March 2010

Guidelines for Submitting Initial Licensure/Post-Baccalaureate Program Reports

Many secondary post-baccalaureate programs have been developed for candidates who enter the program already having been prepared in the content area; typically candidates enter the program with an undergraduate major in the field. Many of these are MAT programs although in a few institutions these are called MEd programs. Most post-baccalaureate and alternate pathways programs are also designed to prepare candidates who come into the program with appropriate content area preparation. For the purpose of this discussion, these will all be called “Initial License/Post-Baccalaureate (IL/PB)” programs. This discussion includes only those programs in the five secondary academic content areas: English, math, science, social studies, and foreign language. This does not include programs in special education, elementary education or other areas.

Instructions

The program must first notify NCATE that it will be submitting an IL/PB program report using the chart that is used for all institutions requesting that shells be created. Once the shell is created, the program will have access to it.

Programs will be required to submit a single report, addressing a single set of standards (based on the SASB Task Force principles) that focus on Content Knowledge, Content Pedagogy, Learning Environments and Professional Knowledge and Skills. Programs will have to show how candidates in their programs are meeting the standards. This process does not lead to national recognition by a SPA but will lead to “NCATE national recognition.” A new program report template has been developed. It is available on the NCATE Web site.

The program will need to submit 6-8 key assessments, rubrics/scoring guides and data tables that align to the four standards. The program will need to demonstrate that the assessments it has in place will provide evidence that candidates are mastering the IL/PB standards. Documentation for Standards 1 and 2 will be discipline-specific, but limited, and documentation for Standards 3 and 4 will be generic.

Standard 1: CONTENT KNOWLEDGE

Program assessments demonstrate candidates’ knowledge of the content they plan to teach. Content has been defined by each SPA through a list of topics that address the discipline’s knowledge base that must be evaluated as part of the transcript review. The list for each SPA can be found at the end of this document.

Standard 2: CONTENT PEDAGOGY

Program assessments demonstrate candidates’ knowledge and skills in effective teaching strategies that make the discipline comprehensible to P-12 students. Each SPA has developed a brief list of topics that address discipline-specific content pedagogy. These items must be evaluated in Assessments #3, #4 and/or #5. The list for each SPA can be found at the end of this document.

Standard 3: LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

Program assessments demonstrate candidates’ ability to apply their knowledge appropriately in their education role by creating and maintaining safe, supportive, fair, and effective learning environments for all students, including students with disabilities, students who are limited English proficient, students who are gifted and talented, and students with low literacy levels. Assessments demonstrate that candidates are proficient in the following areas:

  • individual and group motivation for a disciplined learning environment and engagement in learning;
  • assessment and analysis of student learning, making appropriate adjustments in instruction, and monitoring student progress to assure meaningful learning experiences for all students; and
  • use of a variety of instructional strategies, materials, and applications of technology to encourage students’ development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills.

Standard 4: PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

Program assessments demonstrate candidates’ knowledge of professional practices in their field and readiness to apply them and their proficiency in the following areas:

  • engagement in professional experiences, and reflection on them, to enhance each candidate’s professional growth, including a knowledge of professional organizations in the discipline;
  • understanding and ability to demonstrate a commitment to equitable and ethical treatment of all students and colleagues;
  • knowledge of the collaborative roles of other school professionals and readiness to work with colleagues, families, and community agencies; and
  • ability to identify opportunities for collaborative and leadership roles as members of teams.

The Assessments

Programs are required to have 6-8 assessments, following the current model. The SPA-specific content elements must be addressed in Assessments #1 and #2. The SPA-specific content pedagogy elements must be addressed in Assessments #3, #4 and #5.

Assessment #1: The state licensure test for all disciplines addressed in the program.

Assessment #2: A description of the transcript analysis process used to verify that candidates have adequate content preparation. Each SPA has developed a brief list of discipline-specific concepts or topics that must be evaluated as part of the transcript analysis.

