Part A: Elon University Middle Grades Social Studies ... · Part A Elon University middle grades social studies revisioning blueprint p. 1 Part A: Elon University Middle Grades Social

Part A

Elon University middle grades social studies revisioning blueprint p. 1

Part A: Elon University Middle Grades Social Studies Program Re-Vision

The Elon University Teacher Education faculty took seriously the State Board’s charge to prepare 21st

century professionals to lead North Carolina public schools and the Department of Public Instruction’s subsequent directive to revision NC teacher education programs to reflect new Standards for Teachers. At Elon, we used this as an opportunity to think carefully about what we believe to be important in preparing teachers for a 21

st century

world. Beginning in spring 2008, the faculty read pertinent books and journal articles; we talked with public school personnel, students, parents, and community members; we listened to speakers and attended state and national conferences; and we came together often to discuss our ideas and fashion a framework for our revisioned programs. The most foundational thought to come from our discussions was that the knowledge and skills necessary for 21

st century teachers could not be contained in one or even several isolated courses and field

experiences. In order for important concepts to be deeply understood and for critical skills to be broadly applied, they needed to be addressed across courses and over the full two years of the program. Therefore, our first efforts were directed at identifying crucial, unifying concepts and skills and then at finding ways to (a) approach them in courses and field experiences, and (b) integrate and spiral them in a variety of ways throughout the program. As we moved closer to putting our thoughts into a programmatic action plan, we developed four guidelines to steer us in our decision-making. Guideline 1: Provide a planned sequence of 21

st century theme-based experiences in and out of the classroom.

We believe that 21st

century teachers also must be exemplary self-directed learners who strive to be globally aware and civically engaged, expert problem solvers and ethical decision-makers, effective communicators and skilled collaborators. In order to provide all teacher candidates with a series of experiences designed to develop these qualities, we have identified four themes that will run through the two years of the Teacher Education program. These experiences, called “Explorations,” will allow candidates to explore broadly and deeply four important issues of the 21

st century:

equity and social justice globalization and interdependence

aesthetics and creative endeavor nature and the environment Opportunities to explore these themes will include relevant topics within courses, program-wide readings,

seminars, field trips, workshops, and presentations, which may come from university-sponsored cultural events, speakers, films, travel abroad opportunities, etc. Explorations will involve the entire K-16 community, being sponsored and organized in collaboration with Elon Arts and Sciences faculty and in partnership with local district K-12 school personnel.

Middle grades social studies education candidates will participate in these Explorations along with all other teacher candidates. Each year events will be selected from the Elon cultural arts calendar and elsewhere that broaden candidates’ understanding of social studies and the specific theme they have elected to study. A menu of activities will be planned for each of the themes each semester, some directed to explore issues particularly relevant to middle level educators, others that are more general in applicability. The equity and social justice strand will be an important one to explore in the social studies major. Cochran-Smith (2004) contends that educating teachers for social justice and commitment to equity is one of the most critical and most difficult endeavors in education today.

Middle grades candidates can explore the value the aesthetic and creative dimension of young adolescent learning and living by capitalizing on these students’ love for music. The integration of digital media, including iPods, is a developmentally-responsive instructional strategy for content synthesis and communication of understanding. Candidates may foster aesthetic sensibility by incorporating drama and visual arts into interdisciplinary units. Recognizing that learning environments are not limited to the physical classroom, they may include real or virtual trip to an historical museum in order to extend young adolescent learning more meaningfully.

In the nature and the environment strand, candidates will consider the interrelatedness of the world’s rapidly growing populations, particularly the middle class, and the effect on the global environment (Friedman, 2005). They can grapple with these issues by reading and discussing Friedman’s bestseller, The World is Flat. Closely connected, students who elect the globalization and interdependence strand, they will be encouraged to learn and speak a second language, perhaps through Elon’s El Centro de Espanol, and study abroad during a winter

Part A


term or fall/spring semester. They will develop a specific assignment to explore while abroad, particularly issues related to global interdependence. Guideline 2: Feature a thorough understanding of effective instruction, highlighting the essential role of formative assessment in instruction, and emphasizing ways to differentiate for diverse learners at each stage of the instructional cycle.

The middle grades social studies program will emphasize differentiation strategies in order to teach more appropriately those students with varying interests and learning styles and with differing levels of readiness and English language proficiency. Strategies for differentiating content, process, and product will be directly addressed in a revised course on teaching diverse learners. Those same strategies will be emphasized in social studies methods courses and will be specifically targeted in clinical experiences. Teacher candidates in middle grades social studies concentration will learn how to ensure all students are given an opportunity to learn economic, geographic, sociological, and historical concepts and to demonstrate their understanding of these concepts.

Teacher candidates will learn to assess their students not only through tests and quizzes but also through interviews, writing assignments, questioning, projects, and other authentic performances. Middle grades social studies teacher candidates will discover that teaching and assessing go hand in hand and that assessment is used to make appropriate decisions regarding re-teaching, reviewing, enriching, or differentiating content. As a result of the revisioning process, a new course is being developed that will feature assessment, both formative and summative, and candidates will be given opportunities to work with school personnel in middle level classrooms to learn how assessment is used in authentic school settings. Guideline 3: Emphasize information and communications technologies as essential tools of learning in the 21

st

century. Newly conceptualized information and communication technology (ICT) literacy fosters critical thinking

and contribution to 21st

century knowledge building. Our revisioned program will include a new emphasis on emerging visual literacies and interactive web resources as candidates understand how technology enhances adolescent thinking and learning. Middle grades social studies educators must realize the power of technology to create instantaneous and international information exchange and that social networking is second nature to the current generation of students (November, 2008). They must also believe that real literacy supersedes the use of textbooks (Wilhem, 2009). Podcasting, blogging, screencasting, digital story-telling, and Ning are collaborative “mindtools” that potentially help students contribute to knowledge production rather than individual knowledge consumption. Dynamic tools, such as wikis and interactive, virtual web resources, give teacher candidates the ability to access, exchange, and construct information (Atkinson, Daughterty, & Etelamaki, 2009). The Critical Web Reader (CWR) (Exter, Wang, Exter, & Damico, 2009), for example, is a tool designed to guide students in the critical examination of web-based primary and secondary documents, including web pages, web sites, images, video clips, and blogs. Assistive technologies enable cognitive access for students with special learning needs (Dreon & Dietrich, 2009). Guideline 4: Blend university coursework with a cohesive, ongoing sequence of clinical experiences that provide venues for meaningful collaborations with school personnel, students, families, and community agencies.

Clinical experiences will be carefully planned to be cohesive across the program and integrated with academic coursework. They will provide opportunities for candidates to interact in meaningful and collaborative ways with a variety of school personnel, students, families, and community agencies. They will provide faculty with ways to be engaged with K-12 schools and to successfully integrate their own teaching and scholarship with their work in the field. Additionally, field experiences will afford opportunities for both candidates and faculty to engage in academic service-learning endeavors, inquiry projects, and ongoing research. In partnership with local school districts, the School of Education will enter into collaborative agreements with particular area schools to accomplish a four-fold agenda: prepare future educators; provide current educators with ongoing professional development; encourage joint school-university faculty investigations of education-related issues; and promote the learning of all K-12 students.

The middle grades social studies program will include a year-long internship in a middle level social studies classroom during the senior year. During the first semester, teacher candidates will apply their knowledge of differentiation and assessment as they teach a unit of study. They, along with other middle grades education

Part A


majors, will engage in case study research to better understand the local schools and communities, and they will design and implement a service learning project designed to improve local schools. During the second semester, candidates will assume increased teaching responsibilities in their classrooms, giving them an opportunity to implement methods they have acquired in their training. Plans are developing to have Professional Development Schools (PDS) in place at the middle school level to strengthen this component of our program. The revisioned middle grades social studies education program is different from the current program in the following ways: (a) It provides for an interdisciplinary study of 21

st century issues highlighting the important role

the concepts and skills of social studies will play in those issues. Embedding these concepts throughout the Teacher Education program in a planned array of educational activities shared by all specialty areas will provide a broad platform to integrate content around 21

st century issues. This will be the first time all programs within

Teacher Education have shared conceptual content and provided ways to explore that content together over a two year period. We believe this will bring cohesion to the program unlike any that it has had in the past and will promote the integration of ideas, fostering transfer of knowledge and skills and preparing candidates for leadership roles in their schools and communities; (b) It intentionally addresses the important role of formative assessment in instruction. In the past, assessment was addressed briefly in methods courses, and perhaps other courses as well, but never in depth and not as an integral part of effective instruction; (c) It moves technology to a new level. Prior to our revisioning, we had a technology course that gave candidates a set of skills, or tools, that provided more efficient ways to do what they already did. Our revisioned offerings in technology will provide candidates with new ways of communicating, new ways of disseminating and accessing information that they will then pass along to their students, and new ways to contribute to new knowledge construction. This expanded understanding of the power and productivity of technology will be essential for 21

st century citizens; and (d) The

increased integration of clinical experiences and expanded partnerships with public schools will give candidates the opportunity to learn their craft and hone their skills in authentic settings. In this model of cognitive apprenticeship, students, as novices, will work with expert mentors in authentic school settings as they increasingly become more independent and self-regulated learners. Our revisioned program reflects the NC Professional Teaching Standards in multiple ways. Candidates demonstrate leadership and an understanding of the content they teach as they work with program coordinators and their public school mentor teachers to set up activities and experiences in which faculty and candidates explore the four Teacher Education themes, engage in research and/or academic service learning (ASL) projects. Elon middle grades social studies candidates will use their critical reasoning skills in order to understand and act on one or more of the pervasive problems facing the world in the 21

st century. They will exhibit leadership as they

collaborate with others to tackle these problems. They will learn the importance of being knowledgeable about federal and state legislation, advocating effectively for their positions, and staying active in their professional organizations. Recognizing that 21

st century students must graduate from high school globally competitive for work and

postsecondary education, the middle grades social studies program will concentrate on the social studies knowledge for teaching set forth in the new content standards for teaching in grades 6-9. These standards emphasize conceptual knowledge, critical thinking, and comparative analysis of historical and current sources. Course offerings, clinical experiences, ASL and research projects will all provide opportunities for candidates to learn and use this particular knowledge and skill set. These same experiences will call for establishing a respectful environment for a diverse population of students. Issues of equity and social justice are especially important to consider in the field of social studies. At the middle grades level subject-matter classes challenge English language learner with disciplinary-specific vocabulary both in assigned readings and class discussions (Dong, 2009). By activating prior knowledge in their native language through discussion and writing, for example, teachers capitalize upon the linguistic and cognitive interdependence between first and second languages, thus facilitating the acquisition of academic English. Our restructured and enhanced clinical experiences will ensure middle grades social studies candidates have opportunities to work together with families, administrators, and policy makers to establish equitable and supportive practices for diverse learners in middle level classrooms.

