DOCUMENT RESUME

ED 361 268 SO 023 286

TITLE Resource Guide: Subject Matter Assessment ofProspective Teachers of History and Social Science.Report of the California State University Workgroupon Assessment of Prospective Teachers of History andSocial Science.

INSTITUTION California State Univ., Long Beach.PUB DATE Feb 90NOTE 49p.; This document is part of a collection produced

under the auspices of the California State UniversityInstitute for Teaching and Learning. The CSU/ITL,created in 1988, facilitates a 20-campus system-widenetwork of faculty affiliates in response to thedemand for improved teaching and learning in thecollege classroom. For related documents, see SO 023285 and SO 023 290.

PUB TYPE Guides General (050) Reports Descriptive (141)

EDRS PRICE MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage.DESCRIPTORS Academic Advising; Assessment Centers (Personnel);

Competency Based Teacher Education; *EducationalAssessment; *Elementary School Teachers; ElementarySecondary Education; Evaluation Methods; HigherEducation; *History Instruction; Knowledge Level;Models; *Secondary School Teachers; *Social Sciences;State Standards; Teacher Education; *TeacherEvaluation; Teaching Skills; Vocational Education

IDENTIFIERS *College Teaching and Learning Collection

ABSTRACTThis publication, the result of a series of workgroup

meetings that culminated in a conference of 45 educators held in SanDiego, California, in November 1989, is a guide to assessing thecompetence of prospective history and social science teachers in theCalifornia public schools. The guide was developed as part of astate-wide response to legislated entry and exit standards forteachers in elementary and secondary schools. An introductiondescribes the regulations and Executive Orders which are the basisfdr the guide, and the conference at which it was developed.Following this is a section on the elements of assessment in historyand social sciences that outlines and describes unity of purposeamong the diversity of programs, the importance of multiple measures,assessment design, and scheduling, the next section, on areas ofcompetence, establishes two categories--first, generic competencies,which are fundamental to all disciplines and, second, competenciesspecific to the social sciences and history, which cover thefollowing topics: knowledge of world, American, and Californiahistory; geography; government and political science; economics;anthropology, psychology, and sociology; ethnic studies; and women'sstudies. The next section, on sources of information for assessments,discusses the diverse academic backgrounds of prospective teachers,general guidelines and instruments of assessment. The third sectionoffers two model assessment formats with diagrams. Recommendationsrelated to resource and administrative issues are presented next. Afinal section offers recommendations for advising. Contains eightreferences. (JB)

"PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THISMATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY

California State

University

TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCESINFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)."

U.S. DEPARTMENT Of EDUCATION°thee or Educational Research and Improvement

EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATIONCENTER (ERIC)

XThis document has been reproduced asreceived from the Person Or organ.zatIonongelating

C !Amor Changes have been made to improvereproduction quahty

Points Of elew Or Opinion stated m thisclOcmeet do not necessanty represent Whole'OERI position or policy

c-K

7.111.._

CSU Institute for Teaching and Learningand

ERIC Clearinghouse on Higher Education

The California State University Institute for Teaching and

Learning (CSU/ITL) facilitates a 20-campus network of teaching

and learning programs in the CSU system. ERIC/HE has entered

into an agreement with CSU/ITL to process documents producedby the system and create a mini-collection within the ERIC

database.

Major objectives of this initiative are as follows:

increase awareness of the work of the CSU Institute

for Teaching and Learning;

increase access to the work of CSU/ITL affiliates;

begin to build a subset of information on teaching and

learning that supports The National Teaching andLearning Forum (NTLF), ERIC/HE's newsletter;

encourage use of the ERIC system by CSU/ITL member

affiliates and the NTLF readership; and

test a model for collaboration between ERIC/HE and a

major higher education system.

All CSU/ITL ERIC RIE citations are tagged with the following

identifiers appearing in the IDEN:Field:

College Teaching and Learning Collection; and

California State University for Teaching and Learning.

All CSU/ITL citations carry the following statement in the

Note Field:

This document is part of a collection produced under the

auspices of the California State University Institute for

Teaching and Learning. The CSU/ITL, created in 1988,

facilitates a 20-campus systemwide network of facultyaffiliates in response to the demand for improved teaching

and learning in the college classroom.

California State University

RESOURCE GUIDE:SUBJECT MAUER ASSESSMENT

OFPROSPECTIVE TEACHERS OF

HISTORY AND SOCIAL SCIENCE

Report of the California State University Workgroupon Assessment of Prospective Teachers

of History ar.o Social Science

Chaired by

Ross E. DunnProfessor of History

San Diego State University

February 1990

4

Participant List

CSU Workgroup on Subject Matter Assessment ofProspective Teachers of History and Social Science

1989-90

Dr. Melvin AamodtDepartments of Anthropology andGeographyCSU, Stanislaus

Dr. Thomas AllenDepartment of EducationHumboldt State University

Dr. Judith AndersonDepartment of Social SciencesCSPU, Pomona

Ms. Simone AriasMorse High SchoolSan Diego Unified School District

Dr. Therese BakerDepartment of SociologyCSU, San Marcos

Dr. Marlowe BergDepartment of Teacher EducationSan Diego State University

Dr. Robert BlackeyDepartment of HistoryCSU, San Bernardino

Dr. David BondCenter for Economic EducationSan Jose State University

Dr. Diane BrooksManager, History-Social Science UnitCalifornia State Department of Education

Dr. Stanley M. BursteinDepartment of HistoryCSU, Los Angeles

Dr. Hugh G. CampbellDepartment of HistoryCSU, Chico

Dr. Stanley E. ClarkDepartment of Political ScienceCSU, Bakersfield

ii

Dr. Jody DaughtryDepartment of Teacher EducationCSU, Fresno

Dr. Joseph DearCommission on Teacher Credentialing

Dr. Lawrence deGraffDepartment of HistoryCSU, Fullerton

Ms. Gail DentSan Francisco Unified School District

Dr. Jane DiekmanDepartment of Secondary EducationCSU, Stanislaus

Dr. Ross DunnDepartment of HistorySan Diego State University

Ms. Patricia K. GeyerJohnson High SchoolSacrarunto

Dr. Dennis HarrisDepartment of HistorySonoma State University

Dr. Robert HarrisHistory-Social Science UnitCaliforn:a State Department of Education

Dr. Floyd HayesDepartment of Afro-American StudiesSan Diego State University

Dr. Donald W. HenselDepartmt nt of HistoryCSPU, San Luis Obispo

Dr. Wayne K. HobsonDepartment of American StudiesCSU, Fullerton

Dr. Stanley HopperDepartment of Political ScienceCSU, Los Angeles

Dr. Ralph A. KellerDepartment of HistoryCSU, Northridge

Ms. Lisa KingHoover High SchoolSan Diego Unified School District

Dr. Frank K. KollerDepartment of GeographyCSU, Fresno

Dr. Richard KornweibelDepartment of HistoryCSU, Sacramento

Dr. George MehaffyDepartment of Teacher EducationSan Diego State University

Ms. Jan MendelsohnAssociate DeanAcademic AffairsCSU Chancellor's Office

Dr. Raymond MillerSocial Science ProgramSan Francisco State University

Dr. Damon NaltyDepartment of Social ScienceSan Jose State University

Dr. Bonnie NeumannDeanDivision of Undergraduate StudiesSan Diego S..ate University

Dr. Albert O'BrienDepartment of HistorySan Diego State University

Dr. Richard PalmerDeanSchool of Social and Behavioral SciencesCSU, Dominguez Hills

Dr. Rosalind ReedDepartment of Health and CommunityServicesCSU, Chico

Mr. Douglas RidcrRancho Bueno Vista High SchoolVista

Dr. Donald SchwartzSchool of Social and Behavioral SciencesCSU, Long Beach

Dr. Carole ScottAssociate DeanDivision of Undergraduate StudiesSan Diego State University

Dr. Gordon SeelyDepartment of HistorySan Francisco State University

Dr. Rodney SieversDepartment of HistoryHumboldt State University

Dr. Frank StitesDepartment of HistorySan Diego State University

Dr. William R. TannerDepartment of HistoryHumboldt State University

Ms. Jan VachHilltop High SchoolChula Vista

Dr. Jcan WheelerDepartment of GeographyCSU, Long Beach

Dr. Dwight WilsonDepartment of Social and Natural ScienceBethany Bible CollegeSanta Cruz

Staff

Ms. Lynda HamiltonDepartment of Women's StudiesSan Diego State University

Ms. Sharon McMahonDepartment of Women's StudiesSan Diego State University

Cover Design

Anne BrookSan Diego State University

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

Introduction 1

Elenents of History and Social Science Assessment 4

Areas of Competence 8

Sources of Information for Assessing Prospective Teachers 25

Recommendations Related to Resource and Administrative Issues 33

Recommendations for Advising 36

Bibliography 40

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

On behalf of the History and Social Science Workgroup I would liketo express my appreciation to the participants in the subjectmatter assessment projects in English and Liberal Studies for theirpioneering work, which made our task so much easier than it wouldotherwise have been. I would like to thank Dean Jan Mendelsohn ofthe CSU Chancellor's Office for her experienced advice as thisproject developed. Finally, special thanks to Lynda Hamilton andSharon McMahon of San Diego State University for their expertassistance in planning the workgroup sessions and producing thisResource Guide.

