A Hybrid Model to Teacher
CertificationCOHERE Conference 2013
Jesslyn Hollar, Central Washington University
Context: the University
• Central Washington University (CWU) location
• CWU general enrollment (2011-2012) 10,750
• Largest teacher education program in WA
• Branches of teacher educationo Undergraduate and traditional post-baccalaureate education programso Alternative post-baccalaureate education programo Graduate Degree Programso Online Graduate Degree Programs
Alternative Pathways to Teaching
Program approved in 2011 by the Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB).
Fills need for:
1. Certified teachers in high-need areas in WAa. Special educationb. Sciencec. Mathematicsd. English Language Learnerse. Additional subjects as determined by school district
2. Certified teachers in rural schools in WA
Alternative Pathways to Teaching
Employs hybrid instructional delivery model:1. Two week in-person academy prior to start of
internship.2. Year-long internship with a mentor teacher in a
classroom.3. Online course work concurrent with internship.
About the Students• In order to be admitted to the APT program, students
must hold at minimum a Bachelor’s degree from a regionally-accredited institution.
• Most students entering the program tend to be older and educated.
• Many are completely new to the teaching profession and have been working in other careers.
• Some have been working in the schools as instructional aides or substitute teachers.
• Younger applicants tend to have majored in something other than education in college and have decided to become teachers. They may have little to no professional work experience.
Student Make UpAge Ethnicity
20-29
30-39
40-49
50-59
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
Number of Stu-dents
BlackWhiteAsianHispanic/Latino
Student Make UpEducation Level Children and Gender
BA or BSMA or MSPh.D
• Even split between those with children and those without.
• Relatively even split between gender with 21 women and 17 men.
Program Growth
2012-2013 Cohort
2013-2014 Cohort
0
5
10
15
20
25
Number of Students
Number of Students
Certification Areas2012-2013
Special Education
Science
Math
English Language Learners
World Languages
English Language Arts
Certification Areas2013-2014
Special Education
Science
Mathematics
English Language Learners
Program Outcomes
2012-2013 Cohort0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14Moved out of StateIn ProgressNot Yet Certi-fied but Teach-ingCertificated with Teaching Position
Instructional Delivery
Summer AcademyInternshipOnline Coursework
Instructional Delivery
• Summer academyo Held in Ellensburg, WA for two weeks in Julyo Series of seminars taught by faculty from the Center for Teaching and
Learning at CWU, focusing on:• Classroom Management• Lesson Planning• English Language Learners• Multicultural Education• Exceptional Learners• Education Law• Teaching Methods• Assessment
o Students interact with faculty and peers face-to-face. o Students prepare to enter internship in the schools.
Instructional Delivery• Internship
o In the majority of cases, students spend a year working alongside a mentor teacher.
o In some cases, students complete their internship while working• Para-educators/instructional aides• Under conditional/emergency licenses
o In both cases, students receive a salary or wage but are further removed from working closely with their mentor teacher.
o Students spend the first quarter observing, second quarter observing and practice teaching, third quarter teaching one section or prep, and fourth quarter in their student teaching experience.
o Students are observed at least four times by field supervisors from CWU.
Instructional Delivery• Online Course Work
o First Quarter:• Observation logs surrounding various topics related to teaching• Uploaded to LiveText platform • Reviewed by APT director• Feedback provided
o Second Quarter:• Review of Case Studies related to teaching• Critical response to case studies• Drafting and development of own case study• Videotaped Instruction and peer workshop via Google Hangouts
o Third Quarter:• Focus shifts to capstone assessment - edTPA
Online Tools• Blackboard is main repository for resources
o Folders related to each summer academy topic with resourceso Videos related to teaching practice
• LiveTexto Primary space for submitting assignments and receiving feedback on
assignments.
• Google Hangouts and Google Voice/Video Chato All students required to hold a google email account with access to
google hangouts and voice/video chato Office hours completed via google voice/video chato Candidates can also talk with peers via this format as well, allowing for
easy, free space to communicate “face-to-face”.
Benefits• Candidates are able to complete course work long
distance.• Candidates are able to complete internship in
their home communities.• Program is competency-based, allowing early exit
once all competencies are met.• Low cost of education for candidates (~$12,000)• On paper, program seems to offer an efficient
(read quick), easy, and cheap way to obtain a teaching license.
Drawbacks• Lack of face-to-face contact with knowledgeable
CWU faculty (aside from summer academy) and fellow cohort.
• Older population who might not be as technologically proficient deals with a very different learning system than they have experienced before.
• More difficult to assess teacher candidate dispositions.
• Individualized program of study prevents in-depth engagement with peers.
Addressing Drawbacks• Google Hangouts• National Board Certified Videos• Video Observations• Google Chat during office hours
Moving Forward• Necessary to improve rigor so that candidates are
as prepared as can be before entering profession.• Address how to measure candidate dispositions in
online format. • There might need to be some focus on teaching
how to use the technology in the summer academy as google hangouts and LiveText create issues for those less familiar with the technology.
• Creating stronger balance between the three components (internship, summer academy, online course work).
Questions?
