HPE M.Ed. Learning Outcomes FY05
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Name of Assessment |
Type or Form of Assessment |
Transition Point When Assessment
is Administered |
Attachments (insert hyperlinks or give page
numbers) |
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|
Assessment |
Scoring Guides/Criteria |
Data Table |
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1a |
Praxis II
#856 Non T4
candidates only |
State
Content Knowledge Assessment |
Required
to enter the program |
N/A |
N/A |
2003-2005 100% pass rate |
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1b |
Praxis II
#092 Non T4
candidates only |
State
Content Knowledge Assessment |
Required
to enter the program |
N/A |
N/A |
2003-2005 100% pass rate |
|
2 |
Content
Knowledge: Health Curriculum Analysis |
Project
that analyzes a health curriculum program |
Midpoint
in Masters program |
91% of students achieved a target score on the assessment |
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3 |
Planning: Unit plan |
10 day
unit plan for an activity or sport |
|
67% of the students achieved a target score on the
assessment |
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4 |
Providing
Instruction: Teacher observation form |
Observation
of teaching performance |
|
New assessment; no data available |
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5 |
Effect on
Student Learning: Models project |
Project
designed to show impact of teaching on student learning |
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New assessment; no data available |
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6 |
Dispositions
for Teaching: Stars |
Candidate
self rating and faculty evaluation |
After 9
hours and after 30 hours |
New assessment; no data available |
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7 |
Other:
Research project |
Research
project on an area of importance in teacher education |
Culminating
activity; final program requirement |
83% of students achieved a target score on the assessment |
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8 |
Other: Supervision assignment |
Project
involving collaboration of peers regarding supervision experience |
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New assessment; no data available |
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Assessment #2: School Based Alcohol and Drug Prevention/Intervention Program Proficiency
Standard 1: Content Knowledge
Standard 2: Curricular Knowledge
From looking at degree candidate performance on this assessment, candidates in our program perform very well on this assessment. Only one candidate was scored at the acceptable level while all other candidates scored at the target level.
This assessment is used to demonstrate content knowledge in the health area. The Masters Degree at Georgia State is a combined health and physical education program. All candidates will take this class as part of our core requirements. Candidates seeking additional emphasis in health have the option of taking other elective courses. Since drug and alcohol abuse is one of the primary problems facing students in the schools, it is critical that candidates have knowledge of the area and can develop curriculum to educate students about potential hazards that face drug and alcohol abusers.
Candidates are also required to write their own health curriculum for this project that will further demonstrate their knowledge of content and curriculum for the health area. This curriculum is to be researched based, requiring candidates to select pertinent materials for inclusion in their curriculum.
The high level of performance achieved by program completers indicates that they have excellent content and curriculum knowledge regarding the health area. Because this assessment is health related, it does not line up with the content specified in the NASPE standards for content knowledge and curricular knowledge. The assessment was chosen to demonstrate candidate knowledge of the other content area (health) associated with the Georgia State Health and Physical Education Masters Degree.
Assessment #3: Unit Plan
Standard 1: Content Knowledge
Standard 2: Curricular Knowledge
Standard 3: Equity/fairness/diversity
Standard 4: Sound Teaching Practices
Standard 5: Assessment
Standard 6: High Expectations for a Physically Active Lifestyle
Students on this assessment have done well on this assessment. Two-thirds of the program completers scored at the target level, while one-third scored at the acceptable level.
The unit plan assessment is a very comprehensive assignment. The discussion will address each of the standards listed above
Content knowledge: In the content development portion of this assessment, candidates are required to demonstrate knowledge of the critical elements important for the performance of each skill that will be taught in this unit plan. Having candidates describe the teaching progressions that they will use, gives faculty members a sense of how well candidates understand the complexity of the skills identified as important to the unit. Candidates are required to demonstrate disciplinary knowledge from history, growth and development, psychology (motivation), and pedagogy while planning this unit. Lastly, they demonstrate their knowledge of an activity or health content area important to the field.
Curricular knowledge: When candidates develop a unit plan for this project, they are required to develop instructional materials designed to help their students meet the state physical education standards (QCCs). The unit plan also requires candidates to identify various contextual factors and learner needs that will influence this unit. Various elements important to effective pedagogy are required for this unit plan.