4

I

v

INTRODUCTION

Command of subject matter is critically important to good teaching.Proceeding from this premise, the California State Universitydeveloped and adopted a Title 5 requirement in 1985 that beforeentering a CSU student teaching program every prospective teachermust demonstrate competence in subject matter through a distinctassessment process. This requirement, to be implemented byExecutive Order 476 (March 1986), stipulated that assessment is tobe undertaken by appropriate academic department faculty. TheExecutive Order states:

The department or program for single-subject or multiple-subjects waiver programs shall certify, prior toadmission of a student to student teaching, that thestudent has mastery of the subject matter appropriate tothe credential objective and is prepared for studentteaching. This responsibility extends to assessing thecompetence in subject matter, not only of students in thewaiver program on the campus, but also of thosecandidates who have completed the waiver programelsewhere or who have passed the National TeacherExamination fNTE). The appropriate departments orprograms shall establish criteria and procedures for thecertification of subject matter competence of thecandidate. These departments and programs shouldmaintain close communication with the School/College ofEducation as they develop procedures. [Note: On June 30,1989, Executive Order 476 was superseded by ExecutiveOrder 547. The policy, however, was not altered.]

This policy extended the university's responsibility to engage inassessment beyond determining that student teacher candidates weremeeting the state's minimum requirements. These requirements,which serve as proxies for subject matter competence, includeeither a) completion of a state-approved program in the subject(usually a major in the appropriate subject or a variation of thesubject matter major), or b) passage of the National TeachersExamination in the appropriate subject area. The adoption of thenew policy in 1985 meant, therefore, that the CSU was no longerwilling to equate competence with passage of the NTE or completionof a pattern of courses. The faculty should reasonably ask foradditional assurance that a prospective teacher is competent in hisor her subject area.

The CSU system annually recommends for credentials about 70% ofnew teachers for California and about 10% for the nation.California educators were recognizing, however, that more than halfof the prospective elementary teachers and about one third ofsecondary teachers did not qualify for a credential by virtue of

1

courses taken. Rather, they chose the state option of passing theNTE, thought by most faculty to be an inadequate gage of subjectmatter competence. Even among credential candidates who completeda subject matter waiver program (that is, an approved pattern ofcourses that waives the NTE), many took courses at two, three, oreven four different institutions. Moreover, there was norequirement for currency in coursework. The main observation wasnot that students were "incompetent" but that all too frequentlygaps existed in students' knowled4e in essential areas of theirdiscipline.

Responsibility for promulgating the new policy has fallen primarilyto academic departments on nineteen, now twenty, CSU campuses. TheChancellor has fully supported this approach, believing that thefaculty are best qualified and positioned to evaluate the subjectmatter competence of teacher candidates. Moreover, the CSUAcademic Senate supported the policy, calling upon the faculty tobecome more involved in both the academic preparation andassessment of prospective teachers. The Senate also called uponthe Chancellor's Office to assist campuses in developing newassessment procedures.

Under the Office's leadership, a series of workgroups were formed,each committee focusing on a subject area for which a teachingcredential is offered. These groups were to be comprised of CSUfaculty from the academic disciplines and schools of education; CSUacademic administrators; public school teachers and administrators;and representatives from the State Department of Education and theCommission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC). Thus, a collaborativeprocess was established to encourage CSU participants to draw upontte expertise of K-12 educators and state education agencies.

Each workgroup was charged with producing a resource guide thatwould present sample subject matter competencies, address a varietyof assessment methods and models, and suggest ideas forimplementation of assessment programs. These guides would then bedisseminated throughout the CSU system and to other interestedinstitutions and agencies. Finally, campuses would use the guidesto develop their own assessment pilots and programs.

The English workgroup, the first to be formed, met in August 1987and published its resource guide in October. This projectsubsequently served as a model, with variations, for projects inother disciplines. Following a second successful project forLiberal Studies in 1988, workgroups were formed for six othersubject areas: Art, Foreign Languages, Life Science, Mathematics,Music, and History and Social Science. It is expected that in 1990CSU campuses, using these workgroup reports as resources, willdevelop and begin to pilot assessment programs.

2

The project for History and Social Science began its work with themeeting of a core workgroup of a dozen CSU faculty and otherparticipants in April 1989 at San Diego State University. Thisgroup began developing a draft resource guide that would addressthe issues of competency and assessment in History and all themajor Social Science disciplines. An expanded group of twenty-fourmet in September to continue work on the draft document. Then, onNovember 2 and 3, 1989, a conference of forty-five educators metat the Horton Grand Hotel in San Diego to discuss in both plenaryand breakout sessions the broad range of competency assessmentissues and to recommend final revisions for the draft document.The conference was a success, and in the ensuing four months thefinal draft of the resource guide was prepared for printing anddissemination.

The workgroup trusts that this resource guide will serve as ageneral blueprint for all CSU 'History and Social Sciencedepartments to take part in developing campus processes for subjectmatter assessment. This booklet is not meant to be an officialpolicy statement or a manual of rigid procedures but rather a toolthat campuses are encouraged to use, indeed to revise and reshape,in initiating or improving assessm_c programs. This guide aimsspecifically to encourage all campuses to:

Consider the concept of assessing and assuring subject mattercompetence while reviewing or revising campus History andSocial Science curricular programs;

Review and refine campus-based subject matter assessmentprocesses using this guide, campus experience, and theresources of public school personnel;

Identify, implement, and evaluate pilot assessment projects;

Refine pilot projects .and design permanent assessmentprocc-ses;

Provide for ongoing evaluation of assessment projects andrevise curriculum based on the results of evaluation.

3

ELEMENTS OF HISTORY AND SOCIAL SCIENCE ASSESSMENT

I. Unity and Diversity in Program Goals

Many students enrolled in CSU History and Social Scienceprograms intend to seek a California Single Subject Credentialwhich will authorize them to teach in diverse geographic areasof California. History and Social Science programs in thetwenty CSU campuses should reflect a common set of standards.They should maintain similar program goals to insure that allCalifornia teachers are well prepared to teach. This willhelp assure that learners, no matter what their geographiclocation, have equal access to quality education. Theindividual recommended for a Single Subject Credential fromany CSU campus should be able to provide evidence of the rangeof competence in the subject matter that educators and policymakers agree qualify an individual to teach in the publicschools. Assessing competency, using a variety of techniquos,will help assure that each student has sufficient skill andknowledge to function effectively as a classroom teacher.

However, it is clearly recognized that the way in whichHistory and Social Science assessment programs are designedand implemented will vary from campus to campus. The teachingfaculties of each campus have forged the academic programs attheir institutions. Consequently, comparable programs willmanifest a degree of diversity.

Core areas of competence include understandings and knowledgefound common to all programs and generally thought to beessential to teaching in the public schools. A suggested setof generic and discipline specific competencies for Historyand Social Science programs is presented in this report.Individual campuses, however, are encouraged to use this setas a guide, adding or revising as they believe appropriate.

