Institutional Report - Conceptual Framework
Last Update: 1/15/04 *

The Purdue University unit conceptual framework represents a synthesis of the faculty's vision as evidenced in the model for professional preparation, the documents that guided reforms of the elementary and secondary teacher education programs, and the College of Education's strategic plan. This framework was developed during reform efforts of the 1990s and has been continuously refined up until the present day. While most of the discussion herein focuses on the initial teacher preparation programs, the conceptual framework guides both initial and advanced preparation programs and represents the unit's guiding vision with respect to the preparation of all education professionals. Following is an explication of the elements of the unit's conceptual framework.

Shared Vision

Historically, faculty and administration of the College of Education developed a shared vision of teacher education at Purdue University in collaboration with colleagues in other academic schools, colleagues in P-12 education, and other stakeholders. This shared vision is rooted in the land grant mission of Purdue University and the mission of the College of Education to serve the citizens of Indiana, the United States, and the world through discovery, learning and engagement.

Purdue University, Indiana's land grant institution, has a central purpose to serve the people of the state and beyond. The broad university mission is stated in its strategic plan.

The mission of Purdue University is to serve the citizens of Indiana, the United States, and the world through: Discovery that expands the realm of knowledge; Learning through dissemination and preservation of knowledge; Engagement through exchange of knowledge.

The Purdue (PU) strategic plan was used as a model and guide in developing the College of Education (COE) strategic plan. The COE strategic plan was submitted to the Provost after faculty approval in November 2003. Many elements of the university plan apply to the COE and some strategies occur in both plans. For example, both the PU and the COE plans have goals related to (a) creating incentives to encourage faculty productivity, (b) expanding student learning opportunities, and (c) engaging with K-12 schools. One of the engagement strategies in the PU strategic plan is to "strengthen preparatory education through enhanced, ongoing engagement with P-12 schools, and with special emphasis on reading, writing, math and science." This strategy is directly related to the mission of the COE.

As noted, the university's mission is echoed in the College of Education's strategic plan, which lays out the mission of the College of Education.

The mission of the College of Education is to serve the citizens of Indiana, the nation, and the world through discovery, learning and engagement.  The College of Education is committed to:  Creating knowledge in education and related fields.  Developing exemplary learning experiences for aspiring teachers, counselors, administrators, researchers, scholars, and those who pursue careers in the private sector.  Contributing to the welfare and advancement of human society through education.

To further its mission, the School seeks to:  Recruit diverse, talented, and motivated students, staff and faculty.  Understand learning in diverse individuals across a variety of contexts.  Prepare its graduates to contribute to a technology-rich and global society as leaders, professionals, and lifelong learners.  Facilitate equal access to educational opportunities for representatives of a rich variety of populations and cultures.  Engage in seeking solutions to critically important educational challenges in Indiana, the nation, and the world.

Thus, the College of Education provides leadership through exemplary teaching, research which develops and refines theory and improves practice, and outreach to schools and communities. The School is dedicated to the development of education professionals who are intellectual leaders; who are prepared to participate in professional, social, and technological change; who are committed to lifelong learning and continuing professional development through inquiry and reflection on practice; who bring a multicultural perspective to their professional practice; and who exercise the responsibilities of citizenship in a global society that is interconnected and interdependent. These attributes are reflected in the professional commitments and Model of Professional Preparation (described below), and this mission is accomplished through: scholarship and research which reflect discovery, integration, and application of knowledge; application of technology to broaden learning opportunities and support the educational process; sensitivity to systemic improvement of teaching and schooling at all levels; partnerships with educational, governmental, and business entities; and interdisciplinary collaboration.

The visions of education and teacher preparation were developed during the 1990s when the faculty and administration of the College of Education, in collaboration with colleagues in other academic schools, colleagues in P-12 education, and other stakeholders engaged in dialogue and planning about teacher education reform at Purdue University. This lengthy, thoughtful, and inclusive process included many meetings of the faculty, forums or "town meetings" with colleagues in the P-12 community, and other gathering of input. Ultimately, an elementary education reform steering committee and a secondary education reform committee drafted the final reform planning documents. Guided by the ideas that emerged from this process, a shared vision of education and teacher preparation at Purdue University was developed and subsequently implemented. Recently, both the institution and the unit underwent strategic planning processes that led to further refinements of the vision. It is important to recognize that the teacher preparation programs continue to evolve, reflecting a vision of best practice based on research that is consistent with Purdue's status as a research extensive institution.

