---

The School of Education at University of Guam offers teacher education programs at the initial preparation and advanced levels as well as programs for other education personnel that follow a system of assessment that is aligned with the Conceptual Framework of the School of Education. Candidates are assessed at determined decision points, with multiple forms of assessment to determine the extent of accomplishment of the knowledge, skills and disposition objectives that are embedded in the Conceptual Framework of the school. These multiple assessments include examinations (objective and essay types) and various forms of performance-based assessments that measure:

1. Product – portfolios (developmental and showcase), research papers, observation reports, lesson plans, term papers, service learning reports, journals, case analyses, and homework.
2. Process – interviews, lesson delivery, oral presentations, creative performance, technology integration presentation, group interactions, and daily recitations

As candidates exit their programs, they are asked to provide feedback through a survey. Employers’ surveys are also conducted to evaluate graduates’ performance in terms of the UOG-SOE’s Conceptual Framework.

---

The School of Education (SOE) at the University of Guam has two groups of candidates. The first group consists of the candidates in the initial teacher preparation programs, such as:

1. Early Childhood Education
2. Elementary Education
3. Secondary Education
4. Special Education (SPED)
5. Physical Education (P.E.)

In the advanced programs, TESOL submitted its program report for initial review in February 2, 2006.

Candidates in both the initial teacher preparation and advanced programs are assessed at three critical points to determine their content knowledge preparation and development.

At Entry

Candidates are assessed at admission into the initial teacher preparation programs using an interview rubric for Knowledgeable Scholar, which is one of the three conceptual components of the UOG-SOE Conceptual Framework. In addition, a GPA of 2.7 or better is required at the time of application. The applicant’s official transcript is evaluated using a rubric to determine completion of and performance in the required General Education and Professional Education courses specified in the UOG Undergraduate Catalog. Results at admission indicate acceptable performance by all candidates in the content knowledge component of the Conceptual Framework. Appendix A

Admission into the SOE’s advanced programs requires the fulfillment of the following:

The above-mentioned requirements were met by all the applicants to the advanced programs of the SOE. Appendix A

At Midpoint

Building on the basic content knowledge from the general education courses, the teacher candidates focus on a specific major field of study. All education majors complete initially 10 hours of professional education that pertain to introductory courses in the foundations of education – human growth and development, educational psychology, introduction to teaching, and observations in the schools. Once accepted at entry, candidates take more professional education courses that pertain to pedagogy and their specialization courses.

At midpoint, the candidates in the initial teacher preparation programs are expected to complete and pass with at least a grade of C the professional core courses, methods courses, practicum, and related area electives required in their respective program majors. Undergraduate Catalog The candidates in the advanced programs are also required to complete and pass the core courses (ED 600, 601 and 602 or 603), specialization and elective courses required in their program of study Graduate Bulletin.

Candidates’ content knowledge is assessed using a wide range of methods such as portfolios, reports (e.g. literature review, book reports, and term papers that are commonly used in the advance programs), exams and oral presentations with Q&A sessions where course faculty get to probe more deeply the candidates’ understanding of content and how they articulate the central concepts in their disciplines. A summary of the candidates’ content knowledge performance is found in Appendix B.

Midpoint assessment is used for admission into student teaching. Respective program faculty assess their teacher candidates using the rubrics for each of the elements of the SOE Conceptual Framework. They use as basis the course grades obtained by the candidates. The criteria used for determining course grades include performance in content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge and professional knowledge. The following assessments are commonly used in each program to assess content knowledge of the candidates:

In addition to the above, the methods and practicum courses in the different programs use such performance-based assessments as lesson planning, lesson delivery, research and practicum report. These assessments have rubrics that are aligned with each program’s specialized professional association standards, INTASC standards 1-3, and the standards for knowledgeable scholar and reflective decision-maker of the SOE Conceptual Framework.

The assessments used by the various courses in the different initial teacher preparation programs are documented by candidate work and course syllabi in the Exhibit Room. A summary of the candidates’ content knowledge performance is found in Appendix B.

The above-mentioned assessments are required in the Comprehensive Faculty Evaluation as evidences that faculty members of each program provide opportunities for the development of critical thinking and research skills in the candidates.

The Advanced Programs

Admission to internship and/or overview seminar artifacts: Transcripts to verify completion of all courses Research proposal developed in ED601 Portfolio with artifacts determined by each program.