The concepts associated with assessing subject mattercompetence should not suggest that knowledge and skill neededby a teacher is limited to what has been taught or what canbe measured. A humanistic and liberal education embodies theidea that the best education teaches one how to learn.Therefore, this resource guide is intended to suggest anassessment process that will encourage and reinforce thateducation which promotes lifelong learning.

II. tmportance of Multiple Measures

In order to fully assess the range of an individual's subjectmatter competence, it is necessary to use a variety ofmeasures and assess competence at varying points during a

4

12

student's academic career. Assessment is not to be equatedexclusively with "testing" in the conventional sense.Moreover, a single examination, observation, or interview maynot provide a sufficiently reliable or valid basis fordiagnosing or determining subject matter competence. Multiplemeasures will help ensure that the student's knowledge andskills are recognized and that deficiencies are identifiedearly in order to structure his/her educational program tocorrect them.

The assessment of competence should be an all-campusresponsibility throughout the student's university experience.Even though a final assessment should occur just before thestudent enters a credentialing program, or just before studentteaching, the most useful programs will be ongoing and havediagnostic as well as evaluative aims.

Through both teaching and careful review of curriculum,faculty must provide students with opportunities toacquire and develop competencies in all the subjectmatter areas that they may be expected to teach in theschools.

Successful assessment programs in History and SocialScience will require continuing faculty cooperationcutting across a number of disciplines. Therefore,programs must be collaborative in conception andimplementation.

III. Designing an Assessment Program

The following ideas are suggested to guide in developing andscheduling a CSU assessment program:

Subject matter competence should be the responsibilityof the CSU system faculty, working on their individualcampuses, rather than the Legislature or other governmentagencies.

CSU History and Social Science departments should workclosely with schools and local education agencies todesign and implement assessment programs. Faculty shouldbe especially aware that in 1987 schools began theprocess of implementing a new history and social sciencecurriculum for grades K-12. This curriculum is describedin the California History-Social Science Frameworkadopted by the State Board of Education.

Additional resources for the design and implementationof assessment programs may include: measurement exports

5

(on or off campus), external evaluators, cross-campusconsultants, community college faculty, public schoolpersonnel, credential candidates, and newly credentialedteachers who may reflect upon their own subject matterpreparation.

Competency-based evaluations need to be criterion-referenced rather than norm-referenced (that is, "on thecurve".) Criterion-based assessment does not involvepredetermined or expected pass rates. The goal ofassessment, after all, is to certify an adequate levelof subject matter preparation in terms of specificcriteria, not to rank order individuals or determinetheir place in a distribution.

Assessment procedures should meet accepted standards ofprofessional evaluation with respect to content orconstruct validity and reliability. Whenever possible,independent ratings should be used to enhance thereliability of criterion-based judgments. Ideally, allqualitative judgments based on direct observations orinterviews should involve at least two independentratings.

Assessment practices should meet goals of bothencouraging candidates from dive.xse cultures to enterteaching and preparing future teachers to teach studentsfrom a variety of cultures using culture-freeinstruments.

IV. Scheduling

The scheduling of subject matter assessment is an importantconsideration. Because of the need to make comprehensivejudgments, campuses may be inclined to concentrate onassessing student competency just before they enter acredentialing program. However, assessment will prove moreeffective and useful in guiding student development if it isinitiated earlier in the student's undergraduate program andcontinued during the credential program.

Assessment programs should have both formative and sumr tivefeatures. Formative assessment is simply that which takesplace during the course of the student's university education.It is especially appropriate for students enrolled in a campusHistory or Social Science waiver program, includingundergraduate transfers. Formative procedures mayappropriately be incorporated into classroom activities inwaiver program courses.

6

Formative evaluation provides information regarding areasof relative strength in the candidate's subject matterpreparation. It may also help the student re-evaluatethe appropriateness of his or her decision to enterteaching. Formative assessment should be followed bystudent advising which includes clear and reasonablealternatives for making up deficiencies and satisfyingcompetency requirements.

Formative evaluation should occur as soon as the studentdeclares a single subject credential major, recognizingthat some students make this decision early in theiracademic careers, others late.

Campuses should not require candidates to completeadditional course work in the academic field prior todiagnostic elialuation, except for those courses whichrepresent actual deficiencies in formal requirementsbased on transcript evaluation. However, campuses maydevelop competencies for formative assessment which areequivalent to waiver course content requirements.

Formative assessment should involve careful studentadvising which includes clear and reasonable alternativesfor making up deficiencies and satisfying competencyrequirements. The adviser should explain carefully thecompetencies expected, the procedures for assessment, andother requirements. The adviser and the student shoulddiscuss actions appropriate to correct weaknesses, suchas additional coursework or independent study.

Summative assessment determines whether a student isadequately prepared to begin student teaching. Criteria forsummative evaluation should be clear.

Summative assessment would normally occur during thesemester/quarter prior to admission to the credentialingprogram or to student teaching. In the case of post-baccalaureate transfer students who wish to enter thecredentialing program, assessment should occur during thesemester/quarter the student arrives on campus andrequests certification of subject matter competency. Thecampus should consider offering a summer schoolassessment option through the Division of ExtendedStudies.

Procedures should be established for students who maywish to appeal negative decisions following summativeassessment.

7

1 3

AREAS OF COMPETENCE

The workgroup developed sample competencies that may be useful asa basis for assessing the subject matter knowledge, understandings,skills, and attitudes of prospective teachers. These competenciesare organized into two broad categories: 1) Generic Competencieswhich are fundamental to most disciplines, and 2) Subject AreaCompetencies which are organized by discipline.

It must be emphasized that the competencies that follow are meantto be guidelines, developed for the purpose of stimulatingdiscussion and serving as a resource to campuses. They should notbe interpreted as comprehensive checklists. Campuses will likelychoose somewhat different competency statements based on theirfaculty's judgment and preferences.

To effectively assess subject matter competency in History andSocial Science, however, it is essential to identify those "genericcompetencies" that underlie many disciplines and that are germaneto all parts of the program. History and Social Science teachersmust acquire certain fundamental building blocks if they are tobecome well-educated persons able to educate young people.

The section on Generic Competencies will, therefore, focus onknowledge, understandings, skills, and values and attitudes thattranscend disciplinary borders but are integral components of eachdiscipline. They represent the kinds of learning that remain afterthe best memorized material has faded from the mind and are marksof the liberally educated person.

In the section on Subject Area Competencies, this guide reflectsthe emphasis that both the Commission on Teacher Credentialing andthe State Department of Education's History - Social ScienceFramework place on K-12 education in history, geography,government, and economics. Even so, some competency should beexpected in the areas of anthropology, psychology, sociology, andethnic and women's studies since ideas from these disciplines arelikely to be integrated into required courses. Moreover, in manyschools these disciplines will be the subject of elective courses(notably in ninth grade).

The teaching and learning of a particular competency may take placewithin courses offered by several CSU departments and should notnecessarily be associated rigidly with a single academicdepartment. For example, competencies developed for the subjectarea of American government might be part of the content of coursesoffered by Political Science, History, Sociology, Economics, orGeography.

8

6

I. Generic Competencies

A. Understandings. The prospective teacher will demonstrateunderstanding of:

1. What historians and social scientists study, suchas the origin and development of cultures,civilizations, and nations; social structure,process, and change; interaction of humans withtheir geographical environment; historic andcontemporary interrelations among peoples of theworld; cultural and ethnic differences; economiesand government.

2. How historians and social scientists study througha) specialized disciplines, each with its ownsubject areas, theories, schools of thought,conceptual vocabulary, major figures, and researchstrategies and applications; and b) the empiricalmethod, involving epistemology, evaluating evidence,causation, research design, data collecting,objectivity and the role of personal values, andethical issues in the conduct and application ofsocial science.

