Social Science Teaching/1
STUDENT LEARNING ASSESSMENT PROGRAM
SUMMARY FORM AY 2012-2013
Degree and
Program Name:
Submitted By:
B.A. in Social Science Studies
Bonnie Laughlin-Schultz
Please complete a separate worksheet for each academic program
(major, minor) at each level (undergraduate, graduate) in your
department. Worksheets are due to CASA this year by June
14, 2013. Worksheets should be sent electronically to
kjsanders@eiu.edu and should also be submitted to your college
dean. For information about assessment or help with your
assessment plans, visit the Assessment webpage at
http://www.eiu.edu/~assess/ or contact Karla Sanders in CASA at
581-6056.
Social science studies is an interdisciplinary major in which students choose one specialization area (geography, political science, psychology, or
sociology-anthropology) and take coursework in it as well as all the other areas and history. All majors graduate with certification in social science
for grades 9-12. The social science teaching program has three content knowledge goals that are based upon the subjects that program completers
will be expected to teach in most Illinois public high schools. Illinois requires all high school students to take an American history course. Many
high schools also require some type of government class and world history. Social studies elective offerings include specialized history courses,
current events coursework, sociology, psychology, geography, and economics, as well as a range of AP and honors courses. Only specialists in any
given subject can teach AP or honors courses in that area, but social science teaching majors are prepared to and certified to teach all the other
courses, and the three content goals reflect the need to prepare them for this task. Other programmatic learning objectives cover planning of,
implementation of, and reflection upon instruction as well as discussion of classroom diversity and the development of varied strategies to meet
the needs of all learners. These are core elements of secondary teacher training at EIU and good practice for social science teaching. Broader EIU
learning goals of writing, critical thinking, speaking, and global citizenship are incorporated throughout the learning goals for social science
teaching majors, and writing and critical thinking also appear as separate objectives. All of the objectives overlap with the goals for History with
Teacher Certification, and much of the resulting data is considered together in regards to program changes.
PART ONE
What are the learning
objectives?
How, where, and when are they
assessed?
What are the expectations?
What are the results?
Committee/ person
responsible? How are
results shared?
1. Broad Content
Knowledge in History
Social Science Studies
majors will know and
understand the standard
content of U.S. and world
civilizations. Specific
content knowledge is
Scores on the History
Common Core section of
Content Area Tests Scores
attained on the appropriate
Illinois Certification Testing
System (ICTS) Content Area
Tests (CAT): 113 (GEG); 117
(PLS); 118 (PSY); and 121
A minimum of 80% of
2012-2013 test takers will
receive a 240 or higher on
the History Common Core
section. All program
completers must have
achieved passing composite
scores of 240 or higher on
ICTS CAT score results on
the History CC were:
Test 113- GEG (n=1 )
1. 254
Test 117-PLS (n=3)
1. 268
2. 277
3. 269
Test Score results are
monitored by the
Dean’s Office, CEPS,
and by the Social
Science Studies
Program Coordinator.
Test results are
regularly shared with
Social Science Teaching/2
mandated in the Illinois
Core Standards for Social
Science Teachers and
broad thematic knowledge
is indicated in the National
Council for the Social
Studies (NCSS) Ten
Thematic Strands, and the
core history coursework
that all social science
teaching majors take is
carefully aligned to cover
those content standards.
The alignments are
included as appendixes A
and B.
(SOC/ANT). The CAT is
typically taken the semester
prior to student teaching, and
each concentration includes
the History Common Core.
their CAT, but it is possible
to pass the overall test but
score below 240 in history.
Test 118-PSY (n=3)
1. 253
2. 224
3. 224
Test 121-SOC/ANT (n=2)
1. 251
2. 243
77.7% of test takers passed
the History CC. See
Appendix C for full data.
the Social Science
Studies Committee
(the major’s program
committee).
NCSS ten themes survey data
on history-based themes.
Cooperating teachers of all
2012-2013 student teachers
were surveyed over student
teacher knowledge of each of
the NCSS ten themes. Ratings
are: “does not meet”;
“occasionally meets”;
“meets”; “occasionally
exceeds”; and “exceeds.” See
appendix B for description of
the themes.
A minimum of 90% of
program completers will
receive ratings of “meets,”
“occasionally exceeds,” or
“exceeds” (3, 4, or 5) on the
NCSS ten themes
evaluation form. (The n
does not always equal the
total number of student
teachers, as CTs of students
teaching non-history
courses often mark N/A
instead of submitting an
evaluation for historyrelated themes.)
Theme 2: 100% (n=3)
earned ratings of 3, 4, or 5.
Theme 8: 100% (n=2)
earned ratings of 3, 4, or 5.
Theme 9: 100% (n= 3)
earned ratings of 3, 4, or 5.
The Social Science
teaching coordinator
administers and
gathers data for the
NCSS ten themes
survey and shares
data with the Social
Science Studies
program and
curriculum
committees as well as
CEPS as needed.
Grades earned during the
student’s academic career in
representative required
courses in history: HIS 1500,
HIS 2010, HIS 2020, and
HIS 3555. Course grades are
included here because they
are mandatory proof of
content knowledge for our
accreditation by the Illinois
State Board of Education as
A minimum of 75% of
students will receive grades
of B or higher in each of
their history courses. (Note:
To earn credit toward the
major, all students must
receive a C or above in all
content courses in the
major. Moreover, students
following the 2008 and
later catalogs must maintain
The goal was met for all
courses. The n is small (5,
and transfer courses are not
counted below). Grades
earned by 2012-2013
program completers in core
history courses are as
follow:
HIS 1500
A=3; B=2; C=0; D=0; F=0
HIS 2010
The following
individuals or
committees monitor
this assessment: the
program’s
designation advisors;
the Social Science
teaching coordinator;
the Teacher
Education Committee
for Social Science
Social Science Teaching/3
2. Specialist Content
Knowledge
Social Science Studies
majors will demonstrate
expert knowledge in their
area of specialization
within the social sciences.
