Page | 38
NEBRASKA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Teacher Preparation Content Program Review
Institution: Chadron State College
Date Submitted: Summer 2012
Contact Person: Norma Nealeigh
Phone: 308-432-6228 Fax: 308-432-6429
Email:
Content Group/Area: Family and Consumer Sciences
And/or
Endorsements and Grade level: Family and Consumer Sciences Education (7-12)
Program Level: X Initial Advanced
Is the program offered at more than one site? Yes X No
If yes, lit the sites at which the program is offered:
______
______
Type of Certificate: X Teaching Administrative Special Services
Accreditation Status: X NCATE X State TEAC Regional
Specialty Program Area Recognition ( if applicable):
Program Report Status: X Initial Review Rejoinder Response to Condition
Section 1: Contextual Information
Introduction
Institutional Overview
Chadron State College, which began as a Nebraska State Normal School in 1911, remains the only four-year institution of higher education in western Nebraska. In 1964 the institution enhanced its mission and the name was changed to Chadron State College (CSC). The college has experienced numerous changes and continual growth over their millennium.
Though small in number, early graduates represented education to a young, rugged, and rural society. Today, the college prepares students for much more than teacher education. The institutional role, mission, and objectives cover comprehensive college curricula, which includes basic and advanced programs. Teacher education remains, however, a central component. In 2010, for example, almost 30% of our student-body pursued degrees in teaching. These students are primarily from Chadron State’s expansive rural service region, which encompasses 26 counties and approximately 34,700 square miles.
Total institutional enrollment, as of fall 2010, now stands at 2,759 students, of which 64% are full-time. The majority of these students, approximately 61%, are Nebraskans. Traditional students, students under 23 years of age and single, make up the majority of the enrollment. Generally, students are first-generation and are from small rural high schools with graduating classes of 100 students or less. Non-traditional students, students over 23 years of age or married, comprise 41% of our full-time undergraduate enrollment, the majority of which are women.
Due to the expanse of our coverage area, Chadron State offers its courses, via interactive telecommunications, to two locations, Scottsbluff and North Platte, Nebraska, in addition to face-to-face instruction at these sites.
Institutional Charge, Vision and Mission Statements
Statutory charge. Priorities for Nebraska State Colleges, as established by the state legislature and reported in the 2006 Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education Comprehensive Statewide Plan for Postsecondary Education, are:
· First instructional priority is the provision of baccalaureate general academic, occupational, and education degree programs;
· Second instructional priority is to provide master's programs in education and other disciplines authorized by statute or by the Commission;
· Third priorities are applied research, public service activities, and continuing education activities that serve their geographic service areas.
The Commission further defines CSC’s programmatic service as a Master's (comprehensive) College/University I Carnegie classification. Chadron State College's programmatic service area includes baccalaureate level liberal arts, occupational degree programs and professional degree programs in education.
· The primary focus of Chadron State College's educational programs is high quality, comprehensive undergraduate programs leading to baccalaureate degrees in arts and sciences, business, and teacher education, all of which are enhanced by a coherent general education program.
· Chadron State College’s new baccalaureate degree programs will reflect the needs of its service area and the priorities of the State College Board of Trustees.
· Chadron State College offers the Master of Education, the Master of
Organizational Management, and the Master of Business Administration degrees. http://www.ccpe.state.ne.us/PublicDoc/CCPE/
Like Peru and Wayne State Colleges (the other two institutions within the Nebraska State College system), Chadron State is a regional institution dedicated to teaching, scholarship, and community service, and serves a defined, geographical region.
Institutional vision and mission statements. The vision and mission as established by the faculty, professional staff, and administration at Chadron State College are:
· Vision
Chadron State College aspires to be a premiere institution of higher education in the western high plains states, innovatively pursuing excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service.
· Mission
Chadron State College will enrich the quality of life in the region by providing
educational opportunities, research, service, and programs that contribute significantly to the vitality and diversity of the region.
The vision and mission set the focus for the future of the institution and aid in the development of the strategic plan which will guide us into a continuous state of improvement, and is designed to meet the needs of the region we serve.
