Submitted to the Virginia Tech Institute for Distance and Distributed Learning (Iddl)
Proposal for
Online Alternative Teacher Certification Courses
Submitted to the Virginia Tech Institute for Distance and Distributed Learning (IDDL)
by John Burton on behalf of the School of Education,
College of Liberal Arts & Human Sciences,
Virginia Tech
May, 2006
Introduction
The Virginia Tech School of Education respectfully submits this proposal for a suite of five, online alternative secondary teacher certification courses. We are applying for the funding opportunity outlined by the Virginia Tech Institute for Distance and Distributed Learning (IDDL) in their Request for Proposal dated April 6, 2006.
Project Background and Need
Due to a nation-wide shortage of K-12 teachers, alternative routes to teacher certification are currently a major focus in new teacher preparation programs. In the Commonwealth of Virginia, as elsewhere, the shortage of teachers is exacerbated by the fact that a large portion of the current teacher population is reaching retirement age. To meet the resulting need, many States are providing alternatives to the traditional four- or five-year teacher preparation programs. The National Center for Alternative Certification (NCAC) estimates that about one-third of new teacher hires are entering the profession through some type of alternative route (http://www.teach-now.org/).
The requirements for earning a teaching certificate through alternative certification programs vary from state to state and are typically determined by a state 's department of education. In Virginia, prospective teachers must meet various requirements, including completion of coursework in a content area, related work experience, and professional studies courses. Often, candidates enroll in alternative licensure programs while teaching full-time on a provisional license. Therefore, online professional studies courses provide candidates with a flexible option for fulfilling licensure requirements,
Online Alternative Teacher Certification Courses
Submitted to the Virginia Tech Institute for Distance and Distributed Learning (IDDL)
by John Burton on behalf of the School of Education,
College of Liberal Arts & Human Sciences,
Virginia Tech
May, 2006
Introduction
The Virginia Tech School of Education respectfully submits this proposal for a suite of five, online alternative secondary teacher certification courses. We are applying for the funding opportunity outlined by the Virginia Tech Institute for Distance and Distributed Learning (IDDL) in their Request for Proposal dated April 6, 2006.
Project Background and Need
Due to a nation-wide shortage of K-12 teachers, alternative routes to teacher certification are currently a major focus in new teacher preparation programs. In the Commonwealth of Virginia, as elsewhere, the shortage of teachers is exacerbated by the fact that a large portion of the current teacher population is reaching retirement age. To meet the resulting need, many States are providing alternatives to the traditional four- or five-year teacher preparation programs. The National Center for Alternative Certification (NCAC) estimates that about one-third of new teacher hires are entering the profession through some type of alternative route (http://www.teach-now.org/).
The requirements for earning a teaching certificate through alternative certification programs vary from state to state and are typically determined by a state 's department of education. In Virginia, prospective teachers must meet various requirements, including completion of coursework in a content area, related work experience, and professional studies courses. Often, candidates enroll in alternative licensure programs while teaching full-time on a provisional license. Therefore, online professional studies courses provide candidates with a flexible option for fulfilling licensure requirements,
References: Cohen, D.K., & Hill, H.C. (1998). State policy and classroom performance: Mathematics reform in California. CPRE Policy Brief No. RB-27. Philadelphia: Consortium for Policy Research in Education, University of Pennsylvania. Dabbagh, N. (2007). The online learner: Characteristics and pedagogical implications. Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 7(3), 217-226. Driscoll, M. P. (2000). Psychology of learning for instruction (2nd ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Guskey, T.R. (2000). Evaluating professional development. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, Inc. Marzano, R.J., Pickering, D.J., & Pollock, J.E. (2001). Classroom instruction that works: Research-based strategies for increasing student achievement. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Rowland, G., Fixl, A., & Yung, K. (1992). Educating the reflective designer. Educational Technology, 32(12), 36-44. U.S. Department of Education, Planning and Evaluation Service. (USDE) (2000). Does professional development change teaching practice? Results from a three-year study. Washington, D.C.: Office of the Under Secretary. Wenglinsky, H. (2002, February 13). How schools matter: The link between teacher classroom practices and student academic performance. Educational Policy Analysis Archives, 10(12). Retrieved from http://epaa.asu.edu/epaa/v10n12/ Appendix A What Works in Instruction (taken from Larson, 2005) The following characteristics and skills were reported by Dabbagh (2007, p. 220) as being critical to success for online learners: • Having a strong academic self-concept.