For admission, the Special Education Masters program requires a bachelor of arts degree in Education with and emphasis in Special Education, including a course in classroom or behavior management and a 3.0 grade point average to be admitted. At midpoint, the program requires completion of the 15 hours of area specialization and completion of the thesis/special project proposal and exit assessments include a comprehensive examination and completion and defense of the thesis or special project.

The TESOL Program conducted two courses in Fall 2005 and Spring 2006. One of them, ED 661 (Second Language Theory and Development), is a content-based course while the other, (ED 662 – Second Language Testing and Evaluation), is a methodology course. The assessment of content knowledge in both courses using examinations and oral presentations with rubrics reveals a very satisfactory performance, with the majority displaying proficiency in content knowledge.

The candidates’ GPA before entry into student teaching and internship in the initial teacher preparation programs should be 2.7 or better. In P.E., the required GPA is a little higher (2.75 or better). All the candidates applying for Fall 2006 student teaching have met their GPA requirement.

In Special Education, content and pedagogical knowledge are assessed using multiple sources, including a portfolio of field/research experience, grade point average of 3.0 or better in all coursework and completion of practicum and or field experiences integrated into each course at the graduate level.

At Exit

Content knowledge is further evaluated during the field experience semester of 16 weeks where the teacher candidates in the initial teacher preparation programs do their teaching practice in the schools. All teacher candidates must demonstrate at least a basic knowledge of content through the daily lesson planning and teaching carried out in the schools. They are observed and evaluated by the cooperating teacher and the UOG supervisor for a total of eight times during the sixteen-week semester. INTASC Standards 1, 2, and 3 are used to measure content knowledge of the teacher candidates. These standards are aligned with the program standards and the institutional standards that are embedded in the SOE Conceptual Framework. A summary of content knowledge performance using the INTASC Standards and the Benchmark Rubrics is found in Appendix C. In addition to the INTASC rubrics for content knowledge, portfolio assessment and the showcase presentation with accompanying rubrics are used. The assessment results show a substantial number of candidates at the distinguished level of performance for all the initial teacher preparation programs.

Completion of all coursework and thesis/special project artifacts: Comprehensive written examination, Completed thesis/special project Exit Survey, Portfolio.

For the advanced programs, the comprehensive exam results are at the proficient level and the oral defense of thesis and project presentation are distinguished.

In Special Education, an exit survey is completed by the student and a follow up survey or interview is conducted with employers, as well as the other exit assessment criteria.

Prior to graduation, Praxis 1 is required by the Guam Public School System (GPSS) to assess content knowledge and skills in reading, writing, grammar and mathematics. A pass in Praxis I or an earlier state exam called GETEP is required for full certification. Table 1 shows the Praxis 1 takers and the percentage of candidates who passed it.

Of the 50 graduates, 46 % took the Praxis and 65% passed it. Those who did not pass Praxis 1 or GETEP, including those who did not take it were given probational certification by the Guam Public School System.

Table 1: Praxis I Results for 2005-2006

The Committee on Candidate Proficiencies has recommended Praxis 1 as a requirement for admission into the School of Education. The committee also recommends successful completion of Praxis 2 for GPSS to consider awarding full certification to program graduates. As these recommendations involve substantive changes, the decision could be expected at a later date.

There are no state licensure exams for the advanced program completers.

Standards of content knowledge vary across programs. Content preparation is described in detail in the SPA reports of the different programs. Refer to Appendix D for the SPA reports, summarized in table form.

Four of the five initial teacher preparation programs have received national recognition from their respective SPAs. They met all the standards for content knowledge. These programs include:

The Secondary Education Program has yet to hear from NCATE about the results of the rejoinders for English Language Arts, Science and Social Studies. The content knowledge standards that were met in Language Arts were 3.1 - 3.7; in Science, 1.1 –1.3, 7.1; and in Social Studies, 3.1.

An exit survey was conducted in 2005 to determine the activities candidates engaged in to enhance their content knowledge. The Elementary Education majors obtained an average of 3.6 on a scale of 4 in this survey. Close behind are the Secondary Education majors with an average of 3.5 followed by the Early Childhood majors who garnered an average of 3.2. The item with the highest score from the three groups of respondents is “knowledge of children’s growth and development and theories of learning”. The item with the lowest score pertained “to reading of articles on best practices to stay current in the subjects they teach”. The same trend emerged from the 2006 data. The lowest score was again in the area of personal enrichment through “reading of articles on best practices”. Appendix E

Part of a candidate’s disposition is the initiative to grow professionally through reading articles on best practices in teaching. This is apparently a weakness for some of the teacher candidates. To address this issue, the practicum and student teaching courses will require candidates to submit summaries of articles read on best practices. Ideally, this will enhance their own teaching beginning in Fall of 2006.

