A Panel Presentation at The Learning Network Annual Conference Denver, Colorado

1. The Journey Toward an Effective Partnership between the Colleges of Education, Science and Engineering, Arts and Letters, and Two Local School Systems to Prepare High-quality Teachers A Panel Presentation at The Learning Network Annual Conference Denver, Colorado October 29 – 30, 2007

2. Sam EvansDean of the College of Education and Behavioral SciencesBruce KesslerAssistant Dean of the College of Science and EngineeringRoger PankratzCoordinator of Learning Network Activities WKU Western Kentucky University

3. Forces that have Demanded a New Level of Collaboration at WKU • Kentucky’s school reform • Accountability for performance of graduates • Failure of traditional programs to address performance standards • STEM

4. Forces that have Demanded a New Level of Collaboration at WKU • Audits ofmathematics programs in primary grades through high school in county schools • Council onpostsecondary education task force report on preparation of math teachers

5. Actions by College of Education Leadership to Initiate a New Level of Collaboration • Scheduled meetings with school leaders to plan strategies that improve teacher quality

6. Actions by College of Education Leadership to Initiate a New Level of Collaboration • Initiated special development projects that required the resources of academic departments

7. Actions by College of Education Leadership to Initiate a New Level of Collaboration • Involved academic deans in national conferences that focused on teacher preparation reform

8. Actions by College of Education Leadership to Initiate a New Level of Collaboration • Developed an innovative graduate program for new teachers that required the collaborative resources of school practitioners and academic departments

9. Actions by College of Education Leadership to Initiate a New Level of Collaboration • Organized mentor training for all members of teacher intern teams in local school systems

10. The Teacher Education Model Program (TEMP) A Development Effort that Required Three-party Collaboration

11. TEMP • An induction program supported by graduate studies • An innovative Master’s degree program for new teachers

12. TEMP Program Design Team: • Six teacher educators • Six National Board teachers • Six arts and science faculty • One Standards Board representative • One school administrator • One Assistant Dean of Science and Engineering

13. TEMP Based on: • Standards • Performance • Clinical practice

14. TEMP • Six new pedagogy courses • Four new graduate content courses

15. TEMP • Saturday seminars • Summer content courses • Performance tasks • Web resources

16. TEMP Performance data: • First summer mathematics and science courses showed serious preparation deficiencies

17. TEMP Examples of math assessment items for which more than 50% of new teacher knowledge was deficient: • Fractions and proportions • Alternative methods of subtraction • Non-traditional use of place value

18. TEMP Examples of math assessment items for which more than 50% of new teachers knowledge was deficient: • Addition rule for inequalities • Differentiating among quadrilaterals • The meaning of pi (area of circles)

19. TEMP Examples of science assessment items for which more than 70% of new teachers understanding was deficient: • Constancy of mass during physical and chemical change • Examples of potential energy • Relationship of Newton’s Laws to motion of objects

20. TEMP Examples of science assessment items for which more than 70% of new teachers understanding was deficient: • Components of our solar system • The sun as the major source of energy for the earth • The rock cycle

21. Implication of Mathematics and Science New Teacher Assessment Data • Present academic content preparation for elementary teacher candidates is inadequate to enable them to address Kentucky’s K-5 content standards • K-5 students taught by WKU’s new teacher graduates likely will be inadequately prepared for Kentucky’s CATS assessment

22. Database Deficiencies at WKU Addressed as Challenges that Require Collaborative Solutions Challenges: • K-5 teacher candidates lack preparation to address Kentucky’s K-5 content standards in: • Mathematics • Science • Social studies

23. Database Deficiencies at WKU Addressed as Challenges that Require Collaborative Solutions Contributing Factors: • Undergraduate courses required of K-5 teacher candidates do not address all content areas they must teach • Teacher candidates do not link what they learn in content courses with what they will teach • Candidate’s understanding of content concepts not monitored except for course grade

24. Solution • Involve teacher educators, arts and science faculty, and school practitioners in collaborative processes to redesign K-5 candidate content courses and requirements

25. Solution • Redesign of science courses involves a task force of a biology, chemistry, geology, and physics/astronomy faculty member

26. Solution • Redesign of social sciences courses involves a task force of a history, political science, economics, and geography faculty member

27. Proposed Changes in K-5 Teacher Candidate Requirements in Mathematics • Redesign Math 211 and Math 212 into modules candidates must master to move sequentially through courses

28. Proposed Changes in K-5 Teacher Candidate Requirements in Mathematics • Provide special help for candidates who are unable to master content concepts at first attempt

29. Proposed Changes in K-5 Teacher Candidate Requirements in Mathematics • Add a third course that prepares candidates to understand how young children learn mathematics concepts

30. On-going Challenges to Program/Course Redesign and Collaboration • Taking Collective Ownership – Getting teacher educators and arts and science faculty to own the challenges faced by school practitioners

31. On-going Challenges to Program/Course Redesign and Collaboration • Seeing the Big Picture – Overcoming department and/or college turf concerns

32. Ongoing Challenges to Program/Course Redesign and Collaboration • Embracing Change – Changing from traditional university structures to structures and processes that better facilitate teaching and learning

33. Ongoing Challenges to Program/Course Redesign and Collaboration • Becoming Accountable – Getting teacher educators and arts and science faculty to accept responsibility for the performance of teacher graduates

34. What We Have Learned • True and functional collaboration with arts and sciences and schools requires strong and ongoing leadership from the College of Education

35. What We Have Learned • Productive true collaboration with arts and sciences and schools to prepare and support teacher preparation requires a long-term effort and use of multiple strategies

36. What We Have Learned • Involving academic deans in regional and national activities and conferences that address teacher education reform greatly increases their chances of supportive true collaboration and providing resources to the collaborative effort

37. What We Have Learned • Getting different role groups together to focus on performance of teachers and students in schools and asking for help facilitates true collaboration

38. Audience Participation