Park University School of Education Conceptual Framework
Derived from Park University’s vision, mission, and core values, the School of Education’s (SOE) vision is to develop leaders in education. The SOE’s mission, embodied in five goals, is the commitment to prepare teacher candidates to be effective school professionals, reflective change agents, and advocates for equity and excellence. The SOE’s Conceptual Framework, grounded in sound educational research, theory, and practice, is centered on five core beliefs. These core beliefs guide the SOE as it nurtures and supports the development of teacher candidates’ knowledge, skills, and dispositions so they can be leaders and assume the roles of effective school professionals, reflective change agents, and advocates for equity and excellence. To confirm that the SOE’s vision, mission, goals, and core beliefs are being met, the SOE engages an assessment system that continually assesses and evaluates teacher candidates as they progress and transition through the SOE’s programs. The assessment system strives to be fair and unbiased so as to accurately confirm candidates’ competencies of their knowledge, skills, and dispositions, and to provide evidence upon which to guide future programming.
Goals:
A candidate who meets the five goals below provides evidence that he or she is developing as an effective school professional, a reflective change agent, and an advocate for equity and excellence for all learners. The goals summarize the core knowledge, skills, and dispositions and are rooted in the Core Beliefs that make up the knowledge base that drives our programs.
- Candidates exhibit behavior that demonstrates a belief that all individuals can develop, learn, and make positive contributions to society.
- Candidates possess the necessary content College of Education and Health Professions School of Education Leaders in Education: Effective School Professionals, Reflective Change Agents, & Advocates for Equity and Excellence knowledge and professional knowledge to support and enhance student development and learning, including meeting student needs across physical, social, psychological, and intellectual contexts, as demonstrated by varied, evidence-based strategies, including technology.
- Candidates possess the necessary knowledge and skills to conduct and interpret appropriate assessments and to use the information from assessments to develop and adapt instruction that meets learners’ needs and maintains their engagement.
- Candidates exhibit behavior that demonstrates a belief that continuous inquiry and reflection can improve professional practice.
- Candidates view and conduct themselves as professionals, providing leadership in their chosen field, and communicating effectively with students and stakeholders.
Core Beliefs:
The goals are rooted in these core beliefs that make up the knowledge base that drives our program.
#1: School professionals are advocates for equity and excellence for all. Every person can learn, and the goal of education is to give every individual the best possible opportunities to reach his or her highest potential. (Goal 1)
#2: There is a definite knowledge base in education. All educators are grounded in content knowledge, educational theory, pedagogical knowledge, research and best practice, and professionalism. Educators are also connected to the professional communities and learned societies in education in general and in their chosen field, and are knowledgeable in the standards of those societies as well as of those of the state of Missouri. (Goal 2)
#3: Within the definite knowledge base in education, educators have the necessary knowledge and skills to conduct and interpret appropriate assessments and to use the information from assessments to develop and adapt instruction that meets learners’ needs and maintains their engagement. Throughout the assessment process, educators uphold American Psychological Association guidelines related to ethics and confidentiality. Educators also know that assessment is both formative and summative. (Goal 3)
#4: Educators are reflective change agents who are experts in collaborative problem-solving and critical inquiry. They are professionals who should regularly engage in high-level thinking, and should promote and nurture those same high levels of thinking in the learners they serve. (Goal 4)
#5: Becoming a leader in education is a lifelong, developmental and social process that unfolds uniquely for each individual Key to this process, leaders in education are scholars of teaching and learning, and, as such, are grounded in both best practice and current in evidence-based research in the field of education. In communicating effectively with students and stakeholders, educators use their competence in cross-cultural communication to communicate effectively with students and stakeholders. (Goal 5)
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