Student Learning Outcomes
The following Student Learning Outcomes apply to all undergraduate degree and certification programs offered by the School of Education.
Principle #1: Conceptual Understanding of Core Knowledge
Definition: The ability of teachers to communicate and solve problems while working with the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of different disciplines. For prospective secondary teachers this means developing rich expertise within their chosen discipline. This principle is demonstrated by the ability to:
- Set learning goals that reflect command of the subject matter.
- Design and implement instruction that develops students conceptual understanding of core knowledge
- Interact with learners, providing meaningful and strategic information.
- Improve learners communication and quantitative skills through meaningful learning engagements.
- Model effective communication and problem solving.
- Use a variety of media and technology.
- Distinguish high quality educational materials.
- Write and speak with clarity.
Principle #2: Reflective Practice
Definition: The ability of teachers to step outside of the experiences that make up teaching and to analyze and critique from multiple perspectives the impact of these experiences and contexts. This principle is demonstrated by the ability to:
- Explain the principles that guide teaching.
- Demonstrate teaching as an inquiry process, collecting and analyzing data about students learning and generating plans designed to support student understanding.
- Entertain multiple perspectives.
- Self-assess from multiple perspectives.
- Collect information through observation of classroom interaction.
- Assess learners development and knowledge.
- Use assessment processes appropriate to learning outcomes.
- Invite learners to employ multiple approaches, solutions, and diverse pathways to learning.
Principle #3: Teaching for Understanding
Definition: The ability of teachers to draw on their conceptual understanding to plan, implement, and assess effective learning experiences and to develop supportive social and physical contexts for learning. This principle is demonstrated by the ability to:
- Set clear and developmentally appropriate goals for learning experiences.
- Establish suitable classroom routines.
- Provide learners with meaningful choices.
- Create a collaborative, supportive social environment.
- Engage learners in generating knowledge and testing hypotheses.
- Help learners articulate their ideas and thinking processes.
- Use multiple strategies that engage students in active, meaningful learning.
- Encourage learners to see, question, and interpret ideas from diverse perspectives.
- Support learners in assuming responsibility for themselves and for their own learning.
- Motivate all children to learn.
- Create an inviting, interactive learning environment.
- Ask questions that promote meaningful learning.
- Build on children's prior knowledge.
Principle #4: Passion for Learning
Definition: The ability of teachers to continually develop their own complex content and pedagogical knowledge and to support the development of students habits of continual, purposeful learning. This principle is demonstrated by the ability to:
- Synthesize and teach complex concepts and networks of knowledge.
- Learn about learners and teaching through reflective practice.
- Recognize and support learners intellectual, social, and personal growth.
- Support all learners with special needs including learners new to English.
- Engage learners in multiple ways of knowing.
- Convey reasonable, but high and positive expectations for learner achievement.
- Integrate the disciplines to create meaningful curriculum.
- Give learners opportunities to solve community problems and to make authentic and meaningful choices.
- Provide all learners with equitable access to meaningful learning opportunities.
- Seek help from other professionals when needed.
- Engage in personal inquiry to construct content and pedagogical knowledge and skills.
Principle #5: Understanding School in the Context of Society and Culture
Definition: The ability of teachers to value and to teach about diversity, inclusivity, and equity; to recognize the impact of social, cultural, economic, linguistic, geographic, and political systems on daily school life; and to capitalize on the potential of school to minimize inequities. This principle is demonstrated by the ability to:
- Act as a change agent.
- Demonstrate willingness and growth toward multicultural competence and culturally responsive teaching.
- Recognize cultural differences and strive to address the discontinuities that can become obstacles to equitable teaching and learning.
- Mediate when learners need help to resolve problems or change attitudes.
- Initiate and engage in partnerships with families, teachers, administrators, and other community members involved in the lives of students and respect families as partners in teaching and learning.
- Embed knowledge of home, school, and community into teaching.
- Recognize and challenge deficit perspectives about and utilize strength-based approaches to engage with students, families, and communities.
Principle #6: Professionalism
Definition: The ability of teachers to be active contributors to professional communities that collaborate to improve teaching and student achievement by developing shared ethics, standards, and research-based practices. This principle is demonstrated by the ability to:
- Demonstrate the ethical principles guiding professional conduct.
- Demonstrate and document standards-based practice that aligns with Common Core, Indiana and professional standards.
- Stay current in terms of research on pedagogy, content, and assessment.
- Participate in professional organizations and resource networks beyond the school.
- Collaborate with colleagues about issues that are complex and difficult.
- Give presentations for other professionals.
- Initiate activities such as teacher research, study groups, and coaching to improve the teaching and learning of a school community.
- Promote positive attitudes.
- Facilitate decision making.
- Operate on democratic principles.
