NCATE Institutional Report

Definitions

Definitions of Educational Terms

Assessment is the collection of data. It is the measurement activities educators use to attempt to make valid inferences about students' knowledge, skills, and dispositions; as well as using those measurements and inferences to decide curricular aims, instructional strategies that are developmentally and academically appropriate, and if an instructional sequence was successful.

Authentic assessment where students perform tasks that demonstrate meaningful application of knowledge, skills, and dispositions. The closer the task is to what people face in the world as mechanics, construction workers, designers, business people, politicians, parents, citizens, ? the more authentic the assessment.

Performance assessment is a task where students' actions while completing or attempting to complete the tasks can be observed and compared against a scale or range of performances to determine a level of comprehension, skill, and/ or disposition on a continuum of performance possibilities.

Artifacts is anything that a student or teacher makes or does that can be used as evidence to support a claim. Oral statements, written, recorded video and audio, drawings, models, grades, portfolio, student groupings, nonverbal behaviors...

Benchmarks are generalizations or groups of generalizations that are usually written as outcomes or objectives and used to assess students' learning at very broad intervals of time (years).

Concept is an idea about a particular phenomenon people abstract from specific experiences. The idea includes all the properties that distinguish examples of the concept from all the non examples of the concept. Examples: plants, animal, rock, soil, dog, cat… Concepts can be concrete or abstract. Concrete concepts such as temperature as degrees on a thermometer, mammal as a dog, cat etc. Abstract concepts such as temperature as molecular energy, mammals as warm-blooded vertebrate with a four chambered heart, that bears live young, nurses them etc.

Critical thinking is the art of reflecting and evaluating our conscious understanding and ways of thinking with the hope of improving them.

Curriculum is our educational aims: the knowledge, skills, and dispositions we hope our educational efforts will produce in students. Curricular aims include: goals, objectives, outcomes, and standards. These aims are represented in a variety of documents, but more importantly are the mental representations and emotional feelings different people consciously or unconsciously use to influence their decisions.

Evaluation is the ranking or rating of a particular artifact or collections of artifacts. It is the process of putting a value on the artifact(s).

Fact is something that actually existed, object or event, and can be verified by observation. Facts are single occurrences.

Gateway is a predetermined place in an educational sequence where students must demonstrate certain competencies.

Generalizations are statements of a relationship between two or more concepts. Examples: All matter has volume and mass. There is a relationship between an object's volume and surface area. Notice each requires understanding of each concept to have meaning. Generalizations can also be a generalized condition of fact, all dogs have canines.

Goal is a broad or general statement reflecting the ultimate ends toward which the total educational program is directed. (Some texts sometimes refer to these as aims.)

Goal is an immediate objective or outcome that a person desires and executes a behavior or sequence of behaviors to attain. Motivation - hunger; Goal - food; Strategy - raid the refrigerator

Imagination is what makes our sensory experience meaningful, enabling us to interpret and make sense of it, whether from a conventional perspective or from a fresh, original, individual one. It is what makes perception more than the mere physical stimulation of sense organs. It also produces mental imagery, visual and otherwise, which is what makes it possible for us to think outside the confines of our present perceptual reality, to consider memories of the past and possibilities for the future, and to weigh alternatives against one another. Thus, imagination makes possible all our thinking about what is, what has been, and, perhaps most important, what might be.

Instruction is the means people use to attempt to achieve their curricular aims. Specifically what teachers do to help students learn what they believe students are supposed to learn as well as any consequential learning from those actions that were not anticipated by the teacher (hidden curriculum).

Instructional Objectives are descriptions of what a learner is to do to demonstrate competence. Performance outcomes may describe different levels of what students may do to demonstrate the level of competency or conceptualization of a concept and/or skill they have achieved. Performance outcomes are also known as Performance Outcomes or Learning Objectives.

Learning Objectives are descriptions of what a learner is to do to demonstrate competence. Performance outcomes may describe different levels of what students may do to demonstrate the level of competency or conceptualization of a concept and/or skill they have achieved. Performance outcomes are also known as Performance Outcomes or Instructional Objectives.

Literacy is competency in the ability to read and assign meaning, and to write with coherence, proper structure and writing mechanics.

Mathematizing - the human activity of organizing and interpreting reality mathematically.