Assessment #3: Assessment of candidate ability to plan instruction

Assessment #4: Assessment of clinical practice

Assessment #5: Assessment of candidate impact on student learning

Assessment #6: Faculty selected assessment EXCEPT for the following:

  • Science programs must include an assessment of safety which meets NSTA requirements (this can be assessment #6, 7, or 8)
  • Foreign language programs must include the Oral Proficiency Instrument as required by ACTFL (this can be assessment #6, 7, or 8)

Assessments #7 and #8: Optional

Below are the requirements for each of the five SPAs regarding content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge.

Content and Content Pedagogy Components required for IL/PB programs in Foreign Language Education (taken from ACTFL Standards)

Content Knowledge:

  • Knowledge of target language use (listening, speaking, reading, writing)
  • Knowledge of the cultures of the target language
  • Knowledge of the linguistic system of the target language
  • Knowledge of the literatures of the target language

Content Pedagogy:

  • Evidence of the K-16 student standards in planning, teaching, and assessment
  • Knowledge of second language acquisition theories
  • Evidence of the diverse needs of second language learners
  • Evidence of a variety of second language assessment techniques

For more detailed information and definitions of these topics, please refer to the ACTFL Standards.

Content and Content Pedagogy Components required for IL/PB programs in English Education (taken from NCTE Standards)

Content Knowledge:

  • Language development and acquisition including history of the English language
  • Language structure and skills including grammar systems and semantics
  • Traditional literature study (American, British, World) including literary criticism/theory and literary terminology
  • Multi-cultural literature, young adult literature, and literature of diversity including that by women
  • Literacy study including major aspects of written, oral, and visual literacy
  • Reading processes for understanding text including critical analysis and meaning making strategies
  • Writing processes for difference purposes, situations, and audiences
  • Media (print and non-print) and communication technology understanding

Content Pedagogy:

  • Use English language arts to help their students become familiar with their own and others’ cultures, establishing meaningful connections between the English language arts curriculum and developments in culture, society, and education (also applicable to the Learning Environments Principle 3).
  • Examine and select resources for instruction such as textbooks, other print materials, videos, films, records, and software, appropriate and research based for supporting the teaching of English language arts.

The following can only be met during an active classroom instructional assessment such asstudent teaching:

  • Engage students in activities that demonstrate the role of arts and humanities in learning
  • Engage students often in meaningful discussions for the purposes of interpreting and evaluating ideas presented through oral, written, and/or visual forms
  • Engage students in critical analysis of different media and communications technologies
  • Engage students in learning experiences that consistently emphasize varied uses and purposes for language in communication
  • Engage students in making meaning of texts through personal response
  • Demonstrate that their students can select appropriate reading strategies that permit access to, and understanding of, a wide range of print and nonprint texts

For more detailed information and definitions of these topics, refer to the NCTE/NCATE Program Standards for Initial Preparation of Secondary English Language Arts Grades 7-12 (2003).

Content and Content Pedagogy Components required for IL/PB programs in Mathematics Education (taken from NCTM Standards)

Content Knowledge:

  • Knowledge of Number and Operation
  • Knowledge of Different Perspectives on Algebra
  • Knowledge of Geometries
  • Knowledge of Calculus
  • Knowledge of Discrete Mathematics
  • Knowledge of Data Analysis, Statistics, and Probability
  • Knowledge of Measurement

For more detailed information and definitions of these topics, please refer to the NCTM Mathematics Secondary Education program standards 9-15.

Content Pedagogy:

  • Knowledge of instructional technology specifically for the mathematics classroom
  • Demonstration of selection and use of appropriate instructional strategies and materials specifically for the mathematics classroom
  • Demonstration of the ability to lead classes in mathematical problem solving and in development in-depth conceptual understanding as well as procedural fluency
  • Knowledge of mathematical reasoning, communication, connections, and representations and demonstration of such knowledge in the mathematics classroom and instructional planning
  • Demonstration of attention to equity through the use of multiple instructional strategies including listening to and understanding the ways students think about mathematics
  • Demonstration of attention to research results in the teaching and learning of mathematics

For more detailed information and definitions of these topics, please refer to the NCTM Mathematics Secondary Education program standards 1-8.

