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Standard 5: Faculty Qualifications, Performance, and Development Faculty are qualified and model best professional practices in scholarship, service, and teaching, including the assessment of their own effectiveness as related to candidate performance; they also collaborate with colleagues in the disciplines and schools. The unit systematically evaluates faculty performance and facilitates professional development. |
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All of the full-time, tenure-track faculty members in the School of Education have earned doctorates and/or exceptional expertise in the areas they teach and supervise. The only full-time higher education faculty member in the School of Education without a terminal degree in his/her field of teaching is a senior instructor with a master’s degree (Table 5.1). All full time faculty members in EDEE and EDFS have received teacher certification and, although not required, some have maintained their certification in their content area or program area. Eight members of PEHD teach in the teacher education programs and four have received teacher certification. Table 5.1
The School of Education faculty members integrate their diverse and well-grounded backgrounds in P-12 education into their teaching. Table 5.2 below shows a solid background of experience teaching in public schools settings. As reported in Standard 4 (see Faculty Diversity Self Report), faculty report considerable experience teaching in diverse settings. Faculty members hold or have held teaching certifications from 20 different states and three countries. Their varied backgrounds add depth, as well as breadth to the teacher education program and the educational opportunities available to the candidates at the College of Charleston. Table 5.2
All graduate courses (M.A.T. and M.Ed.) are taught by faculty with terminal degrees. As Table 5.3 illustrates, most faculty teach a combination of initial and advanced courses. Table 5.3
All faculty members maintain currency in their fields and are involved in a variety of ways in P-12 schools. Some faculty members have continued to take graduate classes to maintain active certification. All faculty members actively use time in the field to enhance links between theory and practice. Faculty in all departments stay current in their fields by reading professional journals, writing, conducting research, attending meetings held by their professional organizations, and collaborating with other professionals. Their publishing record (see Table 5.8) shows a strong commitment to maintaining currency in their areas of expertise. Faculty members keep abreast of and use research-based practices in classes as defined in our conceptual framework (see SOE Knowledge Base). Our knowledge bases are pedagogically sound and provide a valuable resource to the local schools. Faculty members teach classes on campus, as well as in local schools. Supervised field experiences and clinical practice foster regular interactions between the faculty and school personnel. The close working relationship helps faculty members stay current with the needs and issues facing public schools today. Faculty members are sought for their expertise; they are asked to give presentations, participate in workshops, and serve on a variety of local, state, and national committees. Vitas detail the range of activities of faculty members in the School of Education. Full-time higher education faculty data are available at: Faculty Vita. Growing enrollments, new positions, program changes, illness and deaths have contributed to the need for part-time faculty. These part-time faculty members bring invaluable current public school experience and have helped us build a stronger program. During the 2003-2004 year, 23 part-time faculty members were hired for the School of Education as shown in Table 5.4. Table 5.4
As mentioned in a previous footnote, two professors in EDFS died during the academic year. This increased the number of part-time faculty required in the department. The School of Education is fortunate to have several professional educators who have relocated to the Charleston-area or who have retired from the local school systems. They offer a diverse pool of qualified educators for part-time positions. These part-time faculty members provide varied backgrounds as well as currency in the P-12 schools. Many have served in roles of teachers, administrators, school psychologists, central staff administrators, and state-level consultants. Part-time faculty members are hired on a semester-to-semester basis. Many have demonstrated outstanding expertise with high levels of teaching and have become a consistent and integral part of the departmental faculty. All part-time faculty members have earned a minimum of a master’s degree and many have extensive and varied public school experience as shown in Tables 5.5. Some are currently employed by the public schools. Individual departments have hired some of the best and brightest practicing educators, including those who are nationally board certified. Table 5.5