B. Participation Skills. The prospective teacher willdevelop:

1. Abilities to work with others in making decisions,in setting goals and planning courses of actiontoward achieving those goals;

2. Sensitivity to needs, problems and aspirationsof others;

3. Willingness to listen to and to consider differingpoints of view;

4. Skills of compromising, debating and resolvingconflicts;

5. Understanding of both the rights andresponsibilities of citizens in a democraticsociety.

C. Critical Thinking Skills. The prospective teacher willbe able to:

1. Define and clarify problems, formulate and testhypotheses, and draw conclusions;

2. Judge information related to a problem bydistinguishing fact from opinion, by identifyingunstated assumptions, by recognizing stereotypes andcliches, by recognizing bias, and by distinguishingbetween primary and secondary sources ofinformation;

3. Solve problems and/or draw conclusions byrecognizing the adequacy of data, by identifyingreasonable alternatives, by predicting probableconsequences, and by recognizing cause and effectand multiple causation;

4. Read and interpret maps, charts, globes, graphs,tables and political cartoons;

5. Synthesize, combine, and integrate materials, ideas,theories, perspectives across disciplines.

II. Competencies in History

In addressing the issue of competencies in history, campusesshould bear in mind that the public school K-12 curriculum asoutlined in the History - Social Science Framework emphasizeshistorical study in almost every grade. The State Board ofEducation recommends that schools teach world history in 6th,7th, and 10th grades and United States history in 5th, 8th,and llth grades. California history is to be taught in the4th grade. History competencies are also particularlyimportant because some CSU campuses offer waiver programs inHistory as well as in Social Science.

A. General Competencies. The future teacher:

1. Understands the significance of the past to one'sown life, both private and public, and to one'ssociety;

2. Distinguishes between the important and theinconsequential, to develop the "discriminatingmemory" needed for a discerning judgment in publicand personal life;

3. Perceives past events and issues as they wereexperienced by people at the time, to develophistorical empathy as opposed to present-mindedness;

4. Acquires at one and the same time a comprehensionof diverse cultures and of shared humanity;

10

5. Understands how things happen and how things change,how human intentions matter, but also how theirconsequences are shaped by the means of carryingthem out, in a tangle of purpose and process;

6. Comprehends the nature and interplay of change andcontinuity, and avoids assuming that either issomehow more natural, or more to be expected, thanthe other;

7. Prepares to live with uncertainties andexasperating, even perilous, unfinished business,realizing that not all problems have solutions;

8. Grasps the complexity of historical causation,respects particularity, and avoids excessivelyabstract generalizations;

9. Appreciates the often tentative nature of judgmentsabout the past, avoids the temptation to seize uponparticular "lessons" of history as cures for presentills, and understands how history helps inapprehending and anticipating, not predicting;

10. Recognizes the importance of individuals who havemade a difference in history, the significance ofpersonal character for both good and ill, and theoften unequal balance between the role ofindividuals and forces beyond their control;

11. Appreciates the force of the nonrational, theirrational, the accidental, in history and humanaffairs;

12. Understands the relationship between geography andhistory as a matrix of time and place, and ascontext for events;

13. Recognizes the difference between fact andconjecture, between evidence and assertion, and iscapable of framing useful questions.

B. Specific Competencies

1. World History. The prospective teacher willdemonstrate understanding of:

a. The evolution and distinctive characteristicsof major Eurasian, African, and American pre-

11

Columbian societies and cultures;

b. The connections among civilizations fromearliest times, and the gradual growth ofglobal interaction among the world's peoples,speeded and altered by changing means oftransport and communication;

c. Major landmarks in the human use of theenvironment from Paleolithic hunters andgatherers to the latest technologies. Theagricultural transformation at the beginningand the industrial transformation in recentcenturies;

d. The origins, central ideas, and influence ofmajor religious and philosophical traditions,such as Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism,Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism;

e. The political, philosophical, and culturallegacies of ancient Greece and Rome;

f. Comparative history of selected themes, todemonstrate commonalities and differences notonly between European and other societies, butamong non-European societies themselves;

g. Comparative study of the art, literature, andthought of representative cultures and of theworld's major civilizations;

h. Varying patterns of resistance to, oracceptance and adaptation of, modern science,technicalization, and industrialization andtheir accompanying effects, in representativeEuropean and non-European societies;

i. The interplay of geography and local culturein the responses of major societies to outsideforces of all kinds;

Comparative medieval society and institutionsin Africa, Asia, and Europe; feudalism and theevolution of representative government inEurope;

k. The culture and ideas of the Renaissance andReformation;

12

1. European overseas expansion in world contextand the origins and growth of the capitalistworld system;

m. The English Revolution, its ideas, and thepractices of parliamentary government, at homeand in the colonies;

n. The culture and ideas of the Enlightenment,comprising the scientific revolution of the17th century and the intellectual revolutionof the 18th;

o. The American and French Revolutions incomparative perspective, their sources,results, and world influence;

p.

q.

The Industrial Revolution and its socialconsequences, its impact on politics andculture;

The European ideologies of the 19th and 20thcenturies 'and their global influence:liberalism, republicanism, social democracy,Marxism, nationalism, Communism, Fascism,Nazism;

r. Nineteenth and twentieth century imperialism,decolonization, and the consequences of bothfor colonizers and colonized;

s. The two world wars, their origins and effects,and their global aftermath and significance;

t. The making of the European community ofnations; new approaches to cooperation andinterdependence;

u. Images, perceptions, and biases and how theyinfluence the study of history;

v. Major interpretations of history.

2. American History. The future teacher willdemonstrate understanding of:

a. The evolution of American political democracy,its ideas, institutions, and practices fromcolonial days to the present; the Revolutionand Constitution; slavery, the Civil War,

13

2

emancipation, segregation, and civil rights;development of political parties;

b. The development of the American economy;geographic and other forces at work; the roleof the frontier and agriculture; the impact oftechnological change and urbanization on landand resources, on society, politics, andculture; industrialization; the role ofAmerican government and labor;

c. The gathering of people and cultures from manycountries, and the several religioustraditions, that have contributed to theAmerican heritage and to contemporary Americansociety; the culture of Native Americans andthe encounter between them and peoples ofEuropean descent; immigration and the immigrantexperience;

d. The changing role of the United States in theoutside world; relations between domesticaffairs and foreign policy; Americaninteractions with other nations and regions,historically and in recent times; the UnitedStates as a colonial power and in two worldwars; the Cold War and global economicrelations;

e. Family and local history, and their relationto the larger setting of American development;

f. The changing character of American society andculture, of arts and letters, of education andthought, of religion and values;

g. The distinctively American tensionsliberty and order, region andindividualism and the commonisolationism and internationalism, anddiversity and civic unity;

betweennation,

welfare,cultural

h. The role of women in the family and work place;the contributions of women to American culture,politics, and economic development; thechanges, images and roles of women; and the on-going struggle for women's rights;

14

3. California History. The future teacher willdemonstrate understanding of:

a. Conflict and interaction between Native-American and European peoples; the age ofexploration, the mission system, the Anglo-American approach to Indian-white relations;

b. The development of the California economy; furtrapping and trade during the Spanish andMexican periods; the Gold Rush of the 1850s;wheat and citrus agriculture of the late 19thcentury; the discovery of oil; the impact ofrailroad transport; Hollywood and tourism; theaircraft industry; and the diversification ofthe California econouty in modern times;

c. The evolution of California's politicaldemocracy from the founding of statehood tothe present; the first and second Californiaconstitutions; the California politician asnational leader;

d. The changing image of California in theAmerican consciousness;

e. The diverse ethnic roots of California'spopulation; emerging demographic patterns; thestruggle for civil liberties and social andeconomic parity by minorities;

f. California's relations with neighboring statesover such issues as water usage; tensions anddifferences between northern and southernCalifornia.

III. Competencies in Geography

Historic developments and current events reported daily ontelevision and in newspapers happen in particular places.They are influenced by the physical and cultural settings ofthose places and interactions with neighboring and distantplaces. As citizens of a nation with worldwideresponsibilities and involvements, students need anunderstanding of geographic concepts and skills to comprehendissues fully, let alone to contribute to the solution oflocal, regional, and global problems. The History - SocialScience Framework stresses the importance of integratinggeography into the study of history and recommends Geographyas a 9th grade elective.

15

A. General Competencies. The prospective teacher will beable to:

1. Illustrate the significance of location andplace in understanding events and problems;

2. Explain the complex interactions of peoples withtheir environmental settings;

3. Describe patterns in the movement of people, goods,and ideas and the importance of spatial mobility;

4. Discuss the physical and cultural characteristicsof various regions of the world;

5. Employ basic tools of geography such as maps,globes, air photos, and statistical models, and canemploy them to analyze spatial problems.