Coherence

Teacher education at Purdue University is a large and complex enterprise that requires multiple structures to provide overall guidance. To orchestrate the teacher education process, mechanisms are in place to ensure the coherence of Purdue's preparation programs. At the broadest level, the Dean of the College of Education has responsibility for overall leadership and general administration of the programs that prepare all students in teacher education. With the support of the Dean, the faculty of the College of Education has the responsibility and authority for establishing appropriate policies for governance, program development, and admission and retention of candidates in professional education. Two standing committees, the Elementary Education Committee and the Secondary Education Committee, are charged with making this authority operational. Both committees are housed in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction but include membership that extends beyond the department and school. The Elementary and Secondary Education Committees review and approve curriculum and set policy with regard to elementary and secondary teacher education programs.

A Block Council was created Fall 2000 to guide implementation of the new courses, arranged in a sequence of blocks, when they were first developed. The group's charge was to resolve any issues related to implementation of the blocks as they were instituted. The Assessment Council superceded the Block Council Fall 2002 and now coordinates issues related to the Unit Assessment System (UAS) and overall program implementation across blocks. The Assessment Council has representation from faculty who coordinate block courses; the Office of Professional Preparation and Licensure, which coordinates admission and retention in the teacher education program and all aspects of licensure; the Office of Field Experiences, which manages placement of candidate for early field experiences and student teaching; and Purdue's K-12 partner schools, which accept candidates for placement. More importantly, the Assessment Council provides a formal mechanism by which the teacher education program is coordinated and periodically reviewed. The Assessment Council uses feedback from its constituents to refine and make adjustments to the program.

While much of the responsibility for teacher education is vested in the faculty of the College of Education, which has a primary mission to prepare teacher professionals, it is important to acknowledge that teacher preparation is also a function of five other academic schools at Purdue University: Agriculture, Consumer and Family Sciences, Liberal Arts, Science, and Technology. Purdue views as a strength this collaborative system of teacher preparation in which teacher education candidates major in their respective content disciplines. As has been noted, faculty members in these academic schools have joint or courtesy appointments in the College of Education. Representatives of these schools serve on the Secondary Education Committee and the Assessment Council. In addition, a campus-wide entity called the Teacher Education Council (TEC) functions as the curriculum review authority for all programs leading to licensure and as a policy advisory board to the College of Education. The TEC is chaired by the Dean of the College of Education and has formal representation from all of the academic schools that have teacher education both on the West Lafayette and regional campuses. This system allows for university-wide involvement of colleagues from all departments and academic schools that prepare teachers and other school personnel.

Data for decision-making by these bodies is gathered through the Unit Assessment System (UAS). The Purdue University UAS is designed to reflect essential components of the candidate preparation process. Candidate knowledge, dispositions, and performances are linked to both teacher preparation standards and K-12 academic standards, and professional preparation courses are mapped to the standards, thereby promoting the fundamental content validity of the system. As part of the UAS, the Purdue Electronic Portfolio (PEP) system allows the digital storage and accessibility of candidate work, faculty assessments, and other pertinent information. This database allows the faculty to evaluate candidate knowledge, dispositions, and performances and to judge the effectiveness of the teacher education programs in meeting their goals and objectives. Upon completion of the program, candidates are followed to determine job placement and other evidence of professional success such as successful completion of the Indiana Beginning Teacher Internship Program. The data are then analyzed and drawn into relation with markers of candidate success in the UAS. Through analysis of placement data and other indicators of success, the faculty and administrators of the UAS maintain the coherence of the programs.

