PREPARING THE EXPERIENCED
PROFESSIONAL AS SPECIALIST
A Conceptual Framework For
Advanced Programs in The Professional Education Unit
College of Education and Human
Services
DEFINITION OF A CONCEPTUAL
FRAMEWORK
A
Conceptual Framework establishes the
shared vision for the Professional Education Unit’s efforts in
preparing educational professionals. It provides direction for
programs, courses, teaching, candidate performance, scholarship,
service, and unit accountability. The Conceptual Framework is
knowledge-based, articulated, shared, coherent, consistent with the unit
and/or institutional missions, and continuously evaluated. It provides
the bases that describe the unit’s intellectual philosophy, which
distinguishes graduates of one institution from those of another.
The Conceptual Framework makes
explicit the Unit’s commitments to the:
- Dispositions that
support it, including the commitment to acquire and use knowledge on
behalf of P-12 students.
-
Diversity and the preparation of educational personnel who help all
students learn.
-
Integration of technology to enhance candidate and student learning.
-
Aligning professional and state standards with candidate proficiencies
expected by the unit and programs.
ROLE OF ADVANCED PROGRAMS
Advanced programs reflect
clear philosophical and operational distinctions between graduate and
undergraduate education. Undergraduate education is expected to provide a
broad knowledge base resulting in a generally informed person with
interests, knowledge and some expertise in an identified field of study and,
in most cases, initial professional licensure. Graduate education builds
upon this foundation and extends the candidate’s knowledge and skills.
Advanced curricula offer a theoretical orientation in an area of
specialization, a breadth and depth of knowledge not found in undergraduate
programs, a focus on the application of theory to practice and an emphasis
on research and problem-solving skills which address the needs of the
experienced professional.
Focusing on the unifying
concept, Preparing the Experienced Professional as
Specialist, the unit’s advanced programs prepare students for
specialized professional roles. Each program has a defined knowledge base,
dispositions, a body of supporting research and a professional practice
component.
CANDIDATE ROLE CONCEPTUALIZATION FOR ADVANCED PROGRAMS
Marshall University’s mission for advanced programs is
to develop graduates who can function in a variety of specialized leadership
roles and can understand and function effectively within cultural and social
role expectations of a given setting. Oriented as problem solvers, graduates
will be information seekers who can function as independent professionals
and fulfill role expectations of life-long learners.
Candidate Outcomes
To ensure that all graduate programs
prepare candidates as defined by the conceptual framework, the graduate
programs have adopted a set of outcomes to guide the development of
programs for all candidates:
- Understand and apply the current
knowledge base in a specialization;
-
Demonstrate skills in
research methodology,
problem solving, and
critical thinking;
-
Demonstrate the attitudes, knowledge
and skills necessary to function effectively within the
social settings of the school/agency,
community, and society as a whole;
-
Demonstrate a basic understanding of
the application of technology in an
area of specialization;
-
Demonstrate a basic understanding of
human growth and development and
apply this knowledge in an area of specialization
-
Demonstrate a basic understanding of
children with special needs and the
ability to provide assistance within the least restrictive environment;
-
Demonstrate an understanding of
cultural pluralism/diversity and the
related implications for curriculum and instruction;
-
Communicate
effectively with a wide variety of constituent groups including
school/agency personnel, policy makers, parents, and other community
members; and
-
Demonstrate self-direction as an
independent, self-confident professional
with a commitment to continued professional growth and development and
life-long learning.
DISPOSITIONS FOR
ADVANCED PROGRAMS
Dispositions are values, commitments and professional ethics that influence
behaviors toward students, families, colleagues, and communities.
The
Professional Education Unit has identified general dispositions which
provide guidelines for both initial and advanced programs. These
dispositions for graduates from professional education programs embody the
Marshall Creed and add other values and beliefs about teaching and
learning. These dispositions as they apply to advanced programs in the Unit
include a commitment to the following:
Students - The
creation of a learning environment and community to promote successful
teaching and learning.
Profession - The
engagement in on-going professional development and ethical behavior.
Diversity - The
value of diverse characteristics and the fulfillment of diverse needs.
Technology - The
use of technology to promote educational progress.
ELEMENTS OF THE CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
- Mission of the
institution and unit
-
Unit philosophy, purposes, professional commitments, and dispositions
-
Knowledge bases, including theories, research, the wisdom of practice,
and education policies
-
Performance expectations for candidates, aligning the expectations with
professional, state, and institutional standards
-
System by which candidate performance is regularly assessed
For
Information Contact:
Dean
Graduate School of Education and Professional
Development
100 Angus E. Peyton Drive
South Charleston, WV 25303
304-746-2030
or
1-800-642-9842 ext. 2030
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