B. Specific Competencies. The future teacher will be ableto:

1. Determine the absolute location of a place from amap or globe and its location relative to otherplaces in terms of directions and distances;

2. Evaluate the significance of the relative locationof a place and compare its locational advantagesand disadvantages with those of other places;

3. Describe and explain the significance of worldwidedistributional patterns of key elements of thephysical environment and human cultures (e.g.,landforms, climates, population densities,religions, levels of technological development,economic activities);

4. Describe and explain the significance of the majorphysical and human characteristics of importantplaces in the United States;

5. Explain how human-environment interactions developand their consequences both for people and for thenatural environment;

6. Describe major historic and contemporary patternsof local, regional and intercontinental humanmigration, and understands such motivations as

. changes in technology or in environmental

16

2,4

preferences as well as intercultural conflicts;

7. Illustrate the extensive impact of transportationand communication networks upon the modernlandscape and the way they promote the diffusion ofgoods, ideas, and technological innovations;

8. Employ the cor.7;ept of "region" at scales varyingfrom local neignborhoods to intercontinental (e.g.,the Third World) and for themes as specific asreligious affiliation or as broad as a blend ofenvironmental, economic, and cultural interactions(e.g. the Pacific World or Western Europe);

9. Obtain and analyze data from such sources as maps,air photos, census tables, questionnaires, andfield observations;

10. Demonstrate knowledge of the differing levels ofeconomic development of major world regions andexplain the causes and consequences of suchcontrasts;

11. Explain differences in cultural perception ofnature as it relates to protection of theenvironment;

12. Demonstrate an understanding of both positive andnegative impact of human activity on theenvironment;

13. Recognize spatial patterns, form hypothesesconcerning their origins or interrelationships,test such hypotheses, and draw conclusions.

IV. Competencies in Government and Political Science

Prospective teachers of government need be familiar with thefundamental concepts and principles that underlie the studyof government and politics. This means they need to developbasic understanding of the dynamic processes, structures,assumptions, and heuristics, and the ways of understandingexperience that characterize the discipline of politicalscience. In addition, they need to possess an appreciationof the significant interrelationship between political lifeand other dimensions of human activity. Under the newFramework, the State Board of Education recommends a one-semester course in 12th grade entitled "Principles ofmerican Democracy."

17

A. General Competencies. The prospective teacher willdemonstrate understanding of:

1. The forces and dynamics that have influenced theevolution and current status of human cultures,political systems, and governmental institutions;

2. Both the universal features of culture and politicsand diversity between political systems andpeoples;

3. The behavior of individuals, small groups, andpolitical institutions, and their interrelationshipin a global society;

4. The essential theories and methods to analyze,interpret, and make informed judgments about civiclife and political affairs, including the U.S.Constitution and other forms of law.

B. Specific Competencies. The future teacher willdemonstrate understanding of:

1. The character of political institutions anddemocratic principles, including the rights,responsibilities, and activities of citizenship;

2. The essentials of U.S. national government andCalifornia State and local government and of thefederal system by which they are linked;

3. The nature of change and its impact on politics andpolitical participation, including the role ofclass, race, ethnicity, and gender;

4. Concepts and methods for comparing governments,including both democratic and authoritarian forms;

5. The role of leadership in government, politics, andsociety;

6. The dynamics of international diplomacy andorganization and the roles of non-state actors inglobal affairs;

7. The interrelationship between economic forces andpolitical dynamics;

8. The interrelationship between changing techno-logical and scientific developments and political

18

and governmental decision-making;

9. The interrelationship between culture and nation inthe international political environment,particularly between the United States of Americaand other societies.

V. Competencies in Economics

Prospective teachers in California need a solid understandingof the basic principles of economics, along with a stronggrasp of the interrelationships between economics and otherdisciplines. The History - Social Science Frameworkrecommends a one-semester 12th grade course in Economics.

A. General Competencies. The future teacher will be ableto:

1. Explain and apply the special form of reasoningbasic to the approach of the economics discipline;

2. Identify and use correctly the basic concepts ofeconomics;

3. Understand how to compare and contrast the origins,characteristics, and mechanisms of different typesof economic systems;

4. Understand how to make decisions using the concepi:sof marginalism, opportunity cost, and scarcity;

5. Analyze and explain public policy issues that arelargely economic in nature.

B. Specific Competencies. The prospective teacher will beable to:

1. Explain the historical processes by which market,industrial capitalism developed, as well as thebasic deductive model of the competitive market;

2. Describe and analyze the process whereby short-termsupply and demand in the competitive market setprices that induce socially questionable results,especially environmental ones, such as pollution,depletion of non-renewable resources, anddestruction of forests;

3. Understand and interpret indicators of economicperformance, such as GNP;

19

4. Describe and know the significance of theinstitutional structures within which moderneconomies function, including corporations, multi-nationals, banking and credit organizations, stockmarkets, unions, and regulating agencies;

5. Explain the cycles in production, growth,employment, price level, and distribution and theassociated monetary and fiscal policies intended to-prevent or mitigate undesirable developments;

6. Describe the institutional and philosophicaldifferences among the major economic systems of theworld;

7. Grasp the vital role of money in all moderneconomies;

8. Understand the impact of international trade andmovement of people across national borders upon theUnited States and other countries.

VI. Competencies in Anthropology, Psychology, and Sociology

The History--Social Science Framework suggests course titlesdirectly related to the Behavioral Sciences only as electivesin 9th grade. In a broader context, however, teachers willuse their knowledge of the Behavioral Sciences to teachvaluable perspectives on human behavior and institutions incourses that are primarily on History, Government, Economics,or Geography. They will also introduce ideas from theBehavioral Sciences into specialized classes such ascomparative religions, ethnic studies, contemporary issues,etc. The Behavioral Sciences, moreover, are relevant to suchidentified objectives of K-12 education as ethical literacy,cultural literacy, and geographic literacy.

The faculty at each campus will need to decide what role theBehavioral Sciences should play in the assessment process:whether assessment will take into account the number andvariety of Behavioral Science courses the candidate has takenand how to allow the candidate to demonstrate his or hercompetence in Anthropology, Psychology, or Sociology in theirrelationship to the other disciplines.

General Competencies. The prospective teacher will beable to:

Explain or apply such general themes as the

20

development of human culture and institutions; thesource and importance of human diversity, includingrace, gender, and ethnicity; and explanations ofhuman behavior from the individual perspective andwithin the context of small groups andinstitutions;

Explain in general how such themes as culturaltradition, human nature, social structure, or otherkey Behavioral Science concepts contribute tounderstanding of the development, varieties andfunctioning of government; the role of theindividual in political institutions.

VII. Competencies in Ethnic Studies

Prospective teachers of History and Social Science need tolearn and be familiar with the diversity of concepts,principles, and interpretations that inform the study of theexperiences of African-, Asian-, and Hispanic-Americans.This means that candidates need to develop basicunderstanding of the dynamic processes, structures, andassumptions and the ways of understanding ethnic experiencesthat characterize the interdiscipline/multidiscipline ofethnic studies. In addition, prospective teachers need topossess an appreciation of the significant interrelationshipsamong the experiences of these ethnic groups and other non-dominant cultures.

The History - Social Science Framework emphasizes theimportance of "a multicultural perspective" as part of thecultural literacy of young Californians. The Framework alsorecommends that schools may design ethnic studies courses asninth grade electives. Future teachers may acquirecompetencies in this area through a curriculum that includesspecific ethnic studies courses. However, ethnicexperiences, issues, and contributions should also beintroduced to students in a variety of History and SocialScience courses.

