WRIGHT CHARTER COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

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National Center for
Alternative Certification 2nd Annual Conference
Lake Buena Vista, Florida
February 9 -12, 2005
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The Challenges of Using Technology
to Prepare Teachers
in Alternative
Educators License Programs
By
Dr. Colleen Finegan


Dr. Burga Jung
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Preparing professionals to
meet the
educational, leadership,
and
human service
needs
of a diverse, democratic society
College of Education and Human Services Mission
Statement
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Ohio has paths to obtain alternative licensing,
but ODE prepared an RFP calling for responders to
think
out of the box
for a program built on an
apprenticeship model
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Wright State University College of Education
and Human ServicesDayton, Ohio
Dr. Burga Jung, Director
Dr. Colleen Finegan,
Assistant Director
http//www.ed.wright.edu/academic/charter_colleg
e/index.php [phone]
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OHIO DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION CHARTER COLLEGE AWARD

• One year pilot program
• Awarded August 2004
• One of two Ohio IHEs
• Grant 375,000

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GOAL OR PURPOSE OF WRIGHT CHARTER COLLEGE

• Prepare highly qualified teachers
• Via the Alternative Educator License
• To teach in high needs school districts
• In high needs teaching fields

• Sciences Foreign Languages
• Mathematics Special Education

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LINKED TO HIGH NEEDS SCHOOLSIN OHIO

• Public schools
• Charter schools
• In urban rural areas

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MEETING THE NEEDS OF HIGH NEEDS SCHOOLS
Providing Teachers who are

• Highly qualified
  in high needs teaching fields
• Trained through apprenticeship
• Trained in classroom technology,
• Ohio content standards
• cultural competency

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PROGRAM ADMISSION PROCESS ODE REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelors degree
• Teaching field major
• Strong commitment to high needs schools

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WRIGHT CHARTER COLLEGE
ONLINE ADMISSION PROCESS

• Application form
• Personality assessment
• Technology skills assessment
• Professional teaching aptitude assessment

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CANDIDATE BENEFITS

• 65 tuition subsidy
  50 thru WSU 15 thru grant
• Asynchronous courses available 24 / 7
• Online personal advising and support
• All textbooks supplied

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WRIGHT CHARTER COLLEGE CAPACITY

• Tenured faculty teaching required courses
• Strong clinical teachers for apprenticeships
• Mentored by former AEL teachers
• Supervised by school districts experienced
  teachers
• History of successful AEL program delivery
• Support of TED chair and faculty, Deans
  office, Provosts office
• Strong CEHS partnership via public, private
  charter schools, COLA COSM

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WRIGHT CHARTER COLLEGE CHARACTERISTICS

• Flexible entry dates
• Focus on Ohio pK-12 content standards
• Aligned with professional licensure exam
  (Praxis)
• Online required courses
• Technology skills integrated
• Mentored by master teachers
• Coaching for content exam (Praxis)

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CANDIDATE BENEFITS

• Apprenticeship with master teacher
• Classroom technology applications
• Mentoring in the teaching field before and
  during AEL apprenticeship
• Cohort support / networking

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EXTERNAL EVALUATION

• Indiana University

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CURRENT CANDIDATE CHARACTERISTICS

• Former military
• Full time substitute teachers
• Mid-career professionals
• Business Management
• Entrepreneurial Skills
• Engineering (mechanical, aerospace, etc)
• Sciences (biology, chemistry, etc)
• Environmental Sciences
• Computer Sciences
• Foreign Languages, culture history

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CURRENT CANDIDATE CHARACTERISTICS

• High level of dedication motivation
• Mature career and life experiences
• Exceptional follow-through on coursework
  and other requirements
• Satisfying / rewarding experiences interacting
  with young people
• Looking forward to their new career

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CURRENT CANDIDATE CHARACTERISTICS

• Varying
• amounts of formal teaching experience
• amount of time to spend on academics
• levels of financial and personal support
• ability to learn somewhat in isolation
• time since their last formal classes
• experience with on-line classes
• levels of computer skills / support / software
• learning styles

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• Challenges of Teaching a class online
• Get a student ID and learn to access WINGS.
• (a single sign-on portal that includes an e-mail
  client, calendar, access to collaboration and
  discussion groups, registration, financial
  transactions and WebCT.
• Come to grips with what they have at home
• Dial up vs. speedy internet access
• Platform, Hardware and software variables
• Level of knowledge and skills on internet

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Challenges of Teaching a class online

• Known regular courses ---- Unknown
  online
• Web CT format is sometimes confusing.
• Some feel lost and isolated.
• Course is self-directed.
• Easier to put off work- no classes to attend.
• Procrastination in meeting deadlines.

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Challenges of Teaching a class online

• Without face-to-face meetings, Guilt is harder
  to engender.
• Private assignments, no one sees anyone
  elses,
• no one to compare oneself to
• Cant rely on others to ask or answer
  questions
• Couldnt look around the room to see if they
  were
• understanding the concept / assignment
  correctly
• Couldnt get immediate response or feedback
• More difficult to bounce ideas off of each
  other

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Meeting the Challenges

• Spend a bit of time in the beginning of the
  class sharing about themselves, their goals,
  their experiences
• Set deadlines (built into the WebCT) Late of
  not handed in on time.
• Start simple
• Have directions written in such a way that
  they can go back and re-read as needed
• Value their experiences and learning styles

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Meeting the Challenges

• Start with more frequent feedback till they
  feel more secure in what they are doing
• Set a time on a Saturday or Sunday when some
  may be free to call you.
• Have a graduate assistant available at least
  in the beginning to assist then with their
  onlline difficulties
• Stay flexible
• Use Humor

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Other observations, ideas, suggestions