Search Go

SUU Home | A to Z Index | Contact Info

Institutional Research & Assessment

Southern Utah University
Department of Teacher Education
Academic Outcomes Assessment Plan
Academic Year 2001-2002

Mission Statement:

As professional members of a life-long learning community, our mission is to prepare compassionate and reflective teachers who value diversity and excellence, promote creative and critical thinking, and celebrate learning.

Goal Statement:

The goals of the Department of Teacher Education are to:

1) To support the Mission of the College of Education and Southern Utah University.
2) Prepare competent, professional, and successful teachers in the fields of Elementary Education, Early Childhood Education, Secondary Education, and Special Education (Mild/Moderate).
3) To offer the M.E.d. Program and Administrative/Supervisory Endorsement to qualified graduate students.

Intended Outcomes / Objectives:

1) To initiate and maintain a broad-based approach to assessment and evaluation that reviews the programs, policies, personnel, and processes of the department.
2) To develop assessment strategies that accurately measure the multi- faceted nature of the department's performance, effectiveness, efficiency, and operations.
3) To develop a means of promoting on-going departmental assessment and improvement.

Implementation:

The Department of Teacher Education is committed to excellence and on-going renewal and improvement. It proposes to develop a broad-based, multi-faceted approach to evaluation and assessment that provides the department with information and feedback that will allow it to move successfully into the 21st century. To accomplish this, the department has identified seven areas where specific assessment criteria, procedures, and implementation strategies are listed.

A. Departmental Annual Report

On an annual basis, the Chair of the Department will prepare an annual report that contains an accounting of all activities and operations of the department from July 1 to June 30. The annual report will be made available to the Dean of the College of Education, Provost, President, Board of Trustees, Faculty, and others of have an interest in the affairs of the department. This annual report will contain a record of:

1) Student Data: Undergraduate and Graduate

Number of students enrolled in departmental programs
Number of students placed in student teaching
Number of students placed in education practicums
Number of students placed in internships
Number of students graduating in each of the department's programs

2) Faculty Data: Undergraduate and Graduate

Faculty presentations at state, regional, national, and international conferences
Conferences/Meetings attended
Scholarly publications in refereed journals
Unrefereed articles, papers presented, research reports, chapters in books
Books, publications, manuscripts, etc.
Research and grantsmanship
Service to university, school district, or community
Membership/participation in professional organizations
Courses taught

3) Departmental Data: Undergraduate and Graduate

Departmental FTE and SCH statistics
Departmental activities that align with NCATE standards Research and development projects
Outreach and dissemination projects
Budget and finance information

B. Personnel

The Department of Teacher Education is committed to excellence and desires to maintain qualified, professional personnel to conduct the affairs of the department in terms of administration, management, and instruction. To do so the department will evaluate and assess personnel in the following areas:

Administration:

1) The Chair of the Department of Teacher Education will be evaluated every 3 years to assess progress and performance and review job description and goals following existing university guidelines.
2) Other administration and professional staff will be evaluated every 3 years to assess progress and performance and review job descriptions and goals following existing university guidelines.

Faculty:

1) All professional faculty will adhere to the university's Leave, Rank, and Tenure process following existing university guidelines
2) On an annual basis all professional faculty will be interviewed by the Chair of the Department to assess progress towards rank and tenure and professional goals related to teaching, scholarship, and service.
3) All tenured professional faculty will be interviewed by the Chair of the Department every 3 years to assess their professional goals related to teaching, scholarship, and service.
4) All clinical faculty will be evaluated on an annual basis to assess progress and performance and review job descriptions and goals.
5) All adjunct faculty will be evaluated each semester to assess progress and performance and review job descriptions and goals.
6) On an annual basis, the department will review its hiring and employment procedures to assure that they meet university, state, and affirmative action, and equity guidelines.
7) Annual assessment will be made to determine if the department is meeting the employment needs of under served population, minorities, women, and persons with disabilities.

Staff:

1) On an annual basis all classified staff will be interviewed by the Chair of the Department to assess progress and performance and review job descriptions and goals.
2) On an annual basis all department advisors will be interviewed by the Chair of the Department to assess progress and performance and review job descriptions and goals.