Part A


The program’s increased emphasis on global content and technology integration will enhance our existing methods instruction, providing candidates with a wide variety of instructional strategies and a broader understanding of how to facilitate learning for their students. Reflection will continue to play a major part in the middle grades social studies education program. However, with the new emphasis on formative assessment, reflection will be more data-driven. The use of audience response systems (ARS), for example, will be used for formative evaluation in providing young adolescents and teacher candidates information about where future learning or teaching needs to occur. Questions concerning whether learning occurred, which students failed to learn and which succeeded, and why that might be so will thus undergird reflection, causing it to be a much more robust process. Reasons for the specific revisions in the middle grades social studies teacher education program have been given throughout what has been written in the paragraphs above. Researchers in the field of middle grades education (Andrews & Jackson, 2007) recognize the impending imperative for American education to “prepare students for a world where the challenges and opportunities for success require the ability to compete and cooperate on a global scale” (p. 65). The discipline of social studies provides a natural venue of young adolescents to inquire into, grapple with, and develop personal perspectives on critical issues and problems, locally and globally. Powerful learning can potentially occur when technology is used strategically to create instantaneous information exchange and the simultaneous construction of new knowledge that lead to solutions to commonly-held international problems. When young adolescents are engaged in inquiry within community and global contexts, they become more politically and civically active for social justice. Friedman’s (2005) hard-hitting book, The World is Flat, helped readers see the world through new and critical lenses. This world view and the disposition for it are the habits of mind we strive to foster in our social studies candidates.

References Andrews, P. G., & Jackson, A. W. (2007, November). Turning points 2000: Looking back and looking forward.

National Middle School Journal, 39(2), 62-68. Atkinson, T., Daughterty, J., & Etelamaki, L. (2009). Virtual worlds come alive at AECT 2008 convention. TechTrends:

Linking Research and Practice to Improve Learning, 53(1), 29-35) Cochran-Smith, M. (2004). Walking the road: Race, diversity and social justice in teacher education. New York:

Teachers College Press. Dong, Y. R. (2009, April). Linking to prior learning. Educational Leadership, 66(7), 26-31. Dreon, Jr., O., & Dietrich. (2009, January/February). Turning lemons into lemonade: Teaching assistive technology

through wikis and embedded video. TechTrends: Linking Research and Practice to Improve Learning, 53(1), 78-80.

Exter, M. E., Wang, Y., Exter, M. F., & Damico, J. S. (2009). Designing a tool to support critical web reading.

TechTrends: Linking Research and Practice to Improve Learning, 53(1), 23-28. Friedman, T. L. (2005). The world is flat. New York: Picador. November, A. (2008, August). The digital learning farm. Middle Ground, 12 (1). Wilhem, J. D. (2009, April). Change we can believe in: Real literacy for real learning. Middle Ground, 12(4), 12-13.

Part B


Part B: Involvement of Public School Partners

The middle grades social studies program revisioning process has involved public school partners in a number of ways. The Middle Grades Education Advisory Board meets each academic year for the purpose of collaboration for program direction and improvement. The Board consists of school administrators, curriculum facilitators, and teachers from partner middle schools, content area Elon faculty, and middle grades teacher candidates. The Board met on April 4, 2008 to begin the revisioning process. Dr. Crawford, Program Coordinator, introduced the New State Standards and Program Revisioning for 21

st Century Learning, which focus on these five areas: Demonstrating

leadership; Establishing respectful learning environments for diverse student populations; Knowing content; Facilitating learning; and Reflecting on practice. She asked the Board how the program might promote leadership with the teacher candidates. Past and current initiatives include the Amigos Club, tutoring, family literacy nights, and academic service-learning experiences. Program-related experiences include a yearly newsletter, an informational bulletin board, a mentor program, and the MG Advisory Board. Other ideas generated were to establish a campus chapter of SNCAE, host monthly speakers from the field of education, and invite teachers who are school leaders for a panel during the student teaching seminar. Another suggestion was that student teachers proactively seek opportunities within placement schools and to become familiar with and critique the school improvement plan. Other ideas for program improvement were 1) require a TESOL course; 2) develop an assessment course or strand; and 3) create learning communities to develop skills for collaboration and peer coaching. Concern was expressed from public school personnel that the program required only one concentration. This change was in alignment with changing state standards; however, it may be reconsidered. The Board met again on April 2, 2009. Dr. Crawford revisited the new state standards and shared the following guidelines for program revisioning for 21

st century learning and requested input:

provide a planned sequence of 21st century theme-based experiences in and out of the classroom These experiences, called “Explorations,” will allow candidates to explore broadly and deeply four important themes and issues of the 21st century:

o globalization and interdependence o equity and social justice o aesthetics and creative endeavor o nature and the environment

Opportunities to explore will include specific course offerings as well as program-wide readings and

seminars, travel abroad, speakers and field trips, workshops, presentations, films, etc.

feature a thorough understanding of effective instruction, highlighting the essential role of formative assessment in instruction, and emphasizing ways to differentiate for diverse learners at each stage of the instructional cycle.

emphasize information and communications technologies as essential tools of learning in the 21st century

present a cohesive, ongoing sequence of field experiences that provide venues for meaningful collaborations with school personnel, students, families, and community agencies Field experiences will be carefully planned to be cohesive across the program and integrated with academic coursework. They will provide opportunities for candidates to interact in meaningful and collaborative ways with school personnel, students, families, and community agencies. They will afford opportunities to engage in academic service learning projects, research projects, etc.

The Board members were most interested in the development of an assessment course that would teach candidates how to use formative assessment data to make decisions about student learning and instructional practice and in the teaching of differentiation strategies. Other methods of input from public school partners include meetings with school personnel and faculty at the school site. In the fall 2008, for example, the program coordinator and coordinator for professional development schools met with the principal at Turrentine Middle School to discuss the professional development model, which would enable more concentrated collaboration. A follow-up meeting was held with the Turrentine faculty. Informal discussions with individual faculty members have led to opportunities for special projects, including the Amigos Club, Book Buddies, and the Amistades tutoring

Part B


initiative. These support leadership among candidates in the program. The program coordinator also participates annually in a networking luncheon with school and community partners, which is organized through the Kernodle Center for Service Learning. The Board has expressed interest in becoming active participants in the implementation of our newly revised program. Additional public school teachers will serve on discussion panels and/or make special presentations in education classes. They will participate in special events relating to the Exploration themes with middle grades social studies teacher candidates. They will additionally be involved in the assessment of evidences.

Part C. Section I


Part C: Electronic Evidences

Part C Section I: Key Evidences

Evidence Name of Evidence Brief Description of the Evidence Descriptors of Elements of Standards Addressed by the Evidence

1 Content Knowledge: Evidence that demonstrates breadth of content knowledge in the specialty area

Transcript or Praxis II scores

Copy of transcript with at least 24 semester hours of coursework relevant to the specialty area with a grade of C (2.0) or better in each of the 24 hours OR satisfactory Praxis II scores.

3b.1

2 Content Knowledge: Evidence that demonstrates candidate depth of understanding and application of content knowledge in the specialty area.

Academic Content Research Paper

A research paper that demonstrate the candidate’s ability to delve into a content area to identify key concepts and essential understandings. The paper is accompanied by a visual representation of relatedness of ideas within and across disciplines.

3b.1

3 Pedagogical and Professional Knowledge Skills and Dispositions: Evidence that demonstrates effective design of classroom instruction based on research-verified practice.

Comprehensive Unit Plan, Part A– Design of Classroom Instruction

A plan for a unit of study built around essential understandings and complex skills found in the NC SCOS. Lesson plans taught during the unit are included.

1a.2, 2b.3, 2d.1, 3a.1, 3c.1, 3c.2, 3d.1, 4a.1, 4a.2, 4b.1, 4c.1, 4d.1, 4e.1, 4f.1, 5c.1

4 Pedagogical and Professional Knowledge Skills and Dispositions: Evidence that demonstrates knowledge, skills, and dispositions in practice.

LEA/IHE Certification of Teaching Capacity

State-required evaluation of the candidate completed by the institution and the cooperating teacher.

1a.1, 1a.3, 1a.4, 1d.1, 1e.1, 2a.1, 2b.1, 2b.2, 2c.1, 2d.1, 2d.2, 3a.2, 3b.2, 3d.1, 4c.1, 4d.1, 4e.1, 4f.1, 4g.1, 4g.2, 4h.1, 4h.2, 5a.1

5 Positive Impact on Student Learning: Evidence that demonstrates impact on student learning.

Comprehensive Unit Plan, Part B – Design of Classroom Assessment

A plan for formative and summative assessment to accompany the unit of study shown in Evidence 3.

