Advanced Programs 10

Master of Education 10

Enrollment Data 11

Substantive changes in the last year 13

NCATE Standards 14

Candidate Performance 14

STANDARD 1: Candidate Knowledge, Skills and Dispositions 14

Evidence of Content Knowledge 14

Evidence of Pedagogical Content Knowledge 20

Evidence of Professional and Pedagogical Knowledge and Skills 22

Evidence of Dispositions for All Candidates 25

Evidence of Student Learning for Teacher Candidates 26

STANDARD 2: Assessment System and Unit Evaluation 31

Unit Capacity 35

STANDARD 3: Field Experiences and Clinical Practices 35

STANDARD 4: Diversity 36

STANDARD 5: Faculty Qualifications, Performance, and Development 41

STANDARD 6: Unit Governance and Resources 48

Recommendations 52


CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION

Vision and Mission of Belmont University and the Unit

The Department of Education’s Conceptual Framework is consistent with Belmont University’s vision to be a “premier teaching university bringing together the best of liberal arts and professional education in a Christian community of learning and service.” The university's slogan states, "Belmont University: From Here to Anywhere.” This statement argues against the old saying that "It's not where you start; it's where you finish.” Rather, the university embraces the notion that where you finish depends significantly on where you start. Excellence is expected at Belmont University where all programs are firmly grounded in a liberal arts core curriculum (The BELL Core). This general education seeks to help students develop sophisticated rhetorical skills, critical thinking, and an understanding and enriched appreciation of the arts, humanities, religion, social sciences, and natural sciences. Students are also required to participate in the Convocation and Cultural Life Program. As a graduation requirement for all undergraduate students, Belmont’s Convocation program reinforces Belmont's unique mission of providing "an academically challenging education that enables men and women of diverse backgrounds to engage and transform the world with disciplined intelligence, compassion, courage, and faith.”

The Unit is defined as the faculty in the Department of Education. The Department of Education is part of the School of Education within the College of Arts and Sciences. The College of Arts and Sciences includes four schools: Education, Humanities, Sciences, and Social Sciences. Dr. Bryce Sullivan became the new Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences in July 2008. Governance and Accountability

The governing body of the Department of Education is the Teacher Education Council

(TEC). The previous 56-member council was restructured to make it smaller and to define a quorum. The new TEC is a body of 21 members that requires a quorum of 12 for the meeting to be official. The structure agreed at the first fall meeting in 2008 is in Table 1 below. The council meets a minimum of four times a year. Table 1: The Revised Membership of the Teacher Education Council. Education Faculty (3) Dr. Sally Barton-Arwood (Chair) Dr. Joy Kimmons (NCATE/Assessment Coordinator) Dr. James Stamper Other Faculty (5) One from Each School in CAS Humanities Dr. Paulo Buero (Cheryl Geer) Science Dr. Bill Bailey (Steve Murphree) Social Science Dr. Dan Scheafer (Brenda Abernathy) Education Dr. Tabby Bewley (Sarah Adams) One for CVPA Dr. Madeline Bridges (Nancy Cason) K-12 Personnel One from Metro Council Dr. Nancy Meador ( Metro ) or Designee


Two Principals Michael Ross (Napier), Vicki Reagan (AP at MLK) Two Teachers Clee Lee, Gail Coleman Two from Personnel Departments Mr. Eugene Wade (WCS), Clara Selles (MNPS) Other Education Professionals (3) Dr. Al. Mance (TEA) Dr. David Sevier (State Board of Education) Dr. Myron Oglesby-Pitts (Educational Community) Students (3) Current Graduate Student - Dr. Roberto Corletto-Marrero Undergraduate Student Mindy Bishop (STEA Executive Officer) Alumni One Julie Bunt TOTAL MEMBERS 21 QUORAM 12 Ex officio Dr. Bryce Sullivan (Dean, CAS) Dr. Dan McAlexander (Provost) Dr. Trevor Hutchins (Associate Dean) Administration Ms. Andrea Mitchell (Admissions and Licensure Officer) Ms. Teresa Tummins (Practicum and Data Base) Ms. Ann Baldwin (Office Manager)

Dr. Joy Kimmons’ term as Chair finished ended in July 2008, and she was replaced by Dr. Sally Barton-Arwood. Conceptual Framework

Embracing the university's vision, the Department of Education's Conceptual Framework

is symbolized in the motto: Building Together for Excellence in Education. Building Together. This clearly represents our constructivist philosophy for teaching and learning and our collaborative practices. Excellence in Education represents established standards of best practice, including Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC), National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), State of Tennessee Teacher Licensure Standards, Tennessee Instructional Technology Standards, and the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). The Arc de Triomphe symbolizes the joint building of a structure with a passageway to Continued Reflective Professional Practice. Purpose and Goals

The purpose of the Belmont University Department of Education is to provide the

knowledge, skills, and experiences for a person to pursue a life-long commitment to quality learning and teaching and reflective professional practice. The purpose and vision of the Department of Education are supported through the following goals:


1. Develop skills for effective teaching of prospective teachers for pre-kindergarten, elementary, middle, and secondary schools.

2. Provide a Conceptual Framework reflecting what is known about how learners learn best. 3. Promote Christian values and ethics as they relate to teaching students from various

cultures and backgrounds. 4. Emphasize application of sound educational principles. 5. Provide opportunities for extensive fieldwork. 6. Provide a basis for life-long development as an educator.

The Teacher Education Council (TEC) is responsible for overseeing and assessing all aspects of the teacher preparation unit and programs at Belmont University. Each Spring the TEC receives an Annual Assessment report covering the previous academic year and, if needed, makes recommendations regarding the unit and/or licensure program policies. The assessment principles guiding the TEC program Assessment System include:

• Unit and program assessments are collaborative efforts between and among the university community, preK-12 schools, and state and national agencies and organizations;

• The Department of Education’s Conceptual Framework reflects Belmont University’s philosophy of teacher preparation at the initial and advanced levels;

• The Conceptual Framework undergirds all aspects of the unit and its programs; • Unit and program goals and objectives are based upon national and state standards; • Rubrics for unit and program objectives are clearly stated and published; and • The TEC conducts an annual assessment of the unit and programs, and makes changes in

policies if necessary.

Initial Programs

The Department of Education offers licensure programs in early childhood, middle, secondary, and K-12 education at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The curricula leading to licensure consist of three major components: Professional Core, Methods, and Student Teaching/Internship. The Professional Core includes approximately 80 hours of field experience in a variety of school settings.

Beginning in the fall of 2008 the Unit added a K-6 licensure program and an PreK-12 ESL add-on endorsement for advanced candidates, to its available licensure programs. Currently the Unit offers the following licensure levels; PreK-3, K-6, 4-8, 7/9-12, and K-12 in specialist areas. Candidates with a secondary license are qualified to teach in grades 7/9-12 in their specific academic major area. Candidates with a K-12 license are qualified to teach K-12 in art, health, music, special education, physical education or theatre and drama. The Unit also offers a K-12 Social Work license that allows graduates to work as a school social worker.

Undergraduate candidates must carry a major in another discipline along with their education major (or minor, if completing the 4 + 1 Program), and must meet the same academic standards as all other students completing that major.

The School of Music is a fully accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM), and the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) accredit the Department of Art. The Department of Theater and Dance has the


K-12 Theater and Drama licensure program fully accredited by National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST).

Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) candidates may complete the program part-time, or as an internship. Part-time candidates complete the Professional Core (15 hours), Methods Courses (6-15 hours), and Student Teaching (15 hours). Student teaching consists of two nine-week placements within the semester. One placement must be in a diverse school setting. Full-time M.A.T. candidates typically complete the Professional Core (15 hours) and Internship (30 hours). Intern candidates are required to spend all day in a classroom with a mentor teacher for two full semesters. University faculty and classroom teachers collaboratively teach the method competencies. Using reflective teaching, some methods are taught by the mentor within the context of the classroom; other methods are taught during seminars/courses by university and/or school faculty during or after school hours.

Interns complete the Professional Core (15 hours), and then move into full-time teaching for one year while completing methods courses (30 hours). Interns, including Montessori Graduate Interns, hold the Tennessee Alternative D license during their internship year. As first-year teachers, Interns follow the same daily schedule and calendar as their mentor teachers. Interns gradually assume increasing responsibility for teaching, having a major teaching responsibility for at least 8 weeks each semester. Interns participate in seminars with university and PreK-12 faculty to focus on application and analysis of teaching knowledge. School mentors observe and confer with interns on a daily basis. The school principal, using Tennessee’s Framework for Evaluation and Professional Growth, evaluates interns each semester.

Belmont also offers a Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) with an emphasis in Montessori Education or Special Education. The Montessori program offers certification through the Montessori Accreditation Council of Teacher Education (MACTE) and the American Montessori Society (AMS) in early childhood education (ages 2 ½-6). There are three tracks in the Montessori Program:

1. Candidates seeking an M.A.T., a Montessori Early Childhood Diploma/Certification, and a State Licensure (PreK-3). Requirements: 39 credit hours, including a one-year internship, comprehensive exams, 6 week placement in a grade 1-3 classroom

2. Candidates seeking an M.A.T. and a Montessori Diploma/Certification. Requirements: 39 credit hours (9 credit hrs. of core education courses, 30 credited hrs. of Montessori, including a one-year internship) and comprehensive exams

3. Candidates seeking only a Montessori Diploma certification. Requirements: 30 undergraduate credit hours, including a one-year internship, comprehensive exams [Note: This track is offered through University College and candidates are accepted as degree-seeking undergraduates]

The K-12 Modified Special Education program was designed and taught through a consortium with Lipscomb University. However, in the summer of 2008, the consortium was dissolved and the program is now taught entirely at Belmont. To Candidates complete the Special Education Core Courses (6 hours), Special Education Methods Courses (21 hours), Professional Education Block Courses (15 hours), and Student Teaching (15 hours). The Tennessee Department of Education allows the option to substitute two/three years of successful classroom instruction, on an alternative license in a Tennessee Approved School with university supervision within the area of desired licensure, in lieu of student teaching. M.A.T. candidates


with an emphasis in special education, electing to take this option, complete the Special Education Core Courses (6 hours), and begin the university-supervised classroom instruction while completing their Methods Courses (21 hours), complete the Professional Education Block Courses (15 hours), and complete the Research in Action component of Student Teaching (3 hours). To date, all initial licensure special education candidates have elected this option. This option will be referred to as Special Education Option 2 for this report and the more traditional student teaching option referred to as Special Education Option 1. Advanced Programs

Belmont University offers the Master of Education (M.Ed.) and Master of Music (Music

Education Major-M.M.E.). The M.M.E. at Belmont University is managed and taught, with the exception of two courses, entirely within the School of Music.

As part of the Unit’s advanced programs, candidates have the option to add an additional area of endorsement to an existing professional teaching license. There are three areas where this can happen.

A) Special Education candidates completed the Special Education Core Courses (6 hours), Special Education Methods Courses (21 hours), and Research in Action (3 hours). The program is designed to help the State of Tennessee provide licensed teachers in this area. Most of the candidates are not licensed teachers but occasionally a teacher will add this licensure area. When this occurs this becomes an advanced program.

B) The Reading Specialist Program began in Summer 2007 and was designed as an add-on endorsement for teachers. As such it is an advanced program. This endorsement program can be part of the Learning and Organizational Change (LOC) track in the M.Ed.

C) The English Language Learners (ESL) add-on endorsement, was approved by the State of Tennessee to begin in the fall of 2008. This is designed as an add-on endorsement for teachers and as such it is an advanced program. This endorsement program can be part of the Learning and Organizational Change (LOC) track in the M.Ed. Master of Education

The restructured M.Ed. program moved into its third year of operation. All M.Ed. tracks share a common 12-hour core that broadly investigates learning in the context of organizational communities applied in a variety of settings. The Learning and Organizational Change (LOC) track, includes the option for a Special Education, Reading Specialist or English Language Learners add-on endorsement, however, the other tracks are not designed as an advanced program for teachers. In the fall of 2008 the M.Ed. in Non Profit Leadership began with 5 candidates.

Beginning in the fall of 2008, the Master of Education program offers all courses, for each focus area, on an annual cycle. All courses are taught in eight-week sessions, on Saturdays. Classes meet 8-5 every second Saturday. The sequence of courses is detailed in Table 2.