Professional Commitments and Dispositions

Teacher education programs at Purdue recognize schools are complex social, political, cultural, and interpersonal organizations (Jaffee, 2001; MacLaren, 1999; Sher, 1997; Sleeter & Grant, 1991) and teaching is a highly complex activity in which teachers apply knowledge from multiple domains to develop curriculum, carry out instruction, and assess learning (Kincheloe & Steinberg, 1997; Pinar, 2000). To become proficient at this complex activity, prospective teachers must develop subject matter knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, and knowledge of context and from these form pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), the knowledge about how to teach specific subject matter that distinguishes teachers from subject matter specialists (Shulman, 1986). This intellectual development is a lifelong process that begins in the initial teacher preparation program and continues throughout the educational professional's career. Because we view knowledge as constructed, both in the sense of individual cognitive development and in the sense of social community development of shared understanding (Britzman, 2003; Cobb, 1994), teachers must be provided with opportunities for making sense of their experiences. This suggests the need for an inquiry-oriented approach to teacher education where teaching is made problematic and students of teaching engage in reflection to develop their understandings of teaching and learning (Giroux, 1988; Kincheloe, 2001; Villaverde & Pinar, 1999). Thus, a developmental and spiraling inquiry framework (based on Knowles & Cole, 1996) was chosen as the basis for the teacher education reforms at Purdue.

Pre-service teachers begin by focusing on themselves as learners and teachers, then move outward into explorations of schools and classrooms and explorations of learners and learning. Finally, the exploration moves into classroom teaching, and from there spirals back to reflections on self as an emerging teacher. This reflective process forms one of the organizing frameworks for the program and is documented, in part, by the growth and development of artifacts in candidates' portfolios.

The teacher education programs at Purdue are designed to facilitate this reflective and spiraling process as candidates integrate practical and theoretical knowledge in university, school, and community settings.  Key features that distinguish the program include:

• Related courses are grouped together in Blocks, each of which has a corresponding practical experience called Theory Into Practice (TIP). Blocks I and II are taken by all elementary, secondary, and special education majors. Thus, candidates, regardless of specialization, experience a common foundation.
• Blocks are sequenced to provide the information and experiences that candidates need to grow and develop as professionals. The sequencing contributes to program coherence. Block I, which includes Exploring Teaching as a Career and Multiculturalism and Education, and Block II, which includes Learning and Motivation and The Inclusive Classroom, provide foundational knowledge and experiences. After Block II, elementary education majors proceed through Blocks III through V, which provide methods of and experience in teaching content, and the elementary program culminates in Block VI, the student teaching experience. After Block II, secondary education majors diverge into their own content preparation courses, methods courses, and ultimately student teaching.
• Four strands run through and guide the program: diversity, technology, field experience, and performance assessment including use of portfolios. These are discussed in more detail below.

In addition to developing theoretical and practical knowledge, we expect that candidates will develop the dispositions to be caring and dedicated education professionals. As articulated in the Candidate Disposition Assessment Process, approved by Purdue's Teacher Education Council in 2002, candidates should: be sensitive to community and cultural norms, demonstrate willingness to work with others, take responsibility for establishing a positive climate, respect students as individuals, treat students fairly, show concern for students' well-being, and demonstrate appropriate professional practice.

Commitment to Diversity, Technology, Field Experience, and Performance Assessment

Over the past five years the College of Education has led broad-based initiatives to redesign our teacher education programs in order to better prepare future teachers for the challenges of 21st century classrooms. Reform efforts are guided by various assessments, such as follow-up evaluations of our graduates conducted by the Office of Professional Preparation and Licensure (OPPL), comments from candidates at annual forums, course evaluations, and ongoing stakeholder forums, among others. Task forces created specific blueprints for our new programs (see the elementary and secondary teacher education reform documents). In many ways, the changes that were implemented anticipated changes in the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and Indiana Professional Standards Board (IPSB) frameworks for teacher education. The conceptual framework has been mapped to the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium principles as well as delineated into four strands.  The four strands that guide the teacher education programs at Purdue -- diversity, technology, field experiences, and portfolios -- emerged from these reform efforts. In addition to a focus on content, these strands weave throughout the program as core experiences and emphases:

• Diversity is a reality in today's schools, and we expect our graduates to be able to teach all students. In order to teach diverse learners in diverse settings, prospective teachers complete interdisciplinary coursework in the socio-cultural and individual factors that influence development and learning (Apple, 1996), and they have practical experiences with children with diverse learning characteristics. Diversity, which is broadly defined to include differences among individuals and groups of people based on ethnicity, race, gender, socioeconomic status, exceptionalities, language, religion, sexual orientation, and geographical area, are addressed throughout the curriculum and through special programs such as Study Abroad. Further, we strive to recruit and retain both a diverse faculty and student body, so that the environment at Purdue is reflective of the diversity in society. Diversity is further addressed in this report under Standard 4.
• Technology is a central strand of the program, because we want our graduates to participate in professional, social, and technological change as lifelong learners and to be able to use a wide variety of educational technologies for teaching and learning. In order to be able to apply technology to the teaching and learning of specific subjects, candidates learn about and use a variety of educational technologies both in concentrated coursework (e.g., EDCI 270, Introduction to Educational Technology and Computing) and through a coherent set of experiences that occur throughout the program. Candidates also document their knowledge of teaching using an electronic portfolio system that requires them to develop and utilize technical knowledge and skills. Technology integration is further addressed in this report under Standard 1.
• Field experiences play a much more prominent role in the current teacher education programs than in the past; candidates begin preliminary field experiences at the very beginning of the teacher preparation program, and these experiences continue throughout the program. The goal of the field experiences is to prepare teachers for a broad view of teaching, the multiple roles of teachers, and the complexities of life in schools as well as for careers as inquiring professionals. Extensive field experience is a hallmark of Purdue's teacher education programs, and, we believe, a key to effective teacher preparation. It is worthy of study to determine the long term impact of these early field experiences on the career sustainability of our teacher candidates.  Field experiences are discussed further in this report under Standard 3.
• Portfolios represent an authentic way for candidates to demonstrate knowledge, dispositions, and performance achievements. With support from a Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers to use Technology (PT³) implementation grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Purdue has developed and implemented the Purdue Electronic Portfolio (PEP) system, an innovative database-driven application accessible to users via the World Wide Web that has garnered attention in a number of circles. The system supports candidates' creation of professional portfolios for assessment, reflection, and marketing. Use of electronic portfolios became a required component of the initial teacher preparation programs in the fall of 2002, and implementation of the system is being systematically phased in across programs with completion scheduled for spring of 2005. Advanced preparation programs are planning to begin using the system in the near future as well. Portfolios and performance assessment are discussed further in this report under Standard 2.

Programmatic Empahsis

Figure 1. Purdue's Model for Professional Preparation

In addition to the programmatic strands, the emphases of the professional preparation programs are depicted in the model for professional preparation adopted by the College of Education in 1992 and reaffirmed in 1999 and 2003. Research and best practice are depicted as the core of professional preparation at Purdue University. These two elements are consistent with the research and land grant missions of the university, and they represent a balanced approach that is evident in the reform initiatives in the College of Education. Seven areas of competency, depicted in the inner ring, represent foci of the initial preparation programs. These areas of emphasis are:  understand individual development of students; teach effectively by integrating content and pedagogy; use current and emerging technology; adapt instruction to diverse learners; focus on the learner and assess growth and outcomes; collaborate with teachers, parents and community; and practice inclusive education.

Advanced preparation extends initial preparation and adds emphases on six areas depicted in the outer ring. These areas of emphasis are:  create knowledge; synthesize knowledge; communicate knowledge; think critically and reflectively; engage in professional development; and participate actively in their profession.

The blending of the colors from one area of the model diagram to another are intended to represent the fact the boundaries between initial and advanced preparation are permeable rather than sharply defined. The lavender "shadow" that surrounds the rings and extends to the lower right depicts the linkage of all of the components of the model to professional, state, and institutional standards.