Social Science Studies
majors are broadly
prepared to teach all social
studies, but they choose
one area of
specialization—geography,
political science,
psychology, or sociologyanthropology—in which
they take more intensive
coursework.
3. Broad Content
Knowledge in Social
Science
Social Science Studies
majors will know and
understand the standard
content of economics,
geography, political
well as by the National
Council for the Social
Studies, the SPA which
accredits this program for
NCATE.
a 3.0 mgpa.)
A=1; B=3; C=0; D=1*; F=0
HIS 2020
A=2; B=2; C=0; D=0; F=0
HIS 3555
A=0; B=3; C=1; D=0; F=0
* Course was re-taken.
Scores on the concentration
sections of Content Area
Tests Scores attained on the
appropriate Illinois
Certification Testing System
(ICTS) Content Area Tests
(CAT): 113 (GEG); 117
(PLS); 118 (PSY); and 121
(SOC/ANT). The CAT is
typically taken the semester
prior to student teaching.
A minimum of 80% of
2012-2013 test takers will
receive a 240 or higher on
the section(s) keyed to their
concentration. All Social
Science program completers
must have achieved passing
composite scores of 240 or
higher on their CAT, but it
is possible to pass the
overall test but score below
240 in the concentration
area(s). Included in the
results are the total test
score as well as the score
for the concentration
area(s).
Test 113- GEG (n=1 )
Student learning within their
concentration is also assessed
within the major departments.
For example, GEG
concentrators are assessed for
goals covered within
assignments in GEG 1200G,
GEG 3025, and GEG 3420.
Scores on the Social Science
Foundations section of
Content Area Tests Scores
attained on the appropriate
Illinois Certification Testing
System (ICTS) Content Area
Tests (CAT): 113 (GEG); 117
(PLS); 118 (PSY); and 121
A minimum of 80% of
2012-2013 test takers will
receive a 240 or higher on
the Social Science
Foundations section. All
Social Science program
completers must have
achieved passing composite
Total World GEG (Sub 3)
1. 251 260
Test 117-PLS (n=3)
Total PS(3) US/IL govt(4)
1. 265 204 271
2. 266 264 265
3. 269 264 258
Test 118-PSY (n=3)
Total HumanDev(3) Personality(4)
1. 248 265
254
2. 242 256
244
3. 243 213
254
Test 121-SOC/ANT (n=2*)
Total
and History; and the
Certification Officer,
College of Sciences.
These groups and
individuals routinely
share results as
needed.
Test Score results are
monitored by the
Dean’s Office, CEPS,
and by the Social
Science Studies
Program Coordinator.
Test results are
regularly shared with
the Social Science
Studies Committee
(the major’s program
committee).
SOC(3) ANT(4)
1. 236 223
218
2. 251 255
231
* Results 1 and 2 represent
attempts by the same
individual.
Only 62.5% of test takers
passed all areas of their
concentration. See
Appendix C for full data.
Test 113- GEG (n=1)
1. 242
Test 117-PLS (n=3)
1. 275
2. 262
3. 276
Test 118-PSY (n=3)
1. 235
Test Score results are
monitored by the
Dean’s Office, CEPS,
and by the Social
Science Studies
Program Coordinator.
Test results are
regularly shared with
Social Science Teaching/4
science, psychology, and
sociology-anthropology as
described in the Illinois
Core Standards for Social
Science Teachers and as
indicated in the National
Council for the Social
Studies Ten Thematic
Strands. Core courses for
all Social Science teaching
majors are chosen to
provide content knowledge
that matches these
standards. (See appendices
A and B.)
(SOC/ANT). The CAT is
typically taken the semester
prior to student teaching.
scores (240 or higher) on
their concentration’s CAT,
but it is possible to pass the
overall test but score below
240 in non-concentration
areas.
2. 240
3. 254
Test 121-SOC/ANT (n=2*)
1. 238
2. 260
the Social Science
Studies Committee
(the major’s program
committee).
* Results 1 and 2 represent
attempts by the same person.
77.7% of test takers passed
the Social Science
Foundations segment. See
Appendix C for full data.
NCSS ten themes survey data
on non-history themes.
Cooperating teachers of all
2012-2013 student teachers
were surveyed over student
teacher knowledge of each of
the NCSS ten themes. Ratings
are: “does not meet”;
“occasionally meets”;
“meets”; “occasionally
exceeds”; and “exceeds.” See
appendix B for description of
the themes.
A minimum of 90% of
social science student
program completers will
receive ratings of “meets,”
“occasionally exceeds,” or
“exceeds” (3, 4, or 5) on the
NCSS ten themes
evaluation form. (The N
does not always equal the
total number of student
teachers, as CTs of students
teaching non-history
courses often mark N/A
instead of submitting an
evaluation for historyrelated themes.)
Theme 1: 100% (n=3)
earned ratings of 3, 4, or 5.
Theme 3: 100% (n=1)
earned ratings of 3, 4, or 5.
Theme 4: 100% (n=1)
earned ratings of 3, 4, or 5.
Theme 5: 100% (n=1)
earned ratings of 3, 4, or 5.
Theme 6: 100% (n=3)
earned ratings of 3, 4, or 5.
Theme 7: 100% (n=2)
earned ratings of 3, 4, or 5.
Theme 10: 100% (n=3)
earned ratings of 3, 4, or 5.
The Social Science
teaching coordinator
administers and
gathers data for the
NCSS ten themes
survey and shares
data with the Social
Science Studies
program and
curriculum
committees as well as
CEPS as needed.
Grades earned during the
student’s academic career in
representative required
courses in non-history social
sciences. Course grades are
included here because they
are mandatory proof of
content knowledge for our
accreditation by the Illinois
A minimum of 75% of
students will receive grades
of B or higher in each of
their social science courses.
(To earn credit toward the
major, all students must
receive a C or above in all
content courses in the
major. Moreover, students
The goal was met for all
courses but those in red
below. The n is small (5,
and transfer courses are not
counted below). Grades
earned by 2012-2013
program completers are as
follows:
The following
individuals or
committees monitor
this assessment: the
program’s
designation advisors;
the Social Science
teaching coordinator;
the Teacher
Social Science Teaching/5
4. Effective Planning for
Instruction
Social Science majors will
effectively plan for
instruction, developing
objectives that are tied to
State Board of Education as
well as by the National
Council for the Social
Studies, the SPA which
accredits this program for
NCATE.
following the 2008 and later
catalogs must maintain a 3.0
mgpa.)
