• EHHP Home Page
• Faculty and Staff Directory
• Departments

Design, Implementation, and Evaluation of Curriculum and Experiences

Our commitment to diversity is threaded through the conceptual framework and guides course content, field placements, clinical practice, candidate assessment, and capstone experiences. A commitment to learning for ALL students is an important strand in each of the Elements of Teacher Competency (ETC). In order to understand and value the learner (ETC 1), candidates must recognize, value and build upon the myriad differences that characterize P-12 students. In order to know what and how to teach and assess and how to create an environment in which learning occurs (ETC 2), candidates must be able to identify and use materials that present multiple perspectives and offer students insights into different cultures and ways of life; they must seek out and use multiple teaching and assessment strategies, and establish an equitable and inclusive learning environment that encourages and fosters expression of multiple perspectives and ideas. In order to understand themselves as professionals (ETC 3), candidates must embody all of the beliefs and values that are reflected in the dispositions identified by the School of Education. For initial candidates this involves believing that all students can learn, respecting individual differences, and being sensitive to community and cultural contexts. For advanced candidates, this involves advocating for all students and helping to create environments in schools and communities where diverse voices are heard and respected.

The unit designs, implements, and evaluates curriculum, and experiences for initial and advanced candidates to acquire, enhance, and apply the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to help all students learn. Our slogan, Making the Teaching and Learning Connection, reflects our commitment to preparing candidates to support learning for ALL students. It frames the conceptual understanding of how knowledge, skills, and dispositions related to diversity are integrated in our conceptual framework, impacting on initial and advanced programs’ curriculum, field experiences, and assessments. Table 4.1 describes specific knowledge, skills, and dispositions related to diversity that we expect all candidates to develop and/or enhance. Initial candidates develop these at a competent level by the end of their program; advanced candidates build on their knowledge and experience to develop proficiencies that help them become advocates for all children.

Table 4.1
Knowledge, Skills, and Dispositions Related to Diversity

Candidates in initial and advanced programs develop an awareness of the importance of diversity in teaching and learning through lectures, discussion, activities, and assignments in courses and field experiences. In initial program courses, we expect that candidates enter programs with some awareness of diversity gained through their experience and in general education courses (especially through required courses in anthropology, sociology or psychology, and foreign languages), but to have limited understanding of how diversity is manifested in the classroom. Through professional courses, this awareness develops as well as the ability to apply knowledge of diversity to successfully teach all students. Our expectation in advanced programs is that candidates enter programs with experience and knowledge of diversity in the classroom, but they need to develop more sophisticated awareness of how diversity impacts classrooms, schools, and the community. The attached Developing Awareness of Diversity provides examples of opportunities candidates have to develop and enhance their awareness of diversity in classrooms, schools, and the community.

Additional courses and experiences provide an opportunity for initial candidates to develop and advanced candidates to enhance the knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to adapt instruction and services to diverse students. The attached Adapting to Diversity describes how candidates use their knowledge, skills, and dispositions to address diversity in what and how they teach and assess and how the establish an environment in which learning occurs.

Through coursework, field experiences, and clinical practice, candidates in initial programs have multiple opportunities to demonstrate that they have developed the knowledge, skills and dispositions necessary to help all students learn. In program reports submitted to professional organizations, each program has already demonstrated candidates’ ability to work with diverse learners, but we also track candidate performance in relation to diversity at the unit level. This is done through electronic portfolios that were initiated in fall 2003. Candidates entering the program that semester are the first to be introduced to this system, although some programs have been using other types of portfolios prior to the decision to use electronic portfolios. Portfolios are evaluated at the unit level at UAP 2 (prior to clinical practice) and UAP 3 (at completion of clinical practice) and most programs evaluate them every semester. Using the Unit Portfolio Assessment programs ensure that candidates’ portfolios meet program standards and are consistent with the conceptual framework. In addition, the template used to build a portfolio mirrors the conceptual framework’s Elements of Teacher Competency. Since each of the Elements of Teacher Competency have strands related to diversity, the aggregate scores for each Element are listed in Table 4.2 below.

