Conceptual Framework and Knowledge Bases for Professional Education
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Summary: The professional education programs at West Chester University
have established an integrated set of overarching principles and values
to guide the university's professional programs. These principles and
values are incorporated into the WCU Conceptual
Framework. Simply expressed,
the conceptual framework states that each professional education program
will prepare teachers or other school professionals who:
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» Know learners, subject matter, pedagogy, and curriculum.
» Construct effective learning experiences/outcome assessments,
closes the evaluation loop, and assesses continuously.
» Value diversity and community in the classroom through practice.
» Apply knowledge of the context of education and engages in
collaborative activities, partnerships, service, and advocacy.
» Direct personal growth, professional practice, and reflective
practice.
See Knowledge Base and Unit Outcomes Page
Development of the Conceptual Framework
Discussions of the philosophy and purpose of the teacher education program
at West Chester University evolved from the development of a mission
statement for the program. Individual departments were asked to provide
a mission statement and philosophy statement for the Teacher Education
Council to review prior to the development of similar statements for
the overall program. The Teacher Education Council reviewed these statements
and synthesized the elements of each statement into unified statements
about the program. These statements incorporate an emphasis on the initial
preparation of teachers as well as the continuing professional development
of teachers. These statements also recognize the diversity of schools
and students that will be served by graduates of the program and the
multi-dimensional roles that program graduates will be expected to assume.
Finally, these statements recognize that faculty scholarship, innovation,
and collaboration are critical factors in maintaining and improving the
quality of the program.
Mission Statement
The following statement was approved by the Teacher Education Council
on April 16, 2003.
West Chester University (WCU) is a public institution established to
serve the common good in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. WCU’s
primary focus is teaching and learning. To that end, the mission of the
Teacher Education Program is to support the integration of teaching,
scholarship, and service in meaningful ways.
In line with the University’s focus on teaching, the Teacher Education
Program facilitates the discernment process for prospective pre-professional
candidates. The program provides for their education, preparation, and
continuing development. Our specific mission is to prepare reflective
educational professionals who facilitate the development and learning
of all students. Accordingly, we are committed to diversity.
Our mission includes a commitment to conduct research and scholarship.
These activities are aimed at discovering, understanding, integrating,
applying, and disseminating knowledge of a) the nature of learning, teaching,
and human development; b) the academic disciplines; c) the factors that
promote or inhibit the realization of individual potential. We are committed
to building bridges between subjects and collaborating across departments
and disciplines.
The University and its Teacher Education Program are committed to providing service to the individuals, communities, and environments of our region,
state, nation, and world. We engage our time, talents, knowledge, facilities,
and resources in collaboration with, and for the direct benefit of, our
students, our community/school partners, and other individuals, and environments.
Philosophy
The following statement was approved by the Teacher Education Council
on April 16, 2003.
West Chester University’s Teacher Education Program is guided
by a holistic philosophy that sees educational encounters as always more
than the sum of their most visible parts: teacher, student, curriculum,
classroom. This philosophy is reflected in our beliefs about context,
program values, practices, and professional characteristics.
Context
We believe:
» The reflective practitioner understands and values learning
and teaching in context -- including internal, cultural, social, and
environmental factors -- and is able to function effectively on behalf
of all students. [3,4,5]*
» Formal education promotes the development of individual potential
within social and environmental limits. Schools function as the foundation
for social organization and democracy. [3,5]*
» Those who aspire to be educators in a democratic society should
understand human biological, psychological, and intellectual growth and
the factors that promote them. Educators should understand and be disposed
to addressing the full range of challenges to the development of individuals:
psychological (meaning and self-knowledge), physical, social/environmental
(poverty, toxic physical environment), and cultural (racism, sexism,
ableism, political inequality, commercialism). [4]*
Program Values
We believe:
» In the fundamental importance of well-grounded knowledge for
effective teaching, including subject, pedagogical, and pedagogical content
knowledge. [1]*
» In preparing educators who have seriously engaged in self reflection
and can be living models of the integration of professional and personal
knowledge for lives of service. [5]*
» In facilitating the development of professionals through serious
engagement with students, classrooms, families, local and global communities,
and the natural world. [2]*
» In promoting diversity of perspectives, individuals, learning
environments, assessments, instructional strategies, research methods,
and field experiences. [2,3,4]*
» In providing direct experience through field based learning.
[Implicit in 1,4]*
Practices
We believe:
» Learners should participate in developmentally effective activities
that are meaningful and authentic and that engage them seriously with
the subject. [2]*
» Learning and teaching are active, collaborative, constructive,
continuous processes that enable faculty and students to reflect upon
and analyze their own learning and teaching. [2,5]*
Professional Characteristics
We believe:
» That a professional educator has the ability to change systems,
assume leadership roles, and build coalitions. [4]*
» That the values of entrepreneurship – innovation, problem
solving, partnering – are hallmarks of an effective educator. [4]*
» That a professional educator appropriately integrates technology
for instruction. [2]*
» That high standards of teaching, research, scholarship, and
service are essential for faculty and students to remain at the forefront
of sound educational practice and change. [5]*
*Aligns with these unit outcomes. Conceptual
Framework Knowledge Base
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