Institutional Strategic Plan
Chadron State College has four outcome initiatives and twenty accompanying actions to achieve the initiatives set forth in the plan. The strategic plan for 2011 and beyond is as follows:
1. Initiative One: Streamlined, Relevant, High-Impact Learning Experiences
· Action (1) Revise Essential Learning Program (General Studies)
· Action (2) Create integrated and interdisciplinary programs
· Action (3) Implement experiential learning for college seniors
· Action (4) Expand student literacy to all areas of technology and media
· Action (5) Create co-curricular experiences that emphasize leadership, engagement, civic responsibility and positive human interaction
· Action (6) Refine and redefine course delivery models
· Action (7) Promote standards of quality for courses and teaching
· Action (8) Establish a technology-supported, collaborative and creative teaching and learning center to provide appropriate resources and tools to create high-impact learning experiences
2. Initiative Two: Competitive, Customer-focused Delivery of Services in
Support of Teaching and Learning
· Action (9) Develop a campus-wide definition and process for student advising and schedule building
· Action (10) Initiate a review of internal service gaps and establish a plan to improve communication and timely completion of services
· Action (11) Review all campus services for relevance and efficiency
· Action (12) Initiate a review of internal service gaps with respect to academic computing services
· Action (13) Establish a deliberate collaborative process to improve communication and effective teamwork across all areas of the college
3. Initiative Three: Optimal Use of Limited Human and Physical Resources
· Action (14) Based on the campus-wide review of services for relevance and efficiency (#11above) reallocate human resources more effectively according to mission-critical processes and functions as opposed to historical silos
· Action (15) Implement a system of assessment and accountability for ensuring quality of mission critical functions
· Action (16) Differentiate and streamline the role and responsibilities of faculty and staff
· Action (17) Initiate a digital document and self-service plan for process flow improvement, accountability, document storage and retrieval, and paper reduction
4. Initiative Four: Increased Revenue
· Action (18) Re-allocate one or more existing personnel lines to focus exclusively on market development
· Action (19) Develop internal support for grant-writing
· Action (20) Build on fundraising momentum developed during the Vision 2011Comprehensive Campaign
Link to Strategic Plan
Education Unit Mission/Philosophy
Chadron State College’s professional preparation programs are designed to produce “Visionary Leaders for Lifelong Learning”.
Mission
The mission of the Chadron State College Education Unit, founded on educating Visionary Leaders, is committed to creating diverse educational environments that are thoughtfully structured to provide opportunity for the success of all learners, now and for the future.
To accomplish the mission, CSC provides teacher, administrator, and counselor candidates with deliberate and appropriate educational experiences. Knowledge, skills, and dispositions are developed through extensive classroom and field-based interactions. Candidates have opportunities to develop their own professional philosophy and teaching style while learning to meet the needs of learners in authentic educational settings. This is accomplished with a vision that embraces tradition, innovation, and the strength of diversity, always with an eye to the future.
Philosophically, Education Unit faculty members act upon a set of beliefs that reflect the importance placed on the preparation of qualified professional educators who will meet the learning needs of all children in P-12 educational settings. To this end, unit faculty members are dedicated to the development of Visionary Leaders. The Education Unit believes the educator’s role is to facilitate learning. This facilitation is accomplished by creating opportunities for all learners to actively engage and participate in their learning environment, and to process knowledge delivered through methods appropriate to their individual learning style. The model is based, to a great extent, on the constructivist theory of learning.
Description of the Education Unit – Organization and Structure
The Education Unit is comprised of the Education Department and other campus departments providing teacher certification endorsement coursework at the initial and advanced levels. Campus departments offering endorsements are: Applied Sciences; Business; Counseling, Psychology, and Social Work; Education; English and Humanities; Health, Physical Education, and Recreation; Library Services; Mathematical Sciences; Music; Physical and Life Sciences; Social and Communication Arts; and Visual and Performing Arts. Link to CSC Organizational Chart
The CSC Department of Education houses the initial programs for Elementary Education, Early Childhood Education, Early Childhood Unified Education, and Special Education, as well as advanced programs in Reading Specialist, Educational Administration, and Curriculum and Instruction. (Curriculum and Instruction is not an endorsement program but rather an advanced, professional master’s degree.) The Education Department holds the major responsibility for providing professional teacher education curriculum.
The Education Unit is led by the unit head, the Academic Dean for Professional Licensure. The responsibilities of the academic dean include administrative oversight for program licensures and education programs. The dean serves as Chair of the Teacher Education Committee which includes teacher educators from each of the departments providing endorsement areas, and faculty teaching the professional teacher education programs. This committee is at the frontline for recommendation of policy, curriculum and procedures, and, also reviews assessment data and makes recommendations for change in curriculum, program and assessment processes. Membership of the Teacher Education Committee also includes one student and two public school representatives.