Table 2: The course sequence for the core and each focus area of the M.Ed., with faculty. Fall First 8 weeks Second 8 weeks Core EDU6040 Leadership and Learning in Orgs. EDU6050 Facilitating learning in Orgns. (Dr. Andrew Johnston) (Dr. Joy Kimmons) Focus Areas LOC EDU6400 Focus Area I EDU6410 Focus Area II OLC OLC6102 Pragmatics of leadership OLC6302 Interpersonal Dynamics (Dr. Bill Halbert) (Dr. Bonnie Riechert) NPL NPL6010 Foundations of Non Profit Organs. NPL6030 People Manag.t in Non Prof Orgs (Dr. Brad Gray) (Dr. Deb. Tobey) Spring First 8 weeks Second 8 weeks Core EDU6060 Concepts of learning Communities EDU6070 Research and Assessment in LC’s (Dr. Bruce Caine) (Dr. Timmy Tappan) Focus Areas LOC EDU6420 Focus Area III EDU6430 Focus Area IV OLC OLC6202 OLC6202 Media and Orga.l Comm.n (Dr. Jay Connor) (Dr. Sybril Bennett) NPL NPL6020 Financial Planning and Fundraising NPL6035 Strategic Planning in NP Orgs (Dr. David Maddox) (Dr. Brad Gray) Summer EDU6440 Focus Area V OLC Elective NPL Elective The EDU/OLC/NPL6900 Thesis, is available every semester. Students who do not complete the Thesis in the semester they enroll in 6900, must enroll in 6901 Thesis Continuation in the next semester.


Enrollment Data Table 3: Program Enrolment and Completers, 2008-2009.

Program Name

Award Level

Program Level

Typical Number of Hours

Number of Enrolled

Candidates Fall 2008

Program Completers 2007-2008

Early Childhood PreK-3

B.A. B.S. M.A.T.

Initial 144

45

23

21 (44)

14

Middle Grades 4-8

B.A. B.S. M.A.T.

Initial 144

45

3

6 (9)

2

Elementary K-6

B.A. B.S. M.A.T.

Initial 144

45

33

6 (39)

10

Post-Bacc. M.A.T. M.A.S.E M.M.E.

Initial 30-45 38 30

74 33

2 (109)

Internship M.A.T. Initial 30-45 20? Undergrad B.A.

B.S. B.F.A. B.M.Ed.

Initial 134-155 125

8 33 (166)

7-12 Licensure

English B.A M.A.T.

Initial 140 18 6

1

French B.A. M.A.T

Initial 137 1

Spanish B.A M.A.T

Initial 137 2

German B.A. M.A.T

Initial 137 2

Latin B.A. M.A.T.

Initial 138 0 0

Math. B.A. B.S. M.A.T.

Initial 138 12

4

Biology B.A. B.S. M.A.T.

Initial 135 3

4

1

Chemistry B.A. B.S. M.A.T.

Initial 140 0

Physics B.A. B.S. M.A.T.

Initial 139 1

History B.A. M.A.T.

Initial 140 9 3

Gov. B.A. B.S. M.A.T.

Initial 140 0

Psy. B.A. B.S. M.A.T.

Initial 140 2

Sociology B.A. M.A.T.

Initial 137 0 Speech Comm.

B.A. B.S. M.A.T.

Initial 137 0

1


*Program Completers pending 2008--2009 Title II Institutional Report

Table 3 above, indicates that were 275 candidates enrolled in licensure programs in the fall of 2008 and 40 completed a licensure-program in the 2008-2009 academic year. There appears to be an increase in numbers in most programs, but particularly in the number of post baccalaureate candidates. There is a shift in licensure areas from a Elementary to Secondary. Table 4: Master of Education Enrollment, Fall 2007 and Fall 2008

Track Enrollment Fall 2007 Enrollment Fall 2008 LOC 16 8 OLC 2 13

Reading Specialist

5 5

MME 9 2 NPL 6

TOTAL 32 36

In the 2008-2009 academic year there were 10 Master of Education candidates who graduated, and Table 4 indicates that in the fall of 2008 there were 36 Masters candidates enrolled. This number is a 15 percent increase from previous years and as the Reading Specialist and Non Profit Leadership programs grow, we expect a steady growth in the M.Ed. numbers. The only parts of these numbers that relate to NCATE are the Reading Specialist, and an occasional MME and SPED candidate. All other programs do not relate to teacher licensure or specifically to the further development of teachers.

Substantive changes in the academic year 2008-2009.

K-12 Programs Visual Arts B.F.A.

M.A.T. Initial 155 5

7 1

Physical Education/ Health

B.S. M.A.T.

Initial 144 6 1

Vocal Music K-12

B.M. M.M.E.

Initial 138 27 1

2

Instru. Music K-12

B.M. M.M.E.

Initial 138 8 1

1

School Social Work P-12

B.A. Initial 134 0

Theater and Drama

B.A. M.A.T.

Initial 149 3

Special Education Modified K-12

M.A.T. Initial Adv.

39 33 0

6

Reading Specialist PreK-12

M.Ed. Adv. 18/21 3 0


The major developments or changes are as follows: • The addition of a K-6 licensure program • The addition of a PreK-12 ESL add-on endorsement. • Program changes

The first year of operation of the M.Ed. NPL The acceptance of a MASE licensure program by the State of Tennessee

• A change in name from Alternative to Transitional License by the State of Tennessee. • Changes in State regulations to allow external providers of teachers – Teach for America,

New Teacher Project • The winning of a contract to work with the New Teacher Project in the fall of 2009. • Changes in State regulations to allow external providers to train and recommend teachers

to the State for licensure.


NCATE UNIT STANDARDS

Candidate Performance

STANDARD 1: Candidate Knowledge, Skills, and Dispositions

Candidates preparing to work in schools as teachers or other school professionals know and demonstrate the content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge and skills, pedagogical and professional knowledge and skills, and professional dispositions necessary to help all students[7] learn. Assessments indicate that candidates meet professional, state, and institutional standards. Evidence of Content Knowledge, NCATE 1a. The acceptable level of content knowledge is defined by NCATE as follows: Teacher candidates know the content that they plan to teach and can explain important principles and concepts delineated in professional, state, and institutional standards. Eighty percent or more of the unit’s program completers pass the content examinations in states that require examinations for licensure. Candidates in advanced programs for teachers have an in-depth knowledge of the content that they teach.

Table 5: Quality of Entering Freshman

Year Group n* HS Graduating Class Rank %

Mean HS GPA

ACT SAT

EDUCATION 36 77.72 3.57 24 1,150 2007-2008 UNIVERSITY 800 76.12 3.50 26 1,163 EDUCATION 36 84.09 3.56 25.03 1,160 2008-2009 UNIVERSITY 928 78.58 3.55 26.13 1,171

Table 5 shows that Belmont University attracts very good students, as evidenced by their rank in class, high school GPA’s, and ACT/SAT tests scores. With more undergraduates entering with education as their stated major we are able to compare the scores of education entrants with all entrants to the university. It is clear from this comparison that on entry to the university, undergraduate candidates selecting education as their major are very competitive with the average Belmont entrant.

Table 6: Quality of Post-Baccalaureate Entrants

Year N Mean MAT Mean GRE Summer 2007 31 394 964.87

Fall 2007 33 387.2 925.2 Spring 2008 15 389.2 1130

Summer 2008 29 405.15 923.12 Fall 2008 23 405.5 1008

Spring 2009 14 413.2 785


On entry to the university all post-baccalaureate candidates must have an undergraduate GPA that exceeds 2.75 and provide a score on the MAT and GRE. Table 6 indicates the mean tests scores for those admitted to the post-baccalaureate program Table 7: Mean EDU GPA

(2007-2008) Gateway Undergraduates Graduates

Gateway 2 3.66 3.70 Gateway 3 3.97 3.62

(2008-2009)

Gateway Undergraduates Graduates Gateway 2 3.66 3.58 Gateway 3 3.76 3.77

Table 7 indicates that both undergraduate and post-baccalaureate candidates maintain a

very high GPA in education courses. This relates to content knowledge in the aspects of teaching covered in the education courses. Table 8: Title II Institutional Report, 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 Type of Assessment Year Assessment

Number # Taking

Assessment # Passing

Assessment Institutional

Pass-Rate Statewide

Pass-Rate

Professional Knowledge Elementary School: Content Knowledge

2006-2007 2007-2008

0014 17 22

16 22

94 100

99 100

Principles Of Learning And Teaching (PLT) 7-12

2006-2007 2007-2008

0524 13 14

13 14

100 100

99 99

Principles Of Learning And Teaching (PLT) K-6

2006-2007 2007-2008

0522 10 22

10 22

100 100

99 100

Academic Content Education of Young Childhood PreK-3

2006-2007 2007-2008

0021 17 22

16 22

94 100

99 100

Reading Across Curriculum: Elementary

2006-2007 2007-2008

0201 18 LTR

18 LTR

100 LTR

100 100

Table 9: Title II Institutional Aggregate and Summary Pass-Rates, 2006-2007 and 2007- 2008.

YEAR OF LICENSURE

PRAXIS II TEST BELMONT PASS RATE %

STATE PASS RATE %

2006-2007 Professional Knowledge (n=38) 97 98 Academic Content (n=38) 95 98


Other Content LTR 98 Summary (n=39) 95 97

2007-2008 Professional Knowledge (n=42) 95 99 Academic Content (n=50) 98 99 Other Content LTR 99

Summary (n=49) 96 98

Tables 8 and 9 clearly indicated that Belmont licensure candidates perform very well in the Praxis II testes assessing professional knowledge with pass rates of nearly 100 in all years. Content knowledge pass-rates, while not at 100 percent, are very competitive with the state average. When we have a fail in content knowledge it is generally in the middle-school content for post-baccalaureate candidates who have been out of school for some time. As a result of this finding we are asking post-baccalaureate candidates to take the praxis II content test as soon as possible. We rejected asking for it as an admission requirement due to the limited times the test is available through the year.

Table 10: PRAXIS Detailed Scores for Elementary Content Knowledge, 2006-2008

Test Category

Institution Average %

Correct

State-Wide Average %

Correct

National Average %

Correct Language Arts 2006-2007 83 79 78

2007-2008 85 79 78 Mathematics 2006-2007 68 69 70

2007-2008 71 66 70 Social Studies 2006-2007 61 59 59

2007-2008 65 58 59

Science 2006-2007 71 65 65 2007-2008 68 65 66

Table 10 looks more closely at the content-area scores for elementary candidates taking the test in 2007-2008, and provides details of the percentage of questions answered correctly. All the Belmont candidates passed the content test but appear to do better in language and math than in social studies and science. All areas are above the state and national average. There is no action suggested on this data as yet but we will continue to monitor scores by nature of candidate, undergraduate versus post-baccalaureate, to see if we need to provide tutorial help to some candidates.

In addition to GPA and test score data of candidate content knowledge, the Unit conducts the following performance-based assessments linked specifically to candidate content knowledge.

• Portfolio Assessments (Gateways 2, 3, 4), specifically INTASC Standard 1 • Interview Assessments (Gateways 2, 3), specifically INTASC Standard 1 • Course-based Performance Assessments linked to INTASC Standard 1 (Gateway 2),

specifically, Teaching Opportunity, Research Paper, Group Project, Philosophy, Autobiography, and Goals; Article Summary


• Literacy Unit Plan • Summative Evaluations in clinical experiences, specifically indicator III.C (Knowledge of

the Subject) • Principal Surveys (INTASC 1: Knowledge of the Subject Matter) • Graduate Surveys (INTASC 1: Knowledge of the Subject Matter)

Departmental Assessments, used throughout this report, are based on a four-point scale (Not observed/Needs attention; Below Expectations; At Expectation; Above Expectation). Portfolio and Interview assessments are reported by Gateways. Table 11 below, provides a summary of the data collected on content knowledge for each of the assessments. “Indicators” refers to the specific indicators for INTASC standard 1. The data provided by each assessment is used by the individual faculty member to assess candidate performance in their courses. The items generated by these assessments may also used by candidates as artifacts in their professional portfolios. Table 11: Portfolio, Interview, and Course-based Assessments on INTASC 1 - Content

Knowledge

Assessment n Mean Portfolio-GW2

2006-2007 29 2.91 2007-2008 66 1.91 2008-2009 69 1.84

Interview-GW2 2006-2007 26 2.87 2007-2008 2008-2009

Portfolio-GW3 2006-2007 22 2.12 2007-2008 40 2.75 2008-2009 22 3.07

Interview-GW3 2006-2007 27 3.51 2007-2008 2008-2009

Portfolio-GW4* 2006-2007 25 3.45 2007-2008 39 3.27 2008-2009 8 3.62

Teaching Opportunity -Presentation (Indicators DEI)

Fall 2007 6 4.0 Fall 2008 6 3.83

Research Paper – Ed Psych (Indicators ABCDEFGI)

Fall 2007 16 3.65 Spring 2008 31 3.81

Fall 2008 19 3.74 Spring 2009 32 3.69


PowerPoint Project - Foundations

Fall 2007

Spring 2008 31 3.81

Fall 2008 19 3.74

Spring 2009

Group Project (Indicators ABM)

Fall 2007 18 4.0

Spring 2008 28 3.79

Fall 2008 16 3.94

Spring 2008 30 3.73

Philosophy, Autobiography, & Goals (Indicators A-M) Foundations

Fall2007 18 2.43 Spring 2008 29 3.64

Fall 2008 53 3.63

Spring 2009 34 2.13

Article Summary (Indicators AE)

2007-2008 232** 3.89** 2008-2009 55** 3.93**

Literacy Unit Plan (Indicators CEHIJK)

Fall 2007 5 3.0 Fall 2008

Summative Evaluations (Indicator III C)

Spring 2007 26 3.7 Fall 2007 11 3.5

Spring 2008 19 3.8 Fall 2008

Principal Survey INTASC 1: Knowledge of Subject

Matter

Fall 2008 3 4.0 Fall 2009 0 0

Graduate Follow-up Survey INTASC 1: Knowledge of Subject

Fall 2007 4 3.5 Fall 2008 31 3.7 Fall 2009 20 3.5

*Gateway 4 only includes Portfolio data; Poster presentations replace Gateway 4 Interviews **Represents the total number of articles reviews, not total number of candidates Special Education. Candidates preparing to work in schools as Special Educators know and demonstrate the content, pedagogical, and professional knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to help all students learn. The following assessments, presented in Table 12,indicate, in part, that candidates meet professional, state, and institutional standards.