Equity/Fairness/Diversity: This unit plan requires candidates to develop lessons that will lead to success of all students regardless of ethnicity, gender, race, ability or other elements that can impact performance.
Sound Teaching Practices: The unit plan must be designed to maximize the use of resources so that all students are engaged in meaningful learning tasks and that they are motivated to perform at their highest possible levels. Sound teaching progressions that use assessment to measure student learning will lead to high levels of student achievement. Attention to the developmental levels of their students will help candidates develop effective learning sequences.
Assessment: Several different forms of assessment are required for this unit plan. The various skills and/or knowledge presented in this unit are evaluated using both formative and summative assessments. Assessments must be linked to the overall instructional goals and outcomes of the unit as well daily student performance. By having a variety of assessments prepared in advance the unit will have better focus. Also, candidates will have a means to evaluate student learning so that appropriate changes can be made in the future regarding the content of this unit.
High Expectations for a Physically Active Lifestyle: Because of the teaching progression used for this unit, students should experience a high degree of success. Knowing that success is one of the key components for students pursuing a physically active lifestyle, this assessment should contribute to meeting this standard as well. Utilization of resources should lead to high levels of student engagement. Engagement in well-planned lessons leads to student learning and success. This unit plan also requires a section for informing students about the possibilities for participation beyond the class relative to this activity. Knowledge of these activity outlets helps bridge the gap between physical education classes and voluntary participation in related activities.
Since some of the candidates are performing below target level, change was needed. This assessment will now be connected to KH 7240 Advanced Teaching Skills for Health, Physical Education, and Adapted P.E. Program faculty feel that increased knowledge of teaching skills will improve candidate performance.
Assessment #4: Observation During Practicum Experiences
Standard 3: Equity/Fairness/Diversity
Standard 4: Sound Teaching Practices
Standard 5: Assessment
Standard 6: High Expectations for a Physically Active Lifestyle
Standard 8: Collaboration, Reflection, Leadership, and Professionalism
This is a new assessment for the program. No data exists
Although students were previously required to complete a practicum for this program, program revisions last fall eliminated the practicum course and attached practicums to two courses: KH 7240 and KH 7250. Previously the practicum consisted of the candidate developing a unit plan and then teaching the unit in the schools (approximately 10 days in length). The university instructor in charge of the class would come out and supervise, but feedback was informal and choice of the observation instrument was up to the instructor’s discretion, rather than one designated by the program. With the program changes that will take effect Fall 2005, the practicum will be formally supervised by the course instructor. This person will make an observation using the assessment instrument indicated in Section 2, assessment #4. For non T4 candidates, their student teaching experience will also be evaluated using this form.
Meeting the standards: Here is how we feel that the new assessment will address the following standards.
Equity/Fairness/Diversity: Sometimes degree candidates can indicate on paper that they are addressing the needs of diverse learners, when in fact, they are not. By watching the candidate actually teach, faculty members will have a better indication about candidate attention to diversity. Faculty members want candidates to not only accommodate diversity, but embrace student differences to show how non-traditional students can make contributions to the lesson, thus building their self-esteem. The instructor will evaluate the candidate’s ability to set high expectations for each student based on the student’s ability to perform. Lessons should allow each student to achieve at his/her maximum potential. Language and behavior used by the candidate should be free of bias and help create a warm, supportive environment.
Sound Teaching Practices: This assessment will allow the instructor to directly observe the candidate’s use of sound instructional practices. Students should understand the purpose of the lesson and lesson content should focus on achieving those objectives. The environment should support student learning by having adequate resources arranged sequentially. Technology will be incorporated wherever possible to enhance instruction. Lessons should attempt to differentiate instruction so that all students have the opportunity to maximize learning.
Assessment: A variety of assessments should be used throughout all lessons to informally and formally assess student learning. The candidate should be able to determine at the completion of the lesson whether objectives were met and provide documentation to support that decision. Instructional decisions (e.g., when to move on because students have learned the desired material) should be based on some form of assessment. Additionally, assessment should be used to help motivate students and inform them of their progress. Both student and peer assessment should be used as well as teacher assessments.
