C.1. Philosophical Roots
The constructivist theory links the educational themes that the SOE faculty selected during the November 2008 retreat. The constructivist theory that results in a self-determined schema is supported by NMHU’s commitment to Jeffersonian democracy. Jeffersonian democratic principles create the environment in which all have an opportunity to succeed without prejudice. However, the progressive tradition of “fearless sifting and winnowing” sets the condition of reflective thinking to select the best ideas, develop the best educational skills and hone one’s professional dispositions in accordance with those required of teachers, counselors and administrators.
“Constructivist theory.”Constructivist theory is rooted in learner-centered education. McCombs and Whisler (1997) define learner-centered education as:
The perspective that couples a focus on individual learners [their heredity, experiences,
perspectives, backgrounds, talents, interests, capacities, and needs] with a focus on
learning [the best available knowledge about learning and how it occurs and about
teaching practices that are most effective in promoting the highest levels of motivation,
learning, and achievement for all learners] (p. 9).
Constructivist theory extends the learner-centered education. Dewey (1916) was an early advocate of learner-centered programs. Learner-centered educators focus on students and their social interactions. According to social learning theorists, candidates learn from these interactions. Constructivist theorists add cognitive processing processes to the social learning theories. Once learners compare new stimuli with existing schema, the new stimuli may be rejected. However, new stimuli may be either synthesized with previously acquired schemas or preexisting schemas are completely disregarded and new schemas are newly created (Reynolds and Miller, 2003).
Jeffersonian democracy.An important understanding of our role as educators at NMHU originates in the practice of open enrollment. Everyone has an equal opportunity to an education. Thomas Jefferson was the nation’s only founder who established a university. On 7 September 1814, Jefferson wrote to his nephew, Peter Carr. “It is highly interesting to our country, and it is the duty of its functionaries, to provide that every citizen in it should receive an education proportioned to the condition and pursuits of his life” (Padover, 1956, p. 238).
Open enrollment allows educational opportunity into the university without any preconditions, even academic. Any high school graduate or its equivalent, independent of the class rank received, may enter NMHU. Once admitted to NMHU, there are entrance requirements into the SOE. With the opportunity of Jeffersonian democracy comes the requirement of an agricultural metaphor - “fearless sifting and winnowing” (Herfurth, 2009, n.p.).
“Fearless sifting and winnowing.”During the Progressive Era (1874-1914), Richard Ely’s ideal “fearless shifting and winnowing” entered the parlance of education. A year after the establishment of the normal school that became NMHU, Ely a mid-western university professor wrote a statement that became a cornerstone of academic freedom nationally.
“We cannot for a moment believe that knowledge has reached its final goal, or that the present condition of society is perfect. We must therefore welcome from our teachers such discussions as shall suggest the means and prepare the way by which knowledge may be extended, present evils be removed and others prevented. Whatever may be the limitations which trammel inquiry elsewhere we believe the great state university… should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found” (Herfurth, 2009, n.p.).
As applied to the SOE, we believe that all candidates have academic opportunity and potential upon entering NMHU. However, with this opportunity comes the responsibility to prove one’s self in the academic arena, especially as our candidates apply to enter the SOE. Once admitted to the SOE, the fearless sifting and winnowing of transformative knowledge, educational skills and professional dispositions continues. Candidates change as they engage cognitively. Some decide to self-select out of the program as they continue their cognitive journey of transformation. At the undergraduate level, the SOE has adopted three gateways that require increasing levels of expertise as candidates progress. At the graduate level, there is entrance and graduation criteria that help sift and winnow.
For faculty, the “fearless sifting and winnowing” applies to hiring through search and screen committees, retention, promotion and tenure processes. In all of these faculty processes, the onus is on the faculty to prove their goodness of fit in the areas of teaching, service and scholarship to the SOE. Faculty members oversee committee work and are guided by mutually agreed criteria. The winnowing process applies to the academic freedom faculty enjoy as they select the most appropriate knowledge, skills and dispositions to develop, deliver and assess with the teacher candidates. The offering of course schedules and description of content are a faculty matter implemented through departmental structures.
Constructivist Theory Links to School of Education Themes
The constructivist theory links with other SOE philosophies, such as the ideal of self-determination in a Jeffersonian democracy. The learner ascertains which stimuli are accepted, modified or rejected. This is the “fearless sifting and winnowing” approach applied to cognitive processing. Also, the constructivist theory links with the SOE faculty’s educational themes selected (see Table 1). Diversity of cognitive processing, unique to individuals, allow reflective practitioners to control a personal knowledge base (schema). Pre-existing schemas are developed in culturally inclusive learning environments. With stimuli from authentic settings, the transformational new schemas hone educational practices. However, schemas are not just knowledge bases of factual information. Also, the schema encapsulates dispositions such as professionalism and leadership.
Broad Goals of the School of Education
A pragmatic goal of the SOE faculty and administration is to provide candidates with the excellent educational opportunities to become licensed teachers, counselors and/or administrators in the state of New Mexico. The use of technology in the classroom is a commitment of excellence that the SOE and the NMHU administration made to its candidates in 2008. Most classrooms, both at the Las Vegas campus and at the other centers, are equipped with Smart Board technology, computers and mounted projectors.