Recommended: 1a.1, 4b.1, 4h.1, 4h.2, 5a.1

6 Leadership and Collaboration: Evidence that demonstrates leadership and collaboration.

Virtual PLC for 21

st

Century Teachers

A web-based community housing collaborative plans for professional development activities jointly planned & implemented with K-12 partners.

Recommended: 1b.1, 1b.2, 1b.3, 1c.1, 1c.2, 2e.1, 5b.1

Part C. Section II


Part C Section II: Relationship of the Evidence to the Standards

NORTH CAROLINA TEACHER STANDARD

KEY EVIDENCE(S) FROM SECTION I DEMONSTRATING THE DESCRIPTORS OF THE ELEMENTS

1. TEACHERS DEMONSTRATE LEADERSHIP

a. Teachers lead in their classrooms.

1. Evaluates the progress of students toward high school graduation using a variety of assessment data measuring goals of the North Carolina Standard Course of Study.

2. Draws on appropriate data to develop classroom and instructional plans.

3. Maintains a safe and orderly classroom that facilitates student learning.

4. Uses positive management of student behavior, effective communication for defusing and deescalating disruptive or dangerous behavior, and safe and appropriate seclusion and restraint.

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b. Teachers demonstrate leadership in the school.

1. Engages in collaborative and collegial professional learning activities.

2. Identifies the characteristics or critical elements of a school improvement plan.

3. Displays the ability to use appropriate data to identify areas of need that should be addressed in a school improvement plan.

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c. Teachers lead the teaching profession.

1. Participates in professional development and growth activities.

2. Begins to develop professional relationships and networks.

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Part C. Section II




d. Teachers advocate for schools and students.

1. Implements and adheres to policies and practices positively affecting students’ learning.

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e. Teachers demonstrate high ethical standards

1. Upholds the Code of Ethics for North Carolina Educators and the Standards for Professional Conduct.

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2. TEACHERS ESTABLISH A RESPECTFUL ENVIRONMENT FOR A DIVERSE POPULATION OF STUDENTS

a. Teachers provide an environment in which each child has a positive, nurturing relationship with

caring adults. 1. Maintains a positive and nurturing learning environment.

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b. Teachers embrace diversity in the school community and in the world.

1. Appropriately uses materials or lessons that counteract stereotypes and acknowledges the contributions of all cultures.

2. Incorporates different points of view in instruction.

3. Understands the influence of diversity and plans instruction accordingly.

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c. Teachers treat students as individuals.

1. Maintains a learning environment that conveys high expectations of every student.

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d. Teachers adapt their teaching for the benefit of students with special needs.

1. Cooperates with specialists and uses resources to support the special learning needs of all students.

2. Uses research-verified strategies to provide effective learning activities for students with

special needs.

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Part C. Section II




e. Teachers work collaboratively with the families and significant adults in the lives of their

students. 1. Communicates and collaborates with the home and community for the benefit of students.

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3. TEACHERS KNOW THE CONTENT THEY TEACH

a. Teachers align their instruction with the North Carolina Standard Course of Study.

1. Develops and applies lessons based on the North Carolina Standard Course of Study.

2. Integrates effective literacy instruction throughout the curriculum and across content areas to enhance students’ learning.

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b. Teachers know the content appropriate to their teaching specialty.

1. Demonstrates and appropriate level of content knowledge in the teaching specialty.

2. Encourages students to investigate the content area to expand their knowledge and satisfy their natural curiosity.

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c. Teachers recognize the interconnectedness of content areas/discipline.

1. Demonstrates knowledge of links between grade/subject and the North Carolina Standard Course of Study by relating content to other disciplines.

2. Relates global awareness to the subject.

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d. Teachers make instruction relevant to students.

1. Integrates 21st

century skills and content in instruction.

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Part C. Section II




4. TEACHERS FACILITATE LEARNING FOR THEIR STUDENTS

a. Teachers know the ways in which learning takes place, and they know the appropriate levels of

intellectual, physical, social, and emotional development of their students. 1. Identifies developmental levels of individual students and plans instruction accordingly.

2. Assess and uses resources needed to address strengths and weaknesses of students.

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b. Teachers plan instruction appropriate for their students.

1. Collaborates with colleagues to monitor student performance and make instruction responsive to cultural differences and individual learning needs.

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c. Teachers use a variety of instructional methods.

1. Uses a variety of appropriate methods and materials to meet the needs of all students.

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d. Teachers integrate and utilize technology in their instruction.

1. Integrates technology with instruction to maximize students’ learning.

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e. Teachers help students develop critical-thinking and problem-solving skills.

1. Integrates specific instruction that helps students develop the ability to apply processes and strategies for critical thinking and problem solving.

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f. Teachers help students to work in teams and develop leadership qualities.

1. Organizes student learning teams for the purpose of developing cooperation, collaboration, and student leadership.

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Part C. Section II




g. Teachers communicate effectively.

1. Uses a variety of methods to communicate effectively with all students.

2. Consistently encourages and supports students to articulate thoughts and ideas clearly and effectively.

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h. Teachers use a variety of methods to assess what each student has learned.

1. Uses multiple indicators, both formative and summative, to monitor and evaluate students’ progress and to inform instruction.

2. Provides evidence that students attain 21

st century knowledge, skills and dispositions.

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5. TEACHERS REFLECT ON THEIR PRACTICE

a. Teachers analyze student learning.

1. Uses data to provide ideas about what can be done to improve students’ learning.

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b. Teachers link professional growth to their professional goals.

1. Participates in recommended activities for professional learning and development.

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c. Teachers function effectively in a complex, dynamic environment.

1. Uses a variety of research-verified approaches to improve teaching and learning.

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Part C. Section II


Part C Section III: Detailed Description of the Evidences

Evidence #1: Content Knowledge - Breadth

Descriptors addressed: 3b.1 Name of evidence: Transcript or Praxis II test scores A candidate’s transcript will be attached here that will document the 24+ semester hours relevant to the specialty area with a grade of C or higher in each of the courses, or satisfactory Praxis II scores may be attached.

STANDARD COURSES

Standard 1: Social studies teacher candidates know and can facilitate learning about how culture and culture systems function. They are able to teach about how human beings relate to their environment and the impact of that relationship on culture.

GEO 131 (4) The World’s Regions

Standard 2: Teacher candidates who teach social studies know and can facilitate learning about historical periods and patterns. They teach about diverse perspectives and sources of information that inform an understanding of the past, present, and future.

HST 112 (4) Europe & Med World Since 1660 HST 123 (4) US and NC Since 1865 HST 221 (4) World in the 20

th Century

Standard 3: Social studies teacher candidates who teach social studies know and can facilitate learning about how economic forces affect individuals and communities and about the management of individual and collective resources in a global economy. This includes the influence of science, technology, and ecologic interdependence on all aspects of human enterprise including systems such as transportation, communication, health care, warfare, agriculture, and industry.

ECO 111 (4) Principles of Economics

Standard 4: Social studies teacher candidates who teach social studies know and can facilitate learning about how individual and collective identities are shaped by groups and institutions.

EDU 425 (4) Methods of Teaching Middle Grades and Secondary Social Studies

Standard 5: Social studies teacher candidates who teach social studies know and facilitate learning about the principles of democracy and human rights and about the variety of ways that governments, leaders, and citizens exercise power, develop laws, and maintain order.

POL 111 (4) American Government

Total number of semester hours from above Social Studies courses: 24

Part C. Section III – Evidence 2


Evidence #2: Content Knowledge – Depth

Descriptors addressed: 3b.1 Name of evidence: Academic Content Research Paper Explanation and requirements/directions to the candidate regarding this evidence: This evidence, a precursor of the Comprehensive Unit Plan, is the background research (academic content knowledge) component for the unit. The NC Standards for Social Studies integrate the concepts from the social science disciplines and the humanities as they aim to prepare teacher candidates to assume a global perspective on content and 21

st century thinking and

learning. These five standards address 1) culture and cultural diversity; 2) time, continuity, and change; 3) economic, scientific, and technological development; 4) individuals, groups, and institutions; and 5) civic ideals and practices. In their book, Understanding by Design, Wiggins and McTighe (2005), the authors note that the curriculum development process begins with deciding what knowledge is essential and enduring to the discipline. They offer four guidelines for sorting through the overabundant possibilities in a content area. Teachers should consider 1) the enduring value of the content beyond the classroom; 2) the ideas that are central to an understanding of discipline; 3) frequently confused ideas or misconceptions; and 4) the potential to engage student interest. Curricular decisions must consider the NC Standard Course of Study, national standards, state and local guidelines, and assessment measures. However, planning for a disciplinary unit must be based on essential understandings of disciplinary content. Hyerle (1996) suggested the use of visual tools to guide thinking innovatively about the relationships among parts or pieces of knowledge. Visual tools “generate and unveil mental models of interrelationships developed by learners, along with the unique patterning capacity of each learner’s mind” (p. 10). He notes that the form of knowledge can be structured in different ways by using different visual tools in the process of constructing and representing knowledge. They can be content-specific, such as concept circle diagrams; task-specific organizers, such as graphic organizers for comprehending text; or more generic thinking-process maps and frames to show comparison/contrast, sequencing, classification, or inductive reasoning. New dynamic software, such as Inspiration, can be used to create a concept map. Each Academic Content Research Paper will include an embedded visual tool as a representation of the how the student generated and constructed meaningful connections and relationships within the area of content study. Directions to Candidates:

Select an area of disciplinary content that is significant in the field (a major understanding, concept, controversy or question) and that would provide the knowledge base for a Comprehensive Unit.

Examples of content areas from the NC Standard Course of Study include the “Holocaust” of Darfur, the HIV Epidemic in Africa, the geography of blood diamond mining in the Congo; the interdependence of science, technology, and ecology in state and world regions; or the significance of agriculture for subsistence and trade and the relationship to human migration.

