A Decade of Implementing Research-A Decade of Implementing Research-Based Dispositions Instruments: Student Based Dispositions Instruments: Student

Admissions ProcessesAdmissions Processes

DISPOSITIONS: A DECADE OF PROGRESS?DISPOSITIONS: A DECADE OF PROGRESS?Seventh Symposium on Educator DispositionsSeventh Symposium on Educator Dispositions

November 19, 2010November 19, 2010

Mark Wasicsko, Ph.D.Dean and Bank of Kentucky Endowed Chair of Educational Leadership

College of Education and Human ServicesNorthern Kentucky University

wasicskom1@nku.edu

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Today’s ObjectivesToday’s Objectives

Demonstrate how Demonstrate how DISPOSITIONSDISPOSITIONS can be can be used in admissions processesused in admissions processes

Understand the steps for implementing a Understand the steps for implementing a dispositions admissions modeldispositions admissions model

Show examples of processes and toolsShow examples of processes and tools Explore ethical & legal implicationsExplore ethical & legal implications

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Why Focus on Dispositions? Why Focus on Dispositions? Necessary Necessary Conditions for EffectivenessConditions for Effectiveness

Programs have an ethical responsibility to ensure Programs have an ethical responsibility to ensure that completers can be effective helping that completers can be effective helping professionals.professionals.

95% of the problems are generated by 5% of the 95% of the problems are generated by 5% of the candidates who are “dispositional misfits.”candidates who are “dispositional misfits.”

Most students who “fail” student teaching have Most students who “fail” student teaching have “dispositional” issues THAT WERE IDENTIFIED “dispositional” issues THAT WERE IDENTIFIED AT OR NEAR THE BEGINNING OF THE AT OR NEAR THE BEGINNING OF THE ADMISSIONS PROCESSADMISSIONS PROCESS

How Important Are Dispositions?How Important Are Dispositions?

RankingRanking1.1. DispositionsDispositions

2.2. Teaching SkillsTeaching Skills

3.3. KnowledgeKnowledge

Favorite Teacher Characteristics

6%

19%

75%

knowledge

skills

dispositions

Preliminary findings from “Great Teachers, Great Memories” National Survey on Favorite Teachers. www.favoriteteachers.org

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What We Can TeachWhat We Can Teach

knowledge, punctuality, appearance

people skills, assessment strategies, technology infusion

caring, enthusiastic,responsible, committed, energetic, positive, enjoyable, humorous, accepting

relatively easy to change

relatively difficult to change

Select for These

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What We Can TeachWhat We Can Teach

knowledge, punctuality, appearance

people skills, assessment strategies, technology infusion

caring, enthusiastic,responsible, committed, energetic, positive, enjoyable, humorous, accepting

relatively easy to change

relatively difficult to change

Train for These6

PhilosophyPhilosophy

Ideally, people considering a career in Ideally, people considering a career in education should be provided with an education should be provided with an opportunity to make opportunity to make self-assessmentsself-assessments about their “dispositional fit” followed by about their “dispositional fit” followed by mentoring and mentoring and guided reflectionsguided reflections culminating with the requirement that the culminating with the requirement that the students provide students provide evidence of required evidence of required dispositions prior to formal admissiondispositions prior to formal admission to to the program. the program.

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PERCEPTUAL RATING RUBRICS

PERCEPTIONS OF SELF:

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PERCEPTIONS OF OTHERS:

ABLE

The educator sees others as having capacities to deal with their problems. S/He believes others are basically able to find adequate solutions to events in their own lives.

UNABLE The educator sees others as lacking the necessary capacities to deal effectively with their problems. S/He doubts their ability to make their own decisions and run their own lives.

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PERCEPTIONS OF PURPOSE:

LARGER

The educator views events in a broad perspective. His/her goals extend beyond the immediate to larger implications and contexts.

SMALLER The educator views events in a narrow perspective. His/her purposes focus on immediate and specific goals.

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FRAME OF REFERENCE:

PEOPLE The educator is concerned with the human aspects of affairs. The attitudes, feelings, beliefs, and welfare of persons are prime considerations in his/her thinking.

THINGS The educator is concerned with the impersonal aspects of affairs. Questions of order, management, mechanics, and details of things and events are prime considerations in his/her thinking.

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IDENTIFIED The educator feels an oneness with all people. S/He perceives him/herself as deeply and meaningfully related to persons of every description.

UNIDENTIFIED The educator feels generally apart from others. His/her feelings of oneness are restricted to those of similar beliefs.

