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Research
and Creativity Activities
Questions about newsletter? Please contact David Stoloff, email: stoloffd@easternct.edu |
EDUCATION DEPARTMENT NEWS Mid-Term Fall 2002 Edition - best viewed at http://www.easternct.edu/depts/edu/news/021018.html |
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*****
Words of Inspiration
the
collection appears at http://www.easternct.edu/depts/edu/news/words.html
From Theodore S. Sergi, Connecticut’s Commissioner
of Education in a school opening letter "2002
- 2003: The Best Year Ever in Connecticut Public Schools" - http://www.state.ct.us/sde/remembrance2.PDF
“Our key
role is in teaching – hope; optimism; a love of our country, its history and
its ideals; each person ’s duty
to
others; and an understanding of other countries and their people.
I
borrowed from John Donne, the 17th century author, for my
back-to-school message for August 2001,when I
said, “No
school is an island.” This
powerful message is even more relevant to our September 11 thoughts :
“No man
is an island …entire of itself …any man ’s death diminishes me …never send to
know for
whom the
bell tolls; it tolls for thee.”
As the
bells ring across our state and country on September 11,I believe they will be
reminding us that all
humankind
is interconnected, calling each of us to be a better person, and inspiring us
to more relentlessly
pursue
success for each student.
In spite
of the present international conflicts and the economic recession, I believe
that this will be
Connecticut
’s best year – ever, in public education.”
Posted
on October 18, 2002
****
Announcements
Sunday, Oct 20,
1:15 - 4, Open House for Prospective Students, Betty Tipton Room – planning to
greet our future students are Leslie Ricklin, Ingrid Enniss, Cathy Tannahill,
Richard Reynolds, Delar Singh, Jeanelle Bland, and David Stoloff.
*****
Education Dept. community
members:
Please let me
know if you would like to join me in a visit and tour of the Institute for
Sustainable Energy, an Eastern CSU Institute, in the Foster Building on Main
St., Willlimantic on Monday, October 21, 3-4.
David
******
Education Department Faculty Meetings
usually on Thursdays, 12:30 - 1:45 in Webb Hall 115.
Graduate Studies
meeting – October 24, 2002 – Please let David know if there are any items for
the agenda.
Potential items –
ongoing discussion on assessment
Policy on graduate
admission and coordination with certification admission
Education Department meeting –
November 5, 2003, Thursday, 12:30 – 1:45, Webb 115
Already
submitted agenda items
Approval
of the minutes of October 3, 2003 meeting
Unit,
committee reports
Honors
and award committee
Planning
for a mini-conference
Meeting
scheduling
Departmental
assessment procedures – course evaluation procedures, online course
evaluations??
Time
certain (1:30) – Barbara Wright, Eastern CSU Assessement Coordinator on
planning for dept. assessment
Please submit
agenda items to David Stoloff – stoloffd@easternct.edu
.
*****
Alyssa Gwinnell
[mailto:agwinnell@attglobal.net],
a most excellent graduate now teaching in South Windsor, writes:
“You probably already know this, but if not, hopefully this is useful information. The BEST portfolio handbooks are now on-line at http://www.csde.state.ct.us/public/der/t-a/index.htm for all disciplines.”
*****
Photos
from the Diversity Seminar – September 4, 2002 - http://www.easternct.edu/depts/edu/news/photosf02/photosfall2002.html
*****
*****
A message from Hope Cook, Curriculum Center Librarian -
“Hi David and Education Faculty,
Just wanted to let you know that the
Curriculum Center Computer Lab, Room 145 of the Eugene Smith Library is now
open for your use!
Here are some of the
highlights added to the Computer Lab:
·6 new PC's with Internet Access and equipped with
educational and presentational software titles
·1 of the 6 PC's is setup as an instructor station. This
station includes a projector that will allow the instructor the
opportunity to project information to a screen, or if one prefers to the white
board.
·We have also retained 1 Macintosh machine that is loaded
with software and has Internet access.
·The computer lab also includes a VCR, Slide Projector, and
Overhead Projector
·Additionally, students can use this room to work on
classroom projects as we now have 2 Ellison Machines and several dies to cut
letters, borders, etc.The lab is also equipped with a sink.
·The lab can seat up to 20 people and would be ideal for those
teaching courses that contain some component of children's literature or the
use of educational software.
Thank you!
Hope”
Dr. Jeanelle Bland has
been appointed Curriculum Center Computer Lab liaison from the Education
Department.
