1.3.1. Application of Content and Pedagogical Knowledge as Reflected in Outcome Assessments.
Evidence and Analysis of Candidates’ Application of Content and Pedagogical Knowledge as Reflected in Outcome
Assessments and Implications for Continuous Improvement:
Table 1 demonstrates assessments of the application of candidates’ content knowledge as reflected in outcome assessments in the
Clinical Teacher Evaluations of Fall 2014, Spring 2015, and Fall 2015. Candidates complete the Student/Clinical Teacher Evaluations
at the end of their clinical teaching experience to demonstrate being “Very Prepared” and/or “Prepared” to student teach.
West Texas A&M University
1
1.3.1. Application of Content and Pedagogical Knowledge as Reflected in Outcome Assessments.
Table 1. Application of Content and Pedagogical Knowledge as Reflected in Outcome Assessments.
Clinical Teacher Evaluations of Candidate Performance Fall 2014, Spring 2015, and Fall 2015.
Academic Year
Application of Knowledge
Content
Fall 2014
N = 53 Candidates
(20 Respondents)
Spring 2015
N=129 Candidates
(47 Respondents)
Fall 2015
N=62 Candidates
(49 Respondents)
Content
Content
Content
Very
Prepared
Prepared
Very
Prepared
Prepared
Very
Prepared
Prepared
A. Teach the state’s
curriculum content.
50.00%
35.00%
46.80%
38.20%
28.50%
67.30%
B. Teach advanced content
that exceeds the demands of
the state’s core curriculum.
50.00%
35.00%
42.50%
36.10%
20.40%
69.30%
I. Use student performance
assessment techniques.
40.00%
40.00%
53.10%
19.10%
32.60%
61/20%
K. Integrate educational
technology into teaching.
45.00%
15.00%
36.10%
27.60%
46.90%
26.50%
Application of Knowledge
Pedagogy
Pedagogy
Pedagogy
Pedagogy
Very
Prepared
Prepared
Very
Prepared
Prepared
Very
Prepared
Prepared
C. Methodologies of
Teaching.
45.00%
35.00%
42.50%
38.20%
30.60%
55.10%
G. Implement teaching
methods that meet academic
objectives.
55.00%
25.00%
46.80%
42.50%
44.80%
51.00%
L. Implement new methods
of teaching.
45.00%
40.00%
44.60%
25.50%
34.60%
53.00%
West Texas A&M University
2
1.3.1. Application of Content and Pedagogical Knowledge as Reflected in Outcome Assessments.
Q. Student teaching
impacted student academic
success.
N/A
N/A
61.70%
27.90%
63.20%
36.70%
Evidence and Analysis of Candidates’ Application of Content and Pedagogical Knowledge as Reflected in Outcome Assessments and
Implications for Continuous Improvement (continued):
Table 2 includes the required courses by program and degree plan hours for the EPP [See 1.1.3b., 1.1.3c.]. Each course outlines the Program
Educational Outcomes (PEOs) and Ethical and Professional Dispositions required for all candidates on the course syllabi that are aligned with
standards- and research-based outcomes of CAEP, InTASC, ISTE, TCC, TES, THECB, TEKS, TCCRS, GLOs, and the Six Dimensions of
Quality Teaching and Learning [See 1.1.1., 1.1.1a., 1.1.1b., 1.1.1c., 1.1.1d., 1.1.1e. and 1.1.1f.].
Pass rates on the TExES Content Exams and the PPR Exams provide evidence that our candidates have content and pedagogical knowledge before
clinical teaching [1.1.8., 1.1.9.]. However, the EPP acknowledges that merely passing a test does not show if the candidates know how to apply
their knowledge in the classroom. Table 2 addresses this notion by presenting evidence of candidate exemplars of their successful application of
content and pedagogical knowledge that are reflected in outcome assessments of candidate work [See 1.3.1a.].
Additionally, outcome assessments are used to assess students during admission in their EDPD 3340 and EPSY 3341 classes, to observe
candidates during development in their 40 hours of required field experiences while taking Methods courses, and at completion by the University
Supervisor, Cooperating Teacher, and for self-assessment by the candidates during their clinical teaching [See 1.1.8c., 1.1.8d., 1.1.8f., 1.1.8i.,
1.1.8m., and 1.1.9c.]. After their first year of teaching, employers assess our teacher candidates on the State Title II Principal Survey [1.1.9d.].
Table 2. Required Courses and Degree Plan Hours.
Traditional
Program
Required Education Courses
BS EC-6 Generalist
ESL Track
EDEC 3384, 4342
Degree Plan Hours
120
EDEL 4371, 4372, 4381, 4344
EDEL 4371, 4372, 4381, 4344
EDPD 3340, 4378, 4340, 4388
West Texas A&M University
3
1.3.1. Application of Content and Pedagogical Knowledge as Reflected in Outcome Assessments.
EDRD-Reading
3301, 3302, 3304, 4302
EPSY 3341, 3350
Table 2. Required Courses and Degree Plan Hours.