Part-time higher education faculty data are available at: Part-Time Faculty Vita School faculty members contribute greatly to our teacher preparation program. The School of Education teacher education program includes both field experiences and clinical practice. Full-time and part-time higher education faculty members work collaboratively with school faculty to ensure clear and consistent supervision of candidates and interns. The school faculty members are selected by their administrators based on experience and success as a classroom teacher. The faculty members who participate in the field experiences are identified as outstanding teachers who would be good mentors for candidates (see Field Experience School Faculty). School faculty members who participate in clinical practice demonstrate the same skills and dispositions, have at least three years of classroom experience, and have been trained in the South Carolina teacher evaluation instrument, ADEPT and are certified to teach in South Carolina (See Clinical Practice School Faculty). The School of Education evaluates clinical practice to ensure that the interns have optimal learning opportunities with all school faculty members. Close supervision of candidates and interns by higher education faculty promotes a collaborative relationship with school faculty and administrators in the public schools. The School of Education ensures that school faculty members are certified in the areas they supervise by collecting data on everyone when they agree to work with candidates and interns. Prior to placing candidates in field experiences, we send letters to principals describing the requirements for candidates and school faculty for each field experience. These letters describe the qualities needed in school faculty Through the Office of Certification and Clinical Practice, we maintain contracts with each of the three partnering districts spelling out the qualifications needed to serve as a school faculty member (see Clinical Practice Letters, Forms, Questionnaires, and Contracts). All full-time higher education faculty members are involved in a variety of activities in P-12 schools. Some faculty members continue to take graduate courses to maintain active certification. Full-time higher education faculty, and part-time higher education faculty supervise candidates and/or clinical practice interns in local schools. In addition, most full-time higher education faculty members are involved in public schools through service such as involvement in formal projects such as the Memminger Partnership or Accelerated Schools, through research projects, mentors or lunch buddies with P-12 students, and through offering professional development and other assistance to local schools. Specific examples are available through faculty vitas; Table 5.9 on p. 84 summarizes the variety of ways faculty members are involved in P-12 schools, with P-12 students, in professional organizations, committees, or taskforces, and in the community. |
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Modeling Best Professional Practices in Teaching Faculty vita, transcripts, and areas of certification and past experiences are reviewed to ensure faculty have appropriate content knowledge when we hire new people. We also encourage faculty members to be active in professional associations (attend professional meetings and read professional journals). In addition, faculty members are active in P-12 schools so they are knowledgeable of the curriculum trends in districts locally and across the state. Periodic meetings are held with adjuncts to insure currency in content within our programs. The overall high ratings that faculty members (full and part-time) receive on the College of Charleston Course-Instructor Evaluation form indicate candidates believe that faculty members have thorough understanding of the content they teach, as well as other positive attributes of effective teaching. All full and part-time faculty members are required to be evaluated by candidates in each course and are rated on eight main statements using a six-point scale that ranges from 6 (highly agree) to 1 (highly disagree). The eight statements and the mean of each of the three departments and for the College of Charleston are listed in Table 5.7. Table 5.7
All faculty members’ syllabi reflect the conceptual framework. Outcomes and assessments are linked to the Elements of Teacher Competency (ETC) and/or the Teaching and Learning Standards and to professional standards (see Standards Alignment Matrix to see the relationship between the ETCs and standards); in this way, the conceptual framework comes to life in courses and field experiences. Courses provide rigorous and research-based instruction designed to help candidates learn to understand and value the learner (ETC 1), know what and how to teach and assess and create and environment in which learning occurs (ETC 2), and to understand themselves as professionals (ETC 3). The SOE Knowledge Base supporting the conceptual framework illustrates the depth and breadth of research underlying faculty members’ instruction. Faculty members demonstrate that they value candidate learning in a number of ways. First, they regularly advise initial and advanced candidates. From participating in new student advising for prospective candidates to regular advising once candidates declare an education major, candidates and advisors develop a close and continual working relationship. Within courses, faculty members assess candidates regularly and provide timely and constructive feedback. (See Table 5.7 for candidate ratings on instructor helpfulness and constructive evaluation.) The School of Education conceptual framework clearly outlines our commitment to making the connection between teaching and learning. Candidates make this connection by developing skills in reflection, critical thinking and problem solving, and by holding professional dispositions that support learning for all students. It is clear from evaluations that faculty members address our conceptual framework through their teaching and assessments. Faculty members encourage candidates to express themselves and reflect while providing constructive feedback on their progress (see Table 5.7). They model good teaching by presenting information in a clear and logical way. Instruction is provided in small groups, whole class, and to individuals based on need and interest. Faculty members model effective pedagogy that ranges from inquiry-based science lessons to effective management techniques for emotionally disturbed students. In field experiences and clinical practice, higher education and school faculty ask candidates