Student Achievement Assessment Committee

Learning Outcomes:

At the completion of baccalaureate degree studies in the Physical Education Teacher Education program, the student will:
1. Understand physical education content and disciplinary concepts related to the development of a physically educated person (Content Knowledge);
2. Understand how individuals learn and develop and can provide opportunities that support their physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development (Growth and Development);
3. Understand how individuals differ in their approaches to learning and create appropriate instruction adapted to these differences (Diverse Students);
4. Use an understanding of individual and group motivation and behavior to create a safe learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation (Management and Motivation);
5. Use knowledge of effective verbal, nonverbal, and media communication techniques to enhance learning and engagement in physical activity settings (Communication);
6. Plan and implement a variety of developmentally appropriate instructional strategies to develop physically educated individuals, based on state and national (NASPE K-12) standards (Planning and Instruction);
7. Understand and use assessment to foster physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development of students to physical activity (Student Assessment);
8. Be reflective practitioners who evaluate the effects of their actions on others (e.g., students, parents/guardians, fellow professionals) and seek opportunities to grow professionally (Reflection);
9. Use information technology to enhance learning and to enhance personal and professional productivity (Technology);
10. Foster relationships with colleagues, parents/guardians and community agencies to support students' growth and well-being (Collaboration).

These specific learning outcomes are taken from the NASPE/NCATE Standards for Initial Programs in Physical Education Teacher Education (AAHPERD, 2001).

Annual Report

Since the 1998-1999 academic year, the PETE program has been transitioning from three programs into a single multi-age (PreK-12) licensure program. The 2002-2003 academic year resulted in the graduation of the first class of students under the new program. During the transition, the PETE faculty has continued to review and revise the curriculum. The PETE program has also undergone considerable change in the 2004-2005 academic year primarily due to changes in personnel. Two of the four tenured faculty in PETE have retired and another is serving full-time as the Licensure Officer in the College of EDHD. During the 2003-2004 academic year much time was spent developing a master assessment plan to evaluate the effectiveness of the revised PETE program in meeting each of the identified program learning outcomes (designated by NCATE). In late Fall 2004 NCATE elected to revise its requirements for program accreditation in PETE. Consequently most of the previous academic year’s work spent developing 3-5 assessment rubrics for each of the 10 NCATE standards was rendered useless. The intent now is to collect data on the 6-8 newly required NCATE program assessments beginning in Fall 2005. The 2004-2005 SAAC report, therefore, represents beginning efforts in piloting several assessments for select outcomes that will generate student data for program accreditation beginning in Fall 2005.

1. Learning (or Service) Outcomes assessed this year:

During the 2004-2005 academic year, the PETE program focused on following learning outcomes:
1. Content Knowledge
2. Growth and Development
6. Planning and Instruction
10. Technology

2. Assessment Methods and Procedures:

The methods and procedures used to gather the assessment information for each outcome selected are as follows:
1. Content Knowledge—
• The content knowledge outcome was assessed by evaluating section “A”(Praxis Domain A) of the Fall 2004/Spring 2005 intern final evaluation reports. Evaluation reports were completed for each intern by both the field and university supervisors at the end of the internship semester.
• Content knowledge was also assessed by looking at PETE student scores on the Praxis II: Physical Education Content Knowledge exam. Scores were obtained both as a composite in the 2003-2004 Title II reports (the latest available) and by viewing the 2004-2005 interns’ individual score reports.