At Chadron State College, curricular changes at the initial and advanced levels are initiated within the departments and then presented to the Teacher Education Committee for advisement input. Initial level curriculum changes for all programs are presented to the Faculty Senate’s Academic Review Committee for final approval. Advanced level/ graduate program changes are presented to the Faculty Senate’s Graduate Council, for final approval. The major function of these committees is to see that changes align with CSC and Nebraska State College System policies.
The Education Unit offers teacher education programs to distant, outreach sites located in North Platte and Scottsbluff, Nebraska, and in Sheridan, Wyoming. The predominant initial education program at these sites is Elementary Education, where candidates may complete their entire pre-service curriculum. These programs operate cooperatively with the community colleges in their corresponding locations. At the advanced level, distant, outreach programs are also offered in North Platte and Scottsbluff, Nebraska, for the School Counseling program. Through a combination of on-line delivery and face-to-face delivery, students may complete these programs at the distance sites, enabling Chadron State to better meet the needs of the region.
The Education Unit also offers secondary level, post-baccalaureate certification course programs at these distant, outreach sites and on the main campus. Initial and advanced program course delivery may be offered and received via interactive television (ITV), on-line, or through face-to-face instructional formats.
The Unit
The Teacher Education Unit offers certification programs aligned with state and national standards. Chadron State College offers twenty-eight initial endorsement programs, four initial supplemental endorsements, and four advanced endorsements. The following endorsements are currently in the phase-out stage: Specialist -Superintendent, secondary field -Industrial Education Technology, supplemental - Skilled and Technical Science Education, andsupplemental - Driver Education. Certification programs offered through the Unit are:
Initial Level Programs (Bachelor of Science Degree (BS))
· Secondary Education (7-12)
o Art (K-12)
o Basic Business (6-12) (4-9)
o Biology (7-12)
o Business Marketing and Information Technology Education (6-12)
o Chemistry (7-12)
o Coaching (7-12)
o Earth Science (7-12)
o Educational Library Media (K-12)
o English (7-12)
o Family and Consumer Sciences Education (7-12) (4-9)
o Health (7-12)
o Health and Physical Education (K-12)
o History (7-12)
o Industrial Technology Education (6-12)
o Language Arts (7-12) (4-9)
o Mathematics (7-12) (4-9)
o Music (K-12)
o Natural Science (7-12) (4-9)
o Physical Education (K-6) (7-12)
o Physical Science (7-12)
o Physics (7-12)
o Social Science (7-12) (4-9)
o Theatre (7-12)
o Vocal Music (K-8)
· Middle Grades (4-9)
· Elementary Education (K-8)
· Early Childhood (B-3)
· Early Childhood Unified Education (B-3)
· Mild/Moderate Disabilities (K-12)
Advanced Level Programs (Masters of Science Degree (MS))
· Educational Administration
o School Principal; (K-12) (K-6) (4-9) (7-12) Endorsement
o Special Education Coordinator; (K-12) Non-endorsement
· School Counseling; (K-12) (K-6) (7-12)
· Curriculum and Instruction; Non-endorsement
o Secondary Education
o Elementary Field
o Elementary Generalist
· Reading Specialist; (K-12) Endorsement (non-degree seeking)
In the 2010-2011 academic year, at the initial level, education majors numbered 604. Of these, 125 were part-time students. At the advanced level, 164 of the 180 students were enrolled part-time. For the 2010-2011 academic year 82 students graduated at the advanced level. This represented approximately 55% of the institutions advanced degrees granted.
Unit Field Experience Requirements
All initial level candidates must complete 100 - 125 clock hours of classroom observation/participation within a classroom setting prior to their student teaching capstone experience; this number varies between Secondary and Elementary level programs, respectively. Pre-service field experience hours are required at all levels throughout the program, culminating with the student teaching field experience. Field experiences and their respective hourly requirements are listed below.
· EDUC 131: Introduction to Teaching -- 10 clock hours of classroom observation
· PSYC 231: Educational Psychology -- 15 clock hours of classroom observation
· EDUC 300/320: Education Observation & Participation:
o EDUC 300: 75 clock hours for secondary candidates, and
o EDUC 320: 100 clock hours for elementary candidates
o EDUC 480/490: Student Teaching – 40 hours per week, over 16 weeks (1
semester)
See Chadron State College General Catalog for written evidence.
At the advanced level, the endorsement for Educational Administration requires 250 hours of field experience. The School Counseling endorsement program requires 450 hours of field experience for K-6 endorsement; 450 hours of field experience for 7-12 endorsement; and 900 hours for K-12 endorsement. See Chadron State College Graduate Catalog for written evidence.