ECN 2801
A=1; B=2; C=2; D=1*; F=0
ECN 2802
A=0; B=2; C=2; D=0; F=0
GEG 1100
A=4; B=1; C=0; D=0; F=0
GEG 1200
11=2; B=2; C=0; D=0; F=0
GEG 3200
A=3; B=2; C=0; D=0; F=0
PLS 1003
A=3; B=1; C=1; D=0; F=0
PLS 1153
A=2; B=1; C=0; D=0; F=0
PLS 2253
A=2; B=2; C=1; D=0; F=0
PLS 2603
A=1; B=3; C=0; D=1*; F=0
PSY 1879
A=1; B=3; C=0; D=0; F=0
PSY 3521
A=3; B=1; C=1; D=0; F=0
PSY 3780
A=1; B=3; C=0; D=0; F=0
ANT 2200
A=2; B=2; C=0; D=0; F=0
SOC 1838
A=2; B=1; C=1; D=0; F=0
SOC 2721
A=3; B=1; C=1; D=0; F=0
* the course was re-taken
Education Committee
for Social Science
and History; and the
Certification Officer,
College of Sciences.
These groups and
individuals routinely
share results as
needed.
In SOS 3400 students are
instructed on the development
of lesson and broader unit
plans. Lesson and Unit Plans
are then submitted as part of
Department Approval
90% of students submitting
unit and lesson plans within
the department assessment
portfolio (DAP) will receive
an average score of 8 or
above, and at least 40% will
100% (n=4) of students
earned scores of 8 or
higher, and 50% earned
scores of 9 or 10.
The Teacher
Education Committee
for Social Science
and History assesses
the portfolios and
communicates
Social Science Teaching/6
appropriate learning goals
and Illinois/NCSS
standards; designing
appropriate materials and
detailing procedures
needed to teach the lesson;
integrating higher order
thinking and active
learning into instruction;
and evaluating student
learning through formative
and summative
assessments.
Portfolio, and they are rated
on the following criteria by
members of the History
Department Teacher
Education Committee:
 formatting
 clear and appropriate
objectives
 lesson that is tied to
objectives
 appropriate and welldeveloped teaching
materials
 inclusion of assessment
 linkage to NCSS themes
and state standards
Each student is given a score
between 5 and 10 by each of
the three members of the
History Department Teacher
Education Committee, and
the average of the scores will
be reported here.
earn scores of 9 or 10.
5. Competence in the
Classroom (Public
Speaking)
Social science teaching
majors will demonstrate
professional teaching
competency by planning,
organizing, and effectively
presenting social studies
lessons.
Micro-Teaching: Students
enrolled in SOS 3400 teach
two lessons (what we call
microteaching modules)
during the semester. The
instructors use a 20-item
microteaching checklist to
assess the effectiveness of
student presentation skills,
including appropriate use of
technology, incorporation of
effective teaching strategies,
classroom management and
presence, and connection
A minimum of 80% of
students will receive a score
of 160 or higher (out of
200) on the MT checklist.
This means that
microteaching modules
were presented in a clear,
articulate, and organized
manner and will have used
instructional technology and
research-based strategies.
(Note: This % is lower than
History with Teacher
certification because the n
midterm conditional
approval of all
students applying for
student teaching to
CEPS and,
specifically, to
Associate Dean Doug
Bower. All instructors
of SOS 3400 are part
of the Teacher
Education
Committee, and in
assessing portfolio
s/he/they discover
areas in which
students need to
improve and adapt
instruction
accordingly.
80% (n=5) of students
earned scores of 160 or
higher.
The Social Science
teaching coordinator
and undergraduate
advisor are the
instructors of record
for this course, and
they communicate
frequently about
problems with any
microteaching. If
problems persist or
become severe, the
Social Science
teaching coordinator
Social Science Teaching/7
6. Reflective Teaching
Social science teaching
majors will be reflective
teachers, understanding
diversity in their
classroom, planning
carefully based on the
needs of their diverse
learners, assessing student
learning (formative and
summative), and adapting
classroom instruction
between goals and lesson
itself as well as a reflective
component.
in this program is so low.)
can withhold
approval for student
teaching and
communicates with
Dr. Jim Kestner, chair
of Student Teaching,
and Associate Dean
Doug Bower.
Student Teaching Evaluation:
Student teachers are assessed
for their ability to use diverse
strategies to plan and execute
effective instruction. Student
teachers are evaluated on 18
different elements of
instructional planning in the
“diverse strategies” section of
the student teaching
evaluation form. (Data comes
from Doug Bower)
A minimum of 90% of
social science student
program completers will
receive ratings of “meets”
through “exceeds” on the
“diverse strategies”
components of the Student
Teaching Evaluation form.
Ratings are: “does not
meet”; “occasionally
meets”; “meets”;
“occasionally exceeds”; and
“exceeds.”
On 16 of the 18 elements,
100% of program
completers (n=4) received
ratings of “meets” through
“exceeds.” On two strands
(feedback to students and
management of transitions),
only 75% of program
completers (n=4) received
those ratings, while one
student was rated as
“occasionally meets.” See
Appendix D for the
complete data for the
Student Teaching
Evaluation.
Cooperating teachers
and student teaching
supervisors from the
Department of
Student Teaching,
CEPS, conduct the
assessment. The
Chair of the
Department of
Student Teaching, the
Associate Dean of
CEPS, and the
coordinator of Social
Science Teaching
monitor assessment
results.
Impact on P-12: Student
teachers complete an Impact
on P-12 Learning assignment
in which they are expected to
address Illinois’s nine
standards for professional
educators, included in
Appendix C and key aspects
of reflective teaching.