A. General Competencies. The future tea her will be ableto:

1. Understand the forces and dynamics that haveinfluenced the development and contemporarycondition of ethnic cultures and institutions;

2. Recognize both the universal features of cultureand history and the particularity or distinctivecharacteristics of and interrelationships among

21

ethnic communities and cultures;

3. Understand the essential theories and methods toanalyze, interpret, and develop informed views ofethnic communities.

B. Specific Competencies. The prospective teacher willdemonstrate understanding of:

1. Major historical and cultural events and movements,particularly the forces and dynamics which resultedin the enslavement of Africans in the Americas;major historical events and movements that resultedin the formation of Spanish-speaking communitiesand communities of Asian origin in the Americas andparticularly the United States;

2. Major historical and cultural events and movementsthat resulted in the formation of communities ofNative American Indians in the Americas andparticularly the United States;

3. Trends, developments, and characteristics of ethnicsocial organizations and culture, includingconsideration of class and gender;

4. Trends and developments regarding the interactionbetween ethnic culture and society and the largerAmerican culture and social order, includingpatterns of racial prejudice, stereotyping, anddiscrimination;

5. Trends, developments, and characteristics of ethnicexpressive culture (literary, artistic, theatrical,and musical) and its contribution to the largerAmerican culture;

6. The historic and changing character and roles ofpolitical ideas, political organizations, politicalculture, and political participation in relation toethnic experiences;

7. The major economic concepts, principles, andpractices historically and currently applied to theethnic population;

8. The future challenges to ethnic communities posedby the changing character of science andtechnology;

22

9. The interaction of cultures and nations in theworld, particularly between ethnic communities andother societies.

VIII. Competencies in Womenls Studies

Prospactive teachers in California need to know the concepts,principles, and interpretations that inform the study ofwomen in history and society. They need to develop basicknowledge of the theories, assumptions, and ways ofunderstanding experience that characterize Women's Studies.In addition, candidates should demonstrate knowledge of howsexism is sometimes reflected in classroom organization andstudent-teacher interaction. The History - Social ScienceFramework lists "Women in Our History" as a potentialelective course for ninth grade social studies.

A. General Competencies. The future teacher willdemonstrate an understanding of:

1. The forces that have influenced the development andcontemporary condition of women in varioussocieties and cultures;

2. The influences of gender and its impact on humansocieties and individual lives;

3. The diversity of women across a wide range ofclasses, races, ethnicities, nationalities, ages,and sexualities;

4. The importance of cross-cultural and internationalperspectives in studies of women's situations;

5. The contributions of Women's Studies scholarship tothe social science disciplines.

B. Specific Competencies. The prospective teacher willdemonstrate an understanding of:

1. The significance of women's traditional roles andactivities in the making of human culture;

2. The impact of women's participation in thepolitical arena;

3. The broad outline of the social, political,intellectual, and economic history of women invarious societies;

23

4. The major theories and major turning points inAmerican women's history;

5. Key concepts such as public and private spheres,sex differences, sex-role socialization, andcultural diversity;

6. The significance of women's movements around theworld, and the processes by which women havebrought about change;

7. The interrelationship between gender, class, race,ethnicity, and economic roles;

8. The impact of major social institutions on women'slives;

9. The creative contributions of women to society andculture.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION FOR ASSESSING PROSPECTIVE TEACHERS

I. Diverse Academic Backgrounds of Prospective Teachers

Many sources of information may be used to evaluate thesubject matter competency of future teachers. Certaingeneric and subject area competencies will likely be assessedat all the CSU campuses. Yet plans and programs will varyfrom one campus to another depending on such factors as thestatus of existing assessment procedures, available staffresources, and the number of students seeking professionalpreparation for teaching.

One of the most important factors in designing an assessmentprogram is the inevitable diversity in academic backgroundand experience of students wishing to enter the credentialingprogram. An important challenge facing the camp= is todistinguish among several categories of students in terms oftheir previous academic preparation and then to determine howassessment procedures might vary from one group of studentstn another.

The broadest categorical division might be made between 1)on-campus students who are enrolled in an undergraduatewaiver program in Social Science or History and 2) all otherstudents. Evaluation of the formative type (i.e., frequentassessment of competency throughout the individual'sundergraduate career) is obviously most appropriate for theon-campus waiver-program student. Moreover, faculty adviserswill have detailed knowledge of the academic preparation andtherefore to some extent of the subject matter competence ofundergraduates enrolled in a waiver program at their owninstitution.

Students, however, come to credentialing programs from aremarkable variety of academic backgrounds. The categories"waiver candidate" and "non-waiver candidate" are notsufficiently precise as tools in designing assessmentprocedures that will serve the needs of diverse studentpopulations. Following is a list of categories that might beconsidered in identifying the types of students who apply toenter the credentialing program at a particular CSU campus:

A. On-campus waiver program students.

1. Those who have indicated prior to their senior yearan interest in the single subject credentialingprogram and who may be taking part in formativeassessment or are assembling evidence of competencepertinent to assessment.

25

2. Those who indicate an interest in the credentialingprogram only during their senior year or followingcompletion of their undergraduate program.

3. Transfer students who enter the waiver programduring their undergraduate career.

B. On-campus students with non-waiver undergraduate majorsin history, the social sciences, or other disciplines.

C. Students who have completed a waiver program at anotherCSU campus.

D. Students who have completed a comparable waiver programat a non-CSU institution i.n California or at aninstitution in another state.

E. Non-waiver program students with degrees from public orprivate universities in California or other states.

F. Students with degrees from non-CSU campuses in or out ofstate who have a) more than or b) less than a year ofteaching experience.

II. General Guidelines for Evaluating Students

A. Assessment criteria and evaluation procedures should becomparable for both on-campus waiver-program teachercandidates and other categories of students. Waiver-program candidates may participate in more extensiveformative or diagnostic assessment, but summativecriteria leading to approval or disapproval for entryinto student teaching must be applied equitably to allcategories of students.

B. Based on diagnostic assessment information, the studentmay be required to seek additional advisement. Anacademic plan for continued study, skills development,and knowledge of content would then be made.

C. Assessment procedures should provide for multipleevaluators. Differences among judgments of evaluatorsmay indicate that criteria may need to be redefined orthat the evaluators themselves need training to improvethe accuracy and reliability of their judgments. Evenif significant discrepancies do not appear, evaluatorsshould be sure that a consistent standard of judgment ismaintained.

26

D. Assessment procedures should be monitored periodicallyfor effectiveness and appropriateness. Departmentfaculty should share responsibility for conducting thisprogram review. Reliability among raters must bemonitored to assure consistency.

E. To validate the assessment process, information shouldbe gathered on the continuing subject matter competency

1 of newly credentialed candidates. Results from this1 long range validation will help assure that campus1

assessment procedures are effective and properlydesigned.

III. Instruments of Assessment

A comprehensive assessment program may utilize manyinstruments of information. Use of multiple measures isencouraged. These instruments may be organized into sevenmain categories. (The order of the categories presented heredoes not imply any ranking of their importance orusefulness.)

A. Tests

Tests can be used as appropriate evaluative instrumentsto measure candidate subject matter competencies inHistory and the Social Sciences. Tests may becomprehensive or may assess selected subject matter.They can be oral or written, commercial or teacher made.Tests may be used effectively for formative assessmentof on-campus waiver-program students, as well assummative evaluation of all teacher candidates. Whenusing tests, the following principles should be kept inmind:

1. Whether using a locally constructed test or apublished standardized one, the instrument shouldbe subjected to item-by-item scrutiny to be surethat its content is appropriate to the competencybeing assessed.

2. A norm-referenced test (evaluated "on a curve") maynot be suitable for assessing a given competencysince such tests are usually designed to measure abroad range of ability.

3. Essay examinations and writing samples should beevaluated by more than one reader who has beentrained to assess papers against stated scoringcriteria. Essay topics should be pretested and

27

rater reliability should be checked periodically.

4. Performance examinations, such as demonstrations orgroup discussion of issues, should also be assessedin terms of established scoring criteria by morethan one trained evaluator.

5. Local tests of any kind must be carefullyconstructed and thoroughly pre-tested. Testdevelopment is a demanding and time-consumingactivity, requiring expertise in measurement theoryand practice. Faculty members who develop localassessment instruments might be encouraged to seekthe assistance of measurement and evaluationconsultants.

6. In developing testing instruments faculty may findit useful to consult appropriate state and nationalstandardized tests, including the Graduate RecordExamination (GRE) and the College Board AchievementTest in European History and World Cultures.