High Expectations for a Physically Active Lifestyle: Students should have the opportunity to make choices about their learning during the lesson. These choices involve the type of learning activity they will engage in rather than merely whether to participate. The observation assessment will look at engagement rates for all students. If a group of students (low fit, low ability, gender or race) chooses not to participate, we expect the candidate to intervene and find ways to encourage involvement in the lesson. During a lesson, candidates should let students know how the activity relates to the real world and opportunities that they will have to use this information beyond the four walls of the class.
Collaboration, Reflection, Leadership, and Professionalism: The post-teaching conference that follows the observation will give the candidate an opportunity to reflect on the lesson, identifying areas of strength as well as portions of the lesson that could be strengthened. Reflection is a strong component of professional growth. Teachers demonstrating professionalism should constantly strive to make their teaching better.
By having criteria for assessment identified with the observation instrument, candidates will know what program expectations are and strive to reach these high standards.
Assessment #5: Models project
Standard 1: Content Knowledge
Standard 3: Equity/fairness/diversity
Standard 4: Sound Teaching Practices
Standard 5: Assessment
Standard 6: High Expectations for a Physically Active Lifestyle
This is a new assessment for the program. No data exists.
This is another assessment new to the program that comes as the result of program revision. Prior to program revision, the models class had no practical experience component formally connected with it. If candidates did go to the schools to implement one of the models, it was done informally with no specific formal assessment. With the program revision, candidates in this class will be expected to do a practicum and the following assessment will be used to show them whether the teaching model can impact student learning.
We feel that this assessment will address the standards in the following ways.
Content Knowledge: For this assessment, candidates will develop a unit of instruction. They will need knowledge of content to develop this 10 day (minimum) unit plan as they will be required to show what is covered in the unit as well as the order in which materials will be covered (teaching progression). Additionally, for this assignment, they will generate daily lesson plans. All of these documents will help candidates demonstrate knowledge of content for the unit they will teach for the other sections of this assessment. Additionally, this assessment requires the selection of an instructional model as a means of delivering instruction. Certain models lend themselves to certain types of content and the selection of the instructional model along with the rationale used for selecting it will contain further insight into candidate knowledge of content.
Equity/Fairness/Diversity: The unit and lessons should contain several levels of materials to differentiate instruction. Activities included in both the unit and lesson plans should maximize student learning and encourage students of all abilities to be active and/or participate in the instructional process. An analysis of the school environment in the contextual analysis of the unit will indicate the types of diversity that need to be addressed while planning this unit. Since several lessons are video taped, this will allow the university instructor an opportunity to see how the candidate implements instruction and “walks the talk”.
Sound Teaching Practices: The unit and lesson plans will require the candidate to demonstrate knowledge of teaching practices. Teaching progressions should be arranged in meaningful ways that maximize student learning. The videotapes will allow the university instructor to see whether the candidate creates teaching environments that are conducive to student learning. Adaptations for diverse learners should be evident in the lessons. A daily reflective journal will show some insight into the instructional decisions made during the implementation of this unit.
Assessment: Assessment of student learning is the primary focus of this assignment. Candidates are required to pre and post test students on the content of this unit as a measure of teaching effectiveness. Assessment should be used throughout the unit and be the basis for planning new lessons. An analysis of student learning by looking at pre and post test results is required for this assessment as well as a reflection of what happened. Each major learning goal of the unit should be assessed to determine whether these were met. Peer and self assessments should be used during the unit so that students do not have to rely solely on the teacher for feedback about their learning.
High Expectations for a Physically Active Lifestyle: Because this unit is looking at the impact of teaching on student learning, student success on the various tasks will be critical to the successful implementation of this assessment. Because success rates have a strong correlation to student enjoyment and willingness to pursue this activity in a non-school setting, the unit is designed to encourage students to be physically active. If the unit is a health unit, candidates will help their students see real world connections between the content of the unit and their own personal lives.
Assessment #6: STARS
Standard 3: Sound Teaching Practices
Standard 6: High expectations for a Physically Active Lifestyle
New assessment. No data currently exists
This assessment is designed to measure student dispositions toward their teaching behaviors. Because this assessment is new to the program, there is no data to substantiate whether it does measure student dispositions.