Evaluation is included within
the Student Teaching
Evaluation form. (Data
A minimum of 90% of
social science student
program completers will
receive ratings of “meets”
through “exceeds” on the
various components of the
Student Teaching
Evaluation form. Ratings
are: “does not meet”;
“occasionally meets”;
“meets”; “occasionally
exceeds”; and “exceeds.”
For most elements of the
Student Teaching
Evaluation, all program
completers (n=4) were rated
at “meets” or higher.
However, there are
instances where one student
was rated at “occasionally
meets,” and these are areas
that SOS 3400 instructors
will pay special attention to
next year. See Appendix D
Cooperating teachers
and student teaching
supervisors from the
Department of
Student Teaching,
CEPS, conduct the
assessment. The
Chair of the
Department of
Student Teaching, the
Associate Dean of
CEPS, and the
Social Science Teaching/8
methodologies/strategies in
response to student
learning needs. In doing
this they also demonstrate
aspects of global
citizenship, particularly
understanding of diversity
and respect for the needs of
all learners.
comes from Doug Bower)
7. Writing
Social science teaching
majors will demonstrate the
ability to write effectively.
The ability to write clearly is
one element that is assessed
in the Department Approval
Portfolio for Student
Teaching, and students are
rated on a scale of 1-5 by
each of the three members of
the History Department
Committee on Teacher
Education. Scores of the three
reviewers will be averaged
and reported in the data here.
8. Critical Thinking
Social science teaching
majors will demonstrate the
ability to think critically
Students submit a Unit Plan
through Livetext for the
CEPS unit assessment, and
SOS 3400 instructors rate the
for the complete data for
the Student Teaching
Evaluation.
coordinator of Social
Science Teaching
monitor assessment
results.
100% of students
submitting unit and lesson
plans within the department
assessment portfolio (DAP)
will receive an average
score of 3 or above, and at
least 50% will earn scores
of 4 or 5.
100% (n=5) of students
earned ratings of 4 or 5.
Concerns with
student writing are
first addressed by
asking students to resubmit the portfolio;
this occurred on two
occasions in 20122013, and students resubmitted and
brought scores to the
requisite 3. If
problems persist, the
social science
teaching coordinator
communicates issues
with approval of all
students applying for
student teaching to
CEPS and,
specifically, to
Associate Dean Doug
Bower and to Jim
Kestner.
A minimum of 90% of
students will receive ratings
of “meets” through
“exceeds” on the critical
100% of students (n=2)
received ratings of “meets”
(1), “occasionally exceeds”
(0), and “exceeds” (1).
The Associate Dean
of CEPS and the
coordinator of Social
Science Teaching
Social Science Teaching/9
and will incorporate
discipline-specific literacy
and critical thinking into
their teaching.
unit plans on a rubric
developed by the Unit
Assessment Committee in
consultation with Associate
Dean Doug Bower. Ratings
are: “does not meet”;
“occasionally meets”;
“meets”; “occasionally
exceeds”; and “exceeds.” The
revised Unit Plan rubric
(effective spring 2013) has an
assessment of critical
thinking. Spring 2013 data is
included here.
thinking portion of the Unit
Plan evaluation instrument.
9. Professionalism
Social science teaching
majors will demonstrate
professional dispositions.
Dispositions surveys done as
part of SOS 3400 (Block II
Departmental Methods) and
during student teaching rate
students on 5 dispositions:
A minimum of 90% of SOS
3400 students will receive
ratings of “meets” through
“exceeds” in all five
components of the
dispositions evaluation
instruments. (Ratings are:
“does not meet”;
“occasionally meets”;
“meets”; “occasionally
exceeds”; and “exceeds.”)
100% of students (n=4)
were rated as “meets”
through “exceeds” on all
dispositional elements.
All student teachers will
receive ratings of
“acceptable” or higher.
100% of student teachers
(n=4) were rated as
“acceptable” or higher on
all dispositional elements.
See appendix E for the data
from CEPS.
• Interaction with students (IWS)
• Professional and ethical
practices (PEP)
• Effective communication (EC)
• Planning for teaching and
student learning
(PTSL)
• Sensitivity to diversity and
equity (SDE)
SOS 3400 instructors and
student teaching supervisors
are responsible for
completing the evaluations.
monitor assessment
results. The
coordinator of Social
Science Teaching
shares results with the
Teacher Education
committee in the
History Dept, the
undergraduate advisor
for history with
teacher certification
and concentration
advisors, and the
Social Science
Studies committee.
This data comes from
LiveText and is an
integral part of the
CEPS-History
Department-Social
Science Studies
Committee
assessment loop. If
problems exist, the
social science
teaching coordinator
communicates issues
with approval of any
students applying for
student teaching to
CEPS and,
specifically, to
Associate Dean Doug
Bower and to Jim
Kestner.
Social Science Teaching/10
PART TWO
Describe your program’s assessment accomplishments since your last report was submitted. Discuss ways in which you have responded
to the CASA Director’s comments on last year’s report or simply describe what assessment work was initiated, continued, or completed.
I am new this year to the position as social science teaching coordinator, following Charlie Titus’s retirement. I spent much of the year learning the
ropes of teacher certification in Illinois, state and national accreditation issues, and teaching at EIU. In doing this, I revised the learning goals for
social science teaching for both History with Teacher Certification and for all of the Social Science Studies concentrations. I tried to think both
idealistically and pragmatically, reflecting what the program prepares its graduates to do in Illinois public high school classrooms as well as the
broader goals of EIU education and of reflective teaching practice. I aimed to have multiple points for collecting data and to generally conform to
the best practices in assessment that I learned about at the Assessment Institute in Indianapolis in fall 2012, and I also tried to respond to the
comments in response to the Social Science Teaching SLAP from June 2012, particularly the re-writing of all objectives into measurable learning
objectives connected to coursework. I still incorporated course grades as one data point about social science content knowledge, but I broke down
the coursework and tied them to more measurable learning objectives. Additionally, I include them because they are required submissions in both
state and national accreditation of the social science teaching program, so I will be including them in two more reports to be written in 2013-2014.