Traditional (continued).
Program
Required Education Courses
BS EC-6 Generalist-Bilingual
Track
EDEC 2383, 3384, 4342
Degree Plan Hours
123
EDEL 4371, 4372, 4381, 4344
EDPD 3340, 4363, 4340, 4378
EDRD 3301, 3302, 3304, 4302
EPSY 3341, 3350
BS Generalist 4-8
Interdisciplinary Studies
EDEL 4371, 4372, 4381
121
EDPD 3340, 4340, 4341
EDRD 3301, 3304, 4302
EPSY 3341, 3350
BS Social Sciences Social Studies 7-12
EDPD 3340
123
EPSY 3341, 3350
EDSE 4320, 4330, 4340, 4341
EDRD 4386
Special Education EC-12
EDEC 2383, 3384
120
EDEL 4371, 4372, 4381
EDPD 4340
EDSP 4343, 4351, 4352. 4354, 4355, 4357,
4358, 4359, 4369
EPSY 3341
West Texas A&M University
4
1.3.1. Application of Content and Pedagogical Knowledge as Reflected in Outcome Assessments.
EDRD 3301 or 3302, 4302
(Continued).
Table 2. Required Courses and Degree Plan Hours (continued).
Alternate Certification
MAT/PACE Program
Master of Arts in Teaching / Panhandle Alternate Certification for Educators
EC-6 or 4-8 Generalist or Core
Subjects
6-12, 7-12, or EC-12 Content Areas
EC-12 Special
Education
EDRD 6331: Reading Skills
Instruction
EDSE 6333: Secondary Teaching Methods
EDSP 6361: Survey
of Exceptional
Learners
EDEL 6335:
Mathematics/Science Methods
EDRD 6332: Content Area Reading
EDSP 6363:
Programming for
Students with
Cognitive Disabilities
EDEL 6334: Language
Arts/Social Studies Methods
EPSY 6350: Exceptional Children in the
Mainstream of Society
EDSP 6365:
Understanding
Students with LD/ED
EC-6 or 4-8 Generalist or Core
Subjects
6-12, 7-12, or EC-12 Content Areas
EC-12 Special
Education
EDPD 6332: Theories and
Practice in Classroom
Management
EDPD 6332: Theories and Practice in
Classroom Management
EDSP 6367:
Advanced Curriculum
Adaptation
Techniques
EDPD 6331: Foundations and Psychological Principles of Education (prerequisite: pass content exam)
EDEC 6384: Curriculum and the
Young Child (Early Childhood
West Texas A&M University
EDT 6300: Educational Technology
EDRD 5386: Content
5
1.3.1. Application of Content and Pedagogical Knowledge as Reflected in Outcome Assessments.
Candidates)
Area Reading or
EDRD 5386: Content Area
Reading (4-8 Candidates)
EDRD 6331: Reading
Skills Instruction
EDPD 6331: Foundations and Psychological Principles of Education (prerequisite: pass content exam)
EDEC 6384: Curriculum and the
Young Child (Early Childhood
Candidates)
EDRD 5386: Content Area
Reading (4-8 Candidates)
EDT 6300: Educational Technology
EDRD 5386: Content
Area Reading or
EDRD 6331: Reading
Skills Instruction
Table 3 includes candidate exemplars from a representative sample of Methods courses that demonstrate the ability of candidates to
apply the content and pedagogical knowledge they have learned through their preparation as reflected in the learning outcome
assessment of written reflections of their experiences in observing teachers in action in real classrooms. The excerpts indicate that our
candidates benefit greatly from these observational experiences and help them to become more confident, skilled, and reflective in
their own professional practice.
Table 3. Candidate Exemplars Showing Application of Content and Pedagogical Knowledge. (Formative Evaluation).
1. Candidate Exemplar “Teaching Education Program Reflection Essay” (Excerpt).
Before beginning my semester of student teaching, it is important to reflect on the practices I have learned and the methods I have
observed to help further my future students education. In this reflection, I will address a few important examples of what I have learned from my
time at West Texas A&M University and how those example [sic] relate to my student observations. Last, I will address the goals I will pursue and
achieve during my teaching career.