to reflect on their observations and practice, to critique the teaching of peers, and to problem solve individually, as well as with faculty and peers to provide the best learning experiences for all students. Higher education faculty members incorporate diversity topics into all courses. More specific examples of how faculty members build awareness of diversity and provide opportunities for candidates to apply knowledge of diversity in courses and field experiences are provided in Developing Awareness of Diversity and Adaptations for Diverse Learners. Higher education and school faculty also work with candidates and interns in diverse settings (rural, suburban, and urban schools). As Demographics of P-12 Schools (Table 4.11 on p. 76) illustrates, the student population in these placements is diverse. Faculty members also work with candidates at different grade levels, disciplines, areas of disability, and/or areas of specialization depending on their program. Higher education faculty members actively incorporate technology into instruction by modeling the appropriate use of technology for candidates. The campus is wireless and many classrooms are have the latest instructional technology which greatly enhances the use of technology in education courses. Technology workshops, sponsored by the College of Charleston, provide intensive training, as well as a college laptop for participating faculty members in the School of Education (nine faculty members participated by Spring 2004). Within the School of Education, syllabi are posted on the departmental web pages; WebCT is used in many courses; faculty members communicate with students using e-mail and post assignments on personal web pages or WebCT. Beginning in fall 2003, all initial candidates create an electronic portfolio using LiveText to gather and reflect on evidence of their progress. Faculty members teaching EDFS 326: Technology for Teachers or EDFS 687: Technology Education for Teachers introduce candidates to the electronic portfolio requirement, and faculty in other courses continue to assist candidates as they develop and refine their portfolios. Faculty members perform frequent and varied assessment
of candidate performance in all courses, field experiences, and clinical
practice. Course-level assessments are consistent with the conceptual
framework and unit assessment system (see Unit
Assessment System-All). Assessments are clearly linked to objectives,
and where appropriate (i.e., papers, lesson plans, projects, journals),
scoring rubrics are provided. Candidates are evaluated using a variety
of assessment measures including personal reflections, tests, papers,
lesson plans, units, IEPs, projects, presentations, etc. Faculty members
assess candidate performance in field experiences and clinical practice
using instruments based on the South Carolina ADEPT system (see ADEPT
Overview). To fairly and consistently track candidate progress, the
School of Education set unit assessment points at entrance, prior to clinical
practice, and prior to recommendation for certification. All programs
have added additional assessment points at each semester to monitor progress
and to make program improvements. All programs closely monitor candidate
progress closely, data from a demonstration of knowledge, skills, and
dispositions to support candidate growth are used to make individual and
program decisions. Faculty members work with candidates who are not making
satisfactory progress and determine appropriate strategies to support
their progress. Faculty members work collaboratively to ensure that candidates
demonstrate appropriate knowledge, skills, and dispositions in all courses,
field experiences, and in clinical practice. |
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| Modeling Best Professional Practices in Scholarship All full-time higher education faculty members are evaluated on professional development and scholarship. Dedicated to the belief that best practices are grounded in research, these faculty members maintain an active research agenda. Scholarship at the College of Charleston is defined as:
As Table 5.8 indicates, the publishing record of the full-time higher education faculty during the past five years is extensive. Many of the books authored by School of Education faculty are textbooks that are used in courses across the United States. Table 5.8
Faculty members actively involve graduate and undergraduate candidates in research studies. Funds available for undergraduate research projects and graduate assistantships provide support for candidates assisting faculty members in research studies. The faculty has distinguished itself as scholars and teachers and will increase with the emphasis on scholarship in the College of Charleston’s Fourth Century Initiative. |
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| Modeling Best Professional Practices in Service Service at the College of Charleston is defined as:
It includes involvement in standing or ad-hoc College of Charleston committees, departmental committees or offices, and special committees or task forces. It also includes working with student organizations and non-academic advising, working with community, state, regional, or national organizations, utilizing professional expertise, and working on institutional advancement projects. All full-time higher education faculty members are expected to participate in departmental and School of Education committees. Faculty Vita provide evidence of a wide range of service activities. Table 5.9 demonstrates the number of faculty involved in committees within their departments and the School of Education and the College of Charleston standing or ad hoc committees. Table 5.9
