Minutes: Educational Foundations Department meeting

4/4/12-UC 268

Welcome: 1:00 p.m.

In attendance: Anne Durst, Pam Clinkenbeard, Beth King, Mark Schroeder, Scott Peters, Eileen Schroeder, Jennifer Petersen, Amy Shuffelton, Melanie Agnew, Beverly Kopper, Katy Heyning, Mark Jonas, Greg Valde and Alicia Stone-Jackson, note-taker.

Approval of minutes (from 3/7/12)

Guests: Katy Heyning and Bev Kopper Anne Durst welcomed Dean Heyning and Provost Kopper

The focus the department talked about with our guests is the way that we include Critical Thinking in our classrooms.

  • Amy Shuffelton uses this by asking her students to read critically. The question she poses is “What is the text actually saying?”.
  • Eileen Schroeder uses the process of critical thinking with the students in the Library Media program as they interview and observe the Librarians in the schools. The students are asked to analyze what the librarians are doing against the standards they have been working with.
  • Anne Durst has her students watch “Waiting for Superman” and then have them read the critique by Ravage. They are then asked to weigh the evidence and evaluate their thinking
  • Scott Peters uses the standard assessments with his students and tries to make them decide which assessment is the better. Students are used to structure he tries to break that cycle so they start to think outside the box. He tries to show them that there is no cookie cutter review.

The department is trying to make students more adaptable by giving them the background knowledge as well as strategies that do not take out the fun. The attitude is not domain specific but to give confidence each student can carry into life. This will help them realize what is happening and set them up to succeed. Working on changing students from being goal oriented to idea oriented. To works with grade given by having the students participate in class with talking, asking questions, encouraging them to figure things out. The students are encouraged to not just memorize but think about content and getting their students to think. We are trying to create conditions that allow the students to care about content by asking questions and figure out what they are going to teach. The major question on the table is “What are the schools going to look like in a few years?” and our students must be ready for the changes to that new look.

Dean Heyning talked about the most recent laws passed and her part in the process. Some of the items she talked about are the Read to Lead – the new MTEL exam that all students in Special Education and Elementary Education will have to take for their licensure. The results will be linked to UW Whitewater no matter where the student goes and will have to be on our website and in all recruitment materials. C & I is giving practice exams – Program completers will be reported. These rules override PI 34 and DPI. Clearly money talked in the process.

Provost Kopper talked about the changes coming to campus. She is very appreciative of our forward thinking. Really enjoyed the presentation our students did on LEAP Day.

New Business

·  Waukesha County Technical College courses (syllabi sent by email) The department consensus was that these courses do not match the content in our courses and should not be substituted.

Continuing Business

·  Working groups and committees: reports/updates

The tenure track committee is getting close should have a report soon.

The search committee is bringing 4 candidates to campus more information concerning days and times. The committee is meeting immediately following the department meeting today.

·  Department goals for 2012-13 Will work on these at the next meeting.

Announcements:

·  New phones Information was handed out. Over the summer everyone will be getting new phones. There is no choice on the style.

·  Winterim and Summer 2013 schedules due August 2012

·  Fall kickoff—Thursday of week back Fall Retreat should be August 30th.

·  Requests for student help and equipment due April 15

·  Next year—new COEPS assessment committee—each department represented

·  Upcoming department meeting—discuss new college major (non-teaching) The new degree may be Global Literacy

·  Other announcements?

Next meeting: 4/18/12 in UC 268

Adjournment: 3:04 p.m.