****
News from state sources and NCATE via Dean
Kleine –
http://www.ecs.org/ecsmain.asp?page=/html/newsMedia/e-Connection.asp%23gr
Jim McKenna,
Director of the CT Alternative Route to Certification program, sends this link
to an article that he found encouraging:
A report by the
National Association of State Boards of Education concludes
that ALTERNATIVE
TEACHER CERTIFICATION programs can be effective tools for
addressing both
teacher shortages and teacher quality concerns. The report
recommends that
state policymakers ensure standards for alternative programs
are linked to
academic standards for students.
http://www.nasbe.org/Front_Page/Press_Release2.html
****
An interesting resource shared by Dean
Kleine –
Schools are under
increasing pressure to use practices based on scientific evidence (e.g.,
evidence-based programs). Our colleagues at the Collaborative for Academic,
Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) have developed a helpful guide for
evaluating curricula that foster and promote social and emotional learning. Safe
and Sound: An Educational Leader's Guide to Evidence-Based Social and Emotional
Learning Programs will be published sometime in late October but you can
review and download a pre-publication copy at their website: www.casel.org. An accompanying CD will provide
comprehensive descriptions and ordering information for all of the programs reviewed.
This will be an invaluable guide for school districts.
****
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Announcement
from Darren Robert, HPE Dept faculty member
HEY, PARENTS!
YOUR PRESCHOOL
CHILDREN CAN PLAY, LEARN, & HAVE FUN AT E.C.S.U.!
JOIN
*BASIC MOVEMENT ACTIVITIES, PRE-SPORT SKILLS
*FUN, PLAYFUL, GYM-LIKE ENVIRONMENT
*QUALITY EXPERIENCES FOR 3, 4, OR 5-YEAR-OLD
CHILDREN
AND THEIR PARENT(S) OR
GRANDPARENT(S)!
CHILDREN CAN PRACTICE SKILLS
SUCH AS:
Throwing
Catching
Balancing
Striking Jumping
Kicking
Landing Object
Handling Locomotor
Skills
CHILDREN CAN ALSO PRACTICE
CONCEPTS SUCH AS:
Shapes Force
Safety
Levels Pathways
Colors Numbers
CHILDREN CAN PRACTICE SKILLS
AND CONCEPTS WITH:
Balls, Hoops, Beams, Tunnels, Mats, Songs,
Parachutes
ADULTS CAN HAVE FUN PRACTICING AND PLAYING
WITH THEIR CHILD!
Fall classes under the supervision of Dr.
Darren Robert (Health and Physical Education Department)
Classes Start October 22nd!
JOIN
NOW!!!
Space is limited and the class is filling
up!
Please
call 465-5184 or robertd@easternct.edu for more information!
****
****
A message from
Professor Ross E. Koning, PhD
Chapter President ECSU-AAUP
Biology Department - Goddard Hall
email: Koning@EasternCT.edu
http://Koning.EasternCT.edu/
Greetings ECSU-AAUP Faculty,
I am pleased to announce that our
on-line (html) version
of the 2002-2006 CSU AAUP-BOT Collective Bargaining
Agreement is on-line at the usual URL:
http://www.easternct.edu/aaup/cba.html
This version is, of course,
unofficial...but we have worked
hard to make it identical with the printed version in content,
and have hopefully corrected most of the printed version's
flaws.
We encourage you to try it
out. All internal and some external
references are linked so navigation is better than in the print
version. You can also use the find and find-again feature of
your browser to search for words in the contract...so finding
items is perhaps easier. On the down-side, the contract is now
in a single file that is sometimes slow to open if you are on a
modem connection...but we think your patience will be rewarded.
I also encourage you to
right-click (PC USERS) or click-hold-drag
(Mac USERS) on the CBA link on the home page to DOWNLOAD
the contract to your hard-drive for improved loading times. Our
home-page is:
Best wishes for the fall semester.
ross
Professor Ross E. Koning, PhD
Chapter President ECSU-AAUP
Biology Department - Goddard Hall
****
message from
Bernetta Steadman, Assistant Director, Admissions, ECSU:
I came across this website (http://www.nasbe.org/) and thought you might
be interested in the Minority Teacher Recruitment Conference/Exhibition.
It would be a good opportunity to
attract qualified minority individuals to our grad and certification
programs. Let me know what you think. Perhaps this is something you could
coordinate in conjunction with the Admissions Office if you feel it is a
worthwhile endeavor
I would suggest reading about the
exhibitor info.