The follow assumptions regarding the standards were made when selecting this assessment for inclusion in the accreditation document:
Sound Teaching Practices: It is one thing to know how to teach; it is another thing to teach correctly when being observed. However, when one has the disposition to become the best teacher that they possibly can be, this standard is most likely to be met. The STARS assessment is a composite score representing candidate self-evaluation and an evaluation of dispositions by program faculty. This assessment instrument will be administered during three of the core courses: KH 7240, KH 7250 and KH 7780. This sampling at multiple junctures will enable university faculty to determine candidate disposition toward using sound teaching practices. Additionally, having High Expectations for a Physically Active Lifestyle is also intimately linked with the items assessed with this instrument.
Assessment #7: Research Project
Standard 1: Content Knowledge
Standard 2: Curricular Knowledge
Standard 7: Methods of Inquiry
During the past 3 years, only two students have performed at the acceptable level while 10 students have performed at the target level
This assessment is a culminating activity for the Masters Degree in Health and Physical Education. It is the last project completed for the program and should allow candidates to pull previous learning together as they seek to investigate some real life problem. Candidates have risen to the occasion with this assessment and performed very well on it. The assessment requires a huge time commitment by the faculty advisor but program faculty feel that it is worthwhile and meaningful for candidates as they learn how to purposefully seek answers to practical questions in their teaching environment.
The research project assessment addresses the following standards:
Content Knowledge: Content knowledge is required to complete this assessment as candidates identify a real world problem and seek a systematic answer or solution. If candidates don’t fully understand the content knowledge of health and/or physical education, they will be unable to identify problems associated with it. This assessment is an action research project that allows teacher candidates to demonstrate and document both conceptual and practical knowledge. The review of literature provides documentation of a candidate’s understanding of the content.
Curricular Knowledge: In much the same way that content knowledge is the basis of identifying the problem addressed in this assessment, curricular knowledge will also be demonstrated as candidates work with both disciplinary and pedagogical knowledge. Candidates must understand the purpose of health and physical education as well as the roles they play in a student’s total education. This understanding is critical if candidates are going to make their programs meaningful for P-12 students.
Methods of Inquiry: Obviously, this assessment targets this standard. The assessment requires a candidate to identify a problem and research findings from other studies. From there, a method of systematically studying the problem is identified. A research design course precedes this assessment so that candidates are able to select the best ways to gather information about possible solutions to academic problems. After data are collected, candidates analyze their results using technology that is available to assist research. From there, candidates formulate conclusions based on what past research has stated and their own findings. The final project is an article that candidates are encouraged to submit to a journal for possible publication, thus disseminating their findings.
Although several Masters programs are eliminating a research project requirement, the Georgia State Health and Physical Education faculty remains committed to helping degree candidates find answers to pedagogical and/or content related questions in a systematic manner. The research paper guidelines and criteria have been re-examined for this accreditation review. By further clarifying expectations for the project, candidate performance should improve.
Assessment #8: Supervision Assessment
Standard 8: Collaboration, Reflection, Leadership, and Professionalism
Standard 9: Mentoring
New assessment. No data currently exists
Meeting the standards: Here is how we feel that the new assessment will address the following standards.
Collaboration, Reflection, Leadership, and Professionalism: This assessment requires candidates to work with a colleague to increase teaching effectiveness by using various types of data. When working in a mentoring relationship, trust and confidence are essential elements. Also, the intent of this assessment is to show teachers how to build a support network for future work with colleagues as they continue to hone teaching skills and increase teaching effectiveness.
Mentoring: This assessment is designed to let candidates demonstrate their skills regarding mentoring others. The assessment requires candidates to look at a lesson using several different coding systems applicable to health and physical education. If candidates observe a health lesson, the ALT-PE observation tool can be easily modified for use in an academic classroom.
After doing data collection, the assessment requires candidates to interpret the data and coach a colleague on effective teaching behaviors. The assessment will allow candidates to demonstrate their understanding of teaching effectiveness by selecting those items that will have the greatest impact on teaching as behaviors to modify or eliminate. These skills are essential for teachers who wish to mentor others (e.g., department chair) or for supervising student teachers.
