1.0 Introduction

The Office of Educator Support (OES) at Oklahoma State University includes academic programs in the College of Education and Human Sciences, the Ferguson College of Agriculture, and the College of Arts and Sciences. In addition, the OES works closely with the Graduate College on teacher certification programs at the masters’ and doctoral levels, as well as programs for which “graduate special” students seek enrollment. 

The OES at Oklahoma State University works closely with several external agents in assuring the highest quality within each program. These external agents include the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education (OSHRE), the Office of Educational Quality and Accountability (OEQA), and the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE). While these external agents seek to work closely with each other, there are continuous changes in policies, procedures and requirements. The OES has prepared the following materials to assist in the communication of information relative to teacher certification programs.

• 1.1 Mission and Conceptual Framework: L.E.A.D.S.

  Mission - The Office of Educator Support (OES) prepares and develops professional educators who facilitate lifelong learning and enrich quality of life for people in public school and other educational settings.

   

  Leadership - The OES prepares candidates who are committed to the belief that professional educators providing quality education are the foundation of a prosperous and democratic society. The candidates advance their professions as innovative leaders and advocates who support all learners and families, in the context of diverse systems and communities.

   

  Ethics and Professionalism - The OES prepares candidates who demonstrate ethical and professional behavior in their interactions with students, families, colleagues, and communities and practice social justice. The candidates demonstrate an understanding of legal aspects in their professional roles. As life-long learners, they engage in continuous professional development, collaborate with colleagues in the learning community and other professional arenas and reflect upon their practice.

   

  Academics and Professional Roles - The OES, through curriculum, instruction, field experiences, clinical practice and the use of technology, prepares knowledgeable candidates who reflect upon the connections between academics and their professional roles.

   

  • Content Knowledge - The OES prepares candidates who value the importance of knowledge and learning by providing them with a rich learning environment, technology, and supervised experiences in academic areas. The candidates possess subject matter competence and enthusiasm for the subject matter; they are life-long learners of the central concept and methods of inquiry in their subject matter areas.
  • Integration - The OES prepares candidates who demonstrate integration of theory into practice incorporating appropriate pedagogy, methodology, content knowledge, curriculum, inquiry and research based practices in diverse settings. The candidates understand the process of curriculum integration and use of a variety of instructional strategies to encourage students' development and learning. They assist students with career awareness and apply career concepts to the academic curriculum.
  • Human Growth and Development-including special populations -The OES prepares candidates who understand how students/clients learn and develop and can provide learning opportunities that support their intellectual, social, and physical development at all levels including early childhood, elementary, middle level, secondary, and adult. The candidates understand that students vary in their approaches to learning and create opportunities that are adaptable to individual differences in learners.
  • Learning Environment - The OES prepares candidates who understand the dynamics of individual and group behavior and use communication techniques to develop, facilitate and manage positive approaches to learning. Candidates select styles that work best for their learning environments and are able to adapt to different circumstances. They choose procedures that are appropriate for all students/clients including those with diverse backgrounds, with exceptionalities, and English language learners.
  • Technology - The OES prepares candidates who understand technology as a complex integrated process for analyzing problems and devising, implementing, evaluating and managing solutions to those problems in situations in which learning is purposive and controlled. The candidates are able to use technology to help all students/clients learn by providing a conceptual understanding of how knowledge, skills and dispositions related to education and information technology and instructional technology are integrated throughout the curriculum, instruction, field experiences, clinical practices, assessments and evaluations. 
  • Teaching/Professional Practice and Assessment - The OES prepares candidates who use best practices to create learning environments and instructional opportunities based upon Oklahoma and national standards that lead to student learning and development. Candidates understand and use a variety of assessment strategies to evaluate and modify the teaching/learning process to ensure the continuous intellectual, social, and physical development of learners. They demonstrate reflective practice. 

  Diversity - The Office of Educator Support prepares candidates who believe everyone deserves the opportunity to learn and can learn; they possess knowledge, skills, and dispositions to serve as effective professionals who understand and meet the needs of a diverse society. Candidates provide evidence of understanding of differences including age, gender, ethnicity, culture, socio-economic status, and intellectual, physical, and language abilities. 

   

  Service Orientation/Community Outreach - The Office of Educator Support prepares candidates who value and engage in service and meaningful involvement of the learners/clients, their families and communities. Candidates engage in result oriented service to address economic, educational, public safety, environmental, and other human needs.

• 1.2 Professional Education Dispositions 

  Professional Dispositions are formally assessed a minimum of twice during your academic program, once early during the program and once later in the program. Dispositions may also be addressed and recorded at any point in a candidate’s program, and concerns may result from a formal or informal interaction. Dispositional concerns are often a reason candidates are not successful in completing a field experience, course, or program. Dispositional challenges may affect a candidate’s ability to be placed for field experiences or clinical practice; placements are not guaranteed. 

   

  Candidates who are not successful will be provided remediation and guidance tailored to them, and except in egregious cases or when problems persist over time, candidates who encounter dispositional challenges generally go on to be successful educators. To view the assessment rubric, visit our website.