2. Growth and Development—
• PETE students’ abilities to apply knowledge of educational psychology (related to growth and development) to educational practice were assessed by reviewing student scores on the key assessment in EDFI 302, Educational Psychology. Students wrote reflective papers addressing the application of educational theories, principles, and concepts to practical educational settings.
6. Planning and Instruction—
• The internship final evaluation reports address student planning and instruction skills, knowledge, and dispositions in the four Praxis domains: A, Content Knowledge; B, Environment; C, Teaching, and D, Teacher Professionalism. Evaluation reports were completed for each intern by both the field and university supervisors at the end of the internship semester.
• Reviewing individual PETE student score reports for the Praxis II also assessed the Planning and Instruction outcome: Principles of Learning and Teaching exam. Scores are presented to the College of Education and Human Development as a University composite. Consequently, there is no official summary score report for PETE.
10. Technology—
• As a part of a PETE Web-based (Blackboard-based) Program Assessment research study, PETE majors viewed three groupings of three video clips representing each of the PETE performance areas (i.e., games, dance, and gymnastics). Students then ranked each of the video series in terms of most to least skillful performance. Finally, students completed an on-line questionnaire concerning the rationales for their rankings. Since the questionnaire is completely Web-based and students must demonstrate technological skills in order to access the site, navigate the site, view the videos, and to complete the questionnaires, one question was added to the questionnaire asking students to self-report any difficulties they may have experienced in terms of their use of the requisite technology.

3. Inferences from Assessments:

1. Content Knowledge—
• Section “A” of the intern final evaluation report addresses the assessment of intern content knowledge. The five PETE student interns during Fall 2004 scored an average of 5.00 on a 5.00 scale. The fourteen PETE student interns during Spring 2005 scored an average 4.45 on a 5.00 scale, thus, suggesting that students were successful in meeting the content knowledge outcome during their culminating teaching experience.
• The most current official report of student pass rates on the Physical Education Content Knowledge Test was the 2003-2004 Title II report. This report indicated that the pass rate for 30 BGSU PETE students was 86.7%. Educational Testing Service score reports for students enrolled in the PETE program Fall 2004-Spring 2005 indicate that 10 students took the test, 6 passed and 4 failed providing only a 60% pass rate.
2. Growth and Development—
• Eleven PETE students were enrolled in the Fall 2004 EDFI 302 classes, which reported key assessments in this area. Their assignment scores ranged from 67 to 100 with the average score being an 83.
6. Planning and Instruction—
• Five students were interns during Fall 2004. Their composite average scores for the four Praxis Domains were as follows: Content Knowledge = 5.00; Environment = 4.8; Teaching = 4.6; and Teacher Professionalism = 4.8. All four areas were out of a possible five points with four being “Good” and five being “Exemplary.”
• Fourteen students were interns during Spring 2005. Their composite average scores for the four Praxis Domains were as follows: Content Knowledge = 4.45; Environment = 4.46; Teaching = 4.52; and Teacher Professionalism = 4.5. All four areas were out of a possible five points with four being “Good” and five being “Exemplary.”
• Eight students who were enrolled Fall 2004/Spring 2005 took the Praxis II PLT and officially had their scores reported. Five students passed and 3 failed for a 62.5% pass rate.
10. Technology—
• When asked to identify problems using the technology required to complete the Web-based PETE program assessment tool, none of the students participating in the project indicated any personal difficulties with the skills needed to use the Web site.

4. Actions Taken/Program Improvements:

1. Content Knowledge—
• PETE/KNS faculty will continue to emphasize students’ understanding of content knowledge in planning and teaching to maintain and facilitate even higher evaluation in section “A” of the final internship report. The faculty is pleased, however, that students scored in the good to exemplary range. Additional assessments for movement performance will also be included in the master assessment plan to provide additional verification of student success in this area beginning in Fall 2005.
• The PETE faculty is very concerned regarding the passing rate of PETE students on the 2004-2005 Praxis II Physical Education Content Knowledge exams and since the faculty believes that a portion of the problem is related to standardized test-taking skills, plans to increase its advising and tutorial efforts to increase student success rates. It would also be helpful to have full-time tenure track faculty to replace those that have been lost.
2. Growth and Development—
• PETE faculty will continue dialog with the EDFI program regarding this key assessment in hopes to increase student learning. Faculty will also be piloting additional assessments within this category beginning Fall 2005.
6. Planning and Instruction—
• Although all Internship Final Evaluation Report composite scores fell within the “Good” to “Exemplary” range, PETE faculty will continue to encourage students to strive for even higher levels of competence.
• The faculty are alarmed by the low passing rate of PETE students on the Praxis II, Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT) and would very much like to receive more information from the Educational Testing Service in order to determine the problem areas. The faculty has informally been asking students their perception of the problems they encountered and has been providing students with additional test- taking information. The two key responses from students regarding problems with the test have been that the test addresses content that the students do not perceive as relevant to physical education teaching and the second is that they have difficulty finishing the timed test. During the 2005-2006 academic year, PETE faculty will develop a Praxis II, PLT plan of action to include: a more formal means to determine the area(s) in which students are having difficulty and a means to more fully assist the students in preparing for the test. This was planned for 2004-2005 academic year but was not undertaken due to personnel constraints.
10. Technology—
• The faculty are generally pleased with the PETE majors’ skills and confidence levels regarding their technology abilities. There is a need, however, to continue to be involved in program and College-wide discussions regarding the assessment of technology, developmental portfolios, and remediation when students do not have the requisite skills.

