Candidate Proficiencies Aligned with
Expectations in Professional, State, and
Institutional Standards
From its beginning, the
University of Alabama at Birmingham has
been committed to accreditation and the
alignment of programs to national
standards. UAB has been accredited by
the Southern Association of Colleges and
Schools since 1969. Professional
schools are not only encouraged, but
expected to hold professional and
programmatic accreditation. Every
program in the University that has
sought professional accreditation has
achieved it. Discipline-based
accreditations within the university
that are relevant to the professional
education unit include: National
Association of Schools of Art and
Design, National Association of Schools
of Music, and the American Chemical
Society.
The unit received State
Department of Education approval of its
programs in1969 and was accredited by
NCATE in 1989. Unit faculty believe
that all professional education programs
must have explicit outcomes that are
based on professional standards and have
developed coherent initial and advanced
programs that reflect exemplary practice
across all professional education
programs (see Belief Statement #7).
The overriding goal
of the unit is to consistently,
relentlessly achieve the primary purpose
of preparing reflective professionals
for success in diverse communities.
More specific goals are
identified by the outcomes adopted by
each program area. The outcomes for each
program area are listed below:
Educational Leadership
Vision of
Learning
School
Culture
Learning
Environment
Community
Involvement
Ethics and
Integrity
Political,
Social, Economics, Legal and Cultural
Context
Appropriate
Professional Dispositions
School Counseling
Professional Identity
Social and
Cultural Foundations
Human
Growth and Development
Career
Development
Helping
Relationships
Group Work
Assessment
Research
and Evaluation
Technology
School
Counseling Program
Collaboration
School
Climate
Advocacy
Reflective
Practice
Appropriate
Professional Dispositions
Teacher Education
Knowledge
of Subject Matter
Knowledge
of Human Development and Learning
Diversity
Multiple
Instructional Strategies
Learning
Environment
Communication
Instructional Planning Skills, including
Technology
Assessment
Professional Commitment/Responsibility
Partnership/Collaboration
Social,
Historical, Philosophical Foundations
Appropriate
Professional Dispositions
These outcomes are
derived from the following professional
standards of the respective academic
areas:
Alabama State Department of Education
The state of Alabama has
been recognized by NCATE as a
partnership state since 1988 and has
aligned its review process with NCATE
2000 Standards. In addition to NCATE
standards, all state initial and
advanced teacher certification programs
are modeled after the Interstate New
Teacher Assessment and Support
Consortium (INTASC) as reflected in the
professional studies section of the
Alabama Code. The state technology
standards are aligned with the
International Society for Technology in
Education (ISTE) standards. The
professional education unit rigorously
adheres to the Alabama State Department
of Education standards for initial and
advanced teacher education, educational
administration, and school counseling
programs.
Interstate New Teacher Assessment and
Support Consortium (INTASC)
In addition to meeting
state standards, the unit has mapped its
teacher preparation programs directly to
the INTASC standards. These standards
serve as the basis for the units
desired outcomes of its teacher
candidates which include: (1) knowledge
of subject matter; (2) knowledge of
development and learning; (3) diversity;
(4) multiple instructional strategies;
(5) learning environment; (6)
communication; (7) instructional
planning skills including technology;
(8) assessment; (9) professional
commitment/responsibility/reflect; and
(10) collaboration/professionalism.
Interstate School Leaders Licensure
Consortium (ISLLC)
The unit has aligned the
educational administration program with
the six ISLLC standards. The standards
serving as the basis of the program
include: (1) vision of learning; (2)
school culture; (3) learning
environment; (4) community involvement;
(5) ethics and integrity; (6) political,
social, economics, legal and cultural
context.
Council for Accreditation of Counseling
and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)
For candidates seeking
certification in school counseling, the
unit has aligned the program with the
CACREP standards. The standards serving
as the basis of the program are: (1)
professional identity; (2) social and
cultural foundations; (3) human growth
and development; (4) career development;
(5) helping relationships; (6) group
work; (7) assessment; (8) research and
evaluation; (8) technology; (9) school
counseling program; (10) collaboration;
(11) school climate; (12) advocacy; (13)
reflective practice.
National Council for Accreditation of
Teacher Education Standards (NCATE)
The professional
education unit is equally committed to
meeting the six revised 2002 NCATE
standards in its initial and advanced
certification programs. These include:
(1) candidate knowledge, skills, and
dispositions; (2) assessment system and
unit evaluations; (3) field experiences
and clinical practice; (4) diversity;
(5) faculty qualifications, performance,
and development; (6) unit governance and
resources.
National Board for Professional Teaching
Standards (NBPTS)
For candidates seeking
advanced degrees in teacher education,
the unit continues to refine its
programs to align more closely with
NBSTS standards. The five core
propositions: (1) teachers are committed
to students and their learning; (2)
teachers know the subjects they teach
and how to teach those subjects to
students; (3) teachers are responsible
for managing and monitoring student
learning; (4) teachers think
systematically about their practice and
learn from experience; and (5) teachers
are members of learning communities,
serve as the basis for the refinement of
these programs.
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