The School of Education has a student organization called ACEI that schedules annual mini conferences attended by beginning teachers. In the last mini conference the teachers were asked about their preparation in content knowledge. Some of them indicated that the preparation in some content areas was incomplete due to lack of time to cover the content of the disciplines in the methods courses.

For the Early Childhood and Elementary Education Programs, this problem has been addressed by dividing the integrated courses into two separate courses, thus allotting more time for the content of the disciplines to be discussed more fully in the separate courses.

A follow-up of the graduates was conducted in 2005 through an employer survey administered to teachers with 1-3 years of teaching experience in early childhood, elementary and secondary. The overall results indicate a fair knowledge of content (3.44). The range of scores in 2005 is from 2.88 (knowledge and understanding of special needs students and their referral) to 3.71 (lesson preparation). The overall results for content knowledge in 2006 show a slightly lower performance (3.03). The item with the highest score is knowledge of classroom organization (3.47). The lowest score is again knowledge and understanding of special needs students and their referral (2.01). Appendix F

The results show a need for more SPED courses. The only initial teacher preparation program that offers a SPED course as a related area requirement is the Elementary Education Program. It is suggested that program advisers recommend one or two SPED courses as electives when they advise their candidates.

---

Language and Literacy received national recognition in 2004. Administration and Superintendent will submit its rejoinder in September 15, 2006.

At entry, the candidates in M.Ed in Educational Administration and Supervision and Language and Literacy must fulfill the entry requirements in the Graduate Program including those that are reflective of their academic proficiency, such as a score of 900 or better on the Graduate Record Exam and a minimum of 3.0 undergraduate GPA. The performance of the candidates in the core courses they take is assessed in terms of portfolios, reports, exams and oral presentations. The grades obtained by the candidates who took the core courses in Fall 2005 and Spring 2006 were within the basic and proficient levels.

At Mid-point, the specialization courses taken in Fall 2005 and Spring 2006 by the candidates in the M.Ed. Program in Administration and Supervision were ED 610, 611, 612, and 613. In these courses, the candidates’ content knowledge performance was distinguished. Exams and oral presentations with rubrics were used to assess content knowledge of the candidates. Oral presentations were used to determine if candidates could explain well the concepts in their fields that are embedded in the professional and institutional standards.

The Language and Literacy Program conducted ED 641, 644, 484G, 647 and 649 in Fall 2005 and Spring 2006. The candidates who took these courses were assessed using examinations and oral presentations with rubrics to measure extent of accomplishment of the program and institutional standards for knowledgeable scholar. Results show that the majority of the candidates are at the proficient level with a few at the distinguished and basic levels of content knowledge performance.

At exit, comprehensive exams and oral defense of thesis and presentations of projects constitute the assessment of content knowledge. The results show distinguished performance in the afore-mentioned assessment measures by all the candidates in the three master’s degree programs.

As part of the field-based component of the M.Ed. in Administration and Supervision and Language and Literacy programs, practicum and internship supervisors were asked to evaluate the candidates’ content knowledge performance. Their assessment using the practicum and internship rubrics shows that the candidates in this program exceeded expectations on content knowledge, thus a distinguished performance. In meetings with principals by program faculty, the principals indicated that the SOE graduates of the Administration and Supervision Program were well prepared in their knowledge content.

---

Pedagogical content knowledge comprises various methods and techniques that candidates use to teach their content knowledge to learners. There is a clear articulation of content and pedagogy in all the SOE courses and carefully supervised field experiences. Pedagogical content knowledge is assessed in methods courses, practicum courses and student teaching.