Table 4.2
Candidate Portfolio Evidence Related to Diversity*

* Portfolios are rated on a 4 point scale. 3 = exceeds standard, 2 = meets standard, 1 = below standard, 0 = unacceptable.
** The number of entries at UAP2 is small because the largest programs (early childhood and elementary) waited to initiate portfolios at UAP2 until the first cohort of candidates entered the revised programs (see Table 1). The special education and physical education programs pilot tested using portfolios to collect and reflect upon evidence. All other programs began using portfolios in 2003-2004.

It is clear from analysis of candidate performance in clinical practice that they plan for diverse learners, can adjust teaching to needs of students, and are competent in planning for, assessing, and using assessment data. As Table 4.3 illustrates, candidates assess student learning through formal and informal assessments. They plan and use authentic assessments; they construct tests that are reasonable in difficulty and length, and they are skilled at observation and questioning.

Table 4.3
Candidate Performance on ADEPT Related to Assessment of Student Learning*

* Data derived from EDA-SYS system. See ADEPT Performance Dimension Analysis

Employer surveys and graduate surveys completed by alumni graduating between 1998 and 2002 and their employers (see Feedback from Candidates, Graduates, and Employers) provide follow-up data on candidates’ ability to help all students learn. The survey was designed to obtain information on graduate performance in relation to the three Elements of Teacher Competency using wording similar to that in the ADEPT PDs. Both surveys used a rating scale of competent (5), developing competent (3), needs improvement (1), or never demonstrates (0). Table 4.4 provides evidence that both employers and graduates believe that College of Charleston graduates have the characteristics necessary to have a positive effect on student learning.

Table 4.4
Employer and Graduate Survey: Student Learning for Teacher Candidates

The above describes the skills and knowledge candidates develop that help them have a positive effect on all students’ learning. Dispositions are also critical to ensuring that candidates meet the needs of every student in their classroom. Several of the dispositions assessed as candidates develop are critical to helping all students learn. These dispositions are assessed as candidates progress through the program and by candidates and employers 2-5 years after completion of programs. Table 4.5 summarizes mean scores on assessments of dispositions that relate to student learning for all students and illustrates that scores are consistently high and improve over time.

Table 4.5
Dispositions Related to Diversity: 2003-2004

* Includes assessments from EDFS 201 instructor, person knowledgeable of candidates’ work with children/youth, and an arts/sciences faculty member
** Includes assessments from supervising higher education and school faculty members
*** Includes candidates graduating between 1998 and 2002.

In designing and revising M.Ed. programs we determined that advanced candidates demonstrate evidence that they are competent teachers, as demonstrated by holding a teaching certificate in the program area7. The Elementary M.Ed. and Early Childhood M.Ed. programs require evidence of at least one year of teaching prior to admission to the program so that candidates can draw on actual teaching experience in their advanced courses. Table 4.6 illustrates how each of the M.Ed. programs assesses candidates’ enhanced ability to teach and advocate for diverse students.

Table 4.6
Advanced Program Assessment of Candidates’ Ability to Teach and Advocate for Diverse Students

back to top

Experiences Working with Diverse Faculty

Candidates have an opportunity to interact with a diverse college faculty and with teachers from a wide range of backgrounds. As illustrated in Table 4.7, the School of Education faculty teaching in both initial and advanced programs is diverse and includes members with exceptionalities. To gain a more complete understanding of faculty diversity, the School of Education surveyed faculty on their diversity; 43 faculty members (including three members of PEHD who are not in the teacher education program) completed the survey at a faculty meeting on May 14, 2004.

Table 4.7
Self Reported Data School of Education Higher Education Faculty Diversity Study

Table 4.8 below provides quantitative date drawn from the recent AACTE report documenting trend data for unit faculty who teach education candidates. In fall 2003, there were 87 full-time and part-time higher education faculty members in the unit. Ten (11.49%) were minorities: eight African-American, one Asian/Pacific Islander, and one Hispanic. Data on the diversity of school faculty who work with College of Charleston candidates are not available, but of the 6,322 teachers in Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester Two school districts, 16% are male, and 84% are female; 83% are White, 16% African American, and 1% are other minorities. This is consistent with a report from the South Carolina State Department of Education reports that found in 2001-2002, 17% of teachers were male; 81.5% were female, and 1.5% provided no report. Of these teachers, 16.6% were African American; 10.0% reported being other minority; 76.1% reported being White, and 6.4% gave no response.