In New Mexico, candidates attain their licensure goals by meeting the PED’s competencies for each licensable area. Our programs address these competencies and other professional standards. During Fall 2009, the SOE adopted Chalk and Wire as a platform to create candidate electronic portfolios. Chalk and Wire will track our candidates’ progress as they address the competencies of their licensure areas. It is used as a vehicle to assess programmatic strength, weaknesses and areas in need of modification. As our candidates continue to meet these competencies and professional standards the quality of teaching, counseling and administration will continue to improve in northern New Mexico and wherever our candidates decide to practice their chosen profession.
Another pragmatic goal, for those that choose, is that the SOE faculty and administration will provide quality academic programs that lead to undergraduate and/or graduate education degrees. Academic degree requirements are proposed through faculty governance committees and approved by the Board of Regents of New Mexico Highlands University. Even those in-service educators who have degrees and licenses benefit from the access to academics. With the goal of providing authentic settings for our candidates, the academic preparation they bring into education settings is another avenue of service to our constituent school districts and communities.
Our constructivist philosophy reaches beyond pragmatic goals. The SOE faculty and administration believe in leading candidates to themselves. While candidates think reflectively, they transform themselves through the professional and academic winnowing process. We are the catalyst. The transformative learning process does not end at graduation or when licensure is achieved. This process continues to transform teachers, counselors and administrators into their professional careers in the areas of scholarship, community service and in-service (Giroux, 1988). Even those who may leave our program before graduation or licensure may construct identities that redefine self-determined success.
The School of Education Broad Goals Linked to NMHU’s Vision and Mission Statements
The University’s mission statement is, “New Mexico Highlands University will provide an inspiring multicultural learning environment that promotes empowerment, transformation, and global understanding” (NMHU, 2009b, n.p.). The “inspiring multicultural learning environment” is created by the interaction of our candidates’ preexisting and the professional schemas they encounter as they progress through our programs. Constructivist learning may be transformative, if given sufficient reflection by the candidate (Giroux, 1988). It is certainly diverse. Global understanding is offered through the technology integrated into the SOE classrooms, the collective experiences of our faculty and the schema international candidates bring to our learning environment. Our candidates have the opportunities to study through international exchanges that are sponsored by NMHU and administered by the SOE faculty.
New Mexico Highlands University’s Mission Statement is “Education through teaching, research and service” (NMHU, 2009b, n.p.). The SOE fulfills the university mission with the expectations of its faculty members through annual assessments in these categories. If we re-define “teaching” as “in-service experiences” for counselors, administrators and classroom teachers, then our candidates accomplish this through the New Mexico PED competencies for licensure they meet and the INTASC Principles from which they are based. At the graduate level, the mission of “research” and “service” are more overt in the licensure competencies and the academic expectations. At the undergraduate level both “research” in course content and “service” in field-based experiences are expected.
The School of Education Broad Goals Linked to Its Philosophy and Mission Statements
The SOE’s philosophy statement is “We believe in democratic access to an education, both theoretical and authentic, that allows the reflective learner – who previously developed cultural schemas and pre-existing diverse cognitive processing skills - to construct a knowledge base, practice the skills and develop the professional dispositions in an authentic setting needed to excel in education, administration, counseling or other self-determined endeavors.” Our broad goals for the unit integrate with our constructivist philosophy supported by the principals of Jeffersonian access to education and the winnowing processes of reflective thinking.
Our two pragmatic goals of educational licensure and academic degree preparation mesh well with educational opportunities afforded by NMHU’s commitment to open enrollments. Prior to candidacy into the SOE, pre-candidates study a liberal arts curriculum in the many academic areas that NMHU offers. However, it is at the first gateway – application and admission to the SOE that the winnowing processes begin. Required grade point averages and a passing score on the New Mexico Teacher Assessment [NMTA] Basic Skills Exam are some requirements of admission to the SOE. It continues to the third gateway – at the completion of student teaching. Other standardized assessments, such as the NMTA Content Exam and the NMTA Teacher Competency Exam are required during the intervening period between the first and third gateway. The maintenance of a grade point average and admission to student teaching are also required. All the specific requirements will be described in a later section of this Conceptual Framework.
The construction of electronic portfolios through Chalk and Wire start to track the reflective processes in introductory classes. Candidates and instructors assess dispositions in university classrooms. During the two of the later field-base experiences some of which are conducted in PDS settings, cooperating teachers assess dispositions in authentic settings. Educational practices also are assessed. With all of this input, candidates construct their knowledge base, refine their skills and develop professional dispositions. The authentic education settings offered in northern New Mexico allow for access to diverse thinkers from varying socioeconomic conditions and the stimuli their PK-12 students’ multicultural schemas. Authentic settings during field-based experiences and PDS opportunities are a key to address the unit’s mission statement - “The NMHU School of Education prepares teachers and counselors for diverse and inclusive environments through excellence in teaching, research, and service.”