Using Performance Data of Teachers in a Web-Based Alternative Certification Program to Predict the Impact on Student Ach

1. Using Performance Data of Teachers in a Web-Based Alternative Certification Program to Predict the Impact on Student Achievement PRESENTERS: Dr. Janet Pilcher Dr. Robin Largue FLORIDA STATEWIDE TEACHER EDUCATION CONFERENCE Ocala, Florida August 3 and 4, 2006

2. Institute for Innovative Community Learning (ICL) The Institute for Innovative Community Learning (ICL) located at the University of West Florida provides learning solutions to help people improve their professional workplace performance. ICL staff offers programs, products, and services using multiple delivery systems to help people get better at what they do at the time of need in a convenient place. REFER TO ICL EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

3. UWF Institute for Innovative Community Learning Responds • To a lingering problem in the State of Florida NEED FOR WELL PREPARED AND HIGH PERFORMING TEACHERS IN OUR SCHOOLS

4. Applying the same teacher sources from 2004-05 to the 31,791 vacancies to be filled, 8,642Vacanciesmust be addressed through NEW recruitment and retention efforts.

5. ICL Responds in Two Ways • Working with a school/university collaborative model that targets teachers hired but not certified • TeacherReady™ – web-based EPI program that targets individuals prior to teaching as well as those hired who do not have professional certification.

6. Common Features of District ACP and EPI (TeacherReady™) Alternative Certification Programs Run by UWF ICL • Curriculum aligned to Florida Educator Accomplished Practices • Both lead to Professional Certification upon completion of program and state requirements • Both allow students to transfer 6 semester hours into a Teaching and Learning online masters program at the University of West Florida

7. Online TeacherReady™ Program • September 2005 Approved to Offer EPI TeacherReady™ • To date about 80% retention rate in program (leave because of cost and lack of time to complete program); Better than average retention rates for online programs • First pilot cohort program completers (9 students in pilot group) • 5 currently have jobs (one middle school social studies, one special education, and one elementary in Escambia County; one middle language arts in Pinellas; one high school life science in Santa Rosa) • Two are interviewing for elementary positions (one in Escambia and one in Baldwin). • Two are completing culminating experiences (middle school science in Escambia and one middle school social studies in New Jersey wanting to teach in Florida)

8. Description of TeacherReady™ • Target Audience – individuals with bachelor’s degrees in various content areas who desire to teach • Examples from Student Applications (Handout 1) • Requirements to Complete Program: • Complete online instructional program • Pass three state tests • Complete a showcase portfolio that includes demonstrated performance of sample work

9. (cont.) • Curriculum – Seven Units with a number of modules for each unit that include scenarios, lessons, activities, readings, and field experiences • Aligned to Essential Teaching Performances that are Aligned to the Accomplished Practices • Offered in cohort groups for a 9 month period. Students work with one to two instructional facilitators and one mentor teacher in classroom. • Two books are required with additional web-readings for each module • Those Who Can Teach • In the Light of Their Eyes (Sonia Nieto)

10. TeacherReady™ Unit Titles • Unit 1: What do I need to know to be successful as a professional educator? • Unit 2: Who are my students? • Unit 3: How do my students learn? • Unit 4: How do I know my students learned? • Unit 5: How do I provide my students with the maximum learning situation? • Unit 6: How do I communicate with students, parents, faculty, administration, and the community? • Unit 7: What are some critical issues in education today?

11. (cont.) • Field Experiences occur wherever the student is located and include • Substitute teaching, tutoring and volunteering, interviewing and observing teachers and school personnel and attending meetings. • Culminating experience with each student teaching a class in his/her professional certification area for five consecutive days under the supervision of a qualified teacher. ICL pays the qualified teacher $500. Teachers must complete online Clinical Education Training.

12. TeacherReady™ Faculty • Required to teach • Master’s Degree • K-12 Teaching Experience • Interview • Training • Preferred • National Board Certification or some teaching expertise demonstration • Terminal degree

13. Students Enrolled • First cohort completed program in June 2006 (9 students) • Second cohort began January 2006 (14 students) • Third cohort began April 2006 (8 students). • Fourth cohort began July 2006 (18 students). • Next cohort – October 2006. USED SUCCEED GRANT TO PAY SCHOLARSHIPS FOR THIS PROGRAM AND UNDERGRADUATE SPOUSE TO TEACHERS PROGRAM (90% of grant funds used to pay scholarships)

14. Organization of Units • Unit • Learning Targets for Unit • Overview for Unit • Introduction Textbook Reading (Those Who Can Teach) • Modules within Each Unit • Learning Targets for each Module • Scenario and Threaded Discussion for each module • Lesson with Activities and Field Experiences for each module • Readings for each module with Notetaking Guide • Unit Wrap Up with Activities and Field Experiences

