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Accreditation - Teacher Education Unit ReviewMichigan Technological University
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| Janice Glime, Professor | Dept of Biological Sciences |
| Alice Soldan, Lecturer | Dept of Biological Sciences |
| Beverly Baartmans, Professor | Dept of Mathematical Sciences |
| Theodore J Bornhorst, Professor | Dept of Geological & Mining Engr & Sci |
| William Kennedy, Director | Center for Teaching, Learning & Faculty Development |
| Terry Monson, Professor | School of Business & Economics |
| Terry Reynolds, Professor | Dept of Social Sciences |
| Cheryl DePuydt, Assoc Professor | Dept of Physical Education |
| Nancy Grimm, Associate Professor | Dept of Humanities |
| Jimmy Diehl, Professor | Dept of Geological & Mining Engr & Sci |
| Jacqueline Huntoon, Professor | Dept of Geological & Mining Engr & Sci |
| Michael Irish, Associate Professor | Dept of Fine Arts |
| John Lowther, Associate Professor | Dept of Computer Science |
| Joan Schumaker-Chadde | College of Engineering |
| Sheryl Sorby, Associate Professor | College of Engineering |
| Paul Charlesworth, Assoc Professor | Dept of Chemistry |
| Marshall Logue, Assoc Professor | Dept of Chemistry |
| David Flaspohler, Assist Professor | School of Forestry |
| John Jaszczak, Assoc Professor | Dept of Physics |
| Robert Nemiroff, Assoc Professor | Dept of Physics |
Sample adjunct faculty agendas and minutes can be viewed here.
The adjunct faculty meet as a group at least once each semester and are called upon to support activities related to teacher education on a regular basis. It is this group that is largely responsible for developing their respective curricula for prospective secondary teachers; they are also the individuals who lead their units’ efforts when submitting application to the state for new certification programs or when filing periodic review documents with the state. Relations between the Education Department and other schools, departments, and colleges are excellent and highly cooperative.
B. What strategies are used to ensure that the teacher education program curricula for majors and minors are aligned with state standards/essential goals and objectives for P-12 education?
Each department with majors and minors identifies at least one faculty member, typically an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Education and generally the faculty advisor for the education students, to be responsible for assessing and monitoring their preparation program. These individual typically are quite knowledgeable about national and state standards in their specialty area; several are former secondary school teachers and have focused their professional activity on learning in their discipline. Along with their department chair, they meet with Education faculty and the chair of the Education department regarding alignment of their curriculum with state standards. When periodic review of the program takes place, this partnership of education and specialty area faculty work closely to ensure that alignment is maintained and improved. The interdepartmental adjunct faculty meet at least once each semester to compare experiences and identify issues related to compliance with state goals and objectives for P-12 education.
C. How does the unit ensure that teacher candidates have a clear understanding of the ELSMT and how they apply to their continuing development as a professional educator?
The entire preparation program for secondary teachers is structured around the Entry Level Standards and students are evaluated on their understanding of and ability to apply ELSMT in their teaching. All required education courses are structured around the Entry-Level Standards for Michigan Teachers.
The course syllabus for ED3100 is tied to seventh standard of the ELSMT. At the end of the course, students review their course experience on the standards and publish their conceptual understanding as a course project web site (see example course project). Students identify the areas where further growth and learning are appropriate and outline their plans for learning and development.
ED3110 culminates in a Standards Journal Assignment requiring them to evaluate their preparedness on each standard, highlighting experiences from classes, work, or volunteering that they believe exemplify each of the standards. Then they are asked to rank themselves on the proficiency scale. For any proficiency ranking below a “3”, students must state how they plan to become proficient in the standard.
The Entry-Level Standards are stressed in ED3210. The standards are an important discussion topic. Students receive a course handout that details the ELSMT.
All methods courses (ED/SS4020, ED/HU4140, ED4700, ED4710, and ED4740) have established learning outcomes that are tied directly to ELSMT.
Student teachers (ED4910)
are evaluated at mid-semester and at the conclusion of the semester by
cooperating teachers
and university supervisors based on the ELSMT.
Student
Teaching Mid-Semester Evaluation and Grade Report
Student Teaching Final
Evaluation and Grade Report
Student Teaching Snapshot
Evaluation
D. How does the unit ensure that teacher candidates meet the preparation requirements in reading instruction for elementary and secondary candidates?
ED/HU4150 (Literacy in the Content Areas-4 semester credits) focuses on the integrated activities of reading, writing, and speaking. Secondary teacher candidates adopt a textbook, select tradebook resources to supplement a textbook and using these texts they develop comprehension guides and reading strategies to assist students in the making of meaning. They apply schema theory to the activity of comprehension, learn about the importance of prior knowledge, and develop a repertoire of reading strategies. In their work one-on-one tutorial work, they are paired with students who have reading disabilities. This experience provides the opportunities to observe the ways that students have difficulty in reading comprehension and in using texts to learn as well as the opportunity to apply the strategies they learn in class.
Michigan Technological University does not certify elementary teachers.
E. How does the unit ensure that teacher candidates meet all other mandated eligibility requirements for state certification (See Michigan Specific Standards/Rules/Guidelines)?
As each student nears completion of certification requirements, he or she meets with the Certification Officer to determine if any requirements have not been completed. The Certification Officer reviews the students portfolio and completes a checklist of requirements, before recommending the candidate to the state for certification.
F. What strategies are used to ensure that the teacher candidates understand Michigan’s teacher credentialing system?
Course Work. All teacher education candidates take ED3210, Foundations of Education, as their introduction to the education profession. Michigan’s teacher credentialing system is a main topic within the first four weeks of the course. Instruction includes a presentation and several handouts. Group work completed by students during this time also employs various aspects of this credentialing system in their work. Students are assessed on this system at least twice during the semester, including the final exam.
The Education Department advisor discusses the teacher certification process in the State of Michigan when students are considering education as a career, when they file their applications for admission to the program, and when they are planning their student teaching experience. Departmental faculty reinforce this information informally in discussions with their students, and in classroom settings where appropriate.
