College of Education Eastern Kentucky University

1. THE SECOND ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM ON EDUCATOR DISPOSITIONS College of Education Eastern Kentucky University

2. DESIGNING AND INPLEMENTING YOUR DISPOSITIONS PLAN M. Mark Wasicsko Dean, College of Education Eastern Kentucky University

3. INPLEMENTING YOUR DISPOSITIONS PLAN • Why have a dispositions plan? • What do you mean by “dispositions?” • Blueprint for implementing the plan.

4. WHY Why have a dispositions plan?

5. A Challenge • Within the next decade over 2.4 million new teachers will be needed in the nation’s schools. • The recruitment, selection and preparation of these new educators offer monumental challenges and also the greatest opportunity for improving the quality of education received by our nation’s youth.

6. And A DILEMMA When polled, most teacher educators will admit that they recognized the “dispositional mismatch” of some students very early but did not have the tools to adequately counsel them out of the program or deny them admission.

7. Responsibility Teacher educators have an ethical responsibility to encourage and admit candidates who have the dispositions that will foster growth and learning in students and not to admit those who cannot demonstrate that they possess the needed dispositions.

8. Not an Inalienable Right Allowing people to invest years and significant resources preparing for a career for which they discover they are ill suited is a tragedy eclipsed only by the possibility of them entering the profession and negatively impacting kids over the course of a 25 year career.

9. Passing the Test Ideally, people considering a career in education should be provided with an opportunity to make self-assessments about their “dispositional fit” followed by mentoring and guided reflections with education advisors culminating with the requirement that the students provide evidence of meeting the required dispositions prior to formal admission to the program.

10. Legally Defensible To address the ethical and legal concerns teacher educators must have a research-based rationale for the dispositions-related outcomes of candidates and graduates as well as a methodology by which to assess these outcomes. 

11. NCATE 2000 Standards • “The candidate performance standards focus on learning outcomes. They require units to use evidence to demonstrate that teacher candidates are gaining the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to have a positive impact on P-12 student learning. The standards elevate the role of assessment in program improvement and promote increased accountability for teacher candidate learning.”

12. WHAT? Defining Dispositions

13. Dispositions: Just What Are We Talking About? • BEHAVIORS – Writes and speaks standard English, punctual, smiles, neat & orderly appearance… • CHARACTERISTICS – tolerant of differences, open-minded, patient, enthusiastic, critical thinker… • PERCEPTIONS – Identified, See others as Able, Larger Frame of Reference, People oriented.

14. Building a Theoretical Construct for Dispositions Behaviors Characteristics Perceptual Orientation

15. Implementing Dispositions Plan • Clearly articulated Conceptual Framework • A research-based theoretical foundation • A valid and reliable measurement strategy • Clearly delineated procedures • A reasonable implementation schedule with adequate notice

16. Implementing Dispositions Plan • Clearly articulated Conceptual Framework

17. EKU Conceptual Framework:The Effective Educator as Effective Person

18. Implementing Dispositions Plan • Clearly articulated Conceptual Framework • A research-based theoretical foundation

19. Pioneering Work of Arthur W. Combs • Combs and others investigated the dispositions (he called them “perceptions”) of effective helping professionals. • Pioneered the use of high-inference research tools for making accurate assessments of dispositions. • Numerous studies support the view that effective educators have dispositions about themselves, students, and the task of teaching that can distinguish them from ineffective educators.

20. Perceptual Theory of Arthur W. Combs • Behavior is the “symptom” of perceptions • People behave according to how they perceive • Perceptions are cumulative and change slowly • Self-as-Instrument

21. Florida Studies in the Helping Professions • Factor analyzed characteristics of effective helping professionals into four perceptual areas with 12 rubrics. • Found significant differences between perceptions of effective and ineffective professionals. • Effectiveness was determined by evaluation of teachers by pupils, by peers, by administrators, teachers who won national honors for their outstanding teaching, and even by student product outcomes (test scores on achievement tests).

23. Implementing Dispositions Plan • Clearly articulated Conceptual Framework • A research-based theoretical foundation • A valid and reliable measurement strategy

24. Necessary Dispositions Combs (1975) includes the following as necessary for effective teaching: 1. perceptions of self as able, positive, and identified with diverse groups; 2. perceptions of others as able, dependable, and worthy; 3. perceptions of the purpose of education as freeing, self revealing, and larger; and 4. a frame of reference that is people oriented, open, and focusing on personal meaning.

26. Perceptual Rating Rubrics • 4 of 12 perceptual rubrics were chosen based on ease of learning. • Training may be obtained through self-instruction (see website on last slide). • Your rating skill can be assessed through a posttest (also on website). • Reaching proficiency takes anywhere from 10 to 100 hours of training and practice.

27. Implementing Dispositions Plans • Clearly articulated Conceptual Framework • A research-based theoretical foundation • A valid and reliable measurement strategy • Clearly delineated procedures

28. The EKU Dispositions ModelStudent Admissions Strategy • Step I – Self-Assessment and Self-Selection • Step II – Mentoring and Counseling • Step III – Admitted/Deferred

29. Step I – Self-Assessment and Self-Selection • EDF 103/310 – Introduction to Education • Large One-hour Lecture Course (150 students) • Four Dispositions Assignments • School observations and reflections • Technologically Enhanced (all assignments are submitted electronically) • Major Goal – Dispositional Self-assessment

30. Step I – Self-Assessment and Self-Selection – EDF 103 Assignments • Assignment #1 - Human Relations Incident • Assignment #2 - My Favorite Teacher Essay • Assignment #3 - Effective Educators’ Dispositions • Assignment #4 - Reflecting on Personal Dispositions • Observations at each major level and Special Ed. • Final Exam

31. Step II – Mentoring and Counseling • EDF 203 School and Society • Small class size (25 max) • Dispositions Reflections Assignments • Mentoring/tutoring Assignment • Recommendation for admission to teacher education program

32. Step III – Admitted/Deferred • Admitted to Teacher Education – candidate has demonstrated that she/he has the dispositions necessary by having three recommendations from faculty trained on dispositions rubrics or through an interview with admissions panel. • Deferred – candidate has not demonstrated that she/he possesses the necessary dispositions.

33. Using Perceptual Rubrics • Human Relations Incident (HRI) • In-class Assignments • Classroom Observation • Interview • Self-Assessment

34. Implementing Dispositions • Clearly articulated Conceptual Framework • A research-based theoretical foundation • A valid and reliable measurement strategy • Clearly delineated procedures • A reasonable implementation schedule with adequate notice

35. The National Network for the Study of Educator Dispositions • Exploring one of the most pressing current problems in the preparation of future educators- • defining and measuring the dispositions associated with educator effectiveness and • integrating them into the recruitment, admissions and training programs for future educators. • Join the National Network for the Study of Educator Dispositions (NNSED) 

36. THE EFFECTIVE TEACHER AS AN EFFECTIVE PERSONIDENTIFYING, DEVELOPING, AND NURTURING THEDISPOSITIONS TO TEACH Carl D. Perkins Conference CenterEastern Kentucky University

37. Very Good Resources • Information about Dispositions, training materials, Symposium information and more http://www.education.eku.edu/Dean/nnsed.htm • Information about Dr. Arthur Combs, The Florida Studies and small grants for graduate student research http://www.fieldpsychtrust.org/florida_studies.pdf