Much of the assessment data included above is continuing work, though I have broken down the data differently and added a few additional pieces
to better reflect the new learning goals. Student content knowledge of history, a specific concentration, and the broad field of social science is
assessed with three data points: course grades in pertinent social science and history courses; scores on the Content Area Tests; and evaluation of
student teacher knowledge about the National Council for the Social Studies ten thematic strands by their cooperating teachers. For the Content
Area Tests, I used not only our overall scores (our pass rate, particularly for history with teacher certification majors, is quite high), but I broke
down the scores by the sub-tests to examine student strength in historical knowledge; broad social science foundations; and their specific social
science specialization. This allowed me to see program preparation in a new light. I also added the Ten Themes survey data as another measure of
student learning. In addition to content knowledge, I revised the teaching competency objective, breaking it into multiple components and using
some new forms of assessment to generate data. We aim to prepare future social studies teachers who can plan effectively for instruction (of
diverse learners), who are effective in the classroom, who reflect upon their teaching and make changes based upon their own assessment data, and
who exhibit professionalism. These goals are central to the new mandatory assessment for student teachers that will be fully implemented in fall
2015, the edTPA, and I am working through our assessment program to make sure that History with Teacher Certification and Social Science
Teaching majors are prepared for this high-stakes test. Finally, I worked to incorporate the four EIU goals for undergraduate learning into the
assessment program and learning objectives. They have always been present in the program, but I worked to identify them more specifically and to
identify specific assessments for writing and critical thinking. I will continue to work on the latter especially next year, as critical thinking and
discipline-specific literacy are becoming more and more important in teacher training.
PART THREE
Summarize changes and improvements in curriculum, instruction, and learning that have resulted from the implementation of your
assessment program. How have you used the data? What have you learned? In light of what you have learned through your assessment
efforts this year and in past years, what are your plans for the future?
Social Science Teaching/11
As a result of assessment prior to and during 2012-2013, a few curriculum changes are being implemented; all have been approved by the Social
Science Studies Program Committee (composed of the chairs of ECN, GEG, HIS, PLS, PSY, and SOC and chaired by the social science teaching
coordinator) and the Social Science Studies Curriculum Committee (composed of the advisors in all of these departments and the social science
teaching coordinator and chaired by the undergraduate advisor for History with Teacher Certification Michael Shirley) and are now headed for
approval in their respective departments, the College of Sciences, and COTE. Social Science Studies—Psychology majors will take an additional
course on child development (PSY 3515), while Social Science Studies—Geography majors will now take ESC 1500G instead of ESC 1300G and
will no longer be required to take GEG 3420. Finally, HIS 2560 will be added to all four Social Science Studies concentrations in order to
eliminate the 300-year gap in world history that students currently face and to boost performance on the history portion of the content test. The
data and conclusions above certainly support all of these changes. In particular, this will address the results in goal 1, where 2 of 9 students did not
pass the content sub-test on history, and in goal 2, where 2 psychology students needed more content knowledge in child development.
Additionally, there are several changes coming in secondary education, including the addition of a course on content literacy and RTI that will be
mandatory beginning in 2014. This course will require 20 hours of clinical observation/experience, and I am working with Stephen Lucas, Chair of
Secondary Education, and Associate Dean Doug Bower to revise the SOS 3400 clinical experience to somehow incorporate these changes. At
present I have continued to use and develop the PEN-SS internship that Charlie Titus created, and I gathered data from all the participating
teachers reflecting on student performance. I did not include it in the SLAP for a number of reasons, primary of which is the state of transition in
secondary education that creates new constraints (and opportunities) for the internship. Additionally, the data did not yield much. Students in SOS
3400 spoke in course evaluations of their desire for a stronger internship, and creating will continue to be a personal goal that I hope over time will
prove fruitful in assessment as well.
Much broader changes to secondary education stem from changes to the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards, the adoption by Illinois of the
Common Core Standards, and the upcoming use of the edTPA as a high-stakes, national assessment of student teachers in which students create an
online portfolio in which they include videotaped lessons, assessment of student work, lesson plans, and extensive reflection upon their teaching.
All of the CEPS assessments have been updated to reflect the new Professional Teaching Standards, and their coursework is changing to reflect all
three of these things. I expect to make a number of changes to SOS 3400 assignments and assessments as well as the broader program next year
and beyond to better reflect all of these things. First and foremost, I added a more extensive unit plan to SOS 3400 in spring 2013 as a pilot, and it
will be strengthened and aligned more with the edTPA standards in 2013-2014 and submitted as the culmination of SOS 3400. Next year I will
also incorporate more reflective elements into the unit plan and micro-teaching, and the micro-teaching evaluation instrument/assessment is being
revised to better reflect the edTPA and the broad learning objectives for social science teaching. I have also revised the lesson plans assignment
that is part of the Department Approval Portfolio process to better demonstrate student knowledge of the NCSS ten themes; they will be assessed
as part of the Department Approval Portfolio process and will provide better data for our upcoming accreditation by NCSS. Under the direction of
the social science teaching coordinator, the Teacher Education Committee is working on revisions of the Department Approval Portfolio. Finally
next year I would like to expand the critical thinking learning objective to include discipline-specific literacy and critical thinking; for History with
Teacher Certification students, we would label this “historical thinking,” both integral to and separate from the broader critical thinking. I am
working on creating a measurable goal and form of assessment for this, as it will become more and more important to social science teaching
majors in years to come.
Social Science Teaching/12
Appendix A. Alignments, IL Core Standards for Social Science Educators
Revised Fall 2012
The competent social science teacher understands
1. connections among the behavioral sciences, economics,
geography, history, political science, and other learning areas.
2. the use of analysis, interpretation, and evaluation.
3. how to use the tools of social science inquiry to conduct research
and interpret findings.
4. basic political concepts and systems.
5. the formation and implementation of public policy in the United
States and other nations.
6. the principles of constitutional government in the United States
and Illinois.
7. the organization and functions of government at national, State,
and local levels in the United States
8. the rule of law and the rights and responsibilities of individual
citizens in a democratic society, with an emphasis on the United
States and Illinois.
9. the purposes and functions of international organizations and
global connections, with an emphasis on the role of the United
States.