The addition of this class and assessment to the Health and Physical Education Masters Degree is compatible with our intent to build leaders in the field. As schools move toward building a community of learning through collaboration and mentoring, GSU faculty feel that our graduates will have the skills necessary to make positive contributions in their schools
Using Results to Design the New Program
In a sense, this program report is about a new program. Section 5 is difficult to write, as we have little information on which to base decisions. During the Fall 2004 semester, Health and Physical Education faculty members looked at the Masters Degree and made several changes. Faculty members felt very strongly that the program should stand for something. After much discussion, they decided that the program should develop leaders in the field. As leaders in the field, faculty members decided that program graduates shuld have the skills and knowledge to serve as department heads, mentor other faculty members, and attain National Board for Professional Teaching Standards in Physical Education certification if they desired.
To accomplish these goals, two new courses were added to the departmental requirements: KH 7240 Advanced Teaching Skills for Health, Physical Education, and Adapted P.E. and EDUC 8360 Teacher Support Specialist. To make room for these classes a Practicum class and health program class were dropped. The KH 7240 was added to give teachers additional pedagogical tools for being effective teachers. Teachers returning to school after having been out in the field for a few years were unaware of the new research on pedagogy for teacher education and more specifically, physical education. A practicum experience was attached to this course to give teachers the opportunity to implement some of the new strategies learned in this course. It is one thing to read about these skills; it is quite another thing to have to utilize them. A practicum component was also added to KH 7250 Teaching Models for Health and Physical Education. The same rationale drove this decision – faculty members wanted to give degree candidates an opportunity to implement the teaching models covered in this class. When candidates took the practicum course previously, they were observed by their university instructor, but no assessment instrument was specifically identified. Faculty members doing the observations were free to use an instrument of their own choosing. With the changes made to the curriculum, the university instructor will formally observe candidates in both classes using the Observation Assessment Rubric (Assessment #4). This change will begin with the Fall 2005 semester. Following the 2005-2006 academic year, faculty members will have data to evaluate the effectiveness of the instrument and make any necessary corrections.
The second class added to departmental requirements, EDUC 8360, is the first course in a two-course sequence designed to give candidates the Teacher Support Specialist Certification. This training will enable them to mentor other teachers in their department as well as serve as university student teaching supervisors for Health and Physical Education undergraduate teaching majors. The course will be taught for the first time during the Spring 2006 Semester. After that time, we will have data to help us as we refine Assessment #8. It should be noted that although all candidates will take the first course in the sequence (EDUC 8360), only those teachers with three years of teaching experience will be eligible for the second course (EDUC 8660). For this reason, we added the second course as an elective.
National Board for Professional Teaching Standards in Physical Education is a highly regarded, often sought after, endorsement of teaching skills. In keeping with the desire to graduate leaders in the profession, KH 7450 Foundations for Effective Portfolio Design and KH 7840 Teacher Portfolio Preparation were added. Teachers wishing to pursue National Board Certification could use them as their culminating activity for their Masters Degree in Health and Physical Education. Teachers who elect to pursue this tract will not be required to complete the action research project listed as assessment #7. They will be required to do a significant research project in KH 7450 as they prepare for completing their National Boards Portfolio. The rubric created for assessment #7 will probably be expanded to accommodate the research paper required for KH 7450. The soonest KH 7450 will be taught is Fall 2006.
In looking at the data from assessments that have been used for several years in this program, candidates have performed very well. Graduates of the program have demonstrated good knowledge of content as is shown by the data for Assessments 2, 3 and 7. Assessments 2 and 3 also measure professional and pedagogical content. Program completers have done well on these assessments as well. The assessments for which the program has data, show evidence of assessment, but no true measure of impact on student learning. Assessment #5 will help the program measure impact on student learning more precisely.
The addition of assessments 4, 5, 6, and 8 will help faculty members as they assess the effectiveness of the program changes. Program faculty feel passionately that the new courses will further strengthen an already rigorous graduate program and produce leaders for the field of Health and Physical Education.
All of these changes have been done without the benefit of having candidate data as Section 5 requires programs will use. The program will use this review as a spring board for putting assessments in place and look at candidate data as it is gathered over the next year to determine whether further change is indicated.