Alignment with State and National Standards

The components of the model link to the professional standards that undergird the program. For the initial teacher preparation programs, these performance-based standards include the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC) principles, which form the basis of the Indiana Professional Standards Board (IPSB) standards for teachers. These guiding standards are woven into Purdue's professional preparation programs and evident in various types of documentation. The model has been mapped to the INTASC principles.  Courses in the professional preparation programs have been mapped to the IPSB content and developmental standards, and candidates' artifacts in the PEP electronic portfolio system are tracked according to the INTASC principles and three overarching themes developed by the Purdue faculty: attention to learners, understanding curriculum in context, and commitment to professional growth. These standards establish the foundation of the professional preparation programs.  Thus, courses and experiences stem from the conceptual framework and are aligned with the INTASC principles and IPSB content and developmental standards as well as those of the professional associations.  The initial teacher education program provides an articulated sequence of experiences, including frequent field experiences. The program emphasizes the links between subject matter knowledge and teaching. Through the Theory Into Practice (TIP) components of the blocks, as well as in methods courses and student teaching, candidates must be able to apply theory and classroom-based "book learning" to the solution of real classroom problems. Further, we expect our graduates to be able to use a variety of technologies to support teaching/learning and their own professional growth and development. Technology-based activities and electronic portfolio assignments are woven throughout the teacher education programs. In addition, the program recognizes that diversity is a reality in today's schools, and we expect our graduates to understand how students differ in their approaches to learning and to be able to create instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse learners. Diversity is addressed through specific required coursework (e.g., EDCI 285, Multiculturalism and Education), diversity components within other courses, and through diverse field placements. Our faculty engages in scholarship that integrates research, teaching, and service to better understand teaching and learning. Faculty members also collaborate with colleagues in partner schools in conducting field-based research and providing professional development experiences.

Advanced Preparation Programs

Typically, advanced program candidates are experienced educators who are already employed within complex learning communities. Advanced programs are designed to help them move beyond the basic mastery of content and practice that characterizes initial licensure to develop deeper understandings, more sophisticated practice, and the knowledge and dispositions that characterize leaders in the educational community. Upon completion of an advanced program of study, candidates are accomplished educators whose practices are consistent with standards articulated by professional organizations or the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.

Advanced programs in the unit operate from a set of principles and beliefs that are articulated in the conceptual framework. As noted in the discussion of the model for professional preparation above, advanced preparation builds upon and extends initial preparation. Advanced preparation programs add emphases on six areas:  creating knowledge; synthesizing knowledge; communicating knowledge; thinking critically and reflectively; engaging in professional development; and participating actively in the profession.

Accomplished practitioners are more than consumers of information; they are able to read, understand, and synthesize information from the literature in their disciplines. They contribute to the creation of new knowledge and understandings through research and interpretation. In addition, they effectively communicate their understandings to others to contribute to the broader community. Advanced programs emphasize that candidates must think critically and reflectively about their disciplines and their own practice. Depth of understanding is a hallmark of the accomplished practitioner. Advanced studies candidates are encouraged to demonstrate their growth and development in meaningful ways in their communities and professional organizations. Accomplished practitioners recognize that professional development is a lifelong process and commitment to personal development and active participation in the profession is a crucial component of success.

Just as initial programs are guided by the Interstate New Teacher and Support Consortium (INTASC) principles, advanced programs are guided by the standards put forth by the relevant professional organizations (e.g., Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs for the school counseling program, the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium for educational administration programs) and the five core propositions of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). At the advanced preparation level, Purdue University seeks to develop accomplished practitioners who are leaders in their fields, who are actively engaged in their professions, and who contribute to the betterment of education and society.

Evidence

* Please note, this site was prepared for the March 6-10, 2004, NCATE/IPSB Board of Examiners visit. The information posted here is available to the public and every attempt is being made to ensure its completeness and accuracy. If you have any updates or corrections, or have difficulty accessing or locating any documents, please contact T. J. Oakes, NCATE Coordinator, at oakest@purdue.edu or 765-494-5486, or contact Richard Frisbie, Assessment Coordinator and WebMaster at rfrisbie@purdue.edu or 765-494-2360.