Select a content mentor in one of the social studies departments who will facilitate your scholarly inquiry and will lend expertise in its evaluation.

Evaluate and choose appropriate sources of information about the content that include research-based articles, books, chapters, textbooks, etc. Be sure to choose only theoretical and/or empirical research studies to read and cite.

Determine a theoretical connection to the discipline by reviewing national discipline standards in the field.

Determine how an understanding of knowledge in the discipline is generated (e.g., make note of and discuss the kinds of data/evidence that have been used to study the content when discussing literature



found. For example, is most of the evidence based on qualitative or quantitative studies, surveys, case studies, classroom-based or laboratory-based research, with small or large numbers of participants, etc.?).

Generate a visual tool (concept map or other graphic organizer, such as comparison/contrast diagram) to illustrate pertinent and meaningful relationships within the content area. This visual graphic will be embedded/incorporated into your research paper.

Draw conclusions (based on review of the literature) that demonstrate integration of data and ideas (e.g., summarizes main findings or understandings about the topic as determined from literature reviewed).

Note areas in the literature that are being researched, controversial, or conflicting and makes critical suggestions for ideas for needed or related content research.

After conducting a substantive investigation that includes interviews with disciplinary experts, write the Academic Content Paper.

Papers should be written in narrative format, double-spaced in 12-point font, 10-12 pages in length, and adhere to the following criteria:

o Completeness: Addresses relevant inquiry in depth o Organization: Written in a logical, interesting sequence with clear beginning, middle, and end o Content Knowledge: Demonstrates deep content knowledge with illuminating explanations and

consistent use of professional vocabulary o Theoretical Base: Uses and cites scholarly and theoretical literature to support the ideas in the

paper. Uses current, accurate, relevant, and authoritative literary sources o Explanation: Reflects an unusually thorough, elegant, and inventive response to the content

inquiry o Analysis: Displays a powerful and illuminating interpretation and analysis of the

importance/meaning/significance of the content area o Connections/Application: Makes excellent, appropriate connections with coursework and/or

relevant experiences o Mechanics and Citation Style: Contains no spelling, grammatical, or word usage errors; consistent

use of APA style How the evidence specifically addresses the descriptors for the Standard 3b: Teachers know the content appropriate to their teaching specialty. The Academic Content Paper will demonstrate the candidate’s ability to delve into a content area to identify key concepts and themes and to determine disciplinary patterns and enduring/essential understandings. By evaluating and choosing appropriate sources of information, including theoretical and research-based articles, books, edited chapters, and textbooks, candidates will discern how an understanding of knowledge in the discipline is generated. They will demonstrate the ability to draw conclusions, based on the literature review, that demonstrate the integration of the main findings or understandings about the content topic investigated. The deep understanding of content gained through this scholarly inquiry will inform the content development of the Comprehensive Unit. The embedded visual tool will represent graphically how the candidate generated and constructed pertinent and meaningful connections and relationships (a web of knowledge) within the content area and made connections with other disciplines, thus generating interdisciplinary ideas. . How the evidence is/will be evaluated by the institution: We will use a rubric to evaluate Evidence #2. The rubric will contain the following criteria, and performance level descriptors will be developed for each.



Evaluation Criteria: Evidence #2

Rubric

Criteria

Performance Level

Developing Proficient

Completeness

Identifies and clearly states a topic that is significant (a major understanding, concept, controversy or question). Sufficiently cites literature to develop a convincing understanding of the topic that includes multiple perspectives. Draws conclusions that demonstrate appropriate and logical integration of data and ideas and the use of independent, critical thinking.

Theoretical Base

Collects, interprets, and uses data and other information appropriate to the topic and discipline. Uses and cites scholarly and theoretical literature to support the ideas in the paper. Uses current, accurate, relevant, and authoritative literary sources. Uses the literature to demonstrate how knowledge in the discipline is generated, how information is created and tested, what qualifies as data and how data are used.

Organization

Written in a logical, coherent, and interesting sequence with clear beginning, middle, and end.

Content Knowledge

Demonstrates deep content knowledge with illuminating explanations, and consistent use of professional vocabulary. Visual tool demonstrates how knowledge is generated and constructed and pertinent/meaningful relationships are drawn.

Explanation Explains the significance of the topic to the discipline. Explains the connections between the literature and the topic. Reflects an unusually, thorough, elegant, and inventive response to the content inquiry.

Analysis

Displays a powerful and illuminating interpretation and analysis of the importance/meaning/significance of the content area. Demonstrates an understanding of the complexity of the topic and among multiple explanations

Connections and Application

Makes excellent, appropriate connections among professional readings and relevant experiences, including content-based course work. Identifies the significance of the topic for students.

Mechanics and Citation Style

No spelling and/or grammatical and/or word use errors. APA style is consistently used correctly. Uses discipline-appropriate format and organization, is clearly presented, and demonstrates appropriate language conventions.

References Hyerle, D. (1996). Visual tools for constructing knowledge. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum

Development. Wiggins, G. & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design: Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and

Curriculum Development. North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (2008). North Carolina standard course of study: Standards for social

studies. Raleigh, NC: Author



Evidence #3: Pedagogical and Professional Knowledge, Skills, and Dispositions – Design

Descriptors addressed: 1a.2, 2b.3, 2d.1, 3a.1, 3c.1, 3c.2, 3d.1, 4a.1, 4a.2, 4b.1, 4c.1, 4d.1, 4e.1, 4f.1, 5c.1 Name of evidence: Comprehensive Unit Plan, Part A – Design of Classroom Instruction Explanation and requirements/directions to the candidate regarding this evidence: This evidence, Part A of the Comprehensive Unit Plan, encompasses the curriculum and instruction components of the unit. The goals, including the knowledge, skills, and dispositions you target, comprise the curriculum while the methods and materials you include in your lesson plans outline the instruction. Though named a Unit Plan, it is actually a guide for the process of planning a unit of study, which ultimately is of more importance than the final product itself.

Curriculum There are a number of considerations in beginning to design a unit of study. The North Carolina Standard Course of Study (NC SCOS) objectives, the developmental level and achievement/readiness levels of students in the class, and the diversity and special learning needs of students you will teach are among those considerations. It is also important to consider how content from other disciplines, including technology, could be meaningfully integrated so that concepts and skills embedded in the unit can be more deeply understood and transferred to new contexts. At this beginning stage of unit development you will gather data on your community, school, and students. You will also want to collaborate with your mentor teacher, your university supervisor, and with specialists and colleagues who can assist you. (1a.2) (3c.1) (4a.1) (4b.1)

The first stage of actual unit design concerns goal clarification. During this stage you will make decisions regarding the overall goal of the unit and the conceptual understandings and complex performance abilities that are necessary to attain that goal. These decisions are of central importance. As Wiggins and McTighe (2005) suggest, goal clarification will help you avoid “the twin sins: aimless coverage of content, and isolated activities that are merely engaging (at best) while disconnected from intellectual goals in the learners’ minds” (p. 56). A starting point is the NC SCOS. You will have to select which objectives to use for your unit, and you will have to clarify how you will approach them. As you select and clarify, keep 21

st century content in mind and incorporate into your unit

as appropriate: global issues; diverse cultures and lifestyles; financial, economic, and entrepreneurial literacy; civic literacy; health and wellness (Partnership for 21

st Century Skills, 2007). (3a.1) (3c.2) (3d.1)

We suggest two sources as guides in clarifying goals. Wiggins and McTighe (2005) write about “unpacking” standards to identify the big ideas and core tasks that are embedded in them. Erickson (1998) recommends examining the standards using a concept-process lens in order to identify the conceptual knowledge and the process abilities contained in them. Though their terms are somewhat different, the process is quite similar, allowing you to identify patterns of concepts and complex skills (e.g., critical thinking, problem-solving, innovation, collaboration, and communication) that cut across standards and even across disciplines. The discernment of patterns within and across disciplines is important for two reasons: (3d.1)

1. It enables the clustering of a large amount of content knowledge and processing skill under a few unifying conceptual understandings, and

2. It encourages transfer of knowledge and skills to other contexts (Bransford, Brown, & Cocking, 1999) After analyzing the content standards to be addressed in your unit and identifying the core ideas they contain, the next task is to select the particular conceptual lens or big idea that will shape your approach to the unit. When a concept is combined with particular content from the SCOS, the combination (a) gives the concept a context, (b) gives content a focus, and (c) encourages conceptual understanding of important 21st century skills and content. For example, suppose the subject you are expected to teach is animal behavior. There are many ways you could approach this topic, and if you are not careful, it would be easy to commit the “twin sins” of aimless coverage and isolated activities. However, if you decide to view animal behavior through the conceptual lens of “adaptation,” you give the unit on animal behavior direction and a conceptual focus. (3d.1)



Here we are going to make a distinction between two terms, “concepts” and “generalizations.” A concept is an organizing idea that categorizes a variety of examples. It is represented by one or two words, for example, “rhythm,” “pattern,” “proportion,” “adaptation,” “balance of power.” Generalizations are statements of a relationship between two or more concepts. For example: Adaptation leads to change. Like concepts they are broad and abstract, but they are statements as opposed to words. They are what we refer to as “essential understandings” because they represent deep and transferable ideas. In our Comprehensive Unit, we use the term “big Idea” to mean a generalization (or a principle

1) rather than a concept. In our example of a

comprehensive unit on the topic of animal behavior, you could now give a focus to the unit using this big idea: “As climate changes over time, animals adapt their behavior.” As you construct the big ideas for units, strive to identify significant ideas that promote global awareness and have meaning across content areas so you can integrate other disciplines into your content or relate the content you will teach to other disciplines. Here are additional examples from which you might make generalizations: Foods of different cultures through the lens of health and wellness; forms of government through the lens of civic literacy. (3c.1) (3c.2) Once the big idea for the unit has been determined, then the next step is to identify the knowledge, skills and dispositions that are necessary to reach the desired understanding. The knowledge will be the core content that must be in place before the abstract generalization can be understood. The skills are those that must be in place before a complex performance can be executed. Dispositions are the patterns of behavior, habits of mind, or character traits that will contribute to goal attainment