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A Dispositions ModelA Dispositions Model Step I – Self-Assessment and Self-SelectionStep I – Self-Assessment and Self-Selection

Step II – Mentoring and CounselingStep II – Mentoring and Counseling

Step III – Admitted/Deferred Step III – Admitted/Deferred

Step IV – Curricular experiences and Step IV – Curricular experiences and personal growthpersonal growth

Step V – Program CompletionStep V – Program Completion

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Step I – Self-Assessment and Self-Step I – Self-Assessment and Self-SelectionSelection

EDU 104 - EDU 104 - Introduction to Careers in Introduction to Careers in Education Education AssignmentsAssignments– Dispositions AssignmentsDispositions Assignments

– School observations and reflectionsSchool observations and reflections

– Major Goal – Dispositional Self-assessment or Major Goal – Dispositional Self-assessment or “fit” in education“fit” in education

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Step I – Self-Assessment and Self-Step I – Self-Assessment and Self-Selection – Sample AssignmentsSelection – Sample Assignments

Assignment #1 - Human Relations IncidentAssignment #1 - Human Relations Incident

Assignment #2 - My Favorite Teacher LetterAssignment #2 - My Favorite Teacher Letter

Assignment #3 - Effective Educators’ Dispositions Assignment #3 - Effective Educators’ Dispositions

Assignment #4 - Reflecting on Personal Assignment #4 - Reflecting on Personal DispositionsDispositions

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Step II – Mentoring and CounselingStep II – Mentoring and Counseling

Provided by Advisor/InstructorProvided by Advisor/Instructor– Personal Knowledge of Students Personal Knowledge of Students

– Dispositions Reflections AssignmentsDispositions Reflections Assignments

– Opportunities to Observe DispositionsOpportunities to Observe Dispositions

– Rubrics for Necessary Dispositions Rubrics for Necessary Dispositions

– Recommendation to Admit or DeferRecommendation to Admit or Defer

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Step III – Admitted/Deferred Step III – Admitted/Deferred

Admitted – candidate Admitted – candidate demonstrateddemonstrated the the dispositions necessary (recommendations dispositions necessary (recommendations from faculty trained on dispositions rubrics from faculty trained on dispositions rubrics and/or through an interview with and/or through an interview with admissions panel)admissions panel)

Deferred – candidate has not Deferred – candidate has not demonstrateddemonstrated the necessary dispositionsthe necessary dispositions

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DiscussionDiscussion

Preliminary data indicate:Preliminary data indicate:– self-selection is not be sufficient for admission self-selection is not be sufficient for admission

decisionsdecisions– students who do not have the necessary students who do not have the necessary

dispositions may not self-select out and can dispositions may not self-select out and can become the legal and ethical dilemmas at become the legal and ethical dilemmas at program completionprogram completion

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Passing the Legal Test: Deferring Passing the Legal Test: Deferring AdmissionsAdmissions

Clearly articulated Conceptual FrameworkClearly articulated Conceptual Framework A valid and reliable measurement strategyA valid and reliable measurement strategy Training in use of dispositions rubricsTraining in use of dispositions rubrics Clearly delineated proceduresClearly delineated procedures A reasonable implementation schedule with A reasonable implementation schedule with

adequate noticeadequate notice

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Gaining Proficiency on Dispositional Gaining Proficiency on Dispositional RubricsRubrics

Self-Instructional MaterialsSelf-Instructional Materials Training WorkshopTraining Workshop Colleague WorkgroupsColleague Workgroups Post-Test AssessmentPost-Test Assessment Professional Rater CertificationProfessional Rater Certification

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Using the Rubrics in Post Bachelors ProgramsUsing the Rubrics in Post Bachelors Programs

Interview candidates for alternative Interview candidates for alternative certification, MAT, Principal Preparation, certification, MAT, Principal Preparation, CounselingCounseling

Admission to Ed.D Program and graduate Admission to Ed.D Program and graduate programsprograms

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Admissions Interview - EdDAdmissions Interview - EdD

Group interview for candidates with panel Group interview for candidates with panel of facultyof faculty

Dispositions questions formDispositions questions form On-demand writing sampleOn-demand writing sample

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ConclusionConclusion Integrating dispositions into the Integrating dispositions into the

admissions process is a challenging admissions process is a challenging but unifying activity for a program and but unifying activity for a program and its faculty. its faculty.

The intentional, thoughtful and The intentional, thoughtful and research-based implementation of a research-based implementation of a dispositions in admissions can dispositions in admissions can significantly enhance the quality of significantly enhance the quality of educators and, most importantly, the educators and, most importantly, the potential for learning and growth of potential for learning and growth of students.students.

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Good ResourcesGood Resources

JOIN NNSED – IT’S FREE! (information about JOIN NNSED – IT’S FREE! (information about Dispositions, training materials, Symposium Dispositions, training materials, Symposium information and more)information and more)

www.educatordispositions.orgwww.educatordispositions.org

Information about Dr. Arthur Combs, The Florida Information about Dr. Arthur Combs, The Florida Studies and small grants for graduate student Studies and small grants for graduate student researchresearch

http://www.fieldpsychtrust.org/http://www.fieldpsychtrust.org/

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