The College of Education

We develop educational leaders who create tomorrow’s opportunities.

AGENDA 9/26/05

2:30-2:45 Dean’s update

2:45-3:15 Follow up to fall faculty meeting

3:15-3:40 Research directions at NAU: draft ideas from the RGE and discussion

3:40-3:50 Values in teaching/survey

3:50-4:00 Other issues and closure from faculty member

Update issues

•University issues: •Technology opportunities (Oracle Calendar, e-mail storage increase, Bonzai)•Freshmen survey and myths. (http://www4.nau.edu/pair/SurveysReport/SurveysReports.asp) •Redesign to board.•“Student-friendly” issue (competition).

•COE issues: •Looking forward: Summer school, Honors.•E-portfolio workshop; tech competencies.•Program review continuing.•NCATE continues.

Follow up to fall faculty meeting

•Discussion groups related to Task Force recommendations•Interaction•List of ideas before the SCCP•Sample selection

Adopting technology competencies for students in each degree program. Benefits/costs? Common competencies, program-specific, or a combination?

Payments to faculty/Technology grants (2)

Check technology standards in each discipline like K-12, NCATE standards to make sure we are teaching to them (3)

After core competencies, program-specific competencies (2)

Develop a list of best practices in field work. Expectations across departments share common goals or elements? Promising features?

Alignment with standards (e.g., EDL has 38 competencies)

Mentoring (but difficult to get excellent mentors for elementary)

Accountability

Technology (2)

Follow-up

Group to Instructor ratios

Pool resources

More time to do it

Dissertations should relate to best practices in field work.

Periodic reviews of dissertations. What features?

Structural:

Dissertation writing:

Evaluation:

Cross college committee

Review of the Chair

Purpose of dissertation

Contribution of the field

Writing level?

Strength of Research piece

Sound/good science

Blind review

How representative are our dissertations of important questions of the field?

Broadening input for evaluating teaching. What information beyond student course evaluations? Potential concerns?

Focus on standards model (3) : e.g., have someone go in and evaluate the teaching based on this model

Administrator evaluation (5); e.g., supervisor talks to students focus-group style, get feedback, share with instructor. Peer coordinator evaluates what you are doing.

Peer evaluation (5): e.g., peer meet students on-line; also criticized as “good pal” project.

Students (3): provide formative feedback mid-way through course

Self (3): e.g., setting our own objectives and goals and submitting certain artifacts that provide support and using a mini personal action research approach.

On-Line Teaching Evaluations (4): e.g., separate tech from pedagogy.

Professional development to help reinforce better teaching (4)

Use student artifacts (4): e.g., portfolios, AEPA scores.

Ongoing professional development for faculty members for the purpose of enhancing our technology skills. What resources, materials, or learning opportunities?

DLS Infrastructure

Outside Training (3)

Inside COE Training (4)

Partnerships regionally

Technology grants

What specific changes should the college consider in light of the recommendations from the National Academy of Education regarding teacher education? Apply to COE programs other than teacher education? Strengths or weaknesses of our current practice?

Use of field sites (3)

Consistency of course syllabi in each area

National and State Standards

Integrated, Intentional Scholarship at NAU

DRAFT ideas for discussion

New Face of the American West

The Context:

Border area, with a crossing of cultures and peoples.

Urban centers mixed with sparsely populated rural communities.

Economies transitioning from agriculture to high-technology and service industry.

New challenges for population in coping with changing technology, lifestyles, health issues.

New Face of the American West

Questions that focus the intentional scholarship:

What natural and human-initiated changes are altering the environment?

What elements of the environment affect the developing human interactions and connections?

How do we learn to co-exist in mutually beneficial ways with components of the environment?

Integrated, Intentional Scholarship and the New Face of the American

West

Environment

New Face of the American West

Questions that focus the intentional scholarship:

How do humans develop meaningful lives in this place?

How has the changing environment altered the human perspective?

What interactions and connections among people are building the social patterns of the new west?

How do these interactions extend beyond these boundaries?

Human

Connections

Environment

Integrated, Intentional Scholarship and the New Face of the American

West

New Face of the American West

Questions that focus the intentional scholarship:

How can our understanding of the sciences contribute to better lives?

What can we do to improve the interaction of human society with the environment?

What connections between emerging scientific understanding and human health will alter the human experience?

Environment Human Connections

Biotechnology

& Health

Integrated, Intentional Scholarship and the New Face of the American

West

New Face of the American West

Questions that focus the intentional scholarship:

How do people learn effectively? How is this changing over time?

What do the principles of learning suggest for teaching and teachers?

How can learners effectively apply their understanding to solve the complex problems facing society?

Integrated, Intentional Scholarship and the New Face of the American

West

Environment Human

Connections

Biotechnology

& Health

Learning &

Teaching

Integrated, Intentional Scholarship and the New Face of the American

West

Biotechnology& Health

HumanConnections

Learning &Teaching

Environment

Comparing faculty values (survey results) and benchmarks of effective educational practices.

Benchmarks of Effective Educational Practice

Based on 42 Key questions from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) that capture many of the most important aspects of the student experience.

Challenging intellectual and creative work is central to student learning and collegiate quality. Colleges and universities promote high levels of student achievement by emphasizing the importance of academic effort and setting high expectations for student performance.