Instruction Having identified the big idea of the unit and the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that will lead to the essential understanding, it is time to plan the lessons that will define the instructional component of the unit. Your instructor will explain the format of your lesson, but keep in mind that lesson plan objectives, taken together, lead to the essential understanding of the unit. If you use essential questions rather than objective statements, the answers to those questions should lead to the essential understanding. The point is that lessons are the building blocks that result in the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that enable students to reach the goals set in the unit. Therefore, each lesson should be directly associated with the unit’s content, skills, and/or dispositions and the NC SCOS objectives they reflect. (3a.1) Beyond this crucial association between individual lessons and the goals of the unit, there are several things to keep in mind as you develop your lessons:

Use a variety of grouping strategies and establish student learning teams for the purpose of developing cooperation, collaboration, and student leadership. (4f.1)

Use an array of research-verified methods and materials to meet the learning needs of all students. (4c.1) (5c.1)

Integrate student use of technology with instruction, as appropriate, to maximize students’ learning. (4d.1)

Explicitly teach strategies for critical thinking and problem solving. Most students need overt strategies for these and other types of complex thinking. (3d.1) (4e.1)

Address global issues frequently and encourage the use of critical and innovative thinking and problem solving when addressing these issues. (3c.2) (3d.1)

Differentiation

Up to this point you have directed your thinking toward curriculum (objectives that include essential knowledge and skills) and instruction (methods and strategies to use for accomplishment of goals). Your next step is to continue planning instruction, but with a focus on processes and procedures that ensure effective learning for a diversity of students, i.e., on differentiating instruction. A good guide to use at this point is Integrating Differentiated Instruction and Understanding by Design (Tomlinson & McTighe, 2006). These authors emphasize the necessity of clarifying the goals of instruction as a first step in designing effective differentiation, and that is a step you have already taken in this unit planning. (2b.3) (2d.1)

1 The distinction between generalization and principle is that whereas a generalization must be continually tested for truth,

principles are always true and have significant roles in a discipline, similar to laws.



Keep in mind that differentiation is a way of thinking, not a particular strategy. It involves thinking about the variety of learners that comprise typical classrooms and building in ways that are likely to enhance their learning. All students should be guided toward essential understandings and use of essential skills, though students will need different types of support to accomplish desired results. You will need to use different grouping strategies, teach in multiple ways using research-based methods and validated content enhancements, and regularly assess to monitor understanding. As you design differentiation strategies, you should consult and collaborate with specialists who are knowledgeable about special needs and cultural differences. You should also take advantage of technology, which provides many ways to individualize learning. Most importantly, give students strategies for learning and assist them in understanding how they learn best so they can become independent learners. Use of metacognitive strategies is an essential key to quality differentiation. (2b.3) (2d.1) (4b.1) (4d.1)

A differentiated unit of study is equitable and flexible. It provides a variety of learning tasks that meet an array of interests and aptitudes allowing diverse learners to participate in learning experiences in meaningful ways. Equity and flexibility should be built into a unit from the outset; these qualities should be part of the design of the unit and incorporated in each lesson based on ongoing progress monitoring and formative assessment results. If necessary, specific accommodations or modifications should be added to the unit in response to particular needs of students. These include specialized instructional strategies, assistive technologies, and other individualized modifications and resources for students with unique learning needs. (2b.3) (2d.1) (4a.2) (4c.1) (5c.1)

How the evidence specifically addresses the descriptors for which it is cited in Sections I and II: Descriptors are identified by number where they occur in the explanation/directions to candidates above. We will remove them when the directions are actually given to the candidates, but during this planning stage, they serve to ensure that each descriptor is addressed and easily located. Below is a chart summarizing how the evidence addresses each descriptor.

Descriptors Description/Explanation Draws on appropriate data to develop classroom and instructional plans. (1a.2)

Candidates are directed to gather data on the school, community, and students before planning their unit. They consider the developmental level and achievement/readiness levels, as well as the diversity and special learning needs of students they will teach.

Understands the influence of diversity and plans instruction accordingly. (2b.3)

Candidates must include a section of their unit on how instruction will be differentiated for diverse learners. That section will indicate that candidates recognize students bring different achievement/readiness levels, background knowledge, and cultural experiences to new units of study.

Cooperates with specialists and uses resources to support the special learning needs of all students. (2d.1)

Candidates are directed to collaborate with specialists as they design differentiation strategies. They are also encouraged to use technology and specialized materials with students with special learning needs. These strategies and materials will be documented in the unit’s differentiation section and in lesson plans.

Develops and applies lessons based on the North Carolina Standard Course of Study. (3a.1)

Candidates indicate on the unit plan and on each lesson plan the NC SCOS objectives that are being addressed. The NC SCOS is the first source of information considered in unit development.

Demonstrates knowledge of links between grade/subject and the North Carolina Standard Course of Study by relating content to other disciplines. (3c.1)

Candidates include a rationale for the content of their unit. One of the required components of the rationale is an explanation of how the content is related to other disciplines. Lesson plans, too, will provide evidence of a candidate’s inclusion of interdisciplinary topics.

Relates global awareness to the subject. (3c.2)

Candidates include a rationale for the content of their unit. One of the required components of the rationale is an explanation of how the content is related to global awareness. Lesson plans, too, will provide evidence of a candidate’s inclusion of global issues.

Integrates 21st century skills and content in instruction. (3d.1)

The unit plan has sections for candidates to identify the essential understanding of the unit, and then to specifically identify the content knowledge, the skills, and the dispositions that, together, lead to understanding. Those sections will indicate the integration of 21

st century skills and content, as will lesson plans.



Descriptors Description/Explanation Identifies developmental levels of individual students and plans instruction accordingly. (4a.1)

Candidates include a rationale for the content of their unit. One of the required components of the rationale is an explanation of why specific content and skills and differentiation strategies were selected. This explanation should include developmental level of students. Additionally, lesson plans will provide evidence that lessons are developmentally appropriate.

Assesses and uses resources needed to address strengths and weaknesses of students. (4a.2)

The differentiation section will indicate use of resources, as will lesson plans that include resources used with the whole class, small groups, or individuals with special learning needs. The formative assessment process (see Evidence #5 – Form 1) has a section where candidates analyze whether particular materials were effective in promoting student learning.

Collaborates with colleagues to monitor student performance and make instruction responsive to cultural differences and individual learning needs. (4b.1)

Candidates are directed to collaborate with specialists as they design instructional strategies. They are encouraged to use technology and specialized materials with students with special learning needs. Lesson plans will indicate whether instruction is designed to be culturally responsive.

Uses a variety of research-verified, appropriate methods and materials to improve teaching and learning and to meet the needs of all students. (4c.1) (5c.1)

Candidates are directed to use a variety of grouping strategies and an array of research-validated methods and materials. The differentiation section of the unit and lesson plans will indicate that they have done so. Formative assessment (Evidence #5) will determine the efficacy of using particular methods and materials.

Integrates technology with instruction to maximize students’ learning. (4d.1)

Candidates include a rationale for the content of their unit. One of the required components of the rationale is an explanation of how technology is integrated. Lesson plans, too, will provide evidence of a candidate’s integration of technology.

Integrates specific instruction that helps students develop the ability to apply processes and strategies for critical thinking and problem solving. (4e.1)

The unit plan calls for candidates to identify complex skills such as critical thinking and problem solving. The directions for writing the unit indicate that candidates should explicitly teach strategies for this kind of thinking. Lesson plan objectives and instructional strategies will indicate that they have done so.

Organizes student learning teams for the purpose of developing cooperation, collaboration, and student leadership. (4f.1)

The directions for writing the unit indicate that candidates should use a variety of grouping strategies and establish student learning teams. Lesson plans will indicate whether they have done so. Affective assessment (see Evidence #5) will indicate whether these strategies developed cooperation, collaboration and leadership.

How the evidence is/will be evaluated by the institution: We will use a rubric to evaluate Evidence #3. The rubric will contain the following criteria, among others, and performance level descriptors will be developed for each.

Rubric: Evidence #3

Criteria Performance Level

Developing Proficient Accomplished

Uses data to develop instructional plans

Uses development level of students in planning instruction

Uses understanding of diversity in planning instruction

Uses NC SCOS in lesson planning

Relates content to other disciplines

Relates global awareness to the subject

Integrates 21st

century knowledge (content)

Integrates 21st

century skills

Uses variety of research-verified methods and materials

Integrates student use of technology in instruction

Includes strategies for critical thinking and problem solving in instruction

Promotes cooperation, collaboration, and leadership among students





Collaborates with specialists and colleagues to support the special learning needs of all students

Assesses and uses resources needed to address strengths and weaknesses of students

References Bransford, J. D., Brown, A. L., & Cocking, R. R. (Eds.). (1999). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience, and school.

Washington, DC: National Research Council. Erickson, H. L. (1998). Concept-based curriculum and instruction: Teaching beyond the facts. Thousand Oaks, CA:

Corwin Press, Inc. Partnership for 21

st Century Skills. (2007). The intellectual and policy foundations of the 21

st Century Skills

Framework. Route 21 white paper retrieved from http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/documents/ skills_foundations_final.pdf.

Tomlinson, C. A., & McTighe, J. (2006). Integrating differentiated instruction and understanding by design.

Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Wiggins, G. & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design (2

nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and

Curriculum Development.

http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/documents/%20skills_foundations_final.pdf




Comprehensive Unit Format

Introduction time frame (at least 2 weeks)

grade level and subject(s)

Rationale: (1a.2) (3c.1) (3c.2) (4a.1)

identification of key issues influencing the design of the unit: school community, student diversity, developmental level, etc.

discussion of choice of unifying concepts and overall generalization (big idea)

reasons for selection of specific content, skills, dispositions, and differentiation efforts (including references)

how content is related to other disciplines

how content enhances global awareness

how technology is integrated

Standards (3a.1) The state and/or national standards the unit will address

Title A title that captures the topic and the “big idea” of the unit

Essential Understanding (“big idea” of unit) (3c.2) (3d.1) Essential understandings are foundational ideas in or across disciplines, the “big ideas” or deep understandings that transfer across topic and time. This is the key principle or generalization that defines the conceptual relationship the unit explores. A big idea should:

represent central ideas and/or organizing principles within or across disciplines generalize to many situations and contexts have rich explanatory and predictive power serve as a lens for understanding problem situations and an aid in problem solving

reflect 21st

century content

Knowledge (content) (3c.1) (3d.1) What students need to know in order to achieve unit objectives: key facts, concepts, bodies of knowledge

Skills (3d.1) What students must be able to do to achieve unit objectives: the ability to perform some procedure, to know how to do something. Skills include those that cannot be observed directly, such as critical thinking, as well as those that can be observed, such as speaking persuasively, or leading collaboratively.

Dispositions (attitudes, values) Patterns of behavior, habits of mind, or character traits such as respect, responsibility, perseverance, integrity, and self-discipline that enable goal attainment

Lesson Plan Objectives (4c.1) (4d.1) (4e.1) (4f.1) (5c.1) Objectives of lesson plans to be used during the unit. Taken together, they should lead to the unit’s essential understanding.

Attach all lesson plans

Differentiation: (2b.3) (2d.1) (4a.2) (4b.1) Description of how unit provides a variety of learning tasks that meet an array of interests and aptitudes allowing diverse learners to participate in learning experiences in meaningful ways. Include any specific accommodations or modifications or resources used as result of assessments and in response to particular needs of students, including assistive technology. Identify specialists who can be of assistance and resources that can be of use.

Assessment: SEE PART B



Evidence #4: Pedagogical and Professional Knowledge, Skills, and Dispositions – Practice

Descriptors addressed: 1a.1, 1a.3, 1a.4, 1d.1, 1e.1, 2a.1, 2b.1, 2b.2, 2c.1, 2d.1, 2d.2, 3a.2, 3b.2, 3d.1, 4c.1, 4d.1, 4e.1, 4f.1, 4g.1, 4g.2, 4h.1, 4b.2, 5a.1 Name of evidence: LEA/IHE Certification of Teaching Capacity Explanation and requirements/directions to the candidate regarding this evidence: The LEA/IHE Certification of Teaching Capacity will be administered during the student teaching semester, as part of a more extensive evaluative process using the Elon University assessment procedures and instruments. Candidates must score at the "Met" level on all items of the Certification of Teaching Capacity in order to be recommended for licensure. How the evidence is/will be evaluated by the institution: Candidates will be evaluated by both the cooperating teacher and the university supervisor using the Proficient descriptors provided on the Certification of Teaching Capacity.



Evidence #5: Positive Impact on Student Learning

Descriptors addressed: 1a.1, 4b.1, 4h.1, 4h.2, 5a.1 Name of evidence: Comprehensive Unit Plan, Part B – Design of Classroom Assessment Explanation and requirements/directions to the candidate regarding this evidence: This evidence, Part B of the Comprehensive Unit Plan, is the assessment component of the unit. Like Part A, it is more than simply a plan; it is a process, designed with three aims in mind:

1. To assist you in deciding whether you need to adjust what you are currently doing, or what you plan to do, instructionally

2. To assess your students’ progress toward mastery of significant outcomes 3. To evaluate your own instructional effectiveness

The Comprehensive Unit Design of Assessment blends two approaches to assessment: Wiggins and McTighe’s (2005) “backwards design” and James Popham’s (2005) ideas on “assessment-influenced instruction.” These two approaches, both highly regarded in the fields of educational assessment and curriculum development, bear important similarities. Perhaps the most important similarity is their agreement on the order of the teaching-learning cycle and the position of assessment planning in that cycle. Like most curriculum designers, they indicate that the cycle should begin with determining the desired outcomes of instruction, and they emphasize that these outcomes should be of major importance. Wiggins and McTighe talk of outcomes in terms of representing “essential understandings” of “big ideas;” Popham says that the selected outcomes should be “genuinely significant,” those of “indisputable importance.” (2001). Both stress that there should be very few of these in the curriculum so that they can be addressed fully in instruction and deeply understood by students. Outcomes should then be analyzed to identify the essential bodies of knowledge and enabling sub-skills that students must master in order to achieve the final outcome. It is in the second stage of the learning-teaching cycle where Wiggins and McTighe (2005) and Popham (2005) diverge from tradition. They contend that the next stage of planning is not to design instruction as in traditional curriculum models, but to determine what would serve as evidence that the desired learning and teaching have occurred, i.e., to plan assessment. Wiggins and McTighe ask what evidence we would accept as demonstrating student understanding of an idea of major importance. Popham asks how we might design assessments that will operationalize (make overt) the typically covert cognitive skills we are trying to promote. This then becomes the first step in the development of an assessment plan for your unit. You have already selected the major goals or outcomes, based on the NC Standard Course of Study. You have clarified (task-analyzed) those outcomes and identified the key knowledge and skills and dispositions that will enable your students to reach the overall goal(s). (See Unit Plan, Part A.) Now you must decide what evidence your students should provide to demonstrate their mastery of the necessary enabling knowledge and skills and what evidence will demonstrate that the overall goal(s) of the unit have been met. (1a.1) (4h.2) The evidence of mastery of the overall goal(s) of the unit should be a performance task that requires students to use all, or most, of the knowledge and skills rooted in the outcome (Popham, 2001). In devising the task, the first consideration should be the cognitive skills needed to display mastery. These cognitive skills (critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration, information literacy, etc.) are most validly assessed using an authentic performance task. The next consideration should be the 21

st century subject matter identified in your unit that

might elicit those cognitive demands from students. After these determinations are made, you will construct a performance-based task, accompanied by a rubric that defines gradations of quality as authentically as possible. (4h.2) You will use this final assessment task in two ways:

1. To assess student mastery of the significant outcome(s) of the unit (summative assessment) 2. To evaluate your own instructional effectiveness in teaching the unit



To summatively assess student mastery, you will use a rubric (one that you construct) to evaluate the quality of the final performance task, and you will use a pre-determined level that you have set as evidence of mastery. That is, before you evaluate the tasks, you will decide what level students must attain on the rubric before you determine whether they have mastered the goal. To evaluate your own instructional effectiveness, you will use Popham’s (2001) “split-and-switch” method. This method is not well known, so deserves a brief explanation. Basically, it is designed to overcome the major flaw of the typical pre-post test design, known as the “reactive effect,” which causes students to pay more attention during instruction to items that were on the pre-test, or perhaps to look up the answers. For whatever reason, students are more likely to get pre-test items correct on the post-test just because they’ve been sensitized to those items. It is easy to make the assumption that the improved performance is due to effective teaching when, in fact, it may have little to do with the effectiveness of instruction. The split-and-switch method avoids this problem using a simple, straightforward design. You create two forms of a test, similar in difficulty but covering the same material, and give Form A to half of the class, Form B to the other half. Following instruction, students are post-tested with the alternate form, so the particular items are not familiar though the same knowledge and skills are being assessed. All tests, both pre and post, are then blind-scored (without knowing which is pre and which is post) by an outside scorer. If the post-test scores on each form are meaningfully better than scores on the pre-tests, then you can make a justifiable claim that your teaching indeed has been effective. Formative assessment begins with determining what evidences would be acceptable and sufficient to demonstrate that the enabling sub-skills and bodies of knowledge are being mastered over the course of the unit. Here it is very important for you to use diverse types of classroom appraisals in your planning of a progression of assessments. While these are primarily formative assessments,

2 a secondary purpose may be to use some of the results for

grading purposes. Depending on the results of these assessments, you will need to decide what to do next in terms of instruction, and you will want to work with your mentor teacher, other school personnel, your supervisor, and others to assist you in considering how assessment results can help you make decisions regarding subsequent instruction. In doing so, be sure to consider cultural differences and the individual learning needs of students. (4b.1) (4h.1) (5a.1) You will use these enabling knowledge and subskill formative assessments in two ways: (4h.1) (5a.1)

1. To assess student mastery of sub-skills and bodies of enabling knowledge on the way to mastering the end curriculum goal

2. To assist you in deciding whether you need to adjust what you are currently doing, or what you plan to do, instructionally – with the class, or with one or a small group of students

Diversity in assessment type and authenticity of tasks have value beyond assessing a particular outcome. These characteristics actually promote transfer of knowledge and skills to other situations (Bransford, Brown, & Cocking, 1999). Possible types of assessments to consider include selected-response items, constructed-response items, or performance tasks. Authentic evaluations can be made via self-assessment, peer assessment, teacher appraisal, or outside judgment. Handheld computers equipped with data-collection software are effective tools for collecting formative assessment information. A combination of methods can be used to assess cognitive skills, knowledge levels, and dispositions both formatively and summatively. Many will take place at the end of a lesson or series of lessons, but others can actually be embedded in instruction using classroom response systems (“clicker” technology) that allow you to quickly assess student understanding and continue the lesson as indicated by student response. There are also a number of technology-based formative assessment programs being developed. As these are expanded and refined in the future, they will offer additional assessment options. It is important that you become familiar with such options while also learning how to judge their relevance to your particular instructional goals. The performance task, with its emphasis on process in addition to product, is generally seen as being the most authentic way to assess complex skills. Though they are time-consuming and difficult to construct, you will be asked to develop a performance task to assess a final, target outcome of your unit. Affective

2 We use Popham’s (2008) definition of formative assessment: “Formative assessment is a planned process in

which assessment-elicited evidence of students’ status is used by teachers to adjust their ongoing instructional procedures or by students to adjust their current learning tactics” (p. 6).



assessments of dispositions are primarily done using self-report (typically Likert) inventories. Believing that affective variables can have more influence on learning than cognitive ones in some regards, we will encourage you to use an affective measure as part of your unit assessment. (1a.1) (4h.1) (4h.2) How the evidence specifically addresses the descriptors for which it is cited in Sections I and II: Descriptors are

identified by number where they occur in the explanation/directions to candidates above. We will remove them

when the directions are actually given to the candidates, but during this planning stage, they serve to ensure that

each descriptor is addressed and easily located. Below is a chart summarizing how the evidence addresses each

descriptor.