B. Interviews

Interviews are best suited for assessing higher levelskills, such as the ability to integrate, synthesize,and interpret areas of knowledge. Other modes ofassessment, such as objective tests, are more effectivefor measuring recall or recognition. In an interview,evaluators can probe student responses, and the give andtake of the interview offers students an opportunity todemonstrate a variety of skills. Each evaluator shouldrender an independent rating of each competency area tobe assessed.

1. Interview questions should be carefully structuredto address pre-determined, specific competencies.Interviewers may be provided with written questionsto ensure a degree of uniformity in the interviewprocess. Members of the interview panel mayprepare in advance by reading portfolios andreviewing transcripts, biographical statements, orother documentation.

2. Students may be interviewed individually or ingroups. Group interviews might requiresubstantially less faculty time, but individualinterviews are probably to be preferred as theyobviously will permit more comprehensive andprobing assessment. Students may be advised of

28

3 o

interview topics well in advance, just before theinterview, or not at all. Topics may be describedin general terms, or students may receive advancecopies of the interview questions. If students aregiven questions in advance, then follow-upquestions should be permitted during the interview.Interviews may also provide an opportunity fordiscussion and evaluation of student portfolios.

3. In addition to faculty, interview participants mayinclude advisers, master teachers, cooperatingschool teachers, student teachers currently in theprogram, district curriculum specialists, externalevaluators or other consultants.

C. Portfolios

A portfolio is a collection of student work samples,documents and reports. Portfolios are especially usefulfor assessing transfer students, who may have spentlittle time on campus and are not well known to thefaculty. If portfolios are required, students should begiven explicit information regarding the materials to beincluded and adequate time to collect and prepare thedocumentation. Portfolio content may differ for on-campus students and other categories. However,portfolio requirements should be uniform within a givencategory of students. Portfolios should be assessed bymore than one evaluator, and students should be told whowill have access to their file. Portfolios may containa wide variety of materials, including those suggestedbelow.

1. A personal history of education, travel, relevantwork experience, and professional goals. Anautobiographical statement, including events andinfluences that led the candidate to enter ateaching career.

2. Examples of academic work, such as research papers,book reviews, essays, or other samples specificallyprepared for the portfolio.

3. Journals or observation reports from fieldexperiences or from travel/study.

4. Audio or video tapes in which the studentdemonstrates performance in selected areas ofcompetency.

29

0 "

D. An Assessment Course

A course in History and Social Science focusing onassessment would include activities specificallydesigned to generate a wide range of information onstudent competency.

1. "Capstone" Course

Such a course would probably carry two to fourunits of credit and might be team taught. It wouldmost appropriately be taken at the end of thecandidate's subject matter course sequence, therebyserving as a "capstone" experience. It would beappropriate for all credential candidates,including on-campus waiver-program students andother categories. Teacher candidates transferringfrom other campuses might be required to take sucha course.

An assessment course could serve the multiple aimsof certifying subject matter competence in Historyand Social Science, diagnosing credentialcandidates for remediation, assessing the qualityof preparation provided by the campus's singlesubject waiver program, and introducing futureteachers to methods of assessment that they mightlater use in their own classrooms.

Assessment activities in the course should coverthe entire range of subject matter competencies.Although no single student is likely to requireassessment for every competency, a non-wa:./erprogram student may need to be evaluated for mostof them. Assessment techniques would likelyinclude abbreviated variants of those embodied inregular courses, or other assessment instrumentsdescribed elsewhere in this report.

The course would emphasize verification ofcompetency rather than diagnosis of deficiencies.Nevertheless, some opportunity should be providedfor the reassessment of previously identifieddeficiencies. The assessment course could alsoprovide a laboratory for competency assessmentideas. Evaluation procedures themselves could beanalyzed and discussed and new approaches tested.

30

2. Course Centering on the Interrelations of Contentand Pedagogy

Some CSU departments in History or the SocialSciences offer (or are developing) coursesspecially designed for undergraduates interested inteaching careers. Typically, such a course aimsnot only to teach an academic subject but also todevelop what Lee Shulman has called "content-specific pedagogical knowledge." That is, anobjective of the course is to encourage students totranslate subject area knowledge into knowledgethat can be effectively communicated to K-12children and young people. The course is notprimarily concerned with social studies teachingmethods, as conventionally defined, but withhelping future teachers 1) identify and studyspecific topics that they are likely to teach inCalifornia schools and 2) transform such knowledgeinto ideas, concepts, approaches, or techniquesthat are "learnable" in the school classroom.Examples of such courses offered in the CSU systeminclude "United States History for Teachers" and"World History for Teachers." Courses of this typemight be especially suitable for incorporatingspecial competency assessment activities. A campusmight offer a course of this type in each of thesubject areas commonly taught in the schools,notably in U.S. History, World History, Geography,Government, and Economics. Another alternativewould be a single course that encompasses elementsof all these disciplines.

E. C:.assroom Activities

Student activities in regular university classes can bean important source of assessment information, but onemainly applicable to on-campus students in a waiverprogram. Students who have indicated an interest inentering a credentialing program may be given somespecial assignments. Many regular classroom activitiesmay provide opportunities to observe and assess specificcompetencies in context. Normally, these assessmentprocedures will be distinct from and more specific thanthose used to determine course grades. Obviously, muchfaculty cooperation and planning will be required tobuild special assessment activities into a range ofregularly offered courses.

3 1

3

Activities that may be specially evaluated in regularcourses include asking the student to:

1. Lead or participate in group discussions.

2. Make an oral presentation of subject mattermaterial.

3. Write or speak on selected topics or in response toa specific question.

4. Produce a synopsis or critique in response to apresentation by the instructor or another student.

5. Take tests or undertake other assignments requiringmultiple or integrated levels of interpretation andanalysis.

6. Participate in group writing exercises or in-depthwriting revision exercises.

7. Complete an individual assignment such as a seniorproject or a project of a cross-disciplinarynature.

F. Academic Transcript Review

Since a student's academic transcript represents thecollective judgment of faculty in various disciplines,a review may yield useful assessment information.Transcript information, however, should be used inconjunction with other assessment information.Important considerations in review of transcripts arethe breadth of course work taken, apparent gaps incourse work, level of achievement, and recency of study.The completion of a course should not in itself deem thestudent competent, nor should the absence of a specificcourse render the student incompetent. However,transcript information is one indicator of competence.

G. Letters of Recommendation/Performance Ratings

Letters of recommendation and other performance ratingsfrom faculty, supervisors, or others familiar with thestudent's work or academic performance may contributeassessment information. A standardized form may bedeveloped for this purpose to focus evaluation responseson specific competencies. Another approach mightinvolve circulating a list of students together with arequest for faculty comments or ratings.

32

RECOMMENDATIONS RELATED TO RESOURCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES

The Workgroup on Subject Matter Assessment in History and SocialScience strongly recommends that special State support be securedto develop and implement campus-based assessment of subject mattercompetence.

The effort to persuade the Legislature to fund a campus-based,competency assessment program will probably require demonstrationthat campuses have already made significant progress in developingassessment procedures. This Resource Guide aims to stimulate ant:advance CSU campus action to develop such programs.

Yet state resources are vital, since the development of effective,long-term programs will involve commitment of large amounts offaculty time, as well as other resources. Any campus assessmentprogram that involves such tasks, for example, as conducting in-depth interviews with scores of students; offering multiplesections of ucapstonen assessment courses; developing, reading,and evaluating special competency examinations; or reviewing largenumbers of student portfolios will require allocation ofsubstantial resources. As long as campuses continue to developand implement assessment programs without special state funding,the apportionment of faculty and administrative resources willremain highly problematic. The recommendations described belowrecognize 1) that state funding is not at present specificallyprovided for development of subject matter assessment and 2) thatprogram development will proceed more quickly and effectively assuch funding becomes available.

The Chancellor's Office could consider earmarking lottery fundsfor development of assessment models. Funding might range from$50,000 to $100,000 per campus, with a primary basis forallocation being the number of waiver programs on campus.However, lottery funds are inappropriate for long-termimplementation support. Campuses could also develop proposals forprivate funding that may support assessment development and,possibly, related research.

I. Administration

A. A CSU system resource center to provide collection anddissemination of information regarding assessmentmethods, instruments, and experiences is highlyrecommended, especially in the development stage.