In addition to the outcomes assessed above, the PETE program asks its majors to complete two reflective activities, which provided general information about the PETE program. One of these activities was added in Spring 2004 at the request of the Research and Field Experiences Office. The new activity has interns provide a summary reflection on the student teaching experience. The other activity is a PETE program exit survey that students have been submitting for the last six years as a culminating assessment. The survey has been the motivation for many of the changes made to the PETE program and continues to provide insights not gained through other program assessments. The findings from these reflective activities are summarized below.

PETE students completing their internships and ending their professional development/licensure program are generally well pleased with the quality of their program. They indicate that they appreciate the positive external reputation that the program has. They are particularly complimentary of their preparation regarding the Praxis III Domains. Those who plan to teach in Ohio or in other states that use the Praxis III assessments during their teaching entry year indicate that they feel confident that they will be successful in documenting their effectiveness as a beginning teacher. Other positive comments addressed:
• Awareness of the teacher they wanted to be through reflective assignments/opportunities;
• Personal growth in confidence to deal with classroom management issues;
• Learning to balance teacher professionalism and rapport with students;
• Learning alternative curricular approaches (Movement Approach, Games for Understanding, Sport Education);
• Gaining the ability to give/explain clear goals and procedures;
• Development of the ability to adjust lessons to meet the needs of the students;
• How to work with colleagues and to research and develop new ideas;
• Although at the time they did not like the degree of planning required by the program, they now realize that extensive planning had resulted in them being more confident as teachers;
• Have learned to observe students, refine movement, and plan and adjust movement tasks;
• Enjoyed learning to see physical education more broadly conceptualized.

In terms of suggestions for improvement, students indicated that they would like to see the ten-week secondary internship experience expanded to provide a longer opportunity to teach in a supervised environment in a greater variety of school types (e.g., more urban teaching experiences). Other comments made regarding areas needing improvements included:

• Greater focus on classroom management issues
• One student questioned the disconnect between the separation of health and physical education at the state and university levels, yet the combination of these areas in many schools; BGSU needs to address this issue
• Wanted extended practicum experiences, perhaps over multiple semesters;
• Questioned why so much dance and gymnastics was included in the program when most high schools do not include these areas;
• Desired a more helpful course rotation that allowed students to finish in four years without going to summer school to catch-up; and
• Expressed the perception that the number of foundations classes needed to be reduced and more focus placed on application and less on theory
• Greater focus on activities for Adapted Physical Education
• Ensuring that PETE program faculty and cooperating teachers are working in unison regarding expectations of preservice teachers
• Make Praxis II a requirement prior to graduation
• Failure of program to sufficiently address PLT portion of Praxis II

Based on student exit surveys, it was also clear that students understand the need for continued professional learning and know strategies to remain active, competent, and effective professionals. PETE majors express concern about job opportunities and politics associated with employment in schools, but also express optimism regarding their role in the education of children.

As has been done in the past, the PETE faculty will use the information learned from the current year assessments to guide program decisions for the future. It is anticipated that the addition of other program outcome assessments beginning in the Fall of 2005 will provide expanded understandings that may further enhance the quality of the PETE program. It would also be helpful to have the two faculty lines in elementary physical education returned to the PETE program as tenure track positions.