Table 4.8
Diverse Groups Represented by the College of Charleston, School of Education and School Faculty: 2003

* Includes PEHD faculty who teach outside the teacher education program.

School of Education faculty members remain actively involved in public schools in the Charleston area. Given that most of these schools are highly diverse, experience working with diverse P-12 students is extensive. Additionally, most faculty members came to the College of Charleston with experience teaching diverse students. Faculty responses to the request to describe how their diversity contributes to candidates being prepared to teach all P-12 students is summarized in Faculty Diversity Self-Report and focuses largely on how teaching in diverse settings affected them and their teaching.

President Lee Higdon in November of 2003 established the College of Charleston Diversity Council as a focal point for discussion of diversity issues. The College Diversity Council is charged with developing a plan that will address issues in both the Fourth Century Initiative and Strategic Plan that will effectively communicate the educational significance associated with preparing candidates for a diverse society and increasing faculty and student diversity. The Faculty Senate supports the Administration’s strong commitment to faculty diversity is evidenced in its November 2003 endorsement of a resolution concerning the importance of faculty diversity and hiring.

The School of Education frames its goal of increasing faculty diversity in several ways. Our faculty’s diversity should reflect the surrounding community, specifically Charleston and its surrounding region. While diversity in South Carolina is generally equated to African-Americans, both the College and the School of Education view diversity more broadly (in keeping with NCATE’s definition of diversity). School of Education priorities identified in recruiting and hiring candidates for faculty positions are foremost, that the candidate is highly qualified and brings gender and ethnic diversity.

Within the School of Education, the following ongoing efforts have improved the diversity and retention of our faculty.

• The Faculty Recruitment and Retention Committee SOE Policies and Procedures Manual is a standing committee and consists of the Dean, department chairs, the College’s Director of Human Resources and Minority Affairs, and departmental representatives who are typically chairs of active searches.
• Restructured in 1999, the Faculty Recruitment and Retention Committee (SOE Faculty Recruitment and Retention Plan) has developed a course of action that employs several strategies specifically aimed at continuing to diversify our faculty. The first strategy is active recruitment. This strategy supplements traditional approaches in identifying faculty candidates, involves all School of Education faculty in recruitment, connects School of Education efforts to diversify with campus-wide efforts, and, as a standing committee, sets objectives for diversity efforts and monitors progress annually.
• As a Recruitment Team, the committee has specified tasks to employ this active recruitment, e.g., project faculty needs for a three- year period; establish measurable goals, both long- and short-term for desired faculty diversity; track and evaluate work of search committees; and develop plans for involvement of all faculty in recruitment.
• Related to recruitment and retention are salary issues. A salary study conducted by a School of Education ad hoc committee in 2000-01 and a College of Charleston committee’s study (see Faculty Compensation Study) provide recommendations to the president which are in the process of implementation and will strengthen our ability to recruit and retain highly qualified, diverse candidates.

Results of these efforts include implementation of 1) networking and 2) use of targets of opportunity.

Networking. The School of Education has accessed Holmes Scholar alumnae through faculty member Dr. Angela Cozart. We have connected with Ph.D. Programs with significant numbers of minority students. Professional relations with minority faculty and administrators in the area have provided networks. Recruiting resources are being compiled. Identification of publications used to recruit minority candidates and ongoing development of lists to advertise positions that will enable diverse recruitment is underway.

Target of opportunity slots. The use of open-ended recruitment procedures in conjunction with careful projections of future needs has allowed the School of Education to bring in diverse candidates who qualify for a position that is not yet open or for a position that can be created through flexible use of talents and expertise. An example of this strategy is the joint search of the History Department and the Foundations, Secondary, and Specializations in Education Departments for a faculty member who will teach in history and secondary education.