10. economic concepts, terms, and theories.
11. various types of economic systems.
12. the components and operation of the United States economy.
13. international economic structures, processes, and relationships.
14. historical concepts, terms, and theories.
Aligned Coursework
SOS 3400
All coursework, especially HIS 1500, HIS 2010, HIS 2020, HIS 3555,
and SOS 3400.
All coursework, especially PLS 2253, ECN 2801, ECN 2802, HIS 3555,
GEG 3200, PSY 3780, and SOC 2721.
PLS 1003*: Intro to International Relations
PLS 2253G/2293*: Intro to Comparative Politics
PLS 2253G/2293*: Intro to Comparative Politics
PLS 1003*: Intro to International Relations
PLS 1153/1193*: American Government & Constitution##
PLS 1153/1193*: American Government & Constitution##
PLS 2603: State and Local Governments
PLS 1153/1193*: American Government & Constitution##
PLS 2603: State and Local Governments
PLS 1153/1193*: American Government & Constitution##
PLS 2603: State and Local Governments
PLS 1003*: Intro to International Relations
PLS 1153/1193*: American Government & Constitution##
PLS 2603: State and Local Governments
ECN 2801G/2891*: Macroeconomics
ECN 2802G/2892*: Microeconomics
ECN 2801G/2891*: Macroeconomics
ECN 2802G/2892*: Microeconomics
ECN 2801G/2891*: Macroeconomics
ECN 2802G/2892*: Microeconomics
ECN 2801G/2891*: Macroeconomics
ECN 2802G/2892*: Microeconomics
HIS 1500G/1590*: Roots of the Modern World: Religion and Society
HIS 2010G/2090*: The U.S. to 1877
HIS 2020G/2091*: The U.S. 1877-Present
HIS 3555: Modern World History
Social Science Teaching/13
15. major political developments and compares patterns of
continuity and change in different regions of the world.
16. major social and cultural developments and compares patterns of
continuity and change in different regions of the world.
17. major scientific, geographic, and economic developments and
compares patterns of continuity and change in different parts of
the world.
18. major political developments and compares patterns of
continuity and change in the United States and the State of
Illinois.
19. major social and cultural developments and compares patterns of
continuity and change in the United States and the State of
Illinois.
20. the major scientific, geographic, and economic developments
and compares patterns of continuity and change in the United
States and the State of Illinois.
21. geographic representations, tools, and technologies and how to
use them to obtain information about people, places, and
environments on Earth.
22. how culture and experience influence human perceptions of
people, places, and regions.
23. the physical and human characteristics of places and region.
24. how physical processes and human activities influence spatial
distributions.
25. the role of science and technology in the modification of
physical and human environments.
26. the consequences of global interdependence on spatial patterns.
27. concepts, terms, and theories related to human behavior and
development.
HIS 1500G/1590*: Roots of the Modern World: Religion and Society
HIS 2010G/2090*: The U.S. to 1877
HIS 2020G/2091*: The U.S. 1877-Present
HIS 3555: Modern World History
HIS 1500G/1590*: Roots of the Modern World: Religion and Society
HIS 2010G/2090*: The U.S. to 1877
HIS 2020G/2091*: The U.S. 1877- Present
HIS 3555: Modern World History
ECN 2801G/2891*: Macroeconomics
ECN 2802G/2892*: Microeconomics
GEG 1200G/1290*: World Regional Geography
GEG 3200/ESC 3200: Human Impacts on the Environment
PLS 1153/1193*: American Government & Constitution##
PLS 2603: State and Local Governments
HIS 2010G/2090*: The U.S. to 1877
HIS 2020G/2091*: The U.S. 1877- Present
PLS 1153/1193*: American Government & Constitution##
PLS 2603: State and Local Governments
HIS 2010G/2090*: The U.S. to 1877
HIS 2020G/2091*: The U.S. 1877- Present
ECN 2801G/2891*: Macroeconomics
ECN 2802G/2892*: Microeconomics
GEG 3200/ESC 3200: Human Impacts on the Environment
GEG 1100G/1190*: Cultural Geography
GEG 1200G/1290*: World Regional Geography
GEG 3200/ESC 3200: Human Impacts on the Environment
GEG 1100G/1190*: Cultural Geography
GEG 1200G/1290*: World Regional Geography
GEG 3200/ESC 3200: Human Impacts on the Environment
GEG 3200/ESC 3200: Human Impacts on the Environment
GEG 3200/ESC 3200: Human Impacts on the Environment
PSY 1879G/1890*: Intro to Psychology
PSY 3521: Psychology of Adolescents and Young Adults
Social Science Teaching/14
PSY 3780: Abnormal Psychology
ANT 2200G: Intro to Anthropology
SOC 1838G: Intro to Sociology
SOC 2721: Social Stratification
SOS 3400
28. concepts, terms, and theories related to the study of cultures, the
structure and organization of human societies, and the process of
social interaction.
29. the process of reading and demonstrates instructional abilities to
teach reading in the content area of social science.
*
Courses with an * are honors sections.
##
Both PLS 1153 and HIS 3600 deal with the American Constitution and government. History concentrators take HIS 3600: U.S. Constitution and
the Nation, while all other concentrations take PLS 1153/1193*: American Government and Constitution.