15. Sample Student Performance Data • Threaded Discussion of Scenario (Handout 2) • Interview and Reflections with Teacher of Color (Handout 3) • Sample Diversity Wrap Up Activity (Handout 4) • Excerpts from Notetaking Guides (Handout 5) • Short and Long term Goals (Handout 6) • FCAT Test Analysis Activity (Handout 7) • Sample Assessment Wrap-Up Activity (Handout 8) • Field Experience Reflection (Handout 9) • Culminating Field Experience Reflection (Handout 10) • Supervising Teachers Comments-Culminating FE (Handout 11)

16. Sample Student Data Evaluating Their Experience with TeacherReady™ (pilot group) • Mid-term Evaluation • List of the important things students said they learned. • See Handout 12 • Student reported strengths and weaknesses – next slides • Final Evaluation – In process of being analyzed

17. Student Reported Strengths • You have to be disciplined and self-reliant to do the program, much like teaching is • Feedback and encouragement from instructors • Reading assignments around each unit helpful • Well organized and know exactly what is expected • Instructors respond to questions promptly through email • Broad range of assignments (observations, discussions, interviews, readings, etc. ) and the feedback provided for these assignments • Program caters to the schedule of working individuals without constrictive due dates • Field experiences and readings help apply what we learn to the field

18. Strengths (cont.) • Straightforward assignments • Helpful learning outcomes and review for each unit • Interesting interviews with teachers and staff • Asked to think “out of the box” so that we could support concepts from the reading and follow recommended practices • Variety of experiences that I have learned from • Program does a good job of sharing the role of a teacher in an accurate manner • Ability to work and complete school at the same time • You actually go into the classrooms, interview teachers, etc. to let you know what really happens and what to expect as a teacher.

19. Student Reported Weaknesses • Struggle to find willing teachers to participate in interviews • Not much of a bond with other classmates • Can’t get the same reaction from other students using the internet as you can in a class with them • Like the convenience of the internet but like to go to class to learn with my professors and classmates • Having a whole book for the diversity unit made it seem long • Not allowing students that can work faster than the unit allotment to move forward • More interaction with fellow students and professors. Not enough variety in the threaded discussions to accomplish good interaction • Some variety in the notetaking guides on what we do with the readings, but I learn from the way they are now • Time commitment • Want to learn more about mechanisms to motivate students to control behavior

20. Weaknesses (cont.) • Mechanism in place to make it easier for the students to hook up with their schools • Difficult to gage how much I am synthesizing and how I will do on the certification test • Not having face time with teachers and students, although online schooling is very convenient • Have difficulty managing my time well

21. TeacherReady™ Research • For each cohort will be have trend data that includes all IPEP data. (Example: test pass rates, Employer Satisfaction Survey, Student Satisfaction Survey, etc.) • For each cohort, we will evaluate test score data for the teacher to begin to look at student performance in teachers’ classrooms over time. We will analyze by teachers who receive jobs each year (Example: TeacherReady™ completers’ first year of teaching) • Apply Sanders’ value-added model to evaluate student performance over time for TeacherReady™ students • In the future, we could compare TeacherReady™ students to other students graduating in traditional and nontraditional (alternative pathways) programs.

22. TeacherReady™ Work in Progress • Based on student work and feedback, modifications to the program have been made and are continuing to be made. • Developing a TeacherReady™ Faculty Training Program to recruit qualified faculty throughout the state and nation. • Developing our own technology learning support system to build a more student, peer, and instructor interactive learning environment. • Developing Unit 8 What teachers of special education students need to know and be able to do to be successful in the classroom? that will be a required unit for those teaching special populations and will align to ESE and gifted state competencies. • Re-purpose TeacherReady™ content for web-based inservice professional development opportunities for Florida school districts.

23. Existing Barriers Faced • Educating district and school personnel about EPI’s and TeacherReady™ as an approved EPI • Limited number of Testing dates • Few out of state testing locations • Reluctance of teachers to agree to participate in the field experiences that include interviews, observations, and working with small groups of students. (Those that have agreed have been great)

24. Unexpected Benefits • At UWF, TeacherReady program works hand in hand with the Division of Teacher Education • Complete IPEP requirements using same system • Agree to put TeacherReady™ as part of the NCATE program review process • UWF faculty are instructors of TeacherReady™ and help with content development. • Some of the TeacherReady™ graduates continue in graduate programs at UWF. • Business leaders in the community have an interest in providing support to make this a national model.

25. Questions