Content and Content Pedagogy Components required for IL/PB programs in Social Studies Education

Content Knowledge for NCSS should be based on transcript analysis of candidates' undergraduate content courses with a provision for addressing remediation of content knowledge for standards not sufficiently addressed.

Each candidate must address at least seven of the ten NCSS Standards. All candidates must address NCSS Standards 1.2, 1.3, 1.6 (which may also address 1.10), and 1.7. In addition, they must address at least two of the remaining standards: NCSS Standard 1.1 or 1.5; 1.4 (which may be sufficiently addressed by a Human Growth and Development course); 1.8; or 1.9. The concepts addressed by NCSS Standards 1.8 and 1.9 are frequently imbedded within courses and are therefore seldom addressed in the transcript review process.

NCSS Thematic Standards:

1.1 Culture and Cultural Diversity.

1.2 Time, Continuity, and Change.

1.3 People, Places, and Environment

1.4 Individual Development and Identity.

1.5 Individuals, Groups and Institutions.

1.6 Power, Authority, and Governance.

1.7 Production, Distribution, and Consumption.

1.8 Science, Technology and Society.

1.9 Global Connections

1.10 Civic Ideals and Practices.

Content Pedagogy:

  • Candidate ability to plan lessons that integrate multiple standards as appropriate for social studies education
  • Candidate ability to involve students in processes such as critical thinking, identification and utilization of primary sources and other processes as appropriate for social studies education
  • Candidate ability to appropriately utilize technology and other forms of interactive learning as appropriate for social studies education.
  • Evidence for this principle should indicate candidate success in planning and teaching content and activities that address at least three of the NCSS content Standards.

For more detailed information and definitions of these topics, please refer to the NCSS Standards for Social Studies Teachers.

Content and Content Pedagogy Components required for IL/PB programs in Science Education (taken from NSTA Standards)

Content Knowledge:

All Single Field (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, or Earth/Space Sciences)

  • 1 year introductory in field of licensure
  • Coursework for a major in a single field of licensure (30 semester hours)
  • 20 of the 30 credit hours will be third and fourth year coursework
  • Supporting coursework in each of the three remaining content areas (generally 1 to 3 survey courses
  • Research in science content
  • Mathematics appropriate for the discipline (calculus, statistics)

Advanced competencies in licensure area below

Biology Advanced Competencies (usually 3rd or 4th year courses)

  • Genetics
  • Ecology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Evolution or Evolutionary Biology

Chemistry Advanced Competencies (usually 3rd or 4th year courses)

  • Analytical Chemistry
  • Organic Chemistry
  • Biochemistry

Earth/Space Sciences Advanced Competencies (usually 3rd or 4th year courses)

  • Hydrogeology
  • Oceanography
  • Global Climate Change
  • Geologic Age of the Earth

Physics Advanced Competencies (usually 3rd or 4th year courses)

  • Thermodynamics
  • High Energy Physics
  • Advanced Mechanics
  • Advanced Electricity or advanced light

Dual Field (two content areas: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, or Earth/Space Sciences):

Items listed above for all licensure areas including coursework for a major in a single discipline. Advanced competencies include the relevant content areas.

Broad Field (three or four science content areas: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, or Earth/Space Sciences):

Items listed above for all licensure areas including coursework for a major in a single discipline. Advanced competencies include 2 advanced areas in each of the four disciplines.

Content Pedagogy:

  • Evidence of planning in science content, nature of science, inquiry. (NSTA Standard 1a, 2c, and 3b)

The following standards can only be met during active classroom instructional assessment such as student teaching:

  • Evidence of appropriate practice safety procedures; chemical storage and use; and animal care and use. (NSTA Standard 9b, 9c, and 9d)
  • Evidence of learning science content, nature of science (NSTA Standard 1a and 2c)

For more detailed information and definitions of these topics, please refer to the NSTA Standards for Science Teachers.

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