B. A university-wide administrator should be designated whois responsible for overseeing the development andimplementation of the assessment program, related

33

campuswide committees, timelines, funding, and clericalsupport.

C. An assessment program coordinator for history and socialscience should be designated to carry out developmentand implementation plans and work directly with campuscommittees and other personnel.

D. A committee composed of faculty members representing therelevant subject areas should work with the assessmentcoordinator to implement the program. Educationfaculty and those with expertise in assessment shouldalso be involved.

E. Each campus should provide for an appeals process shoulda student wish to challenge the results of theassessment.

F. Campuses that will be assessing large numbers ofstudent; may wish to establish an Assessment Centerwhich co.uld provide common clerical and recordkeepingassistance, facilities, proctoring service, and videotaping to all participating areas, thus reducing costs.Fees could support the overhead costs of such a center.

II. Pilot Program

A. A proposed pilot program on a campus could be submittedto the Chancellor's Office for funding should funds beavailable. Representative pilot programs could beselected using a variety of criteria such as the size ofthe campus or the proportion of waiver and non-waiverstudents in a program.

B. A one-year pilot program can only be assessed in termsof its administrative aspects. Long-term implementationof a program with ongoing funding by the legislaturebetter lends itself to evaluation of competencies andstudent outcomes.

C. Evaluation of pilot programs should occur after oneyear, and information on strengths and weaknesses shouldbe disseminated to other campuses to help them developand implement assessment programs. Campus programsshould also be coordinated with the new Commission onTeacher Credentialing Standards and proposedimplementation plan.

34

III. Implementation

A. Assigned time could support development of theassessment process. For instance, in larger history orsocial science departments, a faculty member could beassigned 3 WTUs for a semester (quarter) to chair adevelopment committee. This assigned time would notcome from the department's normal allocation.

B. Faculty members of an assessment development committeecould serve as part of their regular committeeassignments or could be allocated release time by theuniversity.

C. Assessment processes might draw in part on extra-campusevaluators who possess appropriate expertise, such aspublic school teachers, school district curriculumspecialists, or professional association members. Theseeducators should be paid standard professionalcompensation for their services.

D. Possible sources of supporting the program include thefollowing:

I. An assessment course might be established.Dependent upon the depth and breadth of procedures,this course could be taught as supervision,activity, or activity laboratory. For example, onefaculty position could accommodate 90 to 100students per term (six FTES assuming one creditunit per student).

2. Some students might undergo assessment through aspecially designed course offered by extended orcontinuing education, such as summer session forstudents wanting to enter student teaching or thecredential program in the fall term. It should bekept in mind, however, that an extension coursecannot be "required" of any student.

3. Students might be required to pay a nominalassessment fee, which would be deposited in arevolving trust fund that is operated similarly tothe account established for the upper-divisionwritten English tests on many campuses.

35

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ADVISING

Advising, broadly defined, aims to provide accurate and timelyinformation and advice to potential teachers. This includesmaking information available within the community, especially atschools and colleges. It involves coordinated efforts of manyindividuals throughout the California educational system.Effective advising of prospective teachers depends upon earlyidentification of candidates, since information about teaching andteacher preparation encourages early self-selection.

I. Student Information Needs

Students need information on the whole educational andteacher preparation process. Thus responsibility foradvising undergraduates must involve faculty in both thecredential and academic programs. Information should beprovided as early as possible on the following:

Major/program requirements;

Ways to compensate for current areas of weakness throughcourse selection;

Campus assessment process;

Notification that a different assessment may be requiredfor admission to credential programs on other CSUcampuses;

Requirements for admission to the credential program andapplication procedure for admission;

Description of the credential program;

Description of other credentials and how they relate tothe single subjects credential.

II. Ways of Disseminating Information to Students

A. Sources of information for students who have declaredinterest in the credentialing program:

University catalog;

Subject matter competency assessment handbook;

Introduction to the program at campus orientationsessions or other meetings for this purpose;

36

Newsletters;

Advisers, advising centers;

Career counseling center;

Community college faculty and counselors;

Student organizations;

Faculty teaching courses identified with theprogram;

College/School of Education Offices.

B. Sources of information for potential majors/credentialcandidates. Many of the above sources plus:

High school and elementary school teachers;

High school and community college counselors;

Career Planning and Placement Centers;

Contacting students who indicate a credentialobjective on information sheet at universityregistration.

III. Coordination

It is impossible to use the people mentioned aboveeffectively without a concerted effort to inform and involvethem.

A program coordinator should be responsible for assuringadequate and accurate advising.

Faculty teaching key History and Social Science coursesshould be made aware of the whole program and wherestudents can get information.

Community college faculty and counselors are anessential part of the information network as well as theinstructional program on campuses with a large number oftransfers. CSU faculty should develop relationshipswith local community college faculty to assure coursecomparability and accuracy of program information and tomake community college faculty active participants in ateacher preparation team. Community college faculty andcounselors can play an important role in identifying and

37

1

recruiting potential teachers, especially minorities, ifthey are involved and well informed.

High school and elementary teachers are excellentsources of information about career preparation. Theycan make an important contribution in the earlyidentification of potential teachers as well asfacilitate their entrance into and progress through theprogram by providing accurate information about thewhole credential process. University faculty who aredeveloping assessment programs should be encouraged tomeet with faculty and students at local high schools ormeetings of teacher organizations.

IV. The Adviser's Role

Advisers should have faculty consultants in eachdiscipline to give advice on courses in the discipline.

Advisers may be involved in assessment of students'subject matter competency. They also play an importantrole in assuring student compliance with the assessmentprocedure, for example, in building a portfolio.

Where possible, the roles of adviser, instructor andassessor should overlap, providing several interrelatedbases for assessment of students.

Advisers must keep complete and accurate records ofstudent progress, including dates students were informedof requirements or deficiencies.

V. Support Needed

The following are essential for the recommendations above tobe carried out at even a minimal level:

A. On Campus:

Adequate training of advisers and (realistic)compensation for advising, with reasonable limitson the number of students per adviser;

Recognition of service as adviser in promotion andtenure decisions;

Adequate space, if advising is done in a center;drawer space for those advising in academicoffices;

38

Adequate clerical and/or computer support.

B. Off Campus:

- Support from the Commission on TeacherCredentialing, Chancellors' Office, StateDepartment of Education, California Council for theSocial Studies, and other educational bodies fordisseminating information and coordinating efforts.

VI. The Reciprocity Issue

Owing to the large number of students who transfer from oneCSU institution to another, all the campuses should work outagreements regarding the acceptability of one another'sasti'essments. This cooperation is especially important amongcampuses located in the same part of the state. The issuecenters on whether the campus which trains the undergraduatestudent or the campus which accepts a student into itscrcdentialing program be responsible for assessing subjectmatter competence. The interest a receiving campus has inassuring quality of candidates must be recognized, yet it isprobably more practical for the faculty on the campus wherethe student completed his or her undergraduate study toassess that work.

39

4

BIBLIOGRAPHY

The following publications and materials have been particularlyhelpful in developing this Resource Guide:

All-University Responsibility for Teacher Education in theCalifornia State University: Campus Progress Reports. CaliforniaState University, 1989.

Building a History Curriculum: Guidelines for Teaching History inSchools. The Bradley Commission on History in Schools, 1988.(The subject matter competencies in world and American history inthis Resource Guide were largely adapted from Building a HistoryCurriculum.)

History - Social Science Framework for California Public Schools,Kindergarten through Grade Twelve. California State Department ofEducation, 1988.

New Teachers for California: California Beginning TeacherAssessment and Support Project. Stanford, California: CaliforniaState Department of Education, and Stanfcrd University, School ofEducation.

Resource Guide: Subiect Matter Assessment of ProspectiveElementary School Teachers. California State University, 1988.

Standards for Social Studies Teachers in the State of California.California Council for the Social Studies

Subiect Matter Assessment Guidelines of ProspectiveLanguage Teachers. California State University, 1989.

Subiect Matter Assessment of Prospective EnglishCalifornia State University, 1987.

Foreign

40

Teachers.

. .

.

THE.CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY

49I"

A--BEST AY."