Table 12: Content Assessments (0353) for SPED, 2006-2007 and 2007-2008

Assessments Institution State National Understanding Exceptionalities 2006-2007 71 76 75

2007-2008 74 74 76 Legal and Societal Issues 2006-2007 68 75 75

2007-2008 76 75 77 Delivery of Services 2006-2007 70 76 76

2007-2008 72 72 75

Montessori Education

The Montessori candidates complete the Praxis II content test for PreK-3, completed by Montessori candidates is reported in Table 8. The Montessori candidates have a 100 percent pass-rate on this test suggesting they understand the content knowledge to be taught.

Music Education. Candidates preparing to work in schools as music teachers know and demonstrate the content, pedagogical, and professional knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to help all students learn. The School of Music is responsible for admission, retention, degree programs, and graduation requirements for the major in Music Education. Music Education majors are admitted through the same process as all music majors at Belmont. Besides meeting university admission expectations, an audition and basic musicianship test are required. Upon admission to the university and School of Music, a Music Theory placement test and a Piano placement test are also required. Students in the Music Education program are retained with the same attention and methods as all other music majors and are advised by one of the Music Education faculty to fulfill the requirements for a Tennessee music teaching license, the general education core of Belmont University, and the accreditation standards of the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM). Music Education faculty work jointly with the leadership of the School of Education to verify that all state required competencies are met through the degree curriculum (NASM Report, 2006-2007) Table 13: PRAXIS Music Content Knowledge, 2006 – 2008

Test Category


Correct

State-Wide Average % Correct

National Average % Correct

Music History and Literature 2006-2007 2007-2008

66 62

62 62

64 64

Music Theory 2006-2007 2007-2008

70 68

66 65

67 69

Performance 2006-2007 2007-2008

69 71

68 69

70 73

Music Learning, K-12 2006-2007 2007-2008

76 68

69 69

70 71


Professional Practices 2006-2007 2007-2008

76 74

68 68

67 68

2006-2007 n= 2008-2008 n=9

Table 13 clearly indicates that candidates completing their licensure in music in 2006-2008, exceed the state and national averages in most areas. Evidence of Pedagogical Content Knowledge, NCATE 1b.

Pedagogical content knowledge is defined by NCATE (Professional Standards, p.55) as, the interaction of the subject matter and effective teaching strategies to help students learn the subject matter. It requires a thorough understanding of the content to teach it in multiple ways, drawing on the cultural background and prior knowledge and experiences of the students.

Table 14 provides the supervisor’s ratings for student teachers and interns at the end of their spring 2007 to fall 2008 placements. It is clear that the ratings of their understanding and use of teaching strategies is very good with two exceptions. The first relates to the use of technology and the second to differentiating for all learners. Teaching with technology has been an issue for us for some time. We ask that our candidates teach with and through technology but we are very dependent on how the supervising teacher uses technology in their own teaching. It appears that technology use is not very widespread in many of the local schools. As for differentiating instruction we believe that this is also dependent on the classroom teacher. Our candidates have the knowledge from our courses but are not seeing it modeled by their mentor teacher nor are they able to practice it in the current school climate with its strong focus on test scores.

Table 14: Pedagogical Content Knowledge: Mean Spring 2007 to Fall 2008 Student

Teacher’s and Interns ratings on Teaching Strategies. Indicator Descriptor Interns Student Teachers Spring

2007 Fall 2007

Spring 2008

Fall 2008

Spring 2007

Fall 2007

Spring 2008

Fall 2008

INDICATOR A. Demonstrates a deep understanding of the central concepts, assumptions, structures, and pedagogy of the content area.

1. Presents the content in a logical, coherent fashion, building on content previously mastered and connecting to content to be learned in the future.

1.67

2. Paces the presentation of concepts appropriately to build students' capacity for critical thinking, problem solving, and

1.63


clarifies when students misunderstand.

3. Uses questioning techniques appropriate to the content and structures activities that require students to use higher order thinking.

1.67

4. Facilitates students in constructing their own understanding of the content in large group, small group, and individual settings, and provides specific, corrective feedback relevant to the task.

1.67

5. Assures that students have ample opportunity to explore, respond, and extend their thinking through technology, as appropriate to the content area.

1.77

INDICATOR B. Uses research-based classroom strategies that are grounded in higher order thinking, problem-solving, and real world connections for all students.

1. Emphasizes student ownership of learning through connecting the content and content standards to employability and/or postsecondary education.

2.07

2. Promotes positive intellectual interactions among students and teacher through instructional experiences that result in student investigation of theories, facts, and opinions related to the content area.

1.94

3. Provides


opportunities for students to learn and challenge each other through planned, cooperative peer interaction.

1.78

4.Communicates the content to students through research based methods, activities, and materials specific to the content that are differentiated for diverse learners.

1.94

Overall mean 1.82

The INTASC Standard 4, Multiple Instructional Strategies from Gateway 4 Portfolio Reviews from 2007-2008 indicate that candidates averaged 3.22 on a 4 point-scale. We believe these two sources of evidence clearly indicate our candidate’s pedagogical content knowledge. Special Education.

Pedagogical content knowledge and skills for Special Education candidates are demonstrated through lesson and management planning and delivery. Following, in Table 16, are the performance-based assessments for 2006-2007: Table 15: SPED Lesson Planning and Delivery; Management Planning and Delivery, 2007-

2008.

Assessment Gateway 3 n Mean Lesson Planning

2007-08 2008-09

10 14

3.5 3.5

Lesson Delivery 2007-08 2008-09

10 14

3.7 3.64

Management Planning 2007-08 2008-09

10 14

3.3 3.4

Management Delivery 2007-08 2008-09

10 13

3.7 3.9

Assessment Gateway 4 Lesson Planning

2007-08 2008-09

8 16

3.38 3.12

Lesson Delivery 2007-08 8 3.5


2008-09 16 3,68 Management Planning

2007-08 2008-09

8 16

3.75 3.88

Management Delivery 2007-08

2008-2009 8

16 3.62 3.25

The high scores on most indicators, exceeding 3.4 on a four-point scale, clearly shows

SPED candidates have excellent pedagogical content knowledge. Montessori Education.

A comprehensive course of study that provides integrated academic and practicum experiences on established competencies developed by the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (MACTE). These standards are aligned with the INTASC standards. The Outcomes/Achievement measures chosen by Belmont University’s Montessori Program to demonstrate competencies of graduates include eight different general assessment measures. These measures include:

1. Written Assignments 2. Albums 3. Material Making 4. Use of Material 5. Observation of Student 6. Written Exams 7. Practical Exams 8. Research Projects

The following table provides one example of the type of data available through LiveText using the assessment rubrics. Table 16: Montessori Performance Assessments (Reading Logs/Research Paper) for 2007 to 2009 cohorts. Nature of Assessment 2007 2008 2009 Reading Logs (n=5)

Accuracy and Thoroughness 5 3.6 Clarity 5 3.6

Mechanics 5 3.0 Research Paper (n-20)

Completeness 20 4.0 Citations 20 3.6

Review 20 3.9 Reflection 20 3.6

Mechanics/Language/Spelling/Syntax 20 3.8

The high scores, exceeding 3.6 on a four-point scale, on most indicators clearly shows

our Montessori/PreK-3 candidates have excellent pedagogical content knowledge.


Evidence of Professional and Pedagogical Knowledge and Skills for Teacher Candidates,

NCATE 1c.

The acceptable level of this aspect of the standard is defined by NCATE as follows: Teacher candidates can apply the professional and pedagogical knowledge and skills delineated in professional, state, and institutional standards to facilitate learning. They consider the school, family, and community contexts in which they work and the prior experience of students to develop meaningful learning experiences. They reflect on their practice. They know major schools of thought about schooling, teaching, and learning. They are able to analyze educational research findings and incorporate new information into their practice as appropriate. Candidates in advanced programs for teachers reflect on their practice and are able to identify their strengths and areas of needed improvement. They engage in professional activities. They have a thorough understanding of the school, family, and community contexts in which they work, and they collaborate with the professional community to create meaningful learning experiences for all students. They are aware of current research and policies related to schooling, teaching, learning, and best practices. They are able to analyze educational research and policies and can explain the implications for their own practice and for the profession.

Candidates reflect a thorough understanding of professional and pedagogical knowledge and skills delineated in professional, state, and institutional standards. After candidates complete the Professional Core courses, they move into the Methods component of the conceptual framework. The Methods component is designed to further develop the understanding of theories, concepts, and principles of teaching mathematics, literacy, social studies, science, health, physical education, and art to early childhood, and 4-8 students. Secondary and K-12 licensure candidates complete methods courses taught by faculty in their subject areas.

This content and pedagogical knowledge is evident through the completion of tasks assigned during the courses linked to the INTASC standards. They are prepared to apply this knowledge in extensive, practical applications in a classroom setting. Candidates are required to reflect on their experiences in a daily journal and complete a number of performance-based tasks/projects to demonstrate their attainment of the required INTASC standards. Candidates have opportunities to plan instructional activities, adapt curriculum, and work with learners from different cultures, socioeconomic status, and different abilities. Evaluation feedback and assessment of candidate performance by school mentors and university faculty is continuous throughout the semester including observations of candidate participation/teaching, daily journals, and assigned tasks. The internship and student teaching experience also provide candidates with multiple opportunities to develop meaningful learning experiences to facilitate learning for all students. Candidates reflect on their practice through their journals, meeting and planning with mentor teachers, collaborating with their supervisors and directors of student teaching and internship, and discussions with faculty and colleagues during weekly seminars. During this component of the program, candidates are also required to develop a greater understanding of the social contexts of children, including family, school, and the community to improve student learning. An action research project is presented at the end of the semester demonstrating candidate impact on student learning. Performance-based assessments for professional and pedagogical knowledge collected during the Student Teaching/Internship component include summaries on all 10 INTASC standards, plus Technology, for each assessment.


Table 17 provides the PRAXIS scores for Education of Young Children indicating that our candidates have a good understanding of professional and pedagogical skills. In 2006-2008 our candidates exceeded state and national averages in nearly all professional areas tested. In all but one area the score trend is upward. We will monitor very carefully scores in the area of Understanding Professional and Legal Responsibilities. Table 18 makes it clear that Belmont candidates perform about average on the Early Childhood Education test. Table 17: PRAXIS (0021) Detailed Scores for Education of Young Childhood, 2006 – 2008

Test Category


Correct

State-Wide Average %

Correct

National Average %

Correct Child Development and 2006-07 Foundations 2007-08

66 75

68 68

69 70

Curriculum and Instruction 2006-07 2007-08

84 81

81 79

80 79

Diversity and Exceptional Needs and supporting the learning Environment

84 80

80 78

78

Relationships with Families 2006-07 and Communities, and 2007-08

Professionalism

90 89

88 88

87 87

Assessment 2006-07 2007-08

70 73

68 74

70 74

Diversity and Learning 2006-07 Environment 2007-08

83 71

79 73

80 75

Relationships with Families 2006-07 and Professionalism 2007-08

78 74

75 71

77 73

Assessment, Curriculum, 2006-07 and Instruction 2007-08

76 71

74 69

77 72

2006 n=27 2007 n=

Special Education.