back to top

Experiences Working with Diverse Candidates

As part of its mission statement, The College of Charleston has made the commitment to enroll a broadly diverse student body. This commitment requires the college to fund several agencies on and off campus, specifically dedicated to increasing student diversity and exposing students to diverse cultures. Included among these are the Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture, the Office of Intercultural Programs at the College, and the Office of International Education and Programs. These agencies offer a variety of campus-wide programs and services designed to enhance and support all facets of student life and academic success. SPECTRA, designed to assist incoming minority students make a smooth transition from high school to college, is one especially effective program. SPECTRA participants enroll in two summer school courses which, upon successful completion, will apply toward their baccalaureate degree. In addition to the academic benefits, SPECTRA sponsors socially and culturally enriching activities. An integral component of their mission includes campus education and programming for the celebration of diversity. The Upward Bound Program is another successful program sponsored by the College of Charleston. Established in 1975, it is a college preparatory program designed to generate in its participants the skills and motivation necessary for success in education beyond high school. The Upward Bound Program provides special academic and cultural opportunities for a limited number of high school sophomores, juniors and seniors who have expressed an interest in pursuing a post-secondary education and who have demonstrated the potential to succeed in post-secondary education.

In addition, student organizations celebrating diversity are also supported at the College of Charleston. These organizations include the Asian American Student Union, the Black Student Union, the Atheist and Humanists Alliance, the International Club, Lambda, the Student Union for Minority Affairs, Russian Studies, and the Women’s Forum.

The College also supports and maintains several majors and minors that encourage students to examine diverse cultural groups. Among these are areas of study that include African Studies, African American Studies, Jewish Studies, and Latin American and Caribbean Studies. The College also maintains the Center for Disability Services to assist individuals who have disabilities, in accordance with both the Americans with Disabilities Act, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and to inform the student body about issues related to disabilities.

As Tables 4.9 and 4.10 illustrate, efforts to increase student diversity have been highly successful. The African American population for the College of Charleston increased slightly (from 8 to 9% of the total population) while it increased from 7 to 14% within the School of Education. This increase is strong support for the recruitment efforts undertaken by the School of Education in the last ten years. The School of Education candidate population is becoming more representative of the region (35.4% African American in Charleston County) and the state (29.6% African American) (see American Community Survey Profile 2002).

Table 4.9
Ethnic Composition of College of Charleston Student Population 1993 - 2003

Table 4.10
Ethnic Composition of School of Education Candidate Population 1993 - 2003

The School of Education actively recruits and maintains candidates of widely diverse backgrounds. We affirm and embrace diversity, and our commitment to this concept through preparing initial and advanced candidates who experience and work with students from widely diverse backgrounds, including differences in race, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation and various exceptionalities. These efforts include recruitment activities designed to attract high school students. Two such programs that encourage diversity on campus are the Teacher Cadet Program, and the Teaching Fellows Program. Our academic programs have specifically been designed to enhance and support each candidate’s academic and extra-curricular accomplishments, while emphasizing a celebration of our cultural diversity.

The School of Education instituted a Committee on Diversity in 1998 that has remained active in College of Charleston and School of Education efforts to recruit and retain diverse candidates. In keeping with federal mandates, scholarships have not been specifically earmarked for minority candidates. However, both the State of South Carolina Commission on Higher Education and the College of Charleston strongly encourage people of diverse backgrounds to apply for scholarships. Additionally, the School of Education employs a graduate student assistant whose sole responsibility is to recruit minority students for our various programs. This student is currently working with the college’s recruitment and marketing department planning innovative strategies for the recruitment of minority graduate students.

back to top

Experiences Working with Diverse Students in P–12 Schools

Candidates in initial programs engage in a series of field experiences culminating in a semester of clinical practice. The field experiences are developmental, providing candidates a series of field experiences that build upon previous field experiences prior to clinical practice. By completing a series of field experiences and clinical practice, candidates experience a diversity of placements – primarily middle class suburban, low income urban and/or rural, and settings with mixed populations. In these settings candidates work with populations of diverse students and with students with exceptionalities. Initial candidates are placed in schools in three school districts. Advanced candidates are typically working in schools in the tri-county area or are placed in field experiences in schools serving diverse populations and in classrooms with exceptional students. All these settings have mainstreamed or inclusion experiences with children with mild disabilities. Table 4.11 provides basic demographic information on the diversity in the districts.

Table 4.11
Demographics of Field Experience and Clinical Practice Placement Sites*

* Sources: Berkeley County School District; Charleston County School District; Dorchester School District Two.

back to top

back to the report