****
Call for Graduating Senior Information
A request from Institutional
Research -
Please share news about the plans
of graduating seniors.
If they are going on to graduate
school, please provide the graduate's name, undergraduate major,
graduate university, location (city, state), field of study and degree program
sought, and any information
on scholarships and/or fellowships.
If they have been accepted for
employment positions, please provide the graduate's name,
undergraduate major, company, location (city, state), position, salary.
Please email the information to
David, who will compile it for the department. Thanks.
*****
Other Events
****
ECSU - ThinkQuest for Tomorrow's Teachers Projects
Faculty members and students from
Eastern Connecticut State University are participating in a US Department of
Education grant to Prepare Tomorrow's Teachers to Use Technology with
ThinkQuest
[ http://www.thinkquest.org] and 13
other universities throughout the US. This project's homepage may be at http://www.easternct.edu/depts/edu/dept/pt3.html
.
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****
Long Term Announcements
Alumni news may be found at http://www.easternct.edu/depts/edu/news/alumninews.html.
Planning
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Past surveys of our graduates are
available on the WWW -
an analysis of the survey of
teacher education program graduates 1996-98
http://www.easternct.edu/depts/edu/assessment/survey9698.htm
results of the survey of teacher
education program graduates - 1996-1998 -
http://www.easternct.edu/depts/edu/assessment/surveyresults9698.htm,
and
results of the survey of teacher
education program graduates - 1998-2000 -
http://www.easternct.edu/depts/edu/assessment/gradsurvey2001.htm
survey of interests in graduate
programs -1999,
http://www.easternct.edu/depts/edu/assessment/gradinterestsurvey1999.htm
survey of interests in graduate
programs - 2001
http://www.easternct.edu/depts/edu/assessment/gradinterestsurvey2001.htm
Planning forms for field
experiences and student teaching for Spring 2003 are now posted at
http://www.easternct.edu/depts/edu/dept/stinfo.doc
and
http://www.easternct.edu/depts/edu/dept/stpreferencefall2003.doc
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*****
Research and Creativity Activities -
chronicling the ongoing progress of the Education Department at
Eastern Connecticut State University
also found at http://www.easternct.edu/depts/edu/news/rca.html
Fifth Report
July 11, 2002
Our Graduates Speak
An analysis of survey data provided by ECSU program completers
concerning their professional preparation and Connecticut’s
Common Core of Teaching
An
Eastern Connecticut State University
Research Brief
Prepared by
Mitchell Sakofs
Director of Educational Experience
Spring 2002
Introduction
As part of an ongoing effort to
improve program quality in the Eastern Connecticut State University
Education Unit, a survey was sent to ECSU graduates who were recommended for
teaching certification
from 1999 through 2001. This survey was designed to explore two main
issues, i.e.,
· their assessment of the BEST
program and
· their assessment of the professional preparation they received at Eastern in
terms of Connecticut’s
Common Core of Teaching.
Questions concerning BEST were
modeled after a state survey designed to probe how certified teachers
assess the professional preparation they received through institutions of
higher learning; questions
concerning Connecticut’s Common Core of Teaching were taken from the Common
Core documentation
found on the Connecticut State Education Department’s website. Questions
probing our graduates’
assessment of BEST as well as the professional preparation provided by the ECSU
Education Unit were
structured to allow for responses on a 5-point Likert Scale with 5 = Strongly
Agree, 4 = Agree, 3 =
Undecided, 2 = Disagree, and 1 = Strongly Disagree. See Exhibit 1, page
4.
This report presents student
assessment data of the professional preparation provided by ECSU’s
Education Unit. An analysis of BEST data will be reported in another
document.
Procedure
Three hundred and forty surveys
were mailed to students who were recommended for teaching
certification from 1999 through 2001.
Data were analyzed using
SPSS. Data transformations from interval to categorical data were
performed so percentages in the following categories for each question could be
calculated: Negative,
Undecided and Positive. The procedure to create these
categories was as follows: if a respondent
indicated a negative response to a question, e.g., in response to a question
they scored a 1 or 2, the
variable was recoded into a Negative category. Likewise if they scored a
question 4 or 5, the variable
was recoded into a Positive category. A response of 3 was recoded as
Undecided.
Results
· 340 surveys mailed, 20 were
returned as undeliverable and 95 were returned with completed surveys.
This is a 30% response rate.
· Percent of respondents within each program were as follows: 45% Early
Childhood, 17% Elementary,
8% Middle, 12% Secondary and 18% HPE.