As early as admissions or at entry point, pedagogical content knowledge is assessed through interviews. Interview questions are based on ED 110 (Introduction to Teaching) and ED 192 (Observation and Participation) that are required for admission into the initial teacher preparation programs. There is also a question on the use of technology in teaching. Responses are rated using a rubric with indicators for the target, acceptable and unacceptable performance. Results of the interviews conducted with the pre-education students in Fall 2005 and Spring 2006 indicate acceptable performance for all those who applied for admission into the initial teacher preparation programs. Appendix A

Pedagogical content knowledge is assessed in methods courses and practicum courses that teacher candidates take before student teaching. Assessment done before student teaching constitutes midpoint assessment. The methods courses that were offered in Fall 2005 and Spring 2006 were ED 351, 352, 360, 361 and 362 in the Early Childhood and Elementary Education Programs; ED 321, 322 and 324 in the Secondary Education Program; ED 315 in the SPED Program, and PE 220, 257 , 352 , and 353 in the P.E. Program. Each methods course in the different initial teacher preparation programs has microteaching and practicum in the schools where teacher candidates’ lesson planning, lesson delivery and use of instructional materials are assessed. Assessment results show distinguished performance in instructional materials development, proficient performance in lesson delivery, and basic performance in lesson planning.

The practicum course for the candidates in the Early Childhood and Elementary Education Programs is ED 392. For SPED, it is ED 292 The PE candidates take PE 392a, 392b, 392c. There is no practicum course for the Secondary Education Program candidates. Their practicum is part of their methods course. The practicum courses provide opportunities for teacher candidates to demonstrate their ability to observe effectively, plan developmentally appropriate learning experiences for P-12 students, carry out these plans in the school setting with the students, analyze student learning, and integrate the results into their teaching for professional development. Rubrics for lesson planning, lesson delivery, and journal writing were used to assess the candidates’ performance in the afore-mentioned tasks. Assessment results are within the basic and distinguished levels. Appendix B

Student teaching is the culminating experience in the initial teacher preparation programs. As a capstone course, it assists teacher candidates integrate learning gained from previous courses particularly those that include teaching strategies, classroom management, media communication techniques and planning instruction. INTASC standards 4, 5, 6, and 7 refer to the afore-mentioned elements of pedagogical content knowledge. Assessment of student teaching performance in these standards constitutes assessment at the exit point. The accomplishment of INTASC standards 4, 5, 6 and 7 has been achieved to a large extent. More than 70% of candidates in the Early Childhood and Elementary Education Programs demonstrated distinguished performance. A majority of those in the Secondary, SPED and PE Programs were proficient in their performance.

For the advanced program TESOL, ED 692 is the culminating experience. Candidates are assessed using the practicum rubrics for lesson planning and lesson delivery. The candidates’ assessment results indicate proficiency in performance. ED 481G assessment results show proficiency and distinguished levels of performance.

In all the initial and advanced programs, technology use is part of the coursework. Candidates search the Internet to collect recent information about their disciplines and how to teach them more effectively to P-12 students. They prepare PowerPoint presentations, slide presentations, and TV material to present documentaries about their assigned topics. In methods courses, candidates are required to use educational software to show how the teaching of a particular concept is enhanced by computer animation and simulation. Candidates are also required to begin an e-portfolio to show how the course objectives are met through artifacts that are created electronically.

The initial teacher preparation programs have a required professional education course, ED 451 (Audio-Visual Education). This is a course in which instructional design and the selection, production and utilization of media resources are studied. The advanced programs, too, have ED 637 (Integrating Technology into the Curriculum), ED 638 (Teaching with the Internet) ED 634 (Instructional Interactive Media) and ED 636 (Utilizing Media Resources in Instruction). Performances of the candidates in these courses ranged from proficient to distinguished.

Instruction and activities in the methods courses are geared towards the SPA standards of the programs while those of the practicum courses and student teaching are aligned with the INTASC standards. The candidates’ performance in the program standards associated with pedagogical content knowledge was reviewed by NCATE’s designated SPAs. All, but one initial teacher preparation program, have met the pedagogical content knowledge standards. Social Studies in the Secondary Education Program has just met one standard The Language Arts in the same program has met two standards. Science in the Secondary Education Program has met Standard I (3.1), ST (5.1), C (6.1) and SC (7.1). Appendix D

The exit survey mentioned in 1.1 has items that measure the candidates’ pedagogical content knowledge. Three groups of respondents participated in this survey. The Elementary Education majors obtained an average of 3.8 on a scale of 4. The Secondary Education majors and the Early Childhood majors garnered an average of 3.5 each. In the 2006 results, both Elementary and Early Childhood Education majors obtained higher averages than the Secondary Education majors. The item with the highest score from the three groups of respondents refers to the alignment of activities with lesson objectives. The items with the lowest scores are those pertaining to drawing out of the concepts from the students (for 2005), asking thought provoking questions and technology integration (for 2006). Appendix E

The weak area identified in the survey pertains to the technique of questioning. This area will be given considerably more emphasis in microteaching activities. The teacher candidates will also be required to write down questions they will ask to draw out the concept(s) from their students. A videotape presentation that is focused on technique of questioning for concept development in students will also be required for all teacher candidates taking the practicum courses.