Critical, Creative Curriculum Planning
During the time I spend in my special education courses, I learned how important pacing is for students, especially for students with
special needs. Pacing is the speed or rate in which a teacher moves through different parts of a lesson. A great way to set the pace and keep the
lesson moving is to change activities while still working toward the main objective. For example, if a teacher is teaching a math lesson about
addition, they would have their students perform many activities centralized around addition. Students could use unit, long, and flat manipulatives
West Texas A&M University
6
1.3.1. Application of Content and Pedagogical Knowledge as Reflected in Outcome Assessments.
for a set amount of time, a number line for a set amount of time, and picture cards for a set amount of time. This type of pacing will help the
teachers to keep the students attention for a longer duration without changing objectives.
My cooperating teacher does this in her resource room daily. Every 20 minutes students will switch small groups. While she does not
move through one single lesson plan, she does move through a daily plan in the same manner. The students have a writing group for 20 minutes, a
reading group for 20 minutes, and a math group for 20 minutes. If I were to teach a resource room in the future, I would structure my daily plans
the same way. Pacing the daily plan this way allows time for the students to be thoroughly engaged without getting frustrated or fatigued.
(EDEL 4372 English Language Arts/Social Studies Methods, Fall 2015. The complete essay is located at 1.3.1a.).
2. Candidate Exemplar “Methods Observation Reflection” (Excerpt).
Observing and participating in a fifth grade math class over the last several months has helped me to learn a lot about the profession that I
have chosen to enter in to. It has provided me with the opportunity to be more confident in my ability to teach and has given me some useful
insights into how to be a better teacher. I was able to work with small groups, and teach to the whole class, as well as discuss and observe
differentiated instruction and classroom management.
From the very beginning I was able to observe and assist in small group instruction. My cooperating teacher (I will call Mrs. T) has her
students work primarily in small groups. These groups are fluid and carefully selected. Mrs. T. stated that she tries to group students with a
mixture of abilities so that they can teach each other and learn from each other. It was interesting for me to watch a student explain a concept to
another student. With just subtle differences in the wording and the way they would explain, suddenly the student understood what to do or how to
complete the problems.
When assisting the small groups I initially thought it was difficult to guide the students to getting the correct answer without flat out telling
them the answer or how to complete the problem. It took a great deal of watching Mrs. T and how she responded to questions before I felt more
confident in my ability to lead students in finding the answers on their own. I also learned quickly which students would rather continuously ask
questions and be slowly led to answer rather than have to think through the problems on their own. Many of these students if you simply reworded their question and asked it back to them, were then able to answer it on their own.
My experience teaching a lesson to whole class was very insightful. Mrs. T gave me a TEKS and gave me free rein to teach it how I saw
fit. I was a little nervous when planning the lesson because I didn’t want to let Mrs. T down but the experience of actually teaching the lesson was
overall a really great one. This was my first opportunity to teach a lesson to a real class of students. I had expected to feel many of the same nerves
that I normally feel when I teach a lesson to my peers. I was pleasantly surprised that once I got in front of the students I was calm and relaxed. I
had already spent a great deal of time at the school so the students knew me fairly well at this point. I think that their excitement at the idea of me
teaching the day’s lesson was encouraging and helped me to not feel nervous.
(EDEL 4371 Mathematics Methods, Fall 2015. The complete essay is located at 1.3.1a.).
West Texas A&M University
7
1.3.1. Application of Content and Pedagogical Knowledge as Reflected in Outcome Assessments.
3. Candidate Exemplar “Secondary Education Methods Field Experience Written Reflection” (Excerpt).
In order to log my field experience hours, or observation hours, I was placed at Canyon Junior High School in the Canyon Independent
School District in order to observe Mr. M, an eighth grade United States History teacher, seventh and eighth grade football coach, and seventh and
eighth grade physical education instructor. I was very fortunate to be placed with him, as he is an excellent teacher and coach. However, due to
scheduling issues involving my class schedule and the fact that he was only in the classroom four periods out of eight every day, I requested to
observe a second history teacher at the same campus. I obtained permission from both teachers and the Canyon Junior High School principal, Mr.
K, who in turn requested permission from Mr. Buddy Fox. Permission was granted, and I began to observe Mr. Ragland, the second teacher, when
Coach M was not in the classroom. Due to the fracturing of my time between the two classrooms, I will note discrepancies as to where I observed
particular behaviors and items from the checklist.
Coach M’s classes, to me, were rather small (however, I went to junior high and high school in Snyder, Texas and Midland, Texas, both
placed affected by oil booms). Due to this, I was able to witness far more interaction between the student and Coach M, as individuals in a
teacher/student relationship, than I did while I was in junior high and high school. I was able to interact with small groups of students, as well as
entire classes, by supplementing the lectures with interesting facts or clarifications of historical events as Coach M requested. I also answered
students’ questions as they took tests and quizzes and worked on individual practice. I taught three of Coach M’s classes the importance of judicial
review in our government, which covered between fifteen and twenty minutes, depending on in lesson retention. I was able to discuss with him
and with Mr. R how they utilized differentiated instruction, primarily to different classrooms. They were able to use different examples and
avenues between different class periods that I began to notice from day to day.