Motivation is the force that drives a person to do something. It includes varying emotions such as: initiative, drive, intensity, persistence, that inhibit, neutralize, or promote goal-directed behaviors. Motivation - hunger; Goal - food; Strategy - raid the refrigerator

Pedagogy - the art or profession of teaching, and the instructional strategies used to induce learning.

Objectives are descriptions of what a learner is to do to demonstrate competence. Performance outcomes may describe different levels of what students may do to demonstrate the level of competency or conceptualization of a concept and/or skill they have achieved. Performance outcomes are also known as
Performance Outcomes, Instructional or Learning Objectives.

Performance Outcomes are descriptions of what a learner is to do to demonstrate competence. Performance outcomes may describe different levels of what students may do to demonstrate the level of competency or conceptualization of a concept and/or skill they have achieved. Performance outcomes are also known as Instructional Objectives or Learning Objectives.

Dimensions of a Subject or Discipline include:
Subject Content Knowledge - the ideas (facts, concepts, generalizations, principles, theories, and or laws) that are created by doing the subject.
Subject of Discipline Process- a system of actions and procedures that are used to create knowledge in the subject or discipline.
Subject or Discipline Perspective - the relationship of the different dimensions of a subject or discipline to its other dimensions and to its whole as well as the subject's or discipline's relative significance for explaining and understanding the world.
Subject Attitude - The disposition and values that people have that increase their likelihood of success in the subject or discipline.

Teacher Work Sample
The Teacher Work Sample serves as an “extended snapshot” of the student teaching experience. It allows prospective teachers to assess the success of their teaching, the progress of their students in relation to the objectives and standards delineated in the planning, and the ability to reflect and make the changes necessary for improved teaching and student success. The Teacher Work Sample gives student teachers the opportunity to demonstrate that they are in fact able to foster learning gains in students. A Teacher Work Sample connects teaching and learning, enabling students to combine and blend an interdependent set of processes, products, results, and reflections.

The purposes of Teacher Work Sampling are to help prospective teachers

• Learn to think reflectively about teaching–planning, instruction, assessment, management of the learning environment, communication, and professionalism.
• Integrate curriculum, instruction, and assessment.
• Employ decision-making processes that continuously search for the most appropriate fit among the various aspects of instructional context, subject matter knowledge, and repertoire of appropriate instructional strategies and procedures.
• Practice and obtain feedback about one’s effectiveness as a teacher in fostering pupil progress in learning (formative)
• Demonstrate and document effectiveness in fostering learning gains (summative).

   

Teacher Work Sample Core Elements
Part I Context, Planning, Instruction, Assessment, and Reflection
1. Setting and Context

• Describe culture and community context
• Describe the existing support structure for the school including support from
  the community, parents, and volunteers.
• Analyze the demographic characteristics of the school.
• Describe the classroom context and the students themselves in detail.
• Describe policies for classroom management, conflict resolution, and special
  needs students.

2. Identifying and Developing Unit Topic with Rationale

• Explain the significance of the topic globally, personally, and specifically for
  this population
• Provide a rationale for topic
• Justify instructional decisions
• Clearly describe topic taught
• Explain the sequence of lesson or unit
• Discuss methods for integrating literacy, numeracy, and other subjects

3. Develop Unit Goals and Objectives

• Goals and objectives are appropriate, clearly written and aligned with State
  Content Standards
• At least one goal/objective should address literacy: speaking, writing, reading,
  or listening.
• There should be clear goals/objectives relating to content.
• Objectives are clearly written, utilize higher order thinking skills, and allow
  students various means to demonstrate proficiency.
• Objectives should address the goals.

4. Design Instructional Plan
Pre-assessment Administered to determine students' prior knowledge. Analyzed data may be used for instructional design.
Post-Assessment Administered post-instructional to determine students’ and calculated on a student-by-student basis the growth in learning achieved.
Designing Instruction During student teaching you will design a unit consisting of 5-8 daily lessons. You will include all of the lesson plans developed during the unit in your Teacher Work Sample. Follow appropriate lesson planning format including objectives, strategies, procedures, and assessment.

Lesson Plan Format

• Plans are detailed and clearly aligned with objectives
• Include all key components of a lesson plan.
• Align objectives and assessment.
• Include method and criteria for assessment.
• The unit plan must demonstrate at least three different instructional strategies.
• The unit plan must represent a cohesive unit rather than a collection of
  activities.
• The unit plan must include adaptations and accommodations for exceptional
  learners.
• The unit plan must include at least one lesson incorporating cooperative
  learning strategies.
• Each lesson includes brief reflections on what went well, what surprised you,
  and what you would do differently.

