Assessment Plan for Undergraduate Programs

Introduction

The Department of Education has a well-established tradition of assessing students and programs.  In fact, teacher education is one of the most regulated programs within the University of Michigan system and undergoes periodic and frequent scrutiny.  Here at the University of Michigan-Flint, teacher education programs are reviewed on a regular basis by the Michigan Department of Education.  The most recent review was completed during the 1997-1998 academic year. 

 The reviews are most comprehensive and focus on the conceptual framework and design of the teacher education program, teacher education curriculum, and curricula for each major/minor area of study, faculty, resources, governance, and students.  In addition to these comprehensive reviews, the department must periodically review each major/minor in terms of ongoing changes made to the State of Michigan Teacher Education Standards.  The department will be completing another comprehensive review by the state within the next three years. 

 The concept of continuous improvement is part of the overriding philosophy governing all programs within the School of Education and Human Services.  It is our goal to continuously and systematically review our activities to ensure that we are meeting the needs of the profession and the communities we serve.  The assessment plan presented here reflects that long-standing commitment to high quality preparation programs within the School and Department of Education. 

 Mission of the School of Education and Human Services

The primary mission of the School of Education and Human Services is to prepare teachers, administrators, social workers, and other professionals to serve the diverse educational and human service needs of the Greater Flint Metropolitan Region. To fulfill this mission, the faculty will:

·        Design, deliver, and continually improve highly effective programs for educators and  human service professionals from baccalaureate through graduate programs;

·        Create an atmosphere that welcomes students and other individuals, and supports their participation as members of an inclusive learning community; 

·        Collaborate with preK-12 educators, human service professionals, and colleagues across the campus as partners in the mission;

·        Promote and be influenced by the reciprocal relationships between and among quality teaching, scholarship, and practice;

·        Provide leadership in teaching, learning, assessment, and professional development for diverse communities within and outside the University.

Mission of the Department of Education

The teacher education program in the Department of Education at the University of Michigan-Flint is designed to prepare teachers and educational personnel who:

·        Understand and value the disciplines they teach;

·        Comprehend psychological principles and the variations of human development, behavior, and the potential that facilitate student learning;

·        Recognize that historical, sociological, political, and philosophical factors promote equal educational opportunity;

·        Possess the pedagogical-content knowledge necessary to make appropriate instructional decisions that promote reflective, problem solving, and critical inquiry;   

·        Discern the ethical obligations of professional educators; and

·        Can demonstrate their ability to use their knowledge of the academic disciplines, psychology, social foundations, pedagogical-content strategies, and ethics in working with children. 

How our Educational Outcomes are Related to the Mission of the Department

 Educational Outcome One-Subject Matter

The student understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s), s/he teaches and can create learning experience that make these aspects of subject matter meaningful for students.

Mission components:

·        Understand and value the disciplines they teach;

·        Can demonstrate their ability to use knowledge of the academic disciplines, psychology, social foundations, pedagogical-content strategies, and ethics in working with children. 

Educational Outcome Two-Student Learning and School Culture

The prospective teacher understands how students learn, and understands the community and school contexts in which students are learning. S/he knows how to provide learning opportunities that support intellectual, career, social, and personal development within those contexts.   

Mission Components:

·        Comprehend psychological principles and the variations of human development, behavior, and the potential that facilitate student learning;

·        Recognize that historical, sociological, political, and philosophical factors promote equal educational opportunity;

·        Discern the ethical obligations of professional educators ; and

·        Can demonstrate their ability to use knowledge of the academic disciplines, psychology, social foundations, pedagogical-content strategies, and ethics in working with children. 

Educational Outcome Three-Pedagogical-Content Knowledge

The student plans instructions based on knowledge of subject matter, students, school and community and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage students’ development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills.

 Mission Components:

·        Possess the pedagogical-content knowledge necessary to make appropriate instructional decisions that promote reflective thinking, problem solving, and critical inquiry;

·        Can demonstrate their ability to use their knowledge of the academic disciplines, psychology, social foundations, pedagogical-content strategies, and ethics in working with children.

 Educational Outcome Four-Early Childhood Education

In addition to the three outcomes above, the student completing the BS in Elementary Education with Endorsement in Early Childhood Education applies knowledge of human development, subject matter, student learning and school culture and pedagogical-content strategies in early childhood settings. 

 Overview of Assessment Plan

The Department of Education views teacher education as a comprehensive program with a number of specific certification areas including early childhood education, elementary education, secondary education, and K-12 education.  As such, a common set of performance objectives has been identified for all preservice teacher education programs.  However, the data are analyzed in two ways: in terms of 1.) the general teacher education program, and 2.) the specific certification areas.  Decisions regarding program modifications are also made for both the general teacher education and the specific certification areas.   

