Bachelor of Science in Biology (with a secondary teacher certification track)

Assessment Report, 2013-2014

SOTE, Biology, Teacher Education Certification

Assessment Identifiers

College / School
School of Teacher Education

Department
Education

Program / Major / Certificate
Bachelor of Science in Biology (With a Secondary Teacher Education Certification Track)

Assessment Coordinator(s)
Dr. Keenya Mosley

Has there been a change to the Assessment Coordinator(s) since the last assessment plan? Yes

Person(s) responsible for writing and/or submitting this report:
Dr. Mihaela Munday

Program Mission Statement

The primary mission of School of Teacher Education is to prepare teachers with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to serve the diverse educational needs of students in grades 6-12. The School of Teacher Education emphasizes efficient and successful teaching practices, policies, and procedures based on state and national standards to enhance efficiency of academic achievement of all Pre K-12 students. To fulfill this mission: SOTE faculty will design, deliver, evaluate and continuously improve programs for teachers through advanced graduate and professional levels; SOTE faculty will be influenced by, and promote the reciprocal relationship between scholarship and practice; SOTE faculty will collaborate with colleagues across the campus and in other professional and community settings as partners in the mission; and, SOTE faculty will provide leadership in teaching, learning, assessment, and professional development for diverse community within and outside the University.

Has this mission statement been revised since the last plan? No

PSLOs

1. Content and Pedagogical Knowledge: Teacher candidates will possess induction level content and pedagogical knowledge as demonstrated by the ability to address state and local curricula and standards that meet the needs of all students through relevant learning experiences.

2. Instruction: Planning, Strategies, Differentiation, and Technology. Teacher candidates will use research-based, instructional strategies and technologies that are relevant to the content and that address individual learning needs and interests to actively engage learners in higher-order and critical thinking.

3. Assessment: Strategies and Use of Data. Teacher candidates will be able to design and select varied diagnostic, formative, and summative assessment tools and strategies that are appropriate for the content and student population and use technology to analyze and develop data-driven solutions to improve instruction and provide constructive feedback to students, parents, and stakeholders.

4. Supportive and Challenging Learning Environment. Teacher candidates will be able to create and maintain a supportive, student-centered academic environment in which learners are challenged and encouraged to become self-directed and reflective learners to achieve at their full potential.

5. Professionalism and Communication. Teacher candidates will exhibit professional ethics and the dispositions expected of an educator through professional development, communication and collaboration with colleagues, and engagement with students and the school community.

The PSLOs were reviewed and revised to align more closely with the mission of the program and to be measurable. Given the program just began in 2013 and admitted students in spring 2014, the outcomes required review after enactment. Previously the outcomes were written as goals with multiple objectives under each goal that were not clearly measurable nor aligned with the standards set forth by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission, which includes in TASC standards.

LINK TO: Assessment Report, 2013-2014 – Supporting Documents

Assessment Results (PSLOs)

SSU Strategic Plan Goal	PSLO	Semester	Professor	Courses	Assessment Artifacts and Instruments	Target Levels	Results and Analysis of Results	Actions in Response to Results
Academic Engagement and Achievement	1. Content and Pedagogical Knowledge: Teacher candidates will possess induction level content and pedagogical knowledge as demonstrated by the ability to address state and local curricula and standards that meet the needs of all students through relevant learning experiences.	Fall 2013	K. Cunningham	EDUC 2120 Social Cultural Influence Teach & Learn	Lesson Plan - Lesson Plan Rubric	70 % of enrolled students will achieve >80%.	TARGET 1 MET 100% of students achieved >80%	OVERALL: TARGET PARTIALLY MET Description of the expected use of results that will be addressed in the 2014-2015 academic year: TARGETS 1 - 3: Students will be reminded of the importance of assignment and its completion.
					Charter School Project Presentation - Oral Presentation Rubric	80 % of enrolled students will achieve >80%.	TARGET 2 MET 100% of enrolled students achieved >80%
					Midterm - Answer Key	70% of enrolled students will achieve >80%.	TARGET 3 NOT MET 36.36% received >80%
Academic Engagement and Achievement	2. Instruction: Planning, Strategies, Differentiation, and Technology: Teacher candidates will use research-based, instructional strategies and technologies that are relevant to the content and that address individual learning needs and interests to actively engage learners in higher-order and critical thinking.	Spring 2014	K. Cunningham	EDUC 2110 Investigating Critical & Contemporary Issues	Issues Paper - Written Assignment Rubric	70% of enrolled students will achieve >80%.	TARGET MET 100% of students achieved >80%	OVERALL: TARGET MET Description of the expected use of results that will be addressed in the 2014-2015 academic year: Methods will be continued.
Academic Engagement and Achievement	3. Assessment: Strategies and Use of Data: Teacher candidates will be able to design and select varied diagnostic, formative, and summative assessment tools and strategies that are appropriate for the content and student population and use technology to analyze and develop data-driven solutions to improve instruction and provide constructive feedback to students, parents, and stakeholders.	Spring 2014	M. Munday	EDUC 2130 Exploring Teaching & Learning	Portfolio - Lesson Plan Rubric & Writing Rubric	Satisfactory performance: 70 % of enrolled students will achieve>70%	TARGET MET 90% of enrolled students achieved >70%. Candidates create and submit teaching artifacts lesson plans, activities, assessments along with written justification and analysis of their decision-making processes. The decision-making rationale must also be aligned to research-based theory and best practice for the specific content area. For these reasons, Portfolio scores serve as an effective measure for the revised PSLO 3.	OVERALL: TARGET MET Description of any changes for improvements which were made during the course of the 2013-2014 academic year. As recommended, faculty developed rubrics to evaluate candidate�s performance.
Academic Engagement and Achievement	4. Supportive and Challenging Learning Environment: Teacher candidates will be able to create and maintain a supportive, student-centered academic environment in which learners are challenged and encouraged to become self-directed and reflective learners to achieve at their full potential.	Fall 2013	K. Cunningham	EDUC 2120 Social Cultural Influence Teach & Learn	What's Race Got to do With It Discussion Questions - Short Answer Rubric	70 % of enrolled students will achieve >80%.	TARGET MET 100% of enrolled students achieved >80%	OVERALL: TARGET MET Description of the expected use of results that will be addressed in the 2014-2015 academic year: Students will be reminded of the importance of assignment and its completion. Students will also be provided philosophy examples as well as writing prompts that will be used to guide them through the assignment.
Academic Engagement and Achievement	5. Professionalism and Communication: Teacher candidates will exhibit professional ethics and the dispositions expected of an educator through professional development, communication and collaboration with colleagues, and engagement with students and the school community.	Spring 2014	K. Cunningham	EDUC 2110 Investigating Critical & Contemporary Issues	Reflection Journal - Reflection Rubric	80 % of enrolled students will achieve >80%.	TARGET NOT MET 75% of enrolled students achieved >80%	OVERALL: TARGET NOT MET Description of the expected use of results that will be addressed in the 2014-2015 academic year: Students will be encouraged to focus on being more descriptive in their responses to reflection prompts. Examples will also be provided.

