Self-Study Team Note Catcher and Planning Template
DE Wilmington’s Evidence Synthesis Meeting
January 22-23, 2024
Instructions: Please select a note-taker (or take turns note-taking) from your program team. Use this template, organized by domain, to capture notes from the group conversations with critical friends. There are also spaces for the team to note their reflections and start next steps planning.
Name of Program EDL Program
Today’s Date
1/22/2024 & 1/23/2024
Notetaker from Team Kae Keister & Nancy Carnevale
Domain 1: Candidate Admissions
Notes from the domain synthesis conversation with critical friends
Emphasis was noted on developing equity in admissions – of considering AI for the writing prompt – noting updates for candidate simulation and writing prompt – virtual opportunities for marketing doctoral program – add partnerships
Program strengths include district partnerships that have been developed throughout the state. These partnerships are selected based on the district’s equity centeredness. Ned shared this partntership has increased access and has been “super” beneficial to the entire district for building effective leaders.
Another strength voiced by Ned was having all three concentrations together – teacher, building and district leaders. This builds deep understanding across the entire district.
Several suggestions to harness the power of technology were offered as they applied to the admission process; including holding virtual open houses, optimizing search engines, AI detectors for prompts, and using Linked In.
Are you thinking differently about your team’s selfassessment on any indicators as a result of that conversation? How?
Consideration of AI use by candidates in writing prompts – parameters set and monitoring ability
Ned confirmed what we indicated as our strengths, the district partnerships are making a positive impact.
Hearing Cheryl’s feedback about how to harness tech in the area of admissions was something we hadn’t thought about – specifically optimizing search engines and using “turn-it-in" to detect AI in writing prompts.
What do you see as the next steps for your program team in this domain?
“Low hanging fruit” or short-term next steps – modify writing prompts to be more current and investigate a virtual recruiting event for doctoral programs. Expand partnerships (Appo) – updating tags and keywords for Search Engine Optimization Language (SEL)
Continue to recruit partnerships
Revise writing prompts to include more current quotes and be more equity centered
Move to develop partnership with the state through the new Induction Program
Domain 2: Coursework
Notes from the domain synthesis conversation with critical friends
Integration of GAI within a new academic writing course – adjunct professional development, communication and training is conducted personally by the program chair and instructor to instructor. Continue to update primary resources sometimes versus textbooks. Consideration of overt diverse language, readings and authorship in syllabi.
Travis Piser offered a suggestion of including coursework directly linked to the DIP during year two. Consider addition of writing course during year two.
Are you thinking differently about your team’s selfassessment on any indicators as a result of that conversation? How?
What do you see as the next steps for your program team in this domain?
Intellectual thought diversity and cultural readings and authorship
Formalized course refresher schedule – sharing resources across sections of courses – GAI considerations for new academic writing course – equity centered intentional language in syllabi
Domain 3: Pedagogy-Andragogy
Notes from the domain synthesis conversation with critical friends
Are you thinking differently about your team’s selfassessment on any indicators as a result of that conversation? How?
What do you see as the next steps for your program team in this domain?
Reflective practice is a major initiative for candidate growth, deep thinking and development in leadership (LDP). Dr. Harrison shared the imperative of having our candidates think and synthesize information to develop the right questions. Faculty professional development is ongoing and offered to all. Affirmation of succession planning and collaboration ensures sustainable and intentional common culture for the on-going improvement and future of the program.
Teaching and appreciating the diversity of educational roles and contextual settings is as important as cultural, racial and ethnicity diversity.
The importance of coming to an agreement about how we are defining diversity to make it more overt.
Intentionally and overtly within course syllabi create activities for the multifaceted components