Social Science Teaching/15
Appendix B. Alignment of Courses with National Council for the Social Studies Ten Thematic Strands
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
NCSS Thematic Strand
Culture
 elements of culture; similarities and differences among cultural
groups across time and place
 geography, history, sociology, anthropology, multicult. topics
Time, Continuity, and Change
 historical roots
 research methods/historical inquiry
People, Places, and Environments
 geography, regional studies, and world cultures
 location, regions, interaction with environments
Individual Development and Identity
 human growth, behavior, perception
 impact of social, political, and cultural interactions on identity
Individuals, Groups, and Institutions
 role of institutions in societies; change over time and cultural
place; individual role in institutional change
Power, Authority, and Governance
 purposes/function of govt
 rights/resp of citizens
Production, Distribution, and Consumption
 economics – production/distrib ?s
 market decisions, scarcity
Science, Technology, and Society
 history, geography, economics, govt
 tech change in history; influence of tech/sci; global access
Global Connections
Course(s) Aligned with Strand
ANT 2200/2290*: Intro to Anthropology
GEG 1100/1190*: Cultural Geography
HIS 2010G/2090*: U.S. to 1877
HIS 2020G/2091*: U.S., 1877-Present
HIS 1500G/1590*: Roots of the Modern World: Religion and Society
HIS 3555: Modern World History
GEG 1100G/1190*: Cultural Geography
GEG 1200G/1290*: World Regional Geography
GEG 3200/ESC 3200: Human Impacts on the Environment
PSY 1879G/1890*: Intro to Psychology
PSY 3521: Adolescent & YA Psychology
PSY 3780: Abnormal Psychology
SOC 1838: Intro to Sociology
SOC 2721: Social Stratification
PLS 1003: Intro to International Relations
PLS 2253G/2293*: Intro to Comparative Politics
ECN 2801G/2891*: Intro to Macroeconomics
ECN 2802G/2892*: Intro to Microeconomics
GEG 3200/ESC 3200: Human Impacts on the Environment
HIS 3555: Modern World History
PLS 1003: Intro to International Relations
HIS 3555: Modern World History
PLS 1153/1193*: American Government & Constitution OR HIS
3600/3690*: U.S. Constitution and the Nation##
PLS 2603: State and Local Govts
Civic Ideals and Practices
 civic ideals; civic participation; democratic ideals;
rights/responsibilities; world public policy
*
Courses with an * are honors sections.
##
Both PLS 1153 and HIS 3600 deal with the American Constitution and government. History concentrators take HIS 3600: U.S. Constitution and
the Nation, while all other concentrations take PLS 1153/1193*: American Government and Constitution.
Social Science Teaching/16
Appendix C. Content Area Test Score Data for 2012-2013 Test Takers
GEG
P/F
P
Exam Date
Total
2/11/2012
251
SOS
fds
242
HIS
core WorldGEG
254
260
PLS
P/F
P
P
P
Exam Date
Total
6/2/2012
265
4/13/2013
266
4/13/2013
269
SOS
fds
275
262
276
HIS
core
268
277
269
theory &
comp govt
204
264
264
n/a
US/IL govt
271
265
258
SOS
HIS
P/F Exam Date
Total
fds
core HumDeve Personalities
F
11/10/2012
229
215
224
238
254
P
2/11/2012
248
235
253
265
254
P
7/7/2012
242
240
224
256
244
P
4/13/2013
243
254
224
213
254
Note: The F is not tabulated with the included results because the test-taker was not a SOS
major.
PSY
SOC
121
SOS
HIS
P/F Exam Date
Total fds
core
Sociology
Anthropology
F*
7/7/2012
236
238
251
223
218
P*
11/10/2012
251
260
243
255
231
* These attempts were by the same candidate.
Social Science Teaching/17
Appendix D.
Student Teaching Evaluation-Social Science not including History - Fall 2012-Spring 2013
Does Not
Meet
Standard
(1 pts)
Diverse Students - 1)
Knowledge of characteristics
of age groups
Occasionally
Meets
(2 pts)
Meets
Standard
(3 pts)
Occasionally
Exceeds
(4 pts)
Exceeds
Standard
(5 pts)
Mean
Mode
Stdev
0
0
1
0
3
4.50
5
0.87
Diverse Students - 2)
Knowledge of students' skills,
0
knowledge, and learning
modes
0
1
1
2
4.25
5
0.83
Diverse Students -3)
Knowledge of students'
interests or culture
0
0
1
0
3
4.50
5
0.87
Diverse Students - 4) Teacher
1
interaction with students
0
0
0
3
4.00
5
1.73
Diverse Students -5) Student
interaction
0
0
2
0
2
4.00
5
1.00
Diverse Students - 6) Student
pride and expectations for
0
learning and achievement
0
1
0
3
4.50
5
0.87
Diverse Students - 7)
Accommodations to enhance
student behavior/learning
0
0
1
0
3
4.50
5
0.87
Diverse Students 8)
Monitoring student behavior
0
0
1
2
1
4.00
4
0.71
Diverse Students - 9)
Response to student
misbehavior
0
0
1
1
2
4.25
5
0.83
Diverse Students - 10)
Response to students'
questions and interests
0
1
0
0
3
4.25
5
1.30
Social Science Teaching/18
Diverse Students -11)
Response to diverse students' 0
learning styles
1
0
0
3
4.25
5
1.30
Diverse Strategies-1)Clarity
and suitability of goals and
objectives
0
0
0
1
3
4.75
5
0.43
Diverse Strategies-2)
Integration of goals and
objectives
0
0
1
0
3
4.50
5
0.87
Diverse Strategies-3)
Resources for teaching and
students
0
0
1
0
3
4.50
5
0.87
Diverse Strategies-4)
Learning activities
0
0
1
0
3
4.50
5
0.87
Diverse Strategies-5)
Instructional materials and
resources
0
0
1
0
3
4.50
5
0.87
Diverse Strategies-6)
Instructional groups
0
0
1
1
2
4.25
5
0.83
Diverse Strategies-7) Lesson
and unit structure
0
0
1
0
3
4.50
5