Candidates demonstrate pedagogical knowledge and skills through pre information and lesson evaluations. Table 18 reflects the data reported for 2005-2008.

Table 18: SPED Pre Information and Lesson Evaluation, 2006-2008

Assessment n Mean Gateway 3

Pre Information 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09

13 7

3.2 3.1

Lesson Evaluation 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09

13 7

3.2 2.9

Gateway 4


Pre Information 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09

13 8

3.5 3.4

Lesson Evaluation 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09

13 8

3.5 3.3

In all of our licensure areas the internship or student teaching experience provides candidates with multiple opportunities to develop meaningful learning experiences to facilitate learning for all students. Candidates reflect on their practice through their journals, meeting and planning with mentor teachers, collaborating with their supervisors and directors of student teaching and internship, and discussions with faculty and colleagues during weekly seminars. During this component of the program, candidates are also required to develop a greater understanding of the social contexts of children, including family, school, and the community to improve student learning. An action research project is presented at the end of the semester demonstrating candidate impact on student learning.

TABLE 19: Percentage of Graduates responding Adequate and Very Well, to the annual survey on how well they were prepared for teaching, against selected INTASC Standards.

Year INTASC 1 Knowledge of Subject Matter

INTASC 3 Adapting Instruction

INTASC 4 Multiple Instructional Strategies

INTASC 5 Classroom Motivation

INTASC 9 Professional Commitment

May 2008 N=35 94% 90% 95% 94% 97% May 2009 N=30 90% 85% 95% 95% 100%

Table 19 shows the results from the annual survey of graduates completed every year for

five years from graduation. The survey asks a number of questions but focuses on readiness to teach in relation to the INTASC standards. Some key professional and pedagogical aspects are presented to show that our graduates respond to the questionnaire in a manner that indicates they are well prepared for teaching. The highest scores are on professional commitment, indicating that nearly all our graduates felt prepared for the tasks and contexts of teaching. The next highest scores are in the area of the understanding and use of a variety of instructional strategies. This is a strong emphasis of the program so it is pleasing to se the graduates feel prepared in this area. Classroom motivation, subject matter knowledge, and adapting instruction to the needs of the learner are also very high. Table 21 indicates our graduates are very pleased with the content, pedagogy and professional knowledge they received through the Belmont program.

Montessori Education

The Montessori candidates must meet the MACTE standards and these are nearly all professional and pedagogical knowledge and skills. Table 20 shows the MACTE competencies and the candidate scores against these for the last two years. The Montessori candidates score


very well in these areas suggesting that they have the pedagogical content knowledge necessary to teach PreK-3’s in a Montessori environment. TABLE 20: Montessori Candidate’s score on a four-point-scale, on MACTE Competencies

related to Pedagogical and Content Knowledge. MACTE Competency 2007-2008

(N=7) 2008-2009 (N=7)

2009-2010 (N=9)

2A Demonstrates observation, documentation, and analytical skills necessary for planning and recording the progress of children.

3.9

2B Utilized cultural sensitivity in support of the development of individual children.

3.95

2C Demonstrates an ability to implement effective classroom strategies

3.95

3A Demonstrates the principles of Montessori environment and material design

3.9

3C Demonstrates proficiency in applying Montessori principles in the context of the curriculum, didactic materials, and lesson presentation.

3.9

3E Utilizes a variety of instructional strategies and assessment methods.

3.95

Evidence of Teacher Candidates’ impact on Student Learning NCATE 1d.

The acceptable definition of student learning from NCATE is as follows. Teacher candidates focus on student learning. Teacher candidates assess and analyze student learning, make appropriate adjustments to instruction, and monitor student progress. They are able to develop and implement meaningful learning experiences for students based on their developmental levels and prior experience.

Candidates in advanced programs for teachers have a thorough understanding of the major concepts and theories related to assessing student learning and regularly apply these in their practice. They analyze student, classroom, and school performance data and make data-driven decisions about strategies for teaching and learning so that all students learn. They are aware of and utilize school and community resources that support student learning.

At the heart of our mission, and central to our conceptual framework is the preparation of candidates to have a positive impact on student learning. The Teacher Education Program requires candidates to provide evidence of student learning. Authentic assessment of student learning is introduced in the Professional Core courses, PDS/Methods, and Student Teaching. For example, assessment strategies are presented in Educational Psychology, assessment strategies for diverse learners are emphasized in the Meeting the Needs of Diverse Learners, and assessment related to development issues are emphasized in Child/Human Development. Candidates are given opportunities to implement these strategies throughout their methods courses and student teaching. Candidates are expected to collect and analyze data related to


student learning in their unit and lesson plans during both of these clinical experiences. They must also demonstrate modifications made to meet individual learner needs. Candidates also videotape and reflect on a lesson addressing student learning.

The internship and student teaching experience provides candidates with multiple opportunities to develop meaningful learning experiences to facilitate learning for all students. Candidates reflect on their practice through their journals, meeting and planning with mentor teachers, collaborating with their supervisors and directors of student teaching and internship, and discussions with faculty and colleagues during weekly seminars. During this component of the program, candidates are also required to develop a greater understanding of the social contexts of children, including family, school, and the community to improve student learning. An action research project is presented at the end of the semester demonstrating candidate impact on student learning.

Table 21: Student Teacher Evaluations, 2007-2009 Fall 07

Spring 08

Fall 08 Spring 09

Personal Qualities 1.58 3.57 1.6 Planning 1.53 3.18 Instructional Skills

1.69 3.18 1.85

Evaluation Skills 1.80 3.09 1.82

Classroom Management

1.67 3.24 1.59

Professional Qualities

1.66 3.16 2.0

Overall Placement 1

1.76

Overall Placement 2

1.82

It is clear from Table 21 that Belmont student teachers score highly on their evaluations

based on the Tennessee Framework for Evaluation and Professional Growth. All teachers have three sets of evaluations. One from the classroom teacher, one from the Belmont mentor and they complete a self evaluation. Table 22 reports the scores for Interns in areas of the Framework that relate to student learning.

Table 22: Intern Teacher Evaluations, 2006-2008 Fall 07

Spring 08

Fall 08 Spring 09

Personal Qualities 3.39 3.37 Planning 3.35 3.34 Instructional 3.39 3.27


Skills Evaluation Skills 3.52 3.55

Classroom Management

3.37 3.26

Professional Qualities

3.48 3.37

All candidates completing clinical practice are required to plan, pr-test, present, and pot-

test a unit of work. The candidates are required to discuss how they have impacted student learning during the unit.

Beginning in November 2008, the State of Tennessee developed and presented an annual

Title II report on all teacher Education institutions in the state. The report is based on the TVAAS scores achieved by our graduate’s students. All that is reported is the percentage of our candidates achieving in the top or bottom 20 percent of teachers in the state. Table 23 presents the percentages of our graduates falling in the top 80th and bottom 20th percentiles of student growth. The one area that may need attention here is the social studies achievement. TABLE 23: Data from the Tennessee Higher Education Report Card 2008 and 2009,

Grades 4-8.

Subject Percent below the 20 percentile performance of teachers

Percent above the 80th percentile

Math 2008 (N=6) 0 16.7% Reading 2008 (N=7) 14.3% 28.6% Science 2008 (N=5) 20% 60% Social Studies (N=5) 40% 20% Math 2009 (N=3) 0 0 Reading 2009 (N=6) 16.7% 33.3% Science 2009 (N=3) 0 0 Social Studies (N=3) 0 0 Special Education. Candidates are assessed specifically related to course-based

outcomes. Following in Table 24, are the data for 2007-2009:

Table 24: CBA Gateways 3 and 4, 2007-2009

Assessment n Mean CBA Gateway 3

2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09

13 7

10 14

2.8 2.3 2.5 3.1

CBA Gateway 4 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08

13 8 8

3.3 2.6

2.63


2008-09 16 3.5

Montessori TABLE 25 indicates that the Montessori candidates score very well on competencies related to student learning. They also complete an action research project directed at student learning. Table 25: Montessori Candidate’s scores, on a four-point-scale, on MACTE Competencies

related to impact on student learning. Change these to match heading. MACTE Competency 2007-2008

(N=7) 2008-2009 (N=7)

2009-2010 (N=9)

2A. Demonstrates observation, documentation, and analytical skills necessary for planning and recording the progress of children.

3.9

2B. Utilized cultural sensitivity in support of the development of individual children.

3.95

3C. Demonstrates proficiency in applying Montessori principles in the context of the curriculum, didactic materials, and lesson presentation.

3.9

3E. Utilizes a variety of instructional strategies and assessment methods.

3.95

Professional Dispositions for all Candidates NCATE 1g. TARGET Candidates work with students, families, colleagues, and communities in ways that reflect the professional dispositions expected of professional educators as delineated in professional, state, and institutional standards. Candidates demonstrate classroom behaviors that create caring and supportive learning environments and encourage self-directed learning by all students. Candidates recognize when their own professional dispositions may need to be adjusted and are able to develop plans to do so.

Dispositions for undergraduate teacher education candidates are part of the goals in the BELL Core that seeks to foster habits of reflective thought and actions that incorporate personal moral commitment, an enriched understanding of the Christian faith, and the consequences of individual decisions in an interdependent world. Standards addressing dispositions are embedded in the INTASC standards, infused and assessed throughout the Teacher Education Program, and modeled by the faculty. For example, candidates are expected to demonstrate INTASC dispositions during the Teacher Education and Student Teacher Interviews. As a "caring" institution, we expect our candidates to demonstrate a caring disposition. The


Foundations/Contemporary Issues course introduces a professional code of ethics and responsibilities. Throughout all Teacher Education courses, candidates acquire knowledge of the social contexts of learners and dispositions necessary to be a reflective professional educator. Dispositions are also reflected in candidate interactions with school personnel, university faculty, students, peers, parents, and support personnel. They must not only demonstrate dispositions in their personal interactions, but must also reflect on them in their journals and portfolio.

The dispositional ratings on the checklist include:

1. Attendance and Punctuality 2. Initiative 3. Work Habits 4. Oral Communication Skills 5. Written Communication Skills 6. Critical Thinking Skills 7. Quality of Work 8. Collegiality 9. Respect

10. Interactions with professors, field work personnel and children—if applicable

11. Professional dress during field work—if applicable

12. Attitude toward learners--if applicable 13. Commitment to excellence in

teaching--if applicable

Table 26 provides the mean dispositional self rating completed during the core courses in

the fall of 2007 to the spring of 2009. It is clear that most candidates rate themselves very positively on the areas of the disposition checklist. Faculty are required to complete a hard-copy of the form if they have any concerns about a candidate. Two forms on one student triggers an interview with the department chair. In the 2008-2009 academic year three such interviews were held. One resulted in the removal of the student from the program while two completed remedial programs.

TABLE 26 Mean dispositional self-ratings for the fall 2007 to spring 2009, completed by

candidates enrolled in core courses.

Disposition

Fall 2007 Spring 2008 Fall 2008 Spring 2009

1.Attendance and Punctuality

3.53 3.19 3.05 3.24

2.Initiative 3.22 3.48 3.21 3.31 3.Work Habits 3.69 3.81 3.53 3.48 4. Oral Communication Skills

3.66 3.38 3.47 3.45

5. Written Communication Skills

3.28 3.52 3 3.14

6.Critical Thinking Skills

3.44 3.52 3.32 3.33

7.Quality of Work 3.6 3.67 3.37 3.5 8.Collegiality 3.09 3.43 3.05 3.14 9.Respect 3.81 4 3.68 3.67 10.Interactions with professors, field work personnel and

2.88 3.24 2.32 2.48


children—if applicable 11.Professional dress during field work—if applicable

3.13 3.38 2.10 2.93

12.Attitude toward learners--if applicable

N/A N/A N/A N/A

13.Commitment to excellence in teaching--if applicable

N/A N/A N/A N/A

The professors in all courses are required to complete the disposition form if they have any concerns about an individual candidate. If the Chair receives two forms on any one candidate, that candidate is invited in to chat to the Chair. If appropriate, a remedial action plan will be developed by the chair for the candidate.