I was able to observe, in both classrooms, classroom management techniques. Coach M was having difficulties with his classes interacting
with each other and completing assignments, and so he rearranged the room so that they faced each other. This led, in a matter of a day or two, to
increased discussion about historical and political, as well as current, events. Additionally, he was able to see more of what the students were
actually doing, instead of looking at them head-on, which allowed him to start eliminating unsuitable behaviors like wasting time, drawing, and
going to the wrong websites on their Chromebooks (which I will discuss later on). In Mr. R’s class, I was able to observe him not only maintain
classroom management, but reestablish it after being gone due to illness.
(EDSE 4320 Teaching in the Secondary Schools I, Fall 2015. The complete essay is located at 1.3.1a.).
4. Candidate Exemplar “Teacher Education Program Reflection Essay” (Excerpt).
In regards to my methods semester coming to an end, I am adequately and cognitively preparing myself for student teaching by connecting
what I have previously learned through WTAMU and my methods observations. Throughout my reflection, I have given pertinent examples of
lesson plans, adaptations and modifications, TEKS and objectives, hands-on manipulatives and how reading and writing integrates throughout
other content areas. In conclusion, I have stated my strengths, weaknesses, and goals I also plan to implement and conquer throughout my teaching
profession.
West Texas A&M University
8
1.3.1. Application of Content and Pedagogical Knowledge as Reflected in Outcome Assessments.
Critical, Creative Curriculum Planning
Throughout my methods courses at WTAMU, I was introduced to various lesson plan formats to help aid my professional development
and meet all students’ needs in the classroom. Although I have had abundant practice with formatting lesson plans, I discovered adaptations and
modifications being essential to helping develop positive student learning and engagement on a daily basis. For example, the Madeline Hunter
requires: an introduction, anticipatory set, objectives, input, model, check for understanding, and guided and independent practice. Throughout the
required steps, you have the option of integrating adaptations and modifications for struggling learners. Many struggling learners cannot learn due
to a disability or the lack of differentiated instruction throughout the curriculum. It is essential for teachers to understand not all students learn the
same way or at the same pace. The Madeline Hunter Lesson plan format, like the 5E Model, focuses on student engagement and acquiring new
skills and knowledge for all learners in the classroom. The lesson plan formats relate to all TEKS and objectives being directed towards a positive
learning outcome and environment for all students. These concepts are essential in lesson planning due to student expectations, standards,
differentiated instruction, and integrating core concepts.
(EDEL 4372 English Language Arts/Social Studies Methods, Fall 2015. The complete essay is located at 1.3.1a.).
Multiple Evidence Sources:
• • • • • • • • • • • • • 1.3.1a. Candidate Exemplars of Application of Content and Pedagogical Knowledge as Reflected in Outcome Assessments.
1.3.2. Student/Clinical Teacher Evaluations, Fall 2014, Spring 2015, and Fall 2015.
[See 1.1.1. Program Educational Outcomes (PEOs) and Ethical and Professional Dispositions].
[See 1.1.1a. Council of Accreditation for Educator Preparation (CAEP). [See www.caepnet.org].
[See 1.1.1b. InTASC Model Core Teaching Standards and Learning Progressions for Teachers 1.0].
[See 1.1.1c. International Society for Technology Education [See http://www.iste.org/standards/iste-standards/standards-forteachers].
[See 1.1.1d. Texas Core Curriculum (TCC). [See www.thecb.state.tx.us/core_curriculum/].
[See 1.1.1e. Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB). [See www.thecb.state.tx.us/].
[See 1.1.1f. West Texas A&M University Learning Assessment Plan/General Learning Outcomes (GLOs). [See
https://www.aacu.org/leap/].
[See 1.1.3b. Degree Plan Checklists].
[See 1.1.3c. Course Syllabi 2013-2015].
[See 1.1.8. Content Knowledge for Candidates].
[See 1.1.8c. PDAS Appraisal Form].
West Texas A&M University
9
1.3.1. Application of Content and Pedagogical Knowledge as Reflected in Outcome Assessments.
• • • • • • • [See 1.1.8d. PDAS Content Data].
[See 1.1.8f. Principal Survey (Content)].
[See 1.1.8i. Observation Reflections in Methods].
[See 1.1.8m. West Texas A&M Methods Field Experience Student/Clinical Teacher Summative Evaluation].
[See 1.1.9. Pedagogical Knowledge for Candidates].
[See 1.1.9c. Summary Clinical Teaching Data on Pedagogy 2013-2015].
[See 1.1.9d. Follow Up Employer State Title II Principal Survey].
West Texas A&M University
10