0.87
Diverse Strategies-8)
Congruence of assessment
with instructional goals and
objectives
0
0
0
1
3
4.75
5
0.43
Diverse Strategies-9) Criteria
and standards
0
0
0
1
3
4.75
5
0.43
Diverse Strategies-10) Used
student needs in planning
0
0
1
0
3
4.50
5
0.87
Diverse Strategies-11)
Directions and procedures
0
0
1
1
2
4.25
5
0.83
Diverse Strategies-12) Levels
of questions and response
0
time
0
1
0
3
4.50
5
0.87
Diverse Strategies-13)
Discussion techniques
0
1
0
3
4.50
5
0.87
0
Social Science Teaching/19
Diverse Strategies-14)
Student participation
0
0
1
0
3
4.50
5
0.87
Diverse Strategies-15)
Feedback to students
0
1
0
1
2
4.00
5
1.22
Diverse Strategies-16)
Management of transitions
0
1
0
0
3
4.25
5
1.30
Diverse Strategies-17)
Management of materials
0
0
1
0
3
4.50
5
0.87
Diverse Strategies-18)
Classroom arrangement and
accessibility
0
0
1
0
3
4.50
5
0.87
Diverse Subjects - 1)
Knowledge of content
0
0
0
1
3
4.75
5
0.43
Diverse Subjects - 2)
Importance of content
0
0
0
1
3
4.75
5
0.43
Diverse Subjects - 3)
Knowledge of relationship of
content areas to other
subjects
0
0
1
0
3
4.50
5
0.87
Diverse Subjects - 4)
Knowledge of content-related 0
instruction/pedagogy
1
0
1
2
4.00
5
1.22
Diverse Subjects - 5) Verbal
language
0
0
1
0
3
4.50
5
0.87
Diverse Subjects - 6) Written
language
0
0
1
0
3
4.50
5
0.87
Diverse Societies - 1)
Accurate assessing and
reflecting for responsibile
teaching
0
1
0
0
3
4.25
5
1.30
Diverse Societies - 2)
Responsible record keeping
and organizational skills
0
0
1
0
3
4.50
5
0.87
Diverse Societies - 3)
Articulation of the instructional 0
program and student progress
0
1
1
2
4.25
5
0.83
Social Science Teaching/20
Diverse Societies - 4) Values
collaborative and cooperative 0
relationships
1
0
0
3
4.25
5
1.30
Diverse Societies - 5)
Participation in service to
school and/or district
0
1
0
1
2
4.00
5
1.22
Diverse Societies - 6)
Commitment to professional
dialogue
0
1
0
0
3
4.25
5
1.30
Diverse Societies - 7)
Commitment to professional
practice and behavior
0
0
1
0
3
4.50
5
0.87
Diverse Societies - 8) Ethical
and responsible behavior
0
0
1
0
3
4.50
5
0.87
Diverse Societies - 9) Respect
0
for confidentiality
0
0
1
3
4.75
5
0.43
Diverse Technology - 1)
Knowledge of technologyrelated use and practices
0
0
1
0
3
4.50
5
0.87
Diverse Technology- 2)
Responsible use technolgy
0
0
1
0
3
4.50
5
0.87
Diverse Technology-3) Use of
technology for professional
0
development and life-long
learning
0
1
0
3
4.50
5
0.87
Diverse Students - 1) Knowledge of
characteristics of age groups
1 (25%)
3 (75%)
Diverse Students - 2) Knowledge of students'
skills, knowledge, and learning modes
1 (25%)
1 (25%)
Diverse Students -3) Knowledge of students'
interests or culture
1 (25%)
3 (75%)
Diverse Students - 4) Teacher interaction with
students
1 (25%)
3 (75%)
Diverse Students -5) Student interaction
2 (50%)
Diverse Students - 6) Student pride and
expectations for learning and achievement
1 (25%)
3 (75%)
Diverse Students - 7) Accommodations to
enhance student behavior/learning
1 (25%)
3 (75%)
2 (50%)
2 (50%)
Social Science Teaching/21
Diverse Students 8) Monitoring student behavior
1 (25%)
2 (50%)
Diverse Students - 9) Response to student
misbehavior
1 (25%)
1 (25%)
Diverse Students - 10) Response to students'
questions and interests
1 (25%)
3 (75%)
Diverse Students -11) Response to diverse
students' learning styles
1 (25%)
3 (75%)
Diverse Strategies-1)Clarity and suitability of
goals and objectives
1 (25%)
3 (75%)
Diverse Strategies-2) Integration of goals and
objectives
1 (25%)
3 (75%)
Diverse Strategies-3) Resources for teaching and
students
1 (25%)
3 (75%)
Diverse Strategies-4) Learning activities
1 (25%)
3 (75%)
Diverse Strategies-5) Instructional materials and
resources
1 (25%)
3 (75%)
Diverse Strategies-6) Instructional groups
1 (25%)
1 (25%)
Diverse Strategies-7) Lesson and unit structure
1 (25%)
3 (75%)
Diverse Strategies-8) Congruence of assessment
with instructional goals and objectives
1 (25%)
3 (75%)
Diverse Strategies-9) Criteria and standards
1 (25%)
3 (75%)
Diverse Strategies-10) Used student needs in
planning
1 (25%)
3 (75%)
Diverse Strategies-11) Directions and procedures
1 (25%)
1 (25%)
Diverse Strategies-12) Levels of questions and
response time
1 (25%)
3 (75%)
Diverse Strategies-13) Discussion techniques
1 (25%)
3 (75%)
Not Acceptable
Acceptable
1 (25%)
2 (50%)
2 (50%)
2 (50%)
Exemplary
No Basis for Judgment
Social Science Teaching/22
Appendix E.
Dispositions - Student Teaching-Social Science not including History Fall 2012-Spring 2013
Not
Acceptable
(0 pts)
Acceptable
(0 pts)
Exemplary
(0 pts)
0
1
3
Professional Ethics and Practices (PEP) 0
2
Effective Communication (EC)
0
Planning and Teaching for Student
Learning (PTSL)
No Basis for
Judgment
(0 pts)
Mean
Mode
Stdev
0
0.00
0
0.00
2
0
0.00
0
0.00
2
2
0
0.00
0
0.00
0
0
4
0
0.00
0
0.00
Sensitivity to Diversity and Equity (SDE) 0
1
3
0
0.00
0
0.00
Interaction with Students/Others (IWS)
Interaction with Students/Others (IWS)
1 (25%)
Professional Ethics and Practices (PEP)
2 (50%)
2 (50%)
Effective Communication (EC)
2 (50%)
2 (50%)
Planning and Teaching for Student Learning
(PTSL)
4 (100%)
Sensitivity to Diversity and Equity (SDE)
1 (25%)
Not Acceptable
3 (75%)
3 (75%)
Acceptable
Exemplary
No Basis for Judgment