The unavailability of computers in some schools rendered it impossible for the teacher candidates to integrate computer technology into their own teaching. However, there were other forms of technology used such as, radio, tape recorder, TV, videotapes, slides and slide projectors, and the commonly used transparencies and the OH projector.

A follow-up of the graduates was recently conducted through an employer survey. The results indicate fair performance (3.13 and 2.9 for 2005 and 2006 respectively) in pedagogical knowledge by the beginning teachers. The items on active engagement of the students in the learning process (3.46 for 2005) and integration of curriculum (3.33 for 2006) obtained high ratings while using effective classroom management and discipline in teaching received the lowest rating for both 2005 and 2006. The result may be attributed to lack of a classroom management course in both elementary and secondary education programs. Appendix F

---

Candidates in the initial teacher preparation programs complete professional education courses that pertain to culture, contemporary issues, and evaluation. TESOL has ED699 and other specialization courses that deal with the assessment of the candidates’ professional and pedagogical knowledge, such as second language curriculum (ED 661), second language methodology (ED 481G), and second language testing and evaluation (ED 662),

At Entry

Three foundation courses have, as a major objective, the development professional knowledge for students at the initial level.  These courses are required for admission into the initial teacher preparation programs. They are ED 110 (Introduction to Teaching) or ED 403 (Foundations in Education), ED 192 (Observation and Participation), and ED 201 (Human Growth and Development). The average grade of those who took these courses as admission requirements was 2.7.   The other admission requirement that assesses professional knowledge is a student essay about such topics as why I want to be a teacher, parental involvement in education, diversity in the classroom, etc.  The essay is assessed using the rubrics for the effective communicator and reflective decision-maker.Results of the assessment indicate acceptable performance for those who applied in Fall 2005 and Spring 2006.

For the advanced programs, TESOL requires LN 300 (Introduction to Linguistics) and LN 385 (Structure of the English Language). These courses provide the initial content with respect to the professional and pedagogical knowledge and skills that are needed when candidates take the specialization courses.  A GPA of 3.0 or better for these courses was met by the applicants requesting admission into the program.

At Midpoint

The courses that provided professional and pedagogical knowledge and skills to the candidates in the initial teacher preparation programs are ED 300 where candidates learned the theories of learning that support current instructional strategies, ED 360 where candidates in the Early Childhood, Elementary and SPED programs learn the strategies for working in a multicultural classroom, and ED 489 where all the candidates learn the different assessment strategies and their classroom applications.  The average grades of the majority of the candidates in ED 300, 360 and 489 for Fall 2005 and Spring 2006 fall within the distinguished performance level. Very few candidates were at the basic level. In Spring 2006, 12% of 25 students did not meet the acceptable level of performance in ED 489.  The grade evidence, except for two candidates in ED 489, shows very substantial knowledge of professional and pedagogical standards that are articulated in the INTASC Principles that foundations and practicum courses use.

The approaches used with the teacher candidates and the instructional strategies taught to them in the methods and practicum courses are anchored in constructivism. Constructivist approaches place a heavy emphasis on the use of students’ prior knowledge as starting points for instruction. The lesson plan rubrics that are used in both initial teacher preparation and advanced programs have the element of prior knowledge utilization in teaching. This is also an element in lesson delivery. The candidates are very good in eliciting students’ prior knowledge and experiences (particularly experiences in the students’ own culture). This element always receives a distinguished mark in candidates’ lesson plans and lesson delivery rubrics. Appendix G

At Exit

In the 16-week field-based experience (AKA student teaching), candidates demonstrate application of professional and pedagogical knowledge learned from foundations and methods courses. INTASC Standards 8, 9 and 10 are used to assess the application of professional knowledge in teaching. These INTASC Standards are well aligned with the institutional standards of a reflective decision-maker and effective communicator. Reflective journals and portfolios are used to assess the candidates’ performance. The results for 2005-06 show that a majority of the candidates in the Early Childhood and Elementary Education Programs demonstrated distinguished performance while those in the Secondary, P.E. and SPED Programs had proficient performance.

For the advanced program, all the candidates in TESOL demonstrated distinguished performance in ED 692. This is a capstone course and enables the candidates to apply their professional and pedagogical knowledge.