C. Programs

The Department of Teacher Education is committed to providing the best programs possible for the training of successful educators. To assess the performance and on-going success of departmental programs annual surveys will be conducted to assess performance and effectiveness. Programs under review will be the following:

Courses of Study:

1) The Elementary Education Program
2) The Secondary Education Program
3) The Special Education - Mild/Moderate Program
4) The Reading Program
5) Distance Learning / EDNET Programs through Continuing Education
6) The St. George and Richfield Center Programs
7) The Summer School Program through Continuing Education
8) The M.Ed. Program
9) The Administrative/Supervisory Endorsement Program

Curriculum and Instruction:

1) All tenure-track professors, non-tenure track instructors, and adjunct faculty and their courses will be evaluated each semester by students to assess course content, instruction, and course goals/outcomes. This will follow existing university guidelines. (Graduate courses and tenured faculty will be evaluated following existing university guidelines.)
2) Each course syllabus will contain attainable goals with measurable outcomes that assess student performance, understanding of content, demonstration of skills, or mastery of specific course objectives.
3) In collaboration, the Chair of the Department, Division Heads, and Faculty will assess course content and offerings on an annual basis and make changes or modifications as needed.
4) Grading statistics will be collected each semester and assessed using university guidelines.
5) Report the utilization of a variety of technological applications including but not limited to; computers, audio-visual use, web-based course development, internet applications and other means of enhancing instruction via technology.

D. Resources and Operations

The Department of Teacher Education desires to maintain adequate resources, both financial and physical, to promote the effective management and facilitation of the department. To do so, several areas of evaluation and assessment will take place. They include:

1) Departmental budgets will be reviewed monthly or on an as needed basis to assess overall financial effectiveness and efficiency.
2) Evaluation will take place regularly on departmental needs in terms of the following areas:
Operating / Current Expense Funds
Operating Supplies and Equipment
Personnel
Professional Development and Travel
Space and Facility Needs
Other areas of need with recommendations forwarded to the Dean.

E. Undergraduate Students

The Department of Teacher Education is committed to excellence and the desire to provide students with the necessary tools, skills, and training to become successful educators. The department has identified several benchmarks to be used to assess the overall effectiveness of programs, preparation of teachers, and satisfaction of students and employers. Those benchmarks are as follows:

Benchmark 1 - Admission to Teacher Education

1) The Department of Teacher Education has reviewed and amended its admission criteria to the Teacher Education Program. New criteria provides a broad-based, multi-dimensional review of applicants so that equity and excellence are considered.

Benchmark 2 - The Block Program

1) The Block program is provided to all education students. It is a combination of methods courses and practicums. At the conclusion of the Block all students will evaluate the Block Program including courses, instruction, practicums, organization, and overall effectiveness. In addition, all students enrolled in the Block will be assessed as to their performance in courses and practicums. No student may be approved for student teaching without successful completion of the Block.

Benchmark 3 - Student Teaching

1) In order for education students to gain licensure to teach, they must complete an approved student teaching experience. Students enrolled in student teaching are placed in a public school in the area they wish to gain licensure (elementary, secondary, special education, etc.) All student teachers are observed on a regular basis and evaluated by cooperating teachers and university supervisors. A mid term and final evaluation are required. No student can gain licensure to teach without successfully completing student teaching.
2) At the close of student teaching all students will be provided the opportunity to evaluate and assess the student teaching experience. The evaluation will include the following areas:

Satisfaction with the student teaching experience
Satisfaction with cooperating school district and personnel
Satisfaction with university supervisors and personnel
Overall preparedness and readiness to enter the job market for teaching

Benchmark 4 - Graduation / Post Graduation

1) Three evaluations will be provided to students.
At graduation all teacher education students will be given an evaluation to assess the overall effectiveness of their teacher education training and their readiness for entry into the job market.
One year after graduation, students will be contacted and assessed on their job placement and overall feeling of success.
Three to five years following graduation, students will be contacted and asked to evaluate their job performance and satisfaction as related to their undergraduate training.
2) Evaluations will also be used to determine where students are being employed after graduation from SUU.