 The CAS Art Department is responsible for assessment of the BS (Art Education) program and the CAS Music Department is responsible for assessment of the BME (Music Education) program.

 The Department of Education has established an Assessment Committee, which is charged to annually review and analyze the assessment data and to inform the faculty of the findings.  Further, the committee is charged to make recommendations to the department’s Undergraduate Curriculum Committee, the department’s Graduate Committee, or to a department within the College of Arts and Sciences regarding potential areas of concern.  It is the responsibility of the committee to ensure that the data are systematically collected, analyzed, and utilized in decisions regarding program improvement.  This cycle of continuous improvement enables the department to make informed decisions regarding the direction of the program.             

    Educational Outcomes, Measurable Goals, and Assessment Methods

Educational Outcome One-Subject Matter

The student understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s), s/he teaches and can create learning experiences that make these aspects of subject matter meaningful for students.

 Measurable goal 1:1

100 percent of all students will score at or above 220 on the MTTC reading, mathematics, and writing assessment for admission to professional education.

Measurable Goal 1:2

All students who are recommended for certification in the state must meet state identified minimum scores on subject area tests. The annual average passing rate for each subject area for University of Michigan-Flint will meet or exceed the state average passing scores for each subject area. 

Measurable Goal 1:3

85% of students will demonstrate competence at the satisfactory level (3 or 4 only) in all appropriate areas defined in the Student Teaching Final Evaluation.  Student Teaching is a capstone course and requires students to integrate and apply their knowledge of all program outcomes.  The organization of the instrument reflects the integrated nature of that performance.   

Educational Outcome Two- Student Learning and School Culture

The prospective teacher understands how students learn, and understands the community and school contexts in which students are learning. S/he knows how to provide learning opportunities that support intellectual, career, social, and personal development within those contexts. 

Measurable Goal 2:1

85% of students will demonstrate competence at the satisfactory level (3 or 4 only) in all appropriate areas defined in the Student Teaching Final Evaluation.  Student Teaching is a capstone course and requires students to integrate and apply their knowledge of all program outcomes.  The organization of the instrument reflects the integrated nature of that performance.   

Measurable Goal 2.2

85% of recent program graduates will assess the quality of their preparation in all identified areas as satisfactory or better.

Measurable Goal 2.3

85% of selected administrators in school districts employing recent program graduates  will rate the quality of preparation of these graduates as satisfactory or better.

Educational Outcome Three-Pedagogical-Content Knowledge

The student plans instructions based on knowledge of subject matter, students, school and community and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage students’ development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills. 

Measurable Goal 3:1

85% of students will demonstrate competence at the satisfactory level (3 or 4 only) in all appropriate areas defined in the Student Teaching Final Evaluation.  Student Teaching is a capstone course and requires students to integrate and apply their knowledge of all program outcomes.  The organization of the instrument reflects the integrated nature of that performance.   

Measurable Goal 3.2

85% of recent program graduates will assess the quality of their preparation in all identified areas as satisfactory or better.

Measurable Goal 3.3

85% of selected administrators in school districts employing recent program graduates will rate the quality of preparation of these graduates in all identified areas as satisfactory or better.

Measurable Goal 3:4

All students recommended for Elementary and Early Childhood certification in the state must meet state identified minimum scores on the Michigan Test for teacher Certification (MTTC) Elementary Test and/or Early Childhood Test.  The passing rate for the UM-F students will meet or exceed the state average passing rate for the Elementary and Early Childhood Tests. 

Educational Outcome Four-Early Childhood Education

In addition to the three outcomes above, the student completing the BS in Elementary Education with Endorsement in Early Childhood Education applies knowledge of human development, subject matter, student learning and school culture and pedagogical-content strategies in early childhood settings. 

Measurable Goal 4:1

All students completing the BS in Elementary Education with Endorsement in Early Childhood Education will receive a satisfactory rating on the EDU 451 Performance Assessments.  EDU 451 is a capstone course required of all ECE minors and is a field placement course. 

Feedback Cycle

 The Department of Education has established an Assessment Committee, which is charged to annually review and analyze the assessment data and to inform the faculty of the findings.  Further, the committee is charged to make recommendations to the department’s Undergraduate Curriculum Committee, the department’s Graduate Committee, or to a department within the College of Arts and Sciences regarding potential areas of concern.  The committee will be mindful that a small test-taking pool will provide less helpful data in some subject area tests.  It is assumed that trends in the data taken over the long term will be more useful in making recommendations. 

 It is the responsibility of the committee to ensure that the data are systemically collected, analyzed, and utilized in decisions regarding program improvement.  This cycle of continuous improvement enables the department to make informed decisions regarding the direction of the program. 

 Budget