Assessment Results (POs)

SSU Strategic Plan Goal	PO Goal	Enabling Strategies	Measures	Targets	Results and Analysis of Results	Actions in Response to Results
Priority 1. Academic Engagement & Achievement: Advancing knowledge through research, scholarship, and creative inquiry	1. Gain approvals to offer educator preparation concentration and enroll students	1.a. Develop internal and external documents to obtain approval 1.b. Recruit during fall 2013 and enroll students in 2014	1.a. Submit documents for approval and obtain approval. 1.b. Enrollments in foundation courses (Banner)	1.a. Obtain approval for the USG Board of Regents and the Georgia Professional Standards Commission 1.b. At least 20 students are enrolled in foundations courses	TARGET MET 1.a. Approval was obtained from both agencies (See Evidence PO 1.1.a) 1.b. 70 students enrolled in education courses in Spring 2014	OVERALL: TARGET MET Description of the expected use of results that will be addressed in the 2014-2015 academic year: 1.a. Programs for certification are set to be officially launched in Spring 2014. 1.b. While 70 students enrolled in foundation classes, there is a second level of admission to the program as per GaPSC requirements that occur after taking foundation courses. The two benchmarks mandated by GaPSC for admission that are related to academic aptitude are GPA (3.0) and passing scores on the GACE reading, writing, and math assessments. During 2014-2015, as students begin to make application, the data related to these two benchmarks will be monitored.
Priority 2. Community and Economic Development: Enhancing sustainable partnerships and alliances	2. Develop advisory boards to inform the development of the programs to be offered in the School of Teacher Education	2.a. Identify the structure for and individuals to serve on advisory boards for SOTE.	2.a. Send inquiries and invitations to potential individuals.	2.a. Form boards and hold initial meetings	TARGET MET 2.a. Boards were formed during 2013 and initial meetings were held. (See Evidence PO 2.1.a)	OVERALL: TARGET MET Description of the expected use of results that will be addressed in the 2014-2015 academic year: 2.a. While there is a span of membership representing internal and external stakeholders on six boards, actual participation and time needed to hold so many discrete board meetings needs to be reviewed in the 2014-2015 academic year as is the charge of each board to use time more efficiently.

SSU Strategic Plan Goal

PO Goal

Enabling Strategies

Measures

Targets

Results and Analysis of Results

Actions in Response to Results

Priority 1. Academic Engagement & Achievement:

Advancing knowledge through research, scholarship, and creative inquiry

1. Gain approvals to offer educator preparation concentration and enroll students

1.a. Develop internal and external documents to obtain approval

1.b. Recruit during fall 2013 and enroll students in 2014

1.a. Submit documents for approval and obtain approval.

1.b. Enrollments in foundation courses (Banner)

1.a. Obtain approval for the USG Board of Regents and the Georgia Professional Standards Commission

1.b. At least 20 students are enrolled in foundations courses

TARGET MET

1.a. Approval was obtained from both agencies (See Evidence PO 1.1.a)

1.b. 70 students enrolled in education courses in Spring 2014

OVERALL: TARGET MET

Description of the expected use of results that will be addressed in the 2014-2015 academic year:

1.a. Programs for certification are set to be officially launched in Spring 2014.

1.b. While 70 students enrolled in foundation classes, there is a second level of admission to the program as per GaPSC requirements that occur after taking foundation courses. The two benchmarks mandated by GaPSC for admission that are related to academic aptitude are GPA (3.0) and passing scores on the GACE reading, writing, and math assessments. During 2014-2015, as students begin to make application, the data related to these two benchmarks will be monitored.

Priority 2. Community and Economic Development:

Enhancing sustainable partnerships and alliances

2. Develop advisory boards to inform the development of the programs to be offered in the School of Teacher Education

2.a. Identify the structure for and individuals to serve on advisory boards for SOTE.

2.a. Send inquiries and invitations to potential individuals.

2.a. Form boards and hold initial meetings

TARGET MET

2.a. Boards were formed during 2013 and initial meetings were held. (See Evidence PO 2.1.a)

OVERALL: TARGET MET

Description of the expected use of results that will be addressed in the 2014-2015 academic year:

2.a. While there is a span of membership representing internal and external stakeholders on six boards, actual participation and time needed to hold so many discrete board meetings needs to be reviewed in the 2014-2015 academic year as is the charge of each board to use time more efficiently.