Descriptors Description/Explanation

Evaluates the progress of students toward high school graduation using a variety of assessment data measuring goals of the North Carolina Standard Course of Study. (1a.1)

This assessment plan is a component of a comprehensive unit based on NC SCOS goals. A variety of assessment data will be gathered to ensure the validity of inferences made regarding students’ progress toward high school graduation. Formative and summative assessment data will be gathered from selected-response items, constructed-response items, and performance tasks. (Candidates describe assessment type on Form 1, the Formative Assessment Process form.)

Collaborates with colleagues to monitor student performance and make instruction responsive to cultural differences and individual learning needs. (4b.1)

Directions to candidates specify that they should collaborate with mentor teachers and other colleagues to help them make decisions regarding assessment and subsequent instruction. (Candidates describe the assessment and how the results influenced instruction on Form 1, the Formative Assessment Process form.)

Uses multiple indicators, both formative and summative, to monitor and evaluate students’ progress and to inform instruction. (4h.1)

A variety of assessments are used to monitor progress during the teaching of the comprehensive unit: self-assessment, peer-assessment, teacher appraisal, outside judgment, and technology- assisted. These are documented on the Formative Assessment and Summative Assessment forms (Forms 1 & 2) for this evidence. Candidates indicate how the results informed their instruction on the Formative Assessment form (Form 1).

Provides evidence that students attain 21st

century knowledge, skills and dispositions. (4h.2)

Performance-based tasks that represent real-life challenges will be used to assess the 21

st knowledge, skills, and dispositions

identified in the comprehensive unit. (The two tasks designed to elicit 21

st century knowledge and skills will be described by

candidates on Form 2, the Summative Assessment form.)

Uses data to provide ideas about what can be done to improve students’ learning. (5a.1)

During the implementation of the unit, candidates will formatively assess the acquisition of enabling sub-skills and bodies of knowledge as identified on Form 1. How the data informs subsequent instruction to improve student learning is then noted by each assessment on the same form.



How the evidence is/will be evaluated by the institution: We will use a rubric to evaluate Evidence #5. The rubric will contain the following criteria, and performance level descriptors will be developed for each.

Rubric: Evidence #5

References Bransford, J. D., Brown, A. L., & Cocking, R. R. (Eds.). (1999). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience, and school.

Washington, DC: National Research Council. Popham, W. J. (2001). The truth about testing: An educator’s call to action. Alexandria, VA: Association for

Supervision and Curriculum Development. Popham, W. J. (2005). Classroom assessment: What teachers need to know (4

th ed.). Boston: Pearson Education,

Inc. Popham, W. J. (2008). Transformative assessment. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum

Development. Wiggins, G. & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design (2

nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and

Curriculum Development.



Uses variety of assessment data to monitor progress toward mastery of significant outcomes based on NC SCOS

Uses assessment to make instructional adjustments and improve student learning

(Include: ideas for improving learning; instruction responsive to cultural differences and special learning needs)

Collaborates with colleagues to monitor student performance and make instruction responsive

Designs authentic final performance that provides evidence that major goal has been accomplished

(include: key enabling knowledge and sub-skills embedded in outcome & evaluative criteria used for response)

Develops a rubric for the performance task that defines authentic gradations of quality

Designs formative assessments that measure enabling 21st

century cognitive skills embedded in unit goal

Designs formative assessments that measure 21st

century bodies of knowledge embedded in unit goal

Uses relevant technology in assessing students

Uses assessment to appraise relevant 21st

century dispositions

Uses assessment to determine instructional effectiveness

Assessment demonstrates positive impact on student learning



Comprehensive Unit Format, Part B – Design of Assessment: Formative Assessment Process (Form 1)

Indicate: Knowledge,

Skill, or

Disposition

Goal or NC SCOS Standard

(1a.1)

When teach: Lesson

s

When Assess

: Lesson

Assessment Description

(1a.1) (4b.1) (4h.1)

Decision Statement (To be made before scoring)

Result/instructional Implications

(4b.1) (4h.1) (5a.1)

K S D

Cite examples of surplus and scarcity in the American market and explain the economic effects. (Soc.St. SCOS CG 5.08)

1 – 4 3 Constructed-response items: written; short-answer and 1 brief essay

“If at least 90% of my students don’t earn scores of 15 on quiz, I will add a review lesson.” “Students who do not earn scores of at least 15 on quiz will be given a review session during Specials time on Fri.”

95% of Ss made scores >15. Average score = 19. I will continue instruction as planned. ---------------- Sam & Jessica given a review by EC teacher using graphic organizer. On retake, Sam scored 15, Jessica 16. ---------------- Note to self: Use GO’s when teach again.

K S D

K S D

K S D

K S D

K S D

K S D



Comprehensive Unit Format, Part B – Design of Assessment:

Summative Assessment (Form 2) Mastery of Significant Outcome Evidence of Instructional Effectiveness

Outcome: Performance Task A: (1a.1) (4h.1) (4h.2) Performance Task B: (1a.1) (4h.1) (4h.2) Rubric:


Developing Proficient Exemplary

Student Mastery: _____________________ (Student) _____________________ (Evaluator)

Student Pre-test score/rating

A/B Post-test score/rating

A/B

Instructional Effectiveness (split-and-switch):

Test Form PRE POST

A

Mean score or number of students scoring Proficient or higher


B





Evidence #6: Leadership and Collaboration

Descriptors addressed: 1.b.1, 1b.2, 1b.3, 1c.1, 1c.2, 2e.1, 5b.1 Name of evidence: Virtual Professional Learning Community (PLC) for 21

st Century Teachers

Explanation and directions/requirements to the candidate regarding this evidence:

“To help young people learn the more complex and analytical skills they need for the 21st

century, teachers must learn to teach in ways that develop higher-order thinking and performance. To develop the sophisticated teaching required for this mission, education systems must offer more effective professional learning than has traditionally been available” (Darling-Hammond & Richardson, 2009, p. 46).

After their opening paragraph quoted above, Darling-Hammond & Richardson proceed to outline the type of professional development that research supports, and several of the points they make provide the rationale for the leadership project that comprises this evidence. In summary, research supports professional development that:

Deepens teachers’ knowledge of content and how to teach it to students

Enables teachers to acquire new knowledge, apply it to practice, and reflect on the results with colleagues

Is part of a school reform effort

Is collaborative and collegial

Is intensive and sustained over time (p. 49) Recognizing the need for professional development that meets these criteria, many schools are now moving toward what the literature is calling “professional learning communities (PLCs).” In this model of professional development, local teachers work together to learn and to improve their practice over time, capitalizing on their internal expertise, rather than bringing in outside experts to provide one- or two-day workshops. What you will be doing in this project is developing a PLC for 21

st century knowledge and skill development that builds on the model

described by Darling-Hammond & Richardson (2009). Your PLC will bring together several constituencies, all local, and all having expertise that can contribute to developing the sophisticated teaching required to help young people in our schools learn the knowledge and skills essential for success in the 21

st century. The participants will

include you and several of your peer teacher candidates (interns), your mentor teachers and/or others from the school in which you are interning, university faculty, and community and family members. Since a common planning time has been found to be key in the successful PLC and that would be difficult to arrange given your participants’ schedules, your collaborations will be virtual as well as face to face. The virtual community that you create, such as a wiki or social network, will be the evidence of leadership and collaboration (Evidence #6) you place in your electronic portfolio. (5b.1) The PLC that you will initiate addresses the qualities of research-supported professional development -- and in a distinctive way because of the distributed expertise among the participants you will bring together in your community. You and your fellow teacher candidates are in a unique position to make 21

st century content

available because of your access to university resources. Your mentor teachers have the experience and expertise to apply the knowledge to practice. Family members can contribute their unique understanding of their children and their culture. Community members provide resources and settings where 21

st century knowledge and skills

are used. An underlying goal of this project is that you will come to value professional collaborations such as these and recognize how they can continue to be a source of professional development throughout your career. In particular, we hope that you will recognize that teachers, perhaps above all others, should consider learning to be a life-long activity and that you will continue to turn to local colleges and universities, community agencies, families, and local businesses as sources of learning. This project, therefore, is designed with three aims in mind:



1. To give you, a teacher candidate, the opportunity to provide genuine leadership in the design of professional development for increasing 21

st century knowledge and skills

2. To provide a way for you to collaborate meaningfully with your peers, your mentor teachers and school staff, family members, and community/university personnel