Service within the School of Education reaches beyond the College of Charleston. Full and part-time higher education faculty members are actively involved in P-12 schools and in professional organizations. Faculty members volunteer time to work with schools, serve on school and community organization advisory boards, mentor and tutor P-12 students, and provide workshops and guest speeches. In addition to local involvement, faculty serve on state level committees such as curriculum committees and task forces, hold office in professional organizations, and many others listed on vitae. Nationally, faculty members serve on governing boards for organizations such as Accelerated Schools, have been featured in a video tape made by Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, testify as expert witnesses in criminal cases and law suits, and conduct research projects with other professionals across the United States. Many faculty members have presented at national and international conferences and meetings. Table 5.10
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School of Education faculty members have many opportunities to collaborate with P-12 schools, arts and sciences faculty, other units at the College of Charleston, and with the broader professional community. Collaboration with P-12 Schools describes projects, advisory boards, and service offices that provide opportunities to collaborate with P-12 schools. Faculty members in the School of Education also have strong connections with other units in the College of Charleston. As Collaboration with Other Units in the College of Charleston shows, these activities range from the SOE Building Committee that is actively working with architects, community groups, and units within the College, to the Teacher Education Council that provides a venue for College representatives from departments across campus involved in the teacher education program. The groups are diverse and support the many programs and initiatives found in the School of Education. School of Education faculty members are also active in research partnerships, regional, state and national task forces and committees, and professional organizations. These collaborative activities are described under Modeling Best Professional Practices in Service in Tables 5.9 and 5.10. As described in the conceptual framework, we chose the slogan, “Making the Teaching and Learning Connection” because we believe multiple connections improve teacher preparation and student learning. One of the most important connections is with colleagues across the college campus and with P-12 professionals. Although we cannot provide evidence that collaboration has a causal relationship to improved candidate learning, we know that we cannot develop highly qualified teachers alone. Collaborative activities strengthen all we do, including teaching, advising, scholarship, and service. |
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Unit Evaluation of Professional Education Faculty Performance Systematic and comprehensive evaluations are conducted on all faculty, college-wide and unit-wide on a regular basis. A modified version of the college-wide evaluation instrument is used annually to evaluate faculty members’ teaching, research and professional development, and service. Evaluations are designed to improve teaching, learning, and scholarship. Faculty members select the weighing of the three categories with minimum weightings of 50% for teaching, 20% for research and development and 10% for service. In the School of Education, collaboration with the professional community and leadership within the department, School of Education, and the College of Charleston is encouraged under the category of service. Non-tenured faculty members are evaluated annually, tenured faculty are evaluated at least every three years. Faculty members up for evaluation are asked to present a packet containing evidence that the criteria for teaching, research and development, and service have been met during the last calendar year. Faculty members must present the requested packet in accordance with the College of Charleston’s established format and schedule. After reviewing the packet, the department chair provides the faculty member with a signed and dated evaluation which includes the following: an assessment of the faculty member’s strengths and weaknesses based on the evidence submitted; constructive comments for improvement on any of the three categories in which the faculty member has performed below an acceptable level; and comments which address the faculty member’s performance in response to the recommendations of previous annual evaluations. More specific information about the evaluation process and the criteria for each category can be found in the C of C Faculty and Administrative Manual. New faculty members are hired on a probationary status for one year subject to renewal. They are assigned mentors in the department to provide support and guidance. Faculty members who have had contracts renewed for two additional years are required to participate in a third year review conducted by departments. Tenured faculty meet to determine if satisfactory progress has been made toward tenure in the three categories. The department’s recommendation and the evidence submitted by the non-tenured professor are reviewed by the Dean of the School of Education and the Provost. The tenure decision is made no later than the sixth year. Faculty eligible for tenure and promotion to an associate professor or promotion to full professor, submit a packet of evidence that demonstrates they have met the criteria established by the College of Charleston. Tenured members of the department and one faculty member from another department review the evidence and make a recommendation. The Dean of the School of Education reviews the packet of evidence and the departmental recommendation, and makes a recommendation before submission to the Tenure and Promotion Advisory Committee. The Tenure and Promotion Advisory Committee is a college-wide advisory committee to the