There are two standards on professionalism that candidates have to meet. These standards are aligned with the INTASC Standards. They are: 1) Candidates know the importance of establishing and maintaining a positive collaborative relationship with families to promote the academic, social and emotional growth of students, and 2) Candidates foster relationships with school colleagues and agencies in the larger community to support students’ learning and well-being. Student teaching, internship and practicum supervisors assess the candidates through their participation in parent-teacher conferences, use of community and school resources, and parental involvement in students’ homework activities. Other service learning activities involving the school, children and parents, and the professional community are also considered and assessed. The candidates’ reflective journals are used to assess performance of the professionalism standards. The results indicate proficient to distinguished performances.

The specialized program reports that pertain to professional and pedagogical knowledge and skills for candidates were reviewed by the NCATE’s designated SPAs. The results of the review show that some program standards have not been met. The Secondary Education Program has not met the science standards I 3.2-4, CS 4.1-4, C 6.2-4, SC 7.2-4 and EL 9.1-4. The SPED Program has not met its standards: GC 4S6, 4S23; 6S4.

An exit survey was conducted to determine candidates’ performance in 9 items that relate to professional and pedagogical knowledge. All the items but one obtained ratings between 3.6 and 4.0 (highest) from the respondents. The lowest ratings established were for items 16 for 2005 and 17 for 2006. Item 16 pertains to the candidates’ planning and carrying out of language activities for ALL students (including those with special needs and LOTE children) to enhance their conceptual understanding This is an issue concerning diversity. Ways to address it in the classroom will be discussed more fully in the methods and practicum courses. Item 17 concerns determining what worked and did not work in one’s teaching. This will be given more emphasis in journal writing.

For 2005, the employers’ survey consisting of 6 items that relate to professional knowledge all had very satisfactory and satisfactory average ratings of 3.62. This declined a bit in 2006 to 3.32. It is interesting to note that the two items that were ranked high in 2005 were ranked low in 2006. These items pertain to responsiveness to student needs andconstructive criticisms.

---

The candidates in the Administration and Supervision Program are required to meet the professional standards from Educational Leadership Constituent Council (ELCC). The program provides assessment results that document accomplishment of the institutional standards associated with the goal of reflective decision maker and professional and pedagogical knowledge and skills. These are the standards associated with the reflective decision maker.

In Language and Literacy candidates are required to participate as members of a professional learning community, reflecting on practice and contributing to the improvement of instructional programs and advancement of knowledge. Issues and philosophies in culturally diverse schools (ED600), literacy assessment (ED643) and methods (ED645), special topics in literacy education (ED647) are examples of courses that meet the above-mentioned requirements.

The programs have capstone courses that enable the candidates to apply their professional and pedagogical knowledge in worksites. All the candidates in these programs demonstrated distinguished performance in Fall 05 and Spring 06.

The specialization courses in the Administration and Supervision Programs provide professional and pedagogical knowledge for both the required practicum and internship. Candidates have met the GPA continuing requirement of 3.0 before beginning internship (ED 698).

ED 698 Internship in Administration and Supervision, which was offered in Fall 2005 and Spring 2006, addressed professional and pedagogical knowledge and skills standards of educational administrators. The courses in both programs used journal reflection and technology integration as course assignments. They were assessed using rubrics to determine the candidates’ levels of performance of the institutional standards for professional and pedagogical knowledge. In addition, the Administration and Supervision Program assessed the accommodation of diversity by its candidates to probe knowledge and application of the diversity pedagogy in the school setting. The assessment results for both programs show distinguished performance for the majority of the candidates.

The ED691 course is the overview seminar in Language and Literacy. The seminar is designed as a final integrative experience for the candidates in this program. Candidates review major issues in the field from different theoretical and methodological perspectives and develop their own research, community service/professional exploration projects. Candidates who took this course were distinguished in their performance.

The internship courses in both programs enable the candidates to collaborate with P-12 students, their families and the communities to which they belong. The internship supervisors assess the candidates’ interaction and communication skills using the effective communicator rubrics. The candidates’ reflective journals in ED 698 are assessed using the reflective decision-maker rubrics.The candidates’ performances in both elements of the conceptual framework are distinguished. Furthermore, since Guam is, essentially, a small-scale society, candidates easily relate to their students families and communities.

