jonathan becker annual evaluation 2007-08 final

8/8/2019 Jonathan Becker Annual Evaluation 2007-08 FINAL

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School of Education2007-2008 Annual Faculty Assessment

Dr. Jonathan Becker Assistant Professor

Department of Educational Administration

Dr. Jonathan Becker presented his 2007-2008 Work Plan, 2007-2008 FinalActivity Report and Narrative, and his 2008-2009 Initial Work Plan and supportingdocuments. His materials are complete and provide good evidence for reviewing his work and his contribution to the Department and School. Dr.Becker had allocated 30% to teaching, 40% to research and scholarly activity,15% to service, and 10% to other, to include the dissertation advisement he isfinishing at Hofstra University.

Teaching

Dr. Becker taught a four course load, as appropriate for an initial appointment.Dr. Becker taught three sections of ADMS 611 (School Law) and one section of EDUS 710, Educational Research Design. His average course size was 16.25,at the upper end for the department Jonathan is already chairing 7 dissertationsat VCU in addition to 5 at Hofstra, 4 of whom graduated in 2007-2008. Dr.Becker’s teaching load this year required development of two new syllabi andlearning and including the details of Virginia education law.

Dr. Becker presented course syllabi and end-of-course student ratings for all hiscourses. He also presented an extensive narrative of his teaching goals, hisapproach to teaching, decisions he made based upon student feedback, and hiscontinuing plans for technology.

Student evaluations from Fall 2007 showed that Dr. Becker is seen as strongestin his knowledge base, his preparedness for class, and his concentration ondiscussion and participation. Although quite respectable, his first semester evaluations were somewhat lower than his student evaluations at Hofstra, wherehe was regularly the highest rated member of the faculty. I would expect that Iwill see differences in his Spring semester evaluations and that, once settled, hebecomes one of the highest rated professors.

Student comments were interesting, particularly in light of department curriculum.Where there were suggestions for change, they tended to focus on resistance tothe Socratic method and case analysis – both components of the courseendorsed by the department. Students noted Dr. Becker’s passion for thematerial, the completeness of his preparedness for each class, his extensiveknowledge, his energy, and his patience. School law is one of the courses inwhich values surface and, as such, requires skill beyond legal understanding.From student comments, it is clear that Dr. Becker brings this added dimensionto his teaching. Students wrote that Dr. Becker “Was very knowledgeable andallowed for diversity of opinions, a safe learning environment.” “He was very



open and made me think! He brought the group together with lessons, no matter how controversial.” ”Good at managing discussion.”

In addition to his school law course, Dr. Becker taught doctoral research methodscourse. I observed his teaching in both courses. I was very impressed with the

level of understanding the students demonstrated in their final research projectsof measurement, survey design, sampling, and analysis. This course requires atremendous amount of coverage – too much, in my opinion, for one semester –and Dr. Becker was able to pull it together.

Dr. Becker maintained a heavy emphasis on service on doctoral dissertations,prepared comprehensive exam questions in law and as part of the research teamin research methods. He read and evaluated comprehensive exams. , elevendifferent committees as either chair or methodologist. She also

Last year Dr. Becker has an excellent year in teaching.

Research and ScholarshipDr. Becker’s research and scholarly work plan was largely achieved. Dr.Becker’s research agenda includes inquiry into technology use, methodologicalapproaches to studying technology, and issues in school law.

His focus was on 4 publications and a major online book project. Each of hisarticle submissions was first presented at a peer reviewed professional meetingand then revised and submitted for publication. An important strand of his workis his description of novel methods used to collect data in a statewide evaluationof technology integration support program in West Virginia. This paper waspresented at AERA in April 2007 and submitted for publication, to Practical Assessment, Research and Evaluation, a peer reviewed journal. Dr. Becker received positive feedback from the editor and is awaiting a publication decision.

Two additional manuscripts are emerging from a paper presented at UCEA and,in a revised format, at AERA this year. “Facilitating Technology Integration:Results from an Evaluation of West Virginia’s Enhancing Education ThroughTechnology (EETT) Model School Project” summarized Dr. Becker’s three year statewide evaluation of technology integration in West Virginia. These twopapers persuaded Dr. Becker that he had two publishable manuscripts. He iscompleting one of these articles for submission and, during the last week of May,is collecting additional data in site visits to West Virginia schools for the secondarticle. He expects that both manuscripts will be submitted by August 2008.

A fourth manuscript has been submitted to the Journal of Educational ComputingResearch and presents research on which Dr. Becker has been working for twoyears. The Digital Horserace: An Analysis of Differences in Student Computer Use Across the States and Across the Years uses NAEP data to examine thedifferences and effects of state technology policy decisions. No decision has yetbeen made by the journal on this submission.



Dr. Becker has submitted, with Dr. Scott McLeod, a fifth manuscript and isawaiting a decision from the Journal of Law and Education. This piece, “FOIA,FERPA and Other Acronyms Not Necessarily Beginning with F”

Finally, Dr. Becker’s biggest writing and research project is his online school lawguide that he is developing with Scott McLeod for the National Association of Secondary School Principals. This is a very visible and important piece that putthese two scholars at the center of the school law genre. They are takingtextbooks out of the print realm and into the digital world. This project includesmodules, links to published opinions in major cases, test yourself interactivequizzes, FAQ sections, and much more. This is very exciting and is expected togo online in Beta format this summer.

Dr. Becker’s scholarship and research this year has been excellent. He has astrong research focus and he is both gathering new data for future publication

and publishing the results of several large studies.

ServiceDr. Becker’s service for this year was to include 10% of his workload. He wasactive in the department, the School of Education, and in the professional world.He served on the school wide committee on research, helping to organize afaculty research colloquium. He was also a member of a research advisoryboard for Dean Warren and worked to craft comprehensive recommendations onwhere the School might go with research. At the department level, Dr. Becker was active in developing department curriculum, doctoral procedures,comprehensive and qualifying exam questions and processes, and admissioncriteria. Further, he was active in the department development of the Ed.D.

Professional DevelopmentDr. Becker attended both UCEA and AERA.

SummaryDr. Becker had a very good first year at VCU. His teaching is strong and will getstronger, his research is exciting and diverse, and he is a good organizationalcitizen.

Dr. Becker’s performance in the three areas of responsibility, and in professionaldevelopment, is assessed as follows:

Teaching 5 ExcellentResearch and Scholarly Activity 5 ExcellentService 5 ExcellentProfessional Development 5 Excellent



Summary Rating

Dr. Becker’s summary rating is excellent.

Dr. Becker is recommended for a continuing contract.

Signed _________________________________________ Date____________________ Charol Shakeshaft, Ph.D.Professor and Chair, Educational Leadership

The faculty member’s signature below indicates that this document has beenread and reviewed. It does not necessarily reflect agreement. If desired, the

faculty member may submit a response and attach it to this assessment.

Signed _______________________________________ Jonathan Becker, Ph.D.Assistant Professor, Educational LeadershipDate____________________

Rejoinder from Dr. Becker: yes, attached no

jonathan becker annual evaluation 2007-08 final

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