· Percent of respondents within each degree category offered were as follows:
76% Undergraduate, 10%
Post-baccalaureate and 14% Graduate.
· Mean scores on the 18 aspects of Connecticut’s Common Core of Teaching ranged
from a low of 3.5 to a
high of 4.2. See Exhibit 2, page 10.
· Percentages for the recoded data concerning Connecticut’s Common Core of
Teaching in the POSITIVE
category ranged from a high of 91.5% to a low of 59%. See Exhibit 3, page
17.
o The areas scoring 90% or above positive were:
§ Q21B, how students learn and develop
§ Q34B, share responsibility for student achievement
§ Q38B, demonstrate a commitment to students
o The areas scoring 80% to 89% positive were:
§ Q22B, Understand how students differ
§ Q26B, Recognize need to vary instructional methods
§ Q27B, Select learning tasks to make subject meaningful
§ Q29B, Instructional opportunities support academic, social and personal
development
§ Q30B, Use of verbal and non verbal media/foster individual and collaborative
inquiry
§ Q33B, Conduct as a professional
§ Q35B, Continually engaged in self-evaluation
o The areas scoring 70% to 79%
positive were:
§ Q24B, Understand the central concepts of the discipline I teach
§ Q25B, Know how to design and deliver instruction
§ Q28B, Establish and maintain appropriate standards of behavior
§ Q31B, Employ a variety of instructional strategies
§ Q32B, Use of various assessment techniques
§ Q36B, Seek out opportunities to grow professionally
§ Q37B, Serve as a leader in the school
o The areas scoring below 70%
positive were:
§ Q23B, Proficient in reading, writing and mathematics
Conclusions and
Recommendations
This research reveals how graduates
of the ECSU teacher certification programs view the efficacy of
their professional preparation within the context of Connecticut’s Common Core
of Teaching.
For these findings to meaningfully
guide programmatic changes, it is recommended that:
1. faculty review their course
syllabi to better understand how the dimensions of the Common Core are
expressed in course content, and
2. review the data provided here to determine which elements of the Common Core
need to be more
substantively addressed in courses. While it may seem reasonable to look
to strengthen aspects of the
program that students found wanting, it may be that faculty chose to strengthen
areas of strength, as
they are deemed central and appropriate for pre-service teacher preparation.
This document may also be
downloaded from
http://www.easternct.edu/depts/edu/news/graduatesspeak02.doc
as a WORD document.
Searches
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searches pending approval -
we had request an additional faculty member in Elementary
Education.
The Jean H. Thoresen
ECSU-AAUP Scholarship
What is it?
The ECSU Chapter
of the AAUP announces a scholarship program for ECSU students who are
registered for independent projects in the 2002-2003 academic year. The Jean H.
Thoresen ECSU-AAUP Scholarship will be awarded to assist with the costs
involved in completing one or more research or creative projects and/or
presenting research at an academic conference. The ECSU-AAUP has allocated up to $800 for distribution in
support of this program.
How do I apply?
A student
applying for the ECSU-AAUP scholarship must submit a proposal of no more than
three pages that describes the project design in sufficient detail and
indicates the importance of the project. The proposal must include a detailed
budget for use of the requested funds. Students should remember that they are
applying to a general audience who, while educated, is not necessarily
conversant in all fields. There
should be a one-page resume for the author attached to the back of the proposal.
The student must
have her/his ECSU faculty research mentor write a letter of recommendation.
This letter should evaluate the importance, feasibility, and prospects for
completion of the project.
The complete
proposal and recommendation letter should be sent to:
AAUP Executive Board
ECSU-AAUP Office
Beckert Hall
The deadline for receipt of the proposal is Monday November 11, 2002
How will my proposal be judged?
Complete
proposals will be evaluated by the ECSU-AAUP Executive Board. The proposal(s) deemed
most-competitive by the Executive Board will be selected for funding. A check
written by the ECSU-AAUP treasurer will be issued promptly to the scholarship
winner(s).
What strings are attached?
Upon completion
of a funded project, a brief project report should be filed with the ECSU-AAUP
office. This report will include documentation of how the scholarship funds
were spent.
I have some other questions, who should I contact?
Please contact
Dr. Nicole Krassas, Political Science Department, 350 Webb Hall,
(860)-465-5034, krassasn@easternct.edu.
This program was established on
4/28/99 by unanimous vote at the ECSU-AAUP annual meeting. It was renamed The Jean Thoresen
ECSU-AAUP scholarship after Jean passed away in November 2000. Jean was a devoted member of the AAUP,
a tireless worker for AAUP ideals and a past chapter president.