The Literacy Instructional Lab course (ED644) focuses on reading and writing instruction for children and adolescents.  Candidates get to tutor an individual (parent or any member of the community) on designing and implementing literacy instruction.  Candidates of the program perform exceedingly well in this task.

There are two graduate courses that engage candidates in full-time research to address the most pressing problems in the schools. Education 690 requires a project output that is assessed by a project rubric. ED 695 requires a thesis. In this course, the candidates are assessed by means of an oral presentation rubric and a thesis writing rubric. Both courses require the use of the Internet for literature search on current practices to enable the candidates to compare validated practices in the literature with their own practice. The candidates are also required to use statistical packages to process data. Computer utilization for the afore-mentioned purposes is also assessed using the computer integration rubric. Appendix C

---

During the Faculty Retreat for Spring 2005, School of Education faculty identified key dispositions and aligned them with the SOE Conceptual Framework. . The resulting list confirms that all the candidates in the School of Education must demonstrate the followingdispositions:

 

• Disposition A: Commitment to learning (own learning and student learning)
• Disposition B: Willingness to communicate enthusiastically
• Disposition C: Sensitivity to diversity

The first key disposition was aligned with the Knowledgeable Scholar element of the SOE Conceptual Framework. The second one was aligned with the Effective Communicator element and the third with the Reflective Decision-maker element. A table of specification was prepared showing four indicators for disposition A, and three each for dispositions B and C. Performance descriptors for each of the four levels of performance (Distinguished, Proficient, Basic, Unsatisfactory) were specified to serve as the scoring scheme.

Thedisposition rubric was distributed to all faculty members for discussion and try out in their classes. The candidates were informed that the dispositions rubric will be used not only in the courses, but also at midpoint assessment, being a requirement for admission into student teaching or internship. The dispositions rubric is also discussed in the orientation seminar for student teaching and internship that are attended by the candidates and their supervisors. It was made clear to them that the dispositions rubric will be used for each candidate as a requirement for exit. These ways of informing candidates have become regularized at the SOE.

Commitment to student learning reflects the candidates’ work with students. Assessment results at midpoint show that 65% of the candidates are at the distinguished level of performance while 28% are in the proficient level. The remaining 7% are in the basic level. At exit, the percentages increased with 74% at the distinguished level and 26% at the proficient level. Appendix H

Willingness to communicate enthusiastically is reflected in the candidates’ work with students, families and communities. This disposition is related to the professional standards concerning collaboration with families and communities. Assessment results at midpoint show that 69% of the candidates are distinguished, 23% are proficient and 8% are in the basic level of performance. At exit, 94% are at the distinguished level while the remaining 6% are at the proficient level. Appendix H

Sensitivity to diversity is demonstrated in the candidates’ work with students, families and communities. Assessment results at midpoint show that 70% of the candidates are at the distinguished level of performance, 24% are at the proficient level, while 5% are at the basic level. One percent had unacceptable performance in this disposition. At exit, the same trend was observed. Two candidates in the Elementary and Secondary Programs demonstrated unacceptable disposition in dealing with cultural sensitivities. Appendix H

The cooperating teachers’ assessments of the candidates’ dispositions concur with those of the university supervisors. The principals’ assessment of the interns’ dispositions are more favorable than those of the UOG supervisors. For the advanced programs in administration and supervision, the assessments of the candidates’ performance by the internship supervisors are very positive. Appendix H

---

All teacher candidates are required to take the SOE’s basic foundation courses on human growth and development, educational psychology, educational technology and assessment. In addition, they have to take courses in special education, culture and diversity. These courses provide the framework for the knowledge necessary for understanding student learning. Then candidate take the methods courses where they learn various instructional strategies and the relationship of these strategies to the content of the foundation courses concerning students learning and the factors that affect learning. When teacher candidates enter the semester for field experience, they have already acquired the knowledge and skills to encourage and bring about learning for P-12 students.