Special Education. Dispositions for special education candidates are assessed throughout the program. Table 25 provides the 2007-2009 assessment data for dispositions. Table 25: SPED Professionalism/Dispositions

Assessment n Mean Gateway 3

2005/06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09

13 3.5

Gateway 4 2005/06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09

13 3.54

Advanced programs at Belmont The following data sources are used to determine the performance of advanced candidates: undergraduate transcripts, GPA, course assignments, and thesis. Table 26: Quality of advanced 2008 completers on admission. Program N GPA GRE Miller U/G M.Ed. 2 3.25 1500 Montessori 1 3.7 MM – Mus. Ed. 9 3.4 1000+ 400+

There are very few teachers in our non-licensure Masters programs. The only two areas that qualify as advanced programs under NCATE are the Reading Specialist or the SPED


programs. These have their own gateway processes that mirror those in the licensure programs. As it is the first year of the Reading Specialist we have minimal data to report.

The MME program has more students and these are reported through the Music

Department.


STANDARD 2: Assessment System and Unit Evaluation

The unit has an assessment system that collects and analyzes data on applicant qualifications, candidate and graduate performance, and unit operations to evaluate and improve the performance of candidates, the unit, and its programs.

Assessment System NCATE 2a. ACCEPTABLE The unit has an assessment system that reflects the conceptual framework and professional and state standards and is regularly evaluated by its professional community. The unit’s system includes comprehensive and integrated assessment and evaluation measures to monitor candidate performance and manage and improve the unit’s operations and programs. Decisions about candidate performance are based on multiple assessments at admission into programs, appropriate transition points, and program completion. The unit has taken effective steps to eliminate bias in assessments and is working to establish the fairness, accuracy, and consistency of its assessment procedures and unit operations.

The unit has an assessment system that collects and analyzes data on applicant qualifications, candidate and graduate performance, and unit operations to evaluate and improve the unit and its programs. The Unit’s Conceptual Framework includes five Program Components: Foundations, Professional Core, Methods, Internship/Student Teaching, and M.A.T. Within each Program Component is a Gateway that comprises our Assessment System for initial candidates. Gateways include multiple sources of data collected from internal and external sources as illustrated in Table 27. This table lists the data collected at each gateway for all initial licensure candidates. The five Gateways that comprise the Assessment System include:

• Gateway 1: Entrance into the University • Gateway 2: Admission to Teacher Education • Gateway 3: Entrance to Final Phase of Professional Practice (enter Student Teaching or

2nd semester Internship) • Gateway 4: Entrance Reflective Professional Practice (exit Student Teaching/Internship) • Gateway 5: Continued Reflective Professional Practice

Table 27: Data Collection by Gateways within the Initial Program Components.

Component Gateways Data Collected Master of Arts

in Teaching Gateway 5

Continued Reflective Professional Practice • Employment Data • Graduate Surveys • Principal Surveys

Internship or Student Teaching

Gateway 4

Reflective Professional Practice (end of Student Teaching or Internship)

• Praxis II • Disposition Checklist • Summative Evaluations (Candidate, Mentor,

Supervisor) • Intern Program Evaluations • Action Research Project* • Oral Exam (Montessori only) • Practical Exam (Montessori only) • Comprehensive Exam II (Montessori) • Gateway 4 Checklist (Montessori) Performance-based Assessments • Post Lesson Evaluation • Portfolio Assessments (Standards 1-10)


Methods Gateway 3

Final Phase of Professional Practice (enter Student Teaching or final semester of Internship)

• GPA by Major • GPA Overall • EDU GPA • Disposition Checklist • Summative/Formative (Montessori) • Practical Exams (Montessori) Performance-based Assessments • Portfolio Assessment (Standards 1-10) • Interview Assessment (Standards 1-10) Artifacts • Literacy in Action (Literacy) • Unit Plan (Literacy) • Program Case Study (Early Childhood Methods) • Practicum Notebook (SPED)

Professional Core Gateway 2

Admission to Teacher Education Program

• GPA by Major • GPA Overall • EDU GPA • Disposition Checklist by Candidate Performance-based Assessments • Portfolio Assessment (Standards 1, 6, 9) • Interview Assessment (Standards 1, 6, 9) • Comprehensive Exam I (Montessori) • Practical Exams (Montessori) • Portfolio Assessment (Standards 1/9, SPED)* Artifacts:

• Case Study (Child/Human Development) • Teaching Opportunity (Child/Human

Development) • Article Summary (Foundations/Con’t Issues) • Group Project (Ed. Psy./Adv. Ed. Psy. • Research Paper (Ed. Psy./Adv. Ed. Psy.) • Practicum Reports (Ed. Psy./Adv. Ed. Psy.) • Philosophy, Autobiography, Goals • PowerPoint Project • Lesson Plan*/Unit Plan (Diverse Learners)* • Practicum Notebook (SPED)

Foundations Gateway 1

Admission to University

• ACT, SAT • HS GPA • HS Rank % • Postbaccs: UG GPA, MAT or GRE • Letter of Intent • Transcript Analysis

Each candidate progressing toward a teaching licensure through Belmont University must successfully complete a portfolio review at Gateways 2, 3, and 4, and successfully pass a teacher education interview at Gateways 2 and 3. The interview for Gateway 4 was replaced with a poster session presentation of an action research project demonstrating evidence of student learning. Candidates complete a disposition checklist during each Program Component. Any faculty having concerns regarding candidate dispositions are expected to complete a disposition form on the candidate. The form is forwarded to the department chair and a copy is kept in the candidate’s file. Any candidate receiving 2 or more concerns from faculty, are sent a letter by the chair requesting a meeting to resolve any issues and/or concerns. All documentation is kept in the candidate files, and beginning Fall 2007, an additional file will include all letters sent to candidates. During the 2006-2007 academic year, two candidates received disposition letters. One candidate repeated three credit hours of coursework and received additional faculty support during the internship. The second candidate withdrew from the program.

If we have any advanced candidates, the Advanced Programs follow the same Conceptual Framework and Gateways as the Initial Licensure Programs. Table 28 presents the Program Components specific to the Advanced Program, M.Ed.


Table 28: Program Components for the Advanced Program, M.Ed.

Component Gateways Data Collected Masters of Education Gateway 5

Continued Reflective Professional Practice

Graduate Surveys

Thesis Gateway 4

Reflective Professional Practice (Thesis Defense)

Thesis Defense

Focus Area Prospectus Gateway 3

Final Phase of Professional Practice

(Thesis Proposal Defense)

Thesis Proposal

Learning Communities Core

Gateway 2

Admission to Candidacy

• EDU GPA • Focus Area Prospectus

Foundations Gateway 1

Admission to University

• UG GPA, MAT, GRE, or GMAT • Letter of Intent • References

M.Ed. advanced candidates have the same number of gateways but meet different requirements to pass through each gateway. Admission to Candidacy occurs when the focus area is accepted by the Advisor and recommended to the Department of Education. The next two gateways relate to progress on the thesis.

Data Collection, Analysis and Evaluation NCATE 2b. ACCEPTABLE The unit maintains an assessment system that provides regular and comprehensive information on applicant qualifications, candidate proficiencies, competence of graduates, unit operations, and program quality. Using multiple assessments from internal and external sources, the unit collects data from applicants, candidates, recent graduates, faculty, and other members of the professional community. Candidate assessment data are regularly and systematically collected, compiled, aggregated, summarized, and analyzed to improve candidate performance, program quality, and unit operations. The unit disaggregates candidate assessment data when candidates are in alternate route, off-campus, and distance learning programs. The unit maintains records of formal candidate complaints and documentation of their resolution. The unit maintains its assessment system through the use of information technologies appropriate to the size of the unit and institution.

Table 27 makes it very clear that the Unit has an assessment system that collects data on candidates through course assessments and through intentional gateways at specific points in the program. The unit has a system that requires the presentation of assessment data at assessment retreats held at least twice per semester. Data from each licensure program is presented and discussed. The data is used to examine the effectiveness of courses and of the overall program.


At the fall assessment retreat the Unit shares the information from a web-based questionnaire sent to all graduates from the previous five years. The final use of the data is to prepare an Annual Report that goes to the TEC. This report covers the previous year and once accepted by the TEC is placed on the Education website so that candidates, CAS Faculty, mentor teachers, and the public can read it. Use of Data for program improvement NCATE 2c. ACCEPTABLE The unit regularly and systematically uses data, including candidate and graduate performance information, to evaluate the efficacy of its courses, programs, and clinical experiences. The unit analyzes program evaluation and performance assessment data to initiate changes in programs and unit operations. Faculty have access to candidate assessment data and/or data systems. Candidate assessment data are regularly shared with candidates and faculty to help them reflect on and improve their performance and program.

Faculty share their assessment data at the first assessment retreat of each semester. Changes to courses result from assessment data. The gateway and other programmatic data are also shared at the first retreat. The faculty considers this data in terms of changes required for program improvement.


Unit Capacity STANDARD 3: Field Experiences and Clinical Practices

The unit and its school partners design, implement, and evaluate field experiences and clinical practice so that teacher candidates and other school professionals develop and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions necessary to help all students learn. Collaboration between Unit and School Partners NCATE 3a. ACCEPTABLE The unit, its school partners, and other members of the professional community design, deliver, and evaluate field experiences and clinical practice to help candidates develop their knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions. The unit and its school partners jointly determine the specific placement of student teachers and interns for other professional roles to provide appropriate learning experiences. The school and unit share expertise to support candidates’ learning in field experiences and clinical practice.

Need a process for evaluating Design, Implementation, and Evaluation of Field Experiences and Clinical Practice NCATE 3b. ACCEPTABLE Candidates meet entry and exit criteria for clinical practice. Field experiences facilitate candidates’ development as professional educators by providing opportunities for candidates to observe in schools and other agencies, tutor students, participate in education-related community events, interact with families of students, attend school board meetings, and assist teachers or other school professionals prior to clinical practice. Both field experiences and clinical practice reflect the unit’s conceptual framework and help candidates continue to develop the content, professional, and pedagogical knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions delineated in standards. They allow candidates to participate as teachers or other professional educators, as well as learners in the school setting. Candidates’ development and demonstration of Knowledge, Skills, and Professional Dispositions to help all students learn NCATER 3c. ACCEPTABLE Candidates demonstrate mastery of content areas and pedagogical and professional knowledge before admission to and during clinical practice. Assessments used in clinical practice indicate that candidates meet professional, state, and institutional standards identified in the unit’s conceptual framework and affect student learning. Multiple assessment strategies are used to evaluate candidates’ performance and impact on student learning. Candidates and clinical faculty jointly conduct assessments of candidate performance throughout clinical practice. Both field experiences and clinical practice allow time for reflection and include feedback from peers and clinical faculty. Candidates and clinical faculty systematically examine results related to P–12 learning. They begin a process of continuous assessment, reflection, and action directed at supporting P–12 student learning. Candidates collect data on student learning, analyze them, reflect on their work, and develop strategies for improving learning.


Field experiences and clinical practice provide opportunities for candidates to develop and demonstrate knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions for helping all students learn. All candidates participate in field experiences or clinical practice that include students with exceptionalities and students from diverse ethnic/racial, linguistic, gender, and socioeconomic groups.


STANDARD 4: Diversity

The unit designs, implements, and evaluates curriculum and provides experiences for candidates to acquire and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions necessary to help all students learn. Assessments indicate that candidates can demonstrate and apply proficiencies related to diversity. Experiences provided for candidates include working with diverse populations, including higher education and P–12 school faculty, candidates, and students in P–12 schools.

Design, Implementation, and Evaluation of Curriculum and Experiences NCATE 4a.

ACCEPTABLE

The unit clearly articulates proficiencies related to diversity identified in the unit’s conceptual framework that candidates are expected to develop during their professional programs. Curriculum and field experiences provide a well grounded framework for understanding diversity, including English language learners and students with exceptionalities. Candidates are aware of different learning styles and adapt instruction or services appropriately for all students, including linguistically and culturally diverse students and students with exceptionalities. Candidates connect lessons, instruction, or services to students’ experiences and cultures. They communicate with students and families in ways that demonstrate sensitivity to cultural and gender differences. Candidates incorporate multiple perspectives in the subject matter being taught or services being provided. They develop a classroom and school climate that values diversity. Candidates demonstrate classroom behaviors that are consistent with the ideas of fairness and the belief that all students can learn. Candidate proficiencies related to diversity are assessed, and the data are used to provide feedback to candidates for improving their knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions for helping students from diverse populations learn.

Belmont University is working very hard to increase the number of minority students in all of its programs. The University has a Diversity Recruitment Program that focuses on candidates, faculty, and staff.