Provost. Their role is to maintain high standards and to provide consistency in tenure and promotion decisions made across campus. After a faculty member receives tenure, he/she may request not to be evaluated by the chair each year or may use one evaluation for a maximum of three years. All tenured faculty members are required to participate in a Post-Tenure Review process every six years. Formal faculty evaluations follow criteria set by the College of Charleston, but they reflect the conceptual framework. The three areas in which faculty are evaluated: teaching, scholarship, and service are where faculty members enact the conceptual framework’s core Elements of Teacher Competency. For example, to receive high ratings on teaching, faculty must exemplify ETC 2: Know what and how to teach and assess and how to create an environment in which learning occurs and ETC1: Understanding and valuing the learner. To receive high ratings in scholarship and professional development, faculty are enacting ETC 3: Understanding selves as professionals. In addition, their scholarship must be relevant to the profession, and thus advances knowledge in at least one of the three Elements. Finally, to earn high ratings in service, faculty are enacting ETC 3:Understanding selves as professionals. Their service to P-12 schools is a prime example of modeling professionalism. |
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Unit Facilitation of Professional Development All faculty members are encouraged to participate in professional development activities and funds are available for that purpose. Clear guidelines for professional development activities are defined in the College of Charleston’s CofC Faculty and Administrative Manual. All faculty members are encouraged to attend meetings, seek research grants, request college research and development funds, and participate in research activities with undergraduate and graduate students. Graduate assistants are assigned to each department for the support of research and professional development. All full-time higher education faculty members participate in some form of professional development on a yearly basis. Professional development, while available for all faculty members, differs by rank and personal interests and needs. For example, first year faculty members are carefully mentored so that they will make a successful transition to the College of Charleston. The mentor provides guidance and help as needed. Often the mentor observes the new faculty member’s teaching and provides feedback. The chair also observes teaching and provides a more detailed evaluation of the lesson. More established faculty members (those who have successfully completed a minimum of six years of successive full-time service to the College of Charleston) are eligible for sabbatical leave. For the last three years, 96 College of Charleston faculty members received sabbaticals. Three School of Education faculty members applied for and took sabbaticals in this time period. The leave may be granted for one or two semesters and is designed to focus on professional enrichment. All recipients of a sabbatical leave must submit a final report to the Provost describing all activities and work conducted and the degree of success achieved in meeting the goals set forth in the application. Professional development is offered on a regular basis to all faculty members in the School of Education. For example, in fall 2003 Dr. Russell French gave a series of workshops on performance assessment to all School of Education faculty and interested faculty members in other units and in P-12 schools. The College of Charleston also supports regular professional development for faculty members through the Center for Effective Teaching and Learning (CETL). It provides professional development opportunities throughout the academic year bringing in national experts in higher education teaching, as well as highlighting the work of professors from across the campus. The College of Charleston also provides a wide variety of opportunities for enhancing knowledge and skills related to technology. These opportunities range for short workshops to week-long technology institutes. The College of Charleston supports faculty members’ individual needs for professional development within each department through a Research and Development (R&D) budget, which is separate from the operating departmental budget. Within the R&D budget, funds are allocated to support R&D efforts, including travel for professional development activities. These funds augment departmental operational funds and are earmarked specifically for R&D purposes. Additional funds may be secured by applying to the Faculty Research and Development Committee or for the Provost’s Academic Special Request funds. Faculty members wishing to conduct research with undergraduate students may also apply for special funds for this purpose. The School of Education encourages faculty members to engage in professional development that is consistent with the conceptual framework and that enhances our collective understanding of performance assessment, diversity, technology and other emerging practices. As mentioned above, all School of Education faculty members participated in workshops on performance assessment in fall 2003. Faculty members have taken advantage of technology workshops and institutes offered on campus. Monthly faculty meetings have been devoted to developing a collective understanding of the conceptual framework, of issues related to diversity, and to using new technology (e.g., assisting candidates in using LiveText for portfolios). Faculty members are encouraged to focus their individual professional development in areas consistent with the conceptual framework and in areas needed by the School of Education to enhance our candidates’ learning. |
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