The candidates are observed and evaluated on their ability to provide developmentally appropriate learning experiences, adapt instruction and curriculum to the needs of a diversity of learners, and judge the impact of their teaching on student learning. As a requirement, teacher candidates develop assessment procedures that measure student learning to determine the effects of their teaching. They are also asked to reflect on the results and develop action plans as needed. Candidates include summaries of the student assessment results and their action plans in their reflective journals. The reflective journal is assessed by a journal rubric. Both observation and journal assessment results show that the candidates have impacted positively on student learning. Appendix G

The INTASC standards associated with student learning are standards 8 and 9 on evaluation and reflection on practice. These standards are used for assessing candidates’ work with P-12 students during practicum and student teaching. The results for student teaching are more favorable than the results for practicum in two initial teacher preparation programs only. There were more candidates in the Early Childhood and Elementary Education Programs who have demonstrated distinguished performance in student teaching (ED 492) than in the practicum course (ED 392). This may be the result of cumulative experience and the acquisition of more skills as candidates move to the next higher level. Appendix C

The SPA standards associated with the candidates’ ability to assess student learning use assessments in instruction and develop meaningful learning experiences that help all students learn. These have been met by all the initial teacher preparation programs, except science in the Secondary Education program. This program failed to meet standard 8.2-8.4.

The teacher candidates’ developmental portfolios that contain their student work samples and the instruments candidates used to assess students demonstrate their ability to assess student learning and use the resulting data to plan instruction. The lesson plan rubric is used to assess the candidates’ ability to plan meaningful learning experiences for students. Assessment results show how well the candidates were able to relate the subject matter with student needs and interests, practical life situations, and other disciplines. Appendix G

An exit survey conducted in 2005 reveals the following practices that have positive impact on student learning: linking assessment with instructional goals (item rated highest by Early Childhood and Elementary Education candidates) and using multiple assessment to gain a better understanding of student’s performance (rated highest by Elementary and Secondary Education candidates). The average ratings obtained from the respondents for the component on student learning are 3.9, 3.8 and 3.5 for Elementary, Secondary and Early Childhood Education candidates respectively. The same trend was established in the 2006 survey. Appendix E

In Fall 2005, 28 Guam Public School System administration polled using a 5-point questionnaire (5 being “very satisfied,” 3 being “satisfied,” and 1 indicating “not satisfied”). The SOE’s first year teachers were rated 3.32 overall. This indicates that the administrators considered their new teachers somewhat better than satisfactory, but not exceptionally well trained. The survey further indicated that the perceived strengths of the SOE graduates are 1) their knowledge of subject matter, 2) their ability to prepare appropriate lessons, and 3) their willingness to respond to positive criticism. These are desirable and necessary characteristics of novice teachers. Areas that were indicated as most needing improvement. The items making up the questionnaire were aligned with the SOE’s Conceptual Framework, specifically the qualities of knowledgeable scholar, effective communicator and reflective decision maker. Appendix F

---

Candidates for other professional school roles are able to critique and reflect upon their work within the context of student learning. They establish educational environments that support student learning, collect and analyze data related to student learning, and apply strategies for improving student learning within their own jobs and schools. In the case of the Educational Administration and Supervision Program, the school administrator candidates complete an internship program that is aligned with the ELCC Standards and those of the SOE Conceptual Framework. From the results of the field experience supervision, administrator candidates have demonstrated remarkable performances. Appendix B

The internship course in the Administration and Supervision program aims to develop the candidates’ skills in planning, implementing, and evaluating an administrator’s program based on individual, school and community needs, and organized around student skills. The assignment on accommodating diversity incorporates knowledge of developmental levels of P-12 students and the diversity of students, families and communities. This assignment is assessed through a rubric on diversity and the result shows a distinguished performance of all the candidates. Appendix B

The Language and Literacy Development course (ED640) of the Language and Literacy Program explores the theory and practice of literacy development and instruction across the K-12 school years. The candidates who took this course demonstrated distinguished performance.

The Administration and Supervision Program has two courses about school policy. ED 612 is about school law and ED 613 covers school financial management. Policies about budget, salary, scheduling, cost accounting and purchasing are discussed in ED 613. The candidates are assessed using exams, case analysis, and reports. The results show proficient to distinguished performances by the candidates. Appendix B

---

The proficiencies that are deemed important in Standard 1 include content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, professional and pedagogical knowledge and skills, disposition and attention to student learning. The findings from multiple sources of data for these proficiencies provide strong evidence that the teacher candidates and other school personnel have met the required professional standards from NCATE, INTASC, SPAs and the SOE’s Conceptual Framework. The data from external assessments of candidates’ performances carried out through surveys and interviews validate these internal assessment results.

Although Guam does not have a licensure exam, the Title II report shows 86% pass rate for the candidates in the various programs of the SOE. Through the meaningful integration of theory and practice in the SOE courses, faulty support and advisement, the candidates have progressed and proven themselves to be knowledgeable scholars, effective communicators and reflective decision-makers.