• Preparing for class (studying, reading, writing, rehearsing, etc. related academic program)

• Number of assigned textbooks, books, or book-length packs of course readings

•Number of written papers or reports of 20 pages or more; number of written papers or reports between 5 and 19 pages; and number of written papers or reports of fewer than 5 pages

Level of Academic Challenge

• Coursework emphasizing analysis of the basic elements of an idea, experience or theory

• Coursework emphasizing synthesis and organizing of ideas, information, or experiences into new, more complex interpretations and relationships

• Coursework emphasizing the making of judgments about the value of information, arguments, or methods

• Coursework emphasizing application of theories or concepts to practical problems or in new situations

• Working harder than you thought you could to meet an instructor’s standards or expectations

• Campus environment emphasizing time studying and on academic work

2005 37. I value that students prepare in advance by reading, writing, or conducting other activities.

0

10

20

30

40

50

Very important Important Somewhat Important Not Important

2005 39. I value that students demonstrate effective communication in their speaking and writing.

0

10

20

30

40

50

Very important Important Somewhat Important Not Important

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree StronglyDisagree

My Program

COE Undergrad

COE Grad

2005 11. Students would be likely to indicate they were challenged by the work in this

program/college.

Active and Collaborative LearningStudents learn more when they are intensely involved in their education and asked to think about what they are learning in different settings. Collaborating with others in solving problems or mastering difficult material prepares students for the messy, unscripted problems they will encounter daily during and after college.

• Asked questions in class or contributed to class discussions

• Made a class presentation

• Worked with other students on projects during class

• Worked with classmates outside of class to prepare class assignments

•Tutored or taught other students

• Participated in a community-based project as part of a regular course

• Discussed ideas from your readings or classes with others outside of class (students, family members, co-workers, etc.)

2005 43. I value that students work with classmates to complete some assignments or projects.

0

10

20

30

40

Very important Important Somewhat Important Not Important

Student-Faculty Interaction

Students learn firsthand how experts think about and solve practical problems by interacting with faculty members inside and outside the classroom. As a result, their teachers become role models, mentors, and guides for continuous, life-long learning.

• Discussed grades or assignments with an instructor

• Talked about career plans with a faculty member or advisor

• Discussed ideas from your readings or classes with faculty members outside of class

• Worked with faculty members on activities other than coursework (committees, orientation, student-life activities, etc.)

• Received prompt feedback from faculty on your academic performance (written or oral)

• Worked with a faculty member on a research project outside of class

2005 41. I value that students contact me outside of class time for help or to discuss the issues raised by the course

focus.

0

10

20

30

40

Very important Important Somewhat Important Not Important

2005 51. I value that students receive prompt feedback from the instructor.

0

10

20

30

40

50

Very important Important Somewhat Important Not Important

Enriching Educational Experiences

Complementary learning opportunities in and out of class augment academic programs. Diversity experiences teach students valuable things about themselves and others. Technology facilitates collaboration between peers and instructors. Internships, community service, and senior capstone courses provide opportunities to integrate and apply knowledge.

• Participating in co-curricular activities (organizations, publications, student government, sports, etc.)

• Practicum, internship, field experience, co-op experience, or clinical assignment

• Community service or volunteer work

• Foreign language coursework

• Study abroad

• Independent study or self-designed major

• Culminating senior experience (comprehensive exam, capstone course, thesis, project, etc.)

• Serious conversations with students of different religious beliefs, political opinions, or personal values

• Serious conversations with students of a different race or ethnicity

• Using electronic technology to discuss or complete an assignment

• Campus environment encouraging contact among students from different economic, social, and racial or ethnic backgrounds

• Participate in a learning community or some other formal program where groups of students take two or more classes together

2005 49. I value that students use technology beyond a word processor to succeed in my class.

05

1015202530

Very important Important Somewhat Important Not Important

2005 21. Teacher candidates from NAU COE have better multicultural experience and/or instruction than typical pre-

service teacher candidates.

05

10152025

Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree StronglyDisagree

Don't Know

Students perform better and are more satisfied at colleges that are committed to their success and cultivate positive the working and social relations among different groups on campus.

• Campus environment provides the support you need to help you succeed academically

• Campus environment helps you cope with your non-academic responsibilities (work, family, etc.)

•Campus environment provides the support you need to thrive socially

• Quality of relationships with other students

• Quality of relationships with faculty members

• Quality of relationships with administrative personnel and offices

Supportive Campus Environment

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree

My Program

COE Undergrad

COE Grad

2005 9. Students would be likely to indicate they felt

well supported by the faculty and staff.

2005 9. Students would be likely to indicate they felt

well supported by the faculty and staff.

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

My Program COE Undergrad COE Grad

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Dean’s Goals, 2005-06•Guide implementation of recommendations of task forces (04-05)•Secure a development officer and increase my capacity to enhance college opportunities•Represent the academic units effectively on President’s cabinet•Implement and guide early hiring processes•Increase my understanding of ed foundations area •Enhance opportunities for faculty learning•Successfully guide processes related to accreditation decision

Closing Reminders

By the end of the year, every faculty member can relate how he/she made a difference at a school or other relevant setting.

By the end of the year, every faculty and staff member will have had an opportunity for professional growth.

High Expectations. Active Respect. Tenacious

Support.

The College of Education

We develop educational leaders who create tomorrow’s opportunities.