Academic Freedom is Not Free
Teacher Quality Partnership Grant Program
The new Title II, Part A of ESEA creates
Improving Teacher Quality State Grants to strengthen teacher quality and
increase the number of highly qualified teachers and principals. In
Connecticut, the higher education component of this initiative is known as the Teacher
Quality Partnership Grant Program. It replaces the Eisenhower Professional
Development Grant Program and the Connecticut Collaborations for Teaching the
Arts and Humanities.
For 2003, the Connecticut Department of
Higher Education is authorized to award $663,199 in competitive Teacher Quality
Partnership Grants for professional development projects for teachers,
paraprofessionals and principals across 10 core academic subjects (English,
reading or language arts, mathematics, science, foreign languages, civics and
government, economics, the arts, history and geography). Preference will
be given to proposals which address at least one of several priorities, among
them projects that seek to:
·
increase teacher mastery of
subject matter, especially in mathematics, science and the essential themes
which define the American experience
·
recruit and prepare minority
teachers, and
·
improve
the leadership skills of principals.
Applicants must be partnerships consisting
of at least:
1) the division of a Connecticut public or
independent institution of higher education that prepares teachers and
principals,
2) one or more schools or departments of arts
and sciences at that institution, and
3) one or more high-need schools or school
districts in Connecticut.
Other schools, colleges, education groups
and non-profit organizations may serve as additional partners. Please note that
no single participant in an eligible partnership may use more than 50 percent
of the partnership grant award.
Project periods may vary over a period of
17 months. Multi-year activities are allowed based on available funds and
progress in meeting goals. Requested project amounts depend on the scope of the
activities proposed; there are no minimum or maximum award limits. Proposals
are due January 10, 2003 and grant awards will be announced February 7, 2003.
For more
information about this grant program, please see
http://www.ctdhe.org/RFP/default.htm
The Summer
Institute for Future Teachers grant and the Institute for Future Teachers Using
Technology grants have been refunded. David Stoloff is seeking student
assistants who would contact local school principals and teachers to plan and
implement the formation of more Future Teachers Clubs/Young Educators Societies
in our region. Please contact David Stoloff - email: stoloffd@easternct.edu, 860- 465- 5501
for further details.
Jamie Hendricks shared this link
to the Mansfield Schools employment website -
http://www.mansfieldct.org/MBOE/Employ/docs/Web%20Posting%206.02B.doc
*****
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Recently acquired media - in the Chair's Office or on the Web
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Graduate Elementary Education
Program Self-Study for NCATE visit.
Teaching Our Youngest: A
Guide for Preschool Teachers and Child-Care and Family Providers. (2002)
Early Childhood-Head Start Task Force, US Dept. of Education and US Dept. of
Health and Human Services.
America's Children: Key
National Indicators of Well-Being 2002. Federal Interagency Forum on
Child and Family Statistics.
Notes from the 2002 Creative
Advance - "Creativity Through Diversity" - Thursday, August 22, 2002,
Eastern Connecticut State University.
Evaluator's Report on the May
State On-Site Review of ECSU's Teacher Education Programs. Received May
31, 2002.
Institutional Overview and
Response to Standards, Self-examination report on Teacher Preparation
Programs at ECSU, March 2002.
Portfolio Responses for BEST
program, 2001-2002.
Precondition Report for the
Education Unit - April 2002, NCATE document
Handbooks for the Development of
Teaching Portfolios 2001-2002 - Connecticut State Department of
Education - most subjects
General Education Committee's
General Education Program Proposal
Wednesdays - A Compilation of
Short Stories written by Eastern Connecticut State University
Graduate Students
Educational Technology Resource
Documents from the Connecticut State Department of Education.
American Association of State
Colleges and Universities (AASCU) Public Policy Agenda - 2002.
The BEST Program Portfolio
Resources 2001-2002: School Year
BEST 2001-2002 Rubrics.
Faculty Handbook.
Our Reading/Language Arts room,
Webb Hall 113, has been enriched with past issues of Phi Delta Kappan, Academe,
Syllabus, Converge, Governmental Technology, Journal of Teacher Education, and
other resources. Please feel free to use and encourage your students to
use these materials.
*********
Please contact David Stoloff at (860) 465-5501, email: stoloffd@easternct.edu if you have any
questions or comments on this newsletter. Please invite others to
receive this newsletter and be added
to the Education Department e-mailing list by contacting David Stoloff.