Use of Data for Program Improvement
The education unit makes decisions based on multiple sources of data from multiple stakeholders. One example of this process is the regularity with which department faculty and staff meet to discuss data and information that have been gathered about candidates’ individual performances. Another example are the Syllabus Integration Meetings (SIMs), which serve to ensure coverage of the IPTS and to reduce redundancy and student overload. Changes to syllabi, class schedules, and individual teaching are made regularly after these meetings.
Below is selected information that has been used to make changes in the graduate programs:
* After review of the undergraduate transcripts of the art candidates in the graduate programs, meetings were held with art professionals to review the graduate program requirements for entering art candidates; the result: A review of the requirements will be conducted to determine how the courses match the Illinois Learning Standards and the material required to pass the ICTS
* Another improvement was made to the program to assist art candidates with the integration of art content into other content areas such as social studies and math
* After examination of the Teacher Work Sample, the Summative Performance, the Lesson Plans, and the APT scores, a data intercept/correlation is planned to join items in each of the assessment instruments to see if scores show similar knowledge acquisition for various candidates
* Although each of the three cohorts’ scores on the multiple choice section of the APT, the high and low sub scores on the constructive responses did not match. Data have been shared with the faculty and a closer examination is being conducted.
Assessment data are also shared with teacher candidates within their courses, as part of the faculty’s explanations for assignments selected and data to be collected for key assessments. The unit recognizes the need to more systematically share assessment data with teacher candidates, however.
Below is selected information that has been used to make changes in the graduate programs:
* After review of the undergraduate transcripts of the art candidates in the graduate programs, meetings were held with art professionals to review the graduate program requirements for entering art candidates; the result: A review of the requirements will be conducted to determine how the courses match the Illinois Learning Standards and the material required to pass the ICTS
* Another improvement was made to the program to assist art candidates with the integration of art content into other content areas such as social studies and math
* After examination of the Teacher Work Sample, the Summative Performance, the Lesson Plans, and the APT scores, a data intercept/correlation is planned to join items in each of the assessment instruments to see if scores show similar knowledge acquisition for various candidates
* Although each of the three cohorts’ scores on the multiple choice section of the APT, the high and low sub scores on the constructive responses did not match. Data have been shared with the faculty and a closer examination is being conducted.
Assessment data are also shared with teacher candidates within their courses, as part of the faculty’s explanations for assignments selected and data to be collected for key assessments. The unit recognizes the need to more systematically share assessment data with teacher candidates, however.
