Standard 4 Diversity

4a. Design, Implementation, and Evaluation of Curriculum and Experiences

1. What proficiencies related to diversity are candidates expected to develop and demonstrate? Candidates are expected to be able demonstrate knowledge, skills and dispositions that reflect their ability to help "all students learn." In the Center for Education the overarching unit proficiency that demonstrates this is the awareness and ability to address the unique needs of individuals and groups.

When demonstrating the unit level expectations as they pertain to diversity, candidates are expected to demonstrate proficiency on assessments that are aligned with the diversity elements of national organizations in their certificate areas. Center for Education proficiencies for diversity can be viewed at this link Center for Education Candidate Proficiencies: Diversity. (This is supplemental information that did not appear in the Institutional Report; however it is listed among the electronic exhibit room documents.)

2. What required coursework and experiences enable teacher candidates and candidates for other professional school roles to adapt instruction to different learning styles, connect instruction or services to students' experiences and cultures, communicate with students and families in culturally sensitive ways, incorporate multiple perspectives into teaching, develop a classroom and school climate that values diversity, demonstrate behaviors consistent with the ideas of fairness and the belief that all students can learn? The exhibit located at Item 2.a presents examples of the kinds of instructional strategies and assessments that are typically used to adapt instruction to different learning styles, connect instruction or services to students' experiences and cultures, communicate with students and families in culturally sensitive ways, incorporate multiple perspectives into teaching, develop a classroom and school climate that values diversity, demonstrate behaviors consistent with the ideas of fairness and the belief that all students can learn.

The faculty completed templates in Fall 2008 that outlined how they teach in ways that promote awareness of diversity and candidate proficiencies that effectively address the needs of diverse groups of learners. Spring 2009 templates that illustrate instructional strategies and assessment strategies related to diversity are included in the Institutional Report as Exhibit 2 a. They may also be viewed at this link Center for Education Candidate Proficiencies: Diversity

3. What data from key assessments indicate that candidates demonstrate proficiencies related to diversity, including English language learners and students with exceptionalities? Dispositions related to diversity are reflected in INTASC Standard 3 as follows:

STANDARD 3: DIVERSE LEARNERS The teacher understands how students differ in their approaches to learning and creates instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse learners. Key indicators include evidence that a candidate: 3.1 designs instruction appropriate to students’stages of development, learning styles, strengths and needs.

3.2 selects approaches that provide opportunities for different performance modes.
3.3 accesses appropriate services or resources to meet exceptional learning needs when needed.
3.4 adjusts instruction to accommodate the learning differences or needs of students (time and circumstance of work, tasks assigned, communication and response modes).
3.5 uses knowledge of different cultural contexts within the community (socio-economic, ethnic, cultural) and connects with the learner through types of interaction and assignments.
3.6 creates a learning community that respects individual differences.

Our candidates in initial licensure programs as classroom teachers show evidence of these key indicators in their clinical practice. They consistently achieve ratings of Proficient or Distinguished by the completion of student teaching. The evidence that demonstrates their proficiency has been included in student teaching data summarized for AY 2006/7 and AY 2007/8. Please refer to Exhibits for Standard 3c. The exhibits provide evidence of the proficiency of our student teachers pertaining to INTASC Standard 3.

4. What differences, if any, exist in the ways candidates develop and demonstrate their proficiencies related to diversity in programs for other school professionals, off-campus programs, and distance learning programs? Unit faculty teach in the off-campus programs where they employ strategies which are identical to those employed on the Chester campus. Adjunct faculty who teach in off-campus programs follow the same assessment practices that are part of the Center for Education assessment system. Therefore they use assignments, rubrics and scoring guides that are aligned with diversity per the Center for Education Conceptual Framework. Likewise, when key courses have assessments that are part of the program level development system, adjunct faculty use assignments, rubrics and scoring guides that are aligned with sub-elements of professional standards that pertain to diversity. They evaluate students using these assessments and submit data that becomes the evidence that is part of the unit-level and program-level assessment system.

Certificates and degrees are not offered in distance learning formats.

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