Implement Instructional Plan

• Modify instructional and assessment strategies as needed throughout instruction.
• Reflect on changes you make and how they contribute to enhanced student learning.
• Integrate literacy and numeracy when appropriate.
• Consider the learning needs, differences, and styles of your students.

5. Assessment

• Unit contains pre- and post-assessment items aligned with objectives.
• Pre and post assessment items are either identical or parallel.
• A variety of assessment tools are used including traditional, authentic, self
  assessment, and peer assessment.
• All assessments meet the expectations of: alignment, clarity, trustworthiness,
  feasibility, variety, and developmental appropriateness.

6. Summary, Interpretation, and Reflective Essay

Analyses of pre- and post-assessments are done appropriate to content and
should answer the question, “What do these assessments show about the
learning that did or did not occur in the lesson?”

• Assessment results are analyzed (1) by student and (2) by cluster.
• Interpret student learning by discussing individual gains as well as those who do not show gains.
• Analyze clusters results and patterns.
• Essay summarizes the assessment decisions made, how they were designed,
  and how administered.
• Essay explains how you determined grading criteria and scores.
• Give examples to support your conclusions.
• Consider other evidence that supports or contradicts your findings.
• Discuss what you would do differently.

Part II - Teaching Experience Essay

• Consider the following questions as you reflect on this teaching experience.
• What worked best employing goals/standards-based teaching?
• What problems did you encounter? What would you change in your instructional decisions?
  How did you account for the linguistic, academic, cultural, and developmental differences of your students?
• Discuss the relationship between curricular decisions and classroom management.
• What did you learn about yourself as a teacher from this teaching experience?
• What went well?
• What did you learn?
• What would you do differently?
• Include your thoughts about classroom management, your evolving philosophy, personal and professional goals, or other reflections.

7. Organization and Presentation
Include a cover page with your name, the title of the lesson(s) taught, and the date(s) taught. The Teacher Work Sample should include the following components: title page, table of contents, description of setting, rationale, related state and district goal(s), unit goal(s) and objective(s), lesson plan(s), pre- and post-assessment(s), reflective analysis and reflective essay, bibliography, appendix. Organization is coherent, logical, and easy to follow.
The reference list may include a bibliography of all the resources (books, periodicals, web sites, kits, etc.) used to develop your unit and lesson plans.

Appendices
The appendices should include any support material relevant to unit/lesson development.
Documents may include handouts, transparencies, assessment instruments, examples of visual displays, examples of student work (xerox, slide, photograph). Please assure student confidentiality when gathering these resources.
While the format may vary depending on the content area and school context and course, all TWS should represent the highest professional work standards.

• Word processed
• Neat
• Grammatically and mechanically correct (fewer than 6 grammatical, spelling, mechanical errors).
• Turned in on time

Seven Non-Negotiable Features of a Teacher Work Sample
1. The sample of teacher and student work studies must be of sufficient length and scope to permit the assessment of multiple dimensions of a teacher’s work and make the standards-linked learning outcomes students are to accomplish of genuine importance to their long-term progress in learning.

2. The standards-linked learning outcomes to be accomplished by students are to be carefully delineated and are to vary in complexity and kind, e.g., concept acquisition and the solution of multi-step problems in addition to factual information.

3. Key standards-linked learning outcomes are to be accompanied by a description of the pre- and post-instructional measures to be used in assessing the progress students make in working toward accomplishment, and instructional planning is to reflect findings from pre-instructional assessment.

4. Information is to be collected and reported on the conditions and processes of instruction
provided by a teacher during the course of the work sampled and referred to as needed for
interpreting and reflecting upon progress made by students in their learning.

5. Information is to be collected and reported on classroom, school, and community contexts in which teaching and learning occur and referred to as needed in interpreting and reflecting upon progress made by students in their learning.

6. The learning gains made by students as a consequence of instruction are to be provided on a student-by-student basis and summarized for selected groups of students, e.g., students starting the unit with little versus a great deal of related knowledge or students who have English as a second language versus those who do not.

7. A reflective analysis is to be provided by a candidate on her or his teaching and
accomplishments with students in light of the information reported in the sample of work as a whole, with teaching strengths and weaknesses highlighted and needs for continued professional development identified.