3. To give you a lifelong approach to continued growth as a professional You will work in small groups on this project. If you are placed in a school where several of you are interning, that will give you a good group. If not, you can form a group in another way, but it is best for several teacher candidates to work on this project together. Since this is to be professional development designed to enhance teachers’ ability to prepare students for the 21

st

century, you should analyze the existing school improvement plan in your school(s). Look for the professional development component of the plan in order to identify how it addresses 21

st century issues. Extend this

investigation by looking at a variety of school improvement plans from around the state. This will acquaint you with the characteristics or critical elements of school improvement plans. What patterns do you see? How do they approach professional development for teachers? What data were used to develop the plan? How were teachers involved in the plan’s development? Were families or universities or community agencies involved? (1b.2) (1b.3) After analyzing a number of school improvement plans and noting the sort of 21

st century issues that emerge,

invite your mentor teacher and other teachers in your school to join you in forming a PLC that investigates one or more of these underlying issues. Since it is difficult to arrange a time when all who are working on a project can get together, you can set up an online medium that will become your virtual PLC. Of course, you will be engaged in face-to-face interactions as well. You will include documentation of your exploration of school improvement plans and professional development, and at this point you should begin gathering data that will help you identify specific areas of need to address in professional development and adding it to your site. Review the data that were used in the development of the school improvement plan. What additional data are needed? Consider administering a teacher survey, conducting structured interviews, consulting relevant student assessment data, etc. Keep a record of the data you collect and use. Using the virtual community you have set up, collaborate with PLC members on the choice and use of data. (1b.3) (1c.2)

Using the data you have gathered, determine which of the four themes established by the Teacher Education program for its 21

st Century Explorations best matches the areas of needed professional development identified by

you and your teachers:

equity and social justice

globalization and interdependence

aesthetics and creative endeavor

nature and the environment The next step will take careful and critical thought: You and your teachers should develop one, or perhaps, two or three specific questions to give a focus to the professional development activities. This question might be something like “What is meant by global awareness and how can I integrate it into what I teach?” This is just an example, but keep in mind the 21

st century core content and skills as identified in the Framework for 21

st Century

Learning as you develop your focus (Partnership for 21st

Century Skills, 2007). The important point is that the question will give direction to the activities you choose, the discussions you have, and whatever products you develop. Now the PLC expands as you engage others to join you and your teachers in developing a menu of events and activities that will broaden and deepen understanding of the issue/question you have identified. The menu could include attending specific cultural events on the Elon campus, reading a particular book or article and participating in a seminar discussion based on the reading, taking a field trip to a particular site, attending a conference, asking an Elon professor to share his or her scholarly work with you, etc. Be sure to include the families of your students as well as community and business partners in this collaborative decision-making. They will be able to offer ideas for menu items that might not be considered by teachers and school personnel. (2e.1) (1c.2)



Once particular activities have been decided upon, the menu of activities along with brief descriptions should be published – on paper or on the web or both – and distributed to those who might like to participate in the professional development. Again, encourage families and people from the local community to participate. They will add richness to the professional development experience and bring a perspective to the discussions that might not be heard otherwise. (2e.1) You will participate in the activities as well, of course, giving you an opportunity to participate in professional development and growth activities. In discussions with your mentor teacher, you will consider how to translate the information you gain about 21

st century issues into learning experiences for your students. During your

internship, you might put what you learned into practice under the guidance of your mentor teacher. (1b.1) (1c.1) If teachers want to receive credit for participation, for example in the form of continuing education units (CEUs), find out how to arrange this. You can work with the school system and the university to make these arrangements. The PLC will need to make two decisions: what the outcome of your professional development activities will be, and how you will assess the success of the project. These outcomes should reflect the needs that you and your mentor teachers identify at the beginning of the project. What does your PLC hope to learn or accomplish? How will you know that you learned or accomplished it? How the evidence specifically addresses the descriptors for which it is cited in Sections I and II: Descriptors are identified by number where they occur in the explanation/directions to candidates above. We will remove them when the directions are actually given to the candidates, but during this planning stage, they serve to ensure that each descriptor is addressed and easily located. Below is a chart that summarizes how the evidence addresses each descriptor.


Engages in collaborative and collegial professional learning activities (1b.1 ) Participates in professional development and growth activities (1c.1)

Candidates participate in a PLC along with mentor teachers, K-12 personnel, family members, and community agencies. They work collaboratively to establish the PLC and to engage in its professional development activities.

Identifies the characteristics or critical elements of a school improvement plan (1b.2)

One of the initial steps that candidates will engage in as they establish a PLC is to examine school improvement plans (from their placement site and other schools) to identify their professional development component and other critical elements. They will document and use this information as they propose goals for the PLC.

Displays the ability to use appropriate data to identify areas of need that should be addressed in a school improvement plan (1b.3)

Candidates will note what data were used in the development of their school improvement plans. They then will identify additional data that will be needed in order to target needs to address in the PLC. They may find they need to develop a teacher survey, conduct structured interviews, etc. These data will be used in the subsequent design of professional development activities.

Begins to develop professional relationships and networks (1c.2)

Candidates will work with school teachers and other personnel, families, and community agencies in setting up and participating in their PLCs.

Communicates and collaborates with the home and community for the benefit of students (2e.1)

Candidates are encouraged to include home and community in the establishment and operation of PLCs. The intent of PLCs is to bring a variety of people together to learn together; this particular one will have the goal of helping students learn the complex skills they need for success in the 21

st century through the activities taking place in it.




Participates in recommended activities for professional learning and development (5b.1)

This professional development activity is seen to have several recommended characteristics: 1. It meets the criteria that Darling-Hammond cites as supporting effective

professional development: a) It deepens teachers’ knowledge of content and how to teach it to

students. It is enhanced by the pairing of teachers and teacher candidates. Teacher candidates can provide to teachers the most current, 21

st century content available in the university’s academic

community; teachers provide teacher candidates with the experience and expertise of putting the content into practice.

b) It enables teachers to acquire new knowledge, apply it to practice, and reflect on the results with colleagues.

c) It is designed to be a part of a school reform effort. Teachers in NC have been charged by the State Board to prepare 21

st century

professionals to lead its public schools. This professional development is aimed at that charge.

d) It is collaborative and collegial. It gives teachers, teacher candidates, families, and community members an opportunity to collaborate in the design of experiences that will affect the learning of their students/children. They then participate in the activities and engage in focused discussions together.

e) It is sustained over time. This is not a one-event activity; there are a variety of activities over the course of a semester.

2. It establishes a series of varied activities selected by participants. However, the reflection following the activities is focused on central guiding questions determined by the participants.

3. It gives teacher candidates an opportunity to provide genuine leadership in the design of a professional development plan for increasing 21

st century knowledge and skills.

4. It encourages teachers to view local colleges or universities as sources of continuing education and professional development, not just degree opportunities.

5. It involves the entire community in the development of content and skills important for teachers and all citizens in the 21

st century.

How the evidence is/will be evaluated by the institution: We will use a rubric to evaluate Evidence #6. The rubric will contain the following (and additional) criteria, and performance level descriptors will be developed for each.

Rubric: Evidence #6


Developing Proficient Accomplished Identifies the characteristics or critical elements of a school improvement plan

Displays the ability to use appropriate data to identify areas of need that should be addressed in a school improvement plan.

Engages in collaborative and collegial professional learning activities

Participates in professional development and growth activities Develops professional relationships and networks Communicates and collaborates with the home and community for the benefit of students



References Darling-Hammond, L., & Richardson, N. (2009). Teacher learning: What matters? Educational Leadership, 66(5), 46-

53. Partnership for 21

st Century Skills. (2007). The intellectual and policy foundations of the 21

st Century Skills

Framework. Route 21 white paper retrieved from http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/documents/ skills_foundations_final.pdf.



Part D


Part D: Timeline for Implementation

Curriculum approval process

The process for curriculum changes is outlined in Elon University’s Faculty Handbook and begins with a proposal from the department/program to the university’s Curriculum Committee that includes representatives from all departments and programs on campus. Any departments whose course offerings are impacted by the changes will have been previously notified. On approval by the Curriculum Committee, the proposal is submitted for inclusion on the agenda of the following monthly faculty meeting for discussion and faculty vote. For inclusion in the subsequent year’s catalog, proposals must be approved by the faculty at its meeting held the first Friday in March. Summer/early fall 2009: Program coordinator will meet with the chairs of departments impacted by a change brought about by revised curriculum.

Fall 2009: Program coordinator, in conjunction with the Education Department chair, Director of Teacher Education, Dean of the School of Education, and where appropriate, deans of other schools/colleges, will create a proposal outlining the curricular changes needed for the newly revisioned program.

November 2009: Draft “checklists” of course requirements for the new program will be in place so that students in their first and second years can plan for winter and spring classes and beyond.

February 2010 or before: Proposal will be submitted to Curriculum Committee for consideration to allow approval by the full faculty in March and inclusion in the 2010-11 academic catalog.

March 2010 or before: Proposal will be taken by Curriculum Committee to full faculty for approval.

Spring 2010: Any student planning to graduate under the current requirements will need to be admitted no later than the spring 2010 induction ceremony. Students cannot be admitted to the current program after the 2009-2010 school year.

Fall 2010: New program implemented.

Impact on students

* These students enter under the 2009-2010 academic catalog that describes the current program; they will

graduate in May 2013 and submit evidences as part of the first required review in summer of 2013. † These students entered under the 2008-2009 academic catalog that describes the current program; they will

graduate in May 2012 and submit evidences for the first pilot review in summer of 2012. Students who entered Elon prior to fall of 2010 who have taken courses required in the current program that are no longer required in the new program will be allowed substitutions where appropriate. Students who enter Elon in the fall of 2010 will enter with the new program fully implemented. The academic catalog and advising checklists for 2010-2011 and subsequent years will list requirements for the new program.

2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012 2012-2013

First-year students New program* New program New program New program

Sophomores New program† New program* New program New program

Juniors Current program New program† New program* New program

Seniors Current program Current program New program† New program*

Documents

Part A: Elon University Middle Grades Social Studies ... · Part A Elon University middle grades social studies revisioning blueprint p. 1 Part A: Elon University Middle Grades Social