E. Graduate Students

The Department of Teacher Education is committed to excellence and the desire to provide graduate students with the necessary tools, skills, and training to become successful professional educators. The department has identified benchmarks to be used to assess the overall effectiveness of the M.Ed. Program and the Supervisory/Administrative Endorsement.Those benchmarks are as follows:

Benchmark 1 - Admission to the Graduate Program

1) The Department of Teacher Education has reviewed and amended its admission criteria to the Graduate Program. New criteria provides a broad-based, multi-dimensional review of applicants so that equity and excellence are considered. Criteria is designed to improve the quality of candidates admitted to the program.

Benchmark 2 - Professional Graduate Course work

1) All graduate students will be evaluated on all course work in the M.Ed. and Supervisory/Administrative Endorsement Programs. Courses are designed to prepare professional educators capable of performing well in the public schools and other arenas. No graduate student will be approved for completion of their Master's Project or Administrative Internship unless they have successful completion of course work.

Benchmark 3 - Master's Projects / Administrative Internships

1) In order for education graduate students to successfully defend their Master's Project, a series of reviews and evaluations must occur. Students who do not successfully defend their Master's Project will not be allowed to graduate.
2) Students enrolled in administrative internships are placed in a public schools as required by their internship. Interns are observed on a regular basis and evaluated by on-site administrative supervisors and university supervisors. No intern can gain licensure and endorsements without successfully completing the administrative internships.

Benchmark 4 - Graduation / Post Graduation

1) Three evaluations will be provided to students.
At graduation all M.Ed. students will be given an evaluation to assess the overall effectiveness of their Master's / Administrative-Supervisory Program readiness for entry into the job market.
One year after graduation, students will be contacted and assessed on their job placement and overall rating of success.
Three to five years following graduation, students will be contacted and asked to evaluate their job performance and satisfaction as related to their graduate training.
2) Evaluations will also be used to determine where students are being employed after graduation from SUU.

G. Cooperating School Districts

The Department of Teacher Education depends heavily on a close association and partnership with the cooperating school districts that service the needs of university students and programs. To assess the performance and on-going success of such partnerships the department conducts an annual survey with districts that reviews the following areas:

1) The success and implementation of student teachers who are placed in the district. This includes an evaluation of student teacher competencies, effectiveness of university supervisors and cooperating teachers, and the logistical implementation of the program.
2) The success and implementation of practicum experiences for university students placed in district schools. Assessment of scheduling, logistics, and overall effectiveness of practicums will be conducted.
3) The success and implementation of internship experiences for university students placed in district schools. Assessment of scheduling, logistics, and overall effectiveness of internship will be conducted.
4) The success and implementation of specific programs and collaborative agreements co-sponsored by SUU and cooperating schools districts.

H. Communication and Collaboration - Local, State, and National

The success of the Department of Teacher Education depends in great measure to the degree in which it communicates information about programs and activities to local, state, and national constituencies. Its success is also contingent upon the degree in which it collaborates with a variety of partners on key educational issues. On an annual basis, the department should assess and review the following areas:

1) The use of multi-media resources (newsletters, flyers, e-mail, news releases, publications, brochures, reports, etc.) to effectively communicate its programs and course offering to students, the university community, the local community, the state, other teacher education institutions, and national audiences.
2) The use of multi-media resources (newsletters, flyers, e-mail, publications, brochures, reports, etc.) to effectively communicate internally important events, functions, and information.
3) The liaisonships with all key partners that support the Department of Teacher Education and its programs. This includes the communication of information and the facilitation of programs in an effective and efficient manner. Partners include the following:

Cooperating School Districts
The Utah State Office of Education
The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
Other Collaborating and Cooperating Departments at SUU
Collaborating Professional Organizations
Collaborating Universities and other Institutions

| Department Assessment Plans | Assessment Plans | Institutional Research |

Last Update: Friday, June 06, 2003