Table 29 shows the 2008 undergraduate education students by ethnicity, as reported to AACTE as part of our PEDS report. There are 203 undergraduates with 19 reporting an ethnicity other than white. This is 9.4 percent. The goal of the Department of Education, for undergraduate and graduate diversity, is to reflect the surrounding community. In Davidson County this is 36 percent.

TABLE 29: Undergraduate Enrollment by Ethnicity, PEDS 2008.

Full Time Part Time Description

Male Female Male Female

Non resident Alien (international)

0 0 0 0


Black, Non-Hispanic 7 7 0 0

American Indian or Alaskan Native

0 2 0 0

Asian or Pacific Islander 0 0 0 0

Hispanic 2 1 0 0

White, Non-Hispanic 41 137 0 0

Race/Ethnicity Unknown 0 6 0 0

Total 50 153 0 0

Table 30 reports the 2008 PEDS reported graduate enrollment by ethnicity. There were 158 candidates with 35 reporting they are not white. This is 22 percent.

TABLE 30: Graduate Enrollment by Ethnicity, PEDS 2008.

Full Time Part Time Description

Male Female Male Female Non resident Alien (international)

0 0 0 0

Black, Non-Hispanic 7 15 3 0 American Indian or Alaskan Native

0 0 0 1

Asian or Pacific Islander 2 1 0 1 Hispanic 2 3 0 0 White, Non-Hispanic 21 76 3 12 Race/Ethnicity Unknown 3 8 0 0 Total 35 103 6 14

When we combine graduate and undergraduate candidates we have a total of 361 candidates, 54 of whom report that they are non-white. This is an overall percentage of 14.96. The Department of Education has work to do to reach its goal for minority representation. Table 31 reports the minority by gender of our graduate candidates for the last three years. In the most recent year the percentage of male minority candidates was 40 percent. This is created by the large number of African American males in our Special Education program. The percentage of females was 20.4. The overall percentage is 23.4 percent. This figure is slightly higher than the one above due to a slightly different reporting dates. TABLE 31: Minority by Gender of Post Baccalaureate Candidates 2006-2008.

Year Gender Full-time Students Part-time Students 05-06 Male 2 of12 9 of 20


Female 5 of 58 15 of 30 Male 11 of 35 3 of 6 06-07

Female 19 of 103 2 of 14

Male 12 of 31 2 of 4 07-08 Female 23 of 107 0 of 6

In the 2008-2009 academic year there was one tenure-track education faculty member

who is a minority. This is down from two in the previous year due to the move of one faculty member to adjunct status.

Experiences working with Diverse Faculty NCATE 4b.

ACCEPTABLE Candidates in conventional and distance learning programs interact with professional education faculty, faculty from other units, and/or school faculty, both male and female, from at least two ethnic/racial groups.7 Faculty with whom candidates work in professional education classes and clinical practice have knowledge and experiences related to preparing candidates to work with diverse student populations, including English language learners and students with exceptionalities. Affirmation of the value of diversity.

Table 32 shows the ethnicity of all Education faculty. TABLE 32: Ethnicity of Full-time Education Faculty.

Year Gender White Minority Male 2 0 05-06 Female 6 2 Male 2 0 06-07

Female 6 2

Male 2 0 07-08 Female 6 2 Male 2 0 08-09 Female 6 1

Experiences working with Diverse Candidates NCATE 4c.

ACCEPTABLE Candidates engage in professional education experiences in conventional and distance learning programs with male and female candidates from different socioeconomic groups, and at least two ethnic/racial groups.[19] They work together on committees and education projects related to education and the content areas. Affirmation of the value of diversity is shown through good-


faith efforts the unit makes to increase or maintain a pool of candidates, both male and female, from diverse socioeconomic and ethnic/racial groups

Experiences working with Diverse Students in P–12 Schools NCATE 4d.

ACCEPTABLE Field experiences or clinical practice for both conventional and distance learning programs provide experiences with male and female P–12 students from different socioeconomic groups and at least two ethnic/racial groups.[21] Candidates also work with English language learners and students with disabilities during some of their field experiences and/or clinical practice to develop and practice their knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions for working with all students. Feedback from peers and supervisors helps candidates reflect on their ability to help all students learn.


STANDARD 5: Faculty Qualifications, Performance, and Development

Faculty are qualified and model best professional practices in scholarship, service, and teaching, including the assessment of their own effectiveness as related to candidate performance; they also collaborate with colleagues in the disciplines and schools. The unit systematically evaluates faculty performance and facilitates professional development.

Qualified Faculty NCATE 5a.

ACCEPTABLE Professional education faculty have earned doctorates or exceptional expertise that qualifies them for their assignments. School faculty are licensed in the fields that they teach or supervise but often do not hold the doctorate. Clinical faculty from higher education have contemporary professional experiences in school settings at the levels that they supervise.

Dr. Oglesby-Pitts resigned as a full-time faculty member and moved to adjunct status. This means she will continue to teach two sections of Foundations in the fall and spring. After long discussions the faculty decided to use her vacated position to add another Special Educator to the faculty. The major reason was the increasing importance of special education in our contract program with the State of Tennessee.

Dr. Michelle Farmer will join the faulty in the area of Special Education. To provide leadership for the New Teacher Project, we have employed Dr. Sammy Swor as Program Director. He will be joined by Dr. Annette Little, who will teach in the area of Special Education.

TABLE 33: Faculty Qualifications – 2008-2009

Name Qualifications Teaching Responsibilities Administrative

BARTON-ARWOOD, Sally

B.A., M.Ed., Ph.D.

Special Education Department Chair Director, MAT program

FLYNN-HOPPER, Rachael

B.S. M.Ed. Ph.D.

Literacy Director, Reading Specialist M.Ed.

HUTCHINS, Trevor TPTC, B.S. (Honors) M.Ed. M.A. Ph.D.

Educational Psychology Associate Dean Director, M.Ed. program

KIMMONS, Joy B.A. M.Ed. Ed.D.

Human Development and Secondary Methods Leadership

NCATE Assessment Coordinator

KING, Merrie B.S M.A.T Ph.D.

Early Childhood Education

Montessori

Director, Montessori program Assistant Director,


Teaching Center LITTLE, Annette B.S.

M.A. Ph.D. BCBA-D.

Special Education

LUNSFORD, Lauren B.A. M.Ed. Ph.D.

Literacy Director, Intern Program

WATKINS, Cynthia B.S., M.A.Ed. PhD.

Special Education Director, Special Education program

STAMPER, James B.A. M.A Ed.D.

Social Studies Director, Student Teaching

Table 33 indicates that all full-time faculty have appropriate terminal degrees.

School Faculty

When placing candidates for clinical experiences we ask principals to provide teachers who are fully licensed in their field, have at least 3 years of experience, preferably hold a masters degree, and must be a teacher that they would recommend as being both a sound model and excellent mentor.

These conditions are those agreed to by the Metro Council on Teacher Education. The council is comprised of official from Metro Nashville Public Schools and all of the teacher education institutions that place candidates in metro schools. The council meets at least once per semester to discuss issues of mutual interest. It is this group that sets the fee to place a candidate in a metro school, currently $325 per semester.

Clinical Faculty

Belmont faculty teaching core and methods courses accompany candidates into schools for practicum experiences but are not generally used as clinical supervisors. Our clinical faculty are recently retired teachers or principals who are appropriately licensed and very familiar with the settings they visit. They do receive mentor training that includes details of the expectations for Belmont candidates, and are able to provide sound advice and assistance as well as complete the State Framework for Evaluation and Professional Growth.

Modeling Best Professional Practices in Teaching NCATE 5b.

ACCEPTABLE Professional education faculty have a thorough understanding of the content they teach. Teaching by professional education faculty helps candidates develop the proficiencies outlined in professional, state, and institutional standards and guides candidates in the application of research, theories, and current developments in their fields and in teaching. Professional education faculty value candidates’ learning and assess candidate performance. Their teaching encourages candidates’ development of reflection, critical thinking, problem solving, and


professional dispositions. Professional education faculty use a variety of instructional strategies that reflect an understanding of different learning styles. They integrate diversity and technology throughout their teaching. They assess their own effectiveness as teachers, including the positive effects they have on candidates’ learning and performance.

All Belmont faculty are evaluated every year

Modeling Best Professional Practices in Scholarship NCATE 5c. ACCEPTABLE Most professional education faculty demonstrate scholarly work in their fields of specialization. They are engaged in different types of scholarly work, based in part on the missions of their units and institutions. TABLE 34: Faculty Scholarship, 2008.

BARTON-ARWOOD, Sally Lane, K. L., Barton-Arwood, S., Nelson, J. R., & Wehby, J. (2008). Academic performance of

students with emotional and behavioral disorders. Journal of Behavioral Education, 17, 43-62.

Lunsford, L. & Barton-Arwood, S. (2008, February). Using academic momentum to increase motivation, engagement, and fluency. Session presented at the National Association of School Psychologists Annual Conference. New Orleans, LA.

Barton-Arwood, S. & Lingo, A. (2008, November). Improving teachers’ ability to address students’ social skill deficits in the classroom: New directions. Teacher Education Division of the Council for Exceptional Children Annual Conference. Dallas, TX. Barton-Arwood, S, & Capizzi, A (2008, November). Constructing a plan for class-wide management: A project for teacher candidates. Teacher Education Division of the

Council for Exceptional Children Annual Conference. Dallas, TX. FLYNN-HOPPER, Rachael Lunsford, L., & Flynn-Hopper, R. (2008). Strategies to Improve Literacy Skills at the Secondary

Level. Presentation to the Southeastern International Reading Association: Nashville, TN. December.

Flynn-Hopper, R. (2008). Early Childhood Literacy Strategies. A workshop presentation at the Annual Conference Tennessee Association for the Education of Young Children (TAEYC), (Oct. 1-4).

Lunsford, L. and Flynn-Hopper, R. (2008). Strategies for Addressing Literacy Issues at the Secondary Level. Conversations at Belmont; February, 4.

Flynn-Hopper, R and Lunsford, L. (2008) English as a Second Language instruction for ESL/ELL teachers. A presentation as part of Conversations at Belmont, Feb. 25.

HUTCHINS, Trevor


Kimmons, J. & Hutchins, T. (2008). Building and Using an Electronic Exhibit Room: Issues to Consider, A presentation at the annual conference of AILACTE, New Orleans, February 6-10.

Hutchins, T. (2008). Educational Psychology, Teach Tennessee, June 11, Nashville, TN KIMMONS, Joy Kimmons, J., & Hutchins, T. (2008). Building and Using an Electronic Exhibit Room: Issues to

Consider. A presentation at the annual conference of AILACTE, New Orleans, February 6-10

KING, Merrie King, M. (2008). Montessori Leadership for the Next 100 Years: A Capital Idea; Presented a

two-part session entitled, The Courage to Teach, to the American Montessori Society Annual Conference, Washington, D.C. March 7.

King, M. & Wells, G. (2008). How do we design programs and infrastructure that motivate, support, and honor faculty and staff as they progress in their careers. A session in Designing for Learning, Presented at the Association of New American Colleges, 2008 Summer Institute, Belmont University.

King, M. (2008) MACTE Panel on Distance Learning, Presented as part of the International Association of Montessori Education (IAME), Annual Fall Meeting, Garden Grove, CA, November 13;

King, M. (2008). Teacher Sustainability in Three Voices, Presented as the Robert E. Simmons Distinguished Faculty Lecture, Belmont University, February 8.

King, M. (2008) A contribution to the 5th Annual Advent Devotional Book; Fall 2008, Belmont Campus

LITLE, Annette Little, M. A., Lane, K. L., Harris, K., Graham, S., Story, M., & Sandmel, K. (2008). Self-

regulated strategies development for persuasive writing in tandem with schoolwide positive behavioral support: Effects for second grade students with behavioral and writing difficulties. Manuscript submitted for publication.

Sandmel, K., Brindle, M., Harris, K., Lane, K. L., Graham, S., Little, A. Nackel, J., Mathias, R. (2008). Making it work: Differentiating tier two writing instruction with Self-Regulated Strategies Development in tandem with School-Wide Positive Behavioral Support for second graders. Manuscript submitted for publication.

Lane, K. L., Little, A. L., Menzies, H. M., Lambert, W., & Wehby, J. H. (in press). Early elementary students with behavioral challenges educated in rural and suburban settings: How do they progress? Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders.

Lane, K. L., Graham, S., Harris, K. R., Little, M. A., Sandmel, K., & Brindle, M. (in press). Story writing: The effects of self-regulated strategy development for second grade students with writing and behavioral difficulties. Journal of Special Education.

Little, M. A., Anderson, A., White, K. M. (2008). Case studies utilizing an integrative approach to treating individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Presented to the Tennessee National Association for the Dually Diagnosed. Nashville, TN. September.

LUNSFORD, Lauren


Flynn-Hopper, R and Lunsford, L. (2008) English as a Second Language instruction for

ESL/ELL teachers. A presentation as part of Conversations at Belmont, Feb. 25. Lunsford, L. & Barton-Arwood, S. (2008). Increasing Academic Momentum for Students.

Presentation to the National Association for School Psychologists: New Orleans, LA. February.

Lunsford, L. and Flynn-Hopper, R. (2008). Strategies for Addressing Literacy Issues at the Secondary Level. Conversations at Belmont; February, 4.

Lunsford, L., & Flynn-Hopper, R. (2008). Strategies to Improve Literacy Skills at the Secondary Level. Presentation to the Southeastern International Reading Association: Nashville, TN. December.

STAMPER, James Stamper, J. (2008). General Felix Zollicoffer’s life prior to the Civil War as an editor, legislator

and publisher. Presentation at the University of Kentucky’s series for adult learners regarding the Civil War in Pulaski County, Kentucky.

WATKINS, Cynthia Watkins, C. (2008). Teacher Educator and Classroom Teacher Shortages: Let’s Develop and

Action Model. Presentation at the 31st Annual Conference of the Teacher Education Division of the International Council for Exceptional Children, Dallas, TX, 6 November.

Watkins, C. (2008). Using Case Studies to Enhance the Understanding of Learning Differences. Presentation at the 31st Annual Conference of the Teacher Education Division of the

International Council for Exceptional Children, Dallas, TX, 8 November.

Table 34 indicates the major publications or presentations completed by the faculty in the Department of Education during 2008. All faculty made at least one presentation and many had articles published and made numerous presentations. The faculty are excellent models for candidates in the area of professional presentations and publications.

Modeling Best Professional Practices in Service NCATE 5d.

ACCEPTABLE Most professional education faculty provide service to the college or university, school, and broader communities in ways that are consistent with the institution and unit’s mission. They collaborate with the professional world of practice in P–12 schools and with faculty in other college or university units to improve teaching, candidate learning, and the preparation of educators. They are actively involved in professional associations. They provide education-related services at the local, state, national, or international levels.

TABLE 35: Faculty Service Activities for 2008.

Name Service Activities

BARTON-ARWOOD, Belmont Buddies Bridges Academy


Sally Department Chair Conversations at Belmont Metro Nashville Public Schools


Middle Tennessee Reading Association Conversations at Belmont Metro Nashville Public Schools Pencil Partner Sevier Park Community Center Victoria Montessori School

HUTCHINS, Trevor President of TACTE Member, State Board Teacher Education Advisory Committee Member, Frist Center for the Visual Arts, Education Advisory Committee TN-TQP Member of National Consortium on Teacher Quality, with NEA and AACTE Member, State Teacher Education Board of Examiners Metro Nashville Public Schools Member, Hemmingwood Homeowners Association Board

KIMMONS, Joy Bridges Academy Metro Nashville Public Schools

KING, Merrie Member MACTE Accreditation Board Board Member, Texas Montessori School Parker Palmer, Accredited Trainer

LITTLE, Annette Guest reviewer for Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions and Education and Treatment of Children. Free teacher consultation and in-services for St. Patrick School (McEwen, TN) and St. Henry School (Nashville, TN) Member of St. Christopher Church, Dickson, TN Providing special education and behavioral consultation, free of charge, for area schools and school districts Annual donations to multiple charities including the Dickson Help Center, Goodwill, Paralyzed Veterans of American, St. Jude’s, and the National Cancer Society

LUNSFORD, Lauren Metro Nashville Public Schools Conversations at Belmont

WATKINS, Cynthia Teacher Education Division of the Council for Exceptional Children – Chair 2010 Conference, On Conference Committee, Proposal reviewer for 20009 Conference. Parliamentarian for Small Programs Caucus Council for Exceptional Children, Volunteer Coordinator for 2010 Conference and Exposition. Proposal reviewer for 2010 Conference, Local Arrangements Committee for 2010 Conference. BSA Arts of Tennessee Board of Directors Consulting with Natchez Trace Youth Academy

STAMPER, James Board Member, Hodges University, Naples Florida KDP Faculty Advisor


Chair, SAC’s Assessment Committees

Table 38 makes it clear that members of the Belmont Department of Education are very active in the area of service. They are excellent models of service for the candidates.

Unit Evaluation of Professional Education Faculty Performance NCATE 5e.

TARGET The unit’s systematic and comprehensive evaluation system includes regular and comprehensive reviews of the professional education faculty’s teaching, scholarship, service, collaboration with the professional community, and leadership in the institution and profession.

Unit Facilitation of Professional Development NCATE 5f.

TARGET The unit has policies and practices that encourage all professional education faculty to be continuous learners. Experienced professional education faculty mentor new faculty, providing encouragement and support for developing scholarly work around teaching, inquiry, and service

The College of Arts and Sciences provides an automatic $1000 per year to fund each faculty member undertaking appropriate professional development activities. To supplement this base figure there are further funds available from the College Professional Development Grant and the Teaching Center. These are competitive grants but they make it possible to travel for conferences and other forms of professional development.

The University provides a mentor for all new faculty and the Unit also provides a mentor. Faculty in the unit have been mentors for new faculty in other areas of the university.

Table 36 make sit very clear that faculty in the Unit are engaged in many professional development activities that reflect both their own interest and a desire to build strengths in aspects related to our conceptual framework.

TABLE 36: Faculty Professional Development, 2008

BARTON-ARWOOD, Sally Conferences attended Tennessee Association of Independent Liberal Arts Colleges for Teacher Education (Nashville,

TN; September 18 - 19, 2008). Tennessee Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (Nashville, TN; September 19, 2008) Other Professional Development Activities American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education Leadership Institute for Department

Chairs, San Antonio, TX April 13-16. IRIS Expert Training, Claremont, CA; January 10-12. IRIS Expert Training (Park City, Utah; September 4 – 6, 2008).


The Senior Capstone Experience: The Final Piece of the Bell Core (Belmont Teaching Center Luncheon; February, 13, 2008).

Strategies for Addressing Literacy Issues at the Secondary Level, Conversations at Belmont; February, 4.

Homework Hotline, Belmont Convocation; March, 19. LiveText Training, Belmont University, May 6. Blackboard Training Assessment Training, Belmont University; May 7. August Teaching Center Workshops:

PBL in the Junior Cornerstone Seminar; PBL in the Disciplines; Teacher as Authority, August 19 – 20.

State Board of Education Workshop, August 22. Leading from Within: Poetry that Sustains the Courage to Lead, Belmont University, October 1,

22nd; November 19. What Faculty Members Need to Know about Retention, November 20, 2008. Professional Memberships Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) CEC Teacher Education Division (TED) CEC/ TED’s Small Special Education Programs Caucus CEC Council for Children with Behavior Disorders (CCDB) American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (AACTE) Association of Independent Liberal Arts Colleges of Teacher Education (AILACTE) Tennessee Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (TACTE) Tennessee Association of Independent Liberal Arts Colleges of Teacher Education (TAILACTE)


Conferences Attended

Gulf-South Summit on Service Learning and Civic Engagement Through Higher Education (March 13-15, 2008, Nashville, TN)

Other Professional development Activities LiveText Training, Belmont University, May 6. United Nations International Day of Peace (Sept. 21, 2008 Nashville, TN): organized and spoke

at event promoting peace through Montessori education and awareness of our environment in conjunction with Dr. Jane Goodall’s Roots and Shoots program. More than 100 children, parents and teachers gathered for this event.

Pencil Foundation BRAVO Luncheon, Belmont University, May 13. Dr. Merrie King, 21st Annual Robert E. Simmons Distinguished Faculty Lecture, Belmont, Feb.

8.

Professional Memberships American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (AACTE) Association of Independent Liberal Arts Colleges of Teacher Education (AILACTE) Tennessee Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (TACTE) Tennessee Association of Independent Liberal Arts Colleges of Teacher Education (TAILACTE)


International Reading Association HUTCHINS, Trevor Conferences Attended AILACTE New Orleans, February 20, 2008 AACTE New Orleans, February 21-23, 2008 TAILACTE Nashville, March 16-17, 2008 TACTE Nashville, March 17-18, 2008 AACTE Summer Leadership Institute, Washington, DC, June 16-18 TAILACTE Nashville, October 6-7, 2008 TACTE Nashville, October 7-8, 2008 TN-PTQ State Planning Meeting, Nashville December, 10-11, 2008 Other Professional Development Activities LiveText Training, Belmont University, May 6. Assessment Training, Belmont University, May 7. Professional Memberships American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (AACTE) American Educational Research Association (AERA) American Society for Curriculum Development (ASCD) Association of Independent Liberal Arts Colleges of Teacher Education (AILACTE) Phi Delta Kappa Tennessee Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (TACTE) Tennessee Association of Independent Liberal Arts Colleges of Teacher Education (TAILACTE) KIMMONS, Joy Conferences Attended AILACTE New Orleans, February 20, 2008 TAILACTE, September 18 TACTE, September 19‐20

Other Professional Development Activities Nashville Coaches Hall of Fame (2008) Presentation of Award to Dr. Jean Literrer LiveText Training, Belmont University, May 6. Professional Memberships American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (AACTE) Association of Independent Liberal Arts Colleges of Teacher Education (AILACTE) Tennessee Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (TACTE) Tennessee Association of Independent Liberal Arts Colleges of Teacher Education (TAILACTE) KING, Merrie Conferences Attended American Montessori Society Annual Conference, Montessori Leadership for the Next 100

Years: A Capital Idea, March 6-9, 2008, Washington, D.C.


American Montessori Society 2008 Fall Conference, Montessori: Excellence in Action, November 13-16, 2008, Garden Grove, CA

Other Professional Development Activities American Montessori Society Annual Conference, Pre-Conference Session, Leadership

Succession: Assembling and Managing a Great Team, Simon Jeynes, Independent School Management, Washington, D.C. , March 6.

LiveText Training, Belmont University, May 6. Teaching Center Symposiums/Workshops: Winter Seizing Opportunities for Social Change, Jeff Cornwall; Too Good to be True: The Impact of

Course Redesign on Student Learning, Faculty Worklife, and Cost, Jimmy Davis; January 7, 2008, Massey Boardroom, Belmont Campus, January 2008.

Summer What is Problem Based Learning? Why Problem Based Learning? By Dr. George Watson,

Institute for Transforming Undergraduate Education, Senior Associate Dean in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Delaware; August 19, 2008,

The Choreography of Teaching by Kate Al-Shamma, Assistant Professor of Theatre and Dance, Belmont; August 20.

Teaching Center Luncheons, 1. Mass Marketing Ignorance: A Social Construct with Dr. Lucius Outlaw, Jr., January 23,

2008, Black and White Dining Hall, Belmont Campus 2. Integrating Spirituality into the Classroom, Dr. John Peteet, Associate Professor of

Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, April 4, 2008, 3. Capitalizing on the Growing Demographic Changes in our Community: What can

Belmont Do? By Jose Gonzalez, School of Business Administration; October 24. 4. Leading from Within; August 19 and August 20; Introduced Faculty to new Teaching

Center Initiative Office of Spiritual Development Luncheons,

1. Justice for All, Dr. John Perkins; January 11, 2008, Neely Dining Room, Belmont Campus

2. Teaching Center and Office of Spiritual Development Luncheon, Citizenship, Faith, and the Role of Faculty, Dr. Tony Campolo, Professor Emeritus of Sociology at Eastern University; September 3, 2008, Massey Boardroom, Belmont Campus

3. Office of Spiritual Development; luncheon with Barbara Bradley Hagerty, Religion Correspondent for NPR, The Media and Religion, September 24, 2008, Neely Hall, Belmont Campus

AMI Refresher Course, 2008: Following Montessori’s Lead, featuring Daniel Pink (Montessori and a Whole New Mind) and Steven Hughes, Ph.D., L.P. (Good at Doing Things: Montessori Education and Higher-Order Cognitive Development), February 15-18, 2008, Atlanta, GA

American Montessori Society, School Consultant Training; Webinar, October 30, 2008 Professional Memberships American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (AACTE) Association of Independent Liberal Arts Colleges of Teacher Education (AILACTE) Tennessee Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (TACTE) Tennessee Association of Independent Liberal Arts Colleges of Teacher Education (TAILACTE) American Montessori Society (AMS)


LITTLE, Annette Conferences Attended TABA conference, Nashville. November 8-9. TN-NADD conference, Nashville, September 19 Other Professional development Activities. New Faculty Orientation, Belmont, August 4-5. Teaching Center Workshops: Problem Based Learning, August 19 The Choreography of Teaching: Inviting Students to Join the Dance, August 20

Examining Strengths at Belmont: Current Practices and Future Opportunities, December 5

Leading from Within, October 1 and 22, November 19. Convocation: Leaving No Child Behind: Perspectives on the Education of Students with

Disabilities, October 21 Professional Memberships American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (AACTE) Association of Independent Liberal Arts Colleges of Teacher Education (AILACTE) Tennessee Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (TACTE) Tennessee Association of Independent Liberal Arts Colleges of Teacher Education (TAILACTE) NADD TABA Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) CEC Teacher Education Division (TED) CEC/ TED’s Small Special Education Programs Caucus CEC Council for Children with Behavior Disorders (CCDB) LUNSFORD, Lauren Conferences Attended Gulf South Summit, Nashville, TN. March 13-15. TAILACTE, Nashville, TN. September 18. Other Professional Development Activities NCATE webinar on submitting Program Report, November 11, 2008. LiveText Training, Belmont University, May 6. Professional Memberships American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (AACTE) Association of Independent Liberal Arts Colleges of Teacher Education (AILACTE) Tennessee Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (TACTE) Tennessee Association of Independent Liberal Arts Colleges of Teacher Education (TAILACTE) Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) CEC Teacher Education Division (TED) CEC/ TED’s Small Special Education Programs Caucus CEC Council for Children with Behavior Disorders (CCDB)


STAMPER, James Conferences Attended TAILACTE, Nashville, March 16-17. TACTE, Nashville, March 17-18. TAILACTE, Nashville, October 6-7, 2008 TACTE, Nashville, October 7-8, 2008 Other Professional Development Activities Examiner for Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. At the invitation of Pearson Publishing Company, I reviewed 4 chapters of George W. Maxim’s

Dynamic Social Studies for Constructivist Classrooms. LiveText Training, Belmont University, May 6. Chaired the “job-alike” session for Directors of Student Teaching at both the fall and spring

meetings of Tennessee Association of Colleges for Teacher Education. Professional Memberships American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (AACTE) Association of Independent Liberal Arts Colleges of Teacher Education (AILACTE) Tennessee Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (TACTE) Tennessee Association of Independent Liberal Arts Colleges of Teacher Education (TAILACTE) Kappa Delta Pi WATKINS, Cynthia Conferences Attended Tennessee Association of Colleges of Teacher Education, Nashville, TN, Mar 27-28. Tennessee Association of Colleges of Teacher Education, Nashville, TN, Sept 19. 83rd Annual Conference and Expo of the International Council of Exceptional Children, Boston,

MA, 1-6 Apr 08 Tennessee Department of Educations, Spring Special Education Conference, Nashville, TN, Feb

27-29.

Other Professional Development Activities LiveText Training, Belmont University, May 6. Reviewer for Journal of Teacher Education (4 manuscripts) Reviewer for conference proposals for the International Council of Exceptional Children 2008

Annual Conference Consultant for Administration on Special Education Issues: Natchez Trace Youth Academy – Waverly, TN Currently, working with Dr. Georgia Kerns, University of New Hampshire, on a textbook

entitled: Using Case Studies To Enhance The Understanding Of Learning Differences. In negotiation with Love Publishing.

Currently, working with Dr. Patty McHatton, University of Central Florida, Dr. Georgia Kerns, University of New Hampshire, Dr. Melissa Miller, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, on a research project examining the “Approaches to and Levels of Reading of Course Materials by Graduate and Undergraduate Education Majors”.


Professional Memberships American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (AACTE) Association of Independent Liberal Arts Colleges of Teacher Education (AILACTE) CEC Council for Children with Behavior Disorders (CCDB) CEC Teacher Education Division (TED) CEC/ TED’s Small Special Education Programs Caucus Council for Children with Behavior Disorders of the International Council for Exceptional

Children Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) Division of International Special Educators of the International Council for Exceptional Children Division of Learning Disabilities of the International Council for Exceptional Children International Association of Special Education’s (IASE) (member) International Council for Exceptional Children Phi Delta Kappa Tennessee Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (TACTE) Tennessee Association of Independent Liberal Arts Colleges of Teacher Education (TAILACTE)

Table 36 makes it very clear that the faculty are engaged in many professional development activities. All faculty regularly attend conferences appropriate to their disciplines and are members of relevant professional associations. Many hold state and national positions in these groups. They provide an excellent model for candidates in this area.

TABLE 37: Faculty involvement in grants, 2008.

Faculty Name Grant Activity LUNSFORD, Lauren Working with Cindy White

WATKINS, Cynthia State of Tennessee, Special Education Grant

Funded for $153,000

Belmont University recently changed its policy in relation to applying for Federal Grants. Since this change the Department of Education has begun to work with the Belmont Office of Grants to look for and apply for relevant grants.

Table 37 indicates that several Education faculty have been active in the area of grants.

Dr. Watkins has been successful in retaining the Special Education grant for a number of years. This grant pays the fees of teachers teaching special education without an appropriate license. This was the grant held in conjunction with Lipscomb, but when they developed their own MASE program the partnership ceased and we now run this program on our own.

Beginning in the fall of 2008, Dr. Lunsford was given a one course release to work with

the Cindy White in the Grants Office to develop her skills as a grant writer, to look for available grants, and to begin applying for grants.

Grant activity is not only a mechanism to provide more funds it is an excellent

professional development activity.


STANDARD 6: Unit Governance and Resources

The unit has the leadership, authority, budget, personnel, facilities, and resources, including information technology resources, for the preparation of candidates to meet professional, state, and institutional standards. Unit Leadership and Authority NCATE 6a. ACCEPTABLE The unit has the leadership and authority to plan, deliver, and operate coherent programs of study. The unit effectively manages or coordinates all programs so that their candidates are prepared to meet standards. The unit’s recruiting and admission practices are described clearly and consistently in publications and catalogs. Academic calendars, catalogs, publications, grading policies, and advertising are accurate and current. The unit ensures that candidates have access to student services such as advising and counseling. Faculty involved in the preparation of educators, P–12 practitioners, and other members of the professional community participate in program design, implementation, and evaluation of the unit and its programs. The unit provides a mechanism and facilitates collaboration between unit faculty and faculty in other units of the institution involved in the preparation of professional educators Dr. Sally Barton-Arwood continued as department chair and Dr. Trevor Hutchins as Associate Dean. In the summer of 2008, Dr. Bryce Sullivan was appointed Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. He replaced Dr. Mike Pinter, who was interim Dean for 2007-2008. Belmont University has designated the Department of Education as the Unit to develop, present, and manage the programs leading to teacher licensure. The State of Tennessee has approved all the current programs and the Unit is fully accredited with NCATE.

Beginning in the fall of 2008 the TEC was restructured to reduce the number of members and to make the number required for a quorum much clearer. The details of the revised TEC are in a previous section. Unit Budget NCATE 6b. ACCEPTABLE The unit receives sufficient budgetary allocations at least proportional to other units on campus with clinical components or similar units at other campuses to provide programs that prepare candidates to meet standards. The budget adequately supports on-campus and clinical work essential for preparation of professional educators.

Table 38 reveals the budget for the education unit. It is clear that the operating and AEF budgets have been decreasing despite the increase in the number of candidates. This has been a university wide issue but we are now at a point where the ability of the department to support the work of faculty and staff is compromised. The numbers taught by the unit have increased, our faculty has increased by one extra full-time member from August 2009, but our operating budgets have been flat for many years. The area most impacted is the cost of travelling to supervise more candidates than in the past. This aspect alone now takes more that 10% of the Unit’s budget.


TABLE 38: Budget for Education Department, 2007-08 and 2008-09. Year Faculty Staff Benefits Operating AEF TOTAL 2007-08 546,383 67,590 181,471 55,868 11,350 862,662 2008-09 530,955 59,358 189,572 53,560 10,920 844,365 2009-10* 619,394 63,287 200,763 53,928 4,430 941,802 *Excludes New Teacher Project Personnel NCATE 6c. ACCEPTABLE Workload policies, including class-size and online course delivery, allow faculty members to be effectively engaged in teaching, scholarship, assessment, advisement, collaborative work in P–12 schools, and service. Faculty loads for teaching on campus and online generally do not exceed 12 hours for undergraduate teaching and nine hours for graduate teaching per semester or the equivalent. Supervision of clinical practice does not generally exceed 18 candidates for each full-time equivalent faculty member per semester or the equivalent. The unit makes appropriate use of full-time, part-time, and clinical faculty as well as graduate assistants so that program coherence and integrity are assured. The unit provides an adequate number of support personnel so that programs can prepare candidates to meet standards. The unit provides adequate resources and opportunities for professional development of faculty, including training in the use of technology.

All education faculty are on 24 credit hours of teaching per year. The Unit teaches both graduate and undergraduate students in most licensure classes so all faculty have a 3 credit hour per semester reduction in load. Classes are typically 3 credit hours, in other than the core courses, and most classes average 12 -15 students.

Supervision of clinical experience is usually conducted by recently retired teachers who

want to give back to the new teachers entering the profession. The Unit equates the supervision of 5 student teachers or Interns, as the equivalent of one three hour course. The mentors work closely with the Program Directors. Student teaching mentors work with Dr. Stamper while Intern mentors work with Mr. Gary Harville and Dr. Lauren Lunsford. There are training sessions for mentors and Program Directors visit all placement sites and candidates to ensure consistency in treatment.

The Unit has three support staff. One is the Office Manager, who oversees the running of

the office and keeps the budget straight. Another is the Practicum and Placement Officer, who at the direction of faculty administers all practicum placements and maintains the Unit’s data-base. The third support staff is the Licensure Officer, who is responsible for ensuring that all aspects for licensure are met by each candidate. Unit Facilities NCATE 6d. TARGET


The unit has outstanding facilities on campus and with partner schools to support candidates in meeting standards. Facilities support the most recent developments in technology that allow faculty to model the use of technology and candidates to practice its use for instructional purposes. Library The Department of Education has worked very hard in collaboration with the staff of the library, to upgrade the holdings in the area of middle school and secondary education. We have added copies of all the texts used in metro schools and added teaching resources focused at this level. Table 39 indicates that the funding allocated to the department has remained relatively stable over the last two years but there is downward trend that is matching the trend in other areas.. TABLE 39: The library Education Purchasing Budget, 2007-08 and 2008-09.

Year Undergraduate Graduate Total 2007-2008 28,820 31,020 59,840 2008-2009 33,626 24,400 58,026 2009-2010 20,836 30,020 50,856

Classrooms

All classrooms use by education faculty have Smartboards and computers that allow access to the web. All instruction uses LiveText for syllabi, instructional purposes and assessment. All classes require candidates to use the technology to present content to their fellow students and to provide them with the instructional skills to use technology in the classroom. Unit Resources including Technology NCATE 6e. ACCEPTABLE The unit allocates resources across programs to prepare candidates to meet standards for their fields. It provides adequate resources to develop and implement the unit’s assessment plan. The unit has adequate information technology resources to support faculty and candidates. Professional education faculty and candidates have access both to sufficient and current library and curricular resources and electronic information. Resources for distance learning programs are sufficient to provide reliability, speed, and confidentiality of connection in the delivery system.

The faculty all have a desk-top computer that is fully networked. The classrooms used by education faculty typically have computers connected to a Smartboard and the internet. Two of the four classrooms on the education floor are computer labs with 22 to 24 computers each. We also have a set of 20 laptop computers s on wheels (COW) that that be taken into classrooms that are not computer labs. This is booked through the department of education office. Faculty have been trained on the use of the Smartboard and most use it during classes.


As the university has grown we are finding a trend to not be teaching in classrooms on

our floor, or even in the Wheeler Humanities Building. The University desperately needs new classroom space. Recommendations for 2009-2010 Based upon this 2008-2009 Report to the Teacher Education Council and the NCATE/State visit in February 2007, the Department of Education recommends the following changes for discussion and approval by the TEC.

1. To facilitate the New Teacher Project, the Department of Education seeks an ESL initial licensure program.

2. Within the M.Ed. program, reinstitute the 36 hour coursework option.

3. Revise NCATE Standard 2, to replace the portfolio.

4. Focus on the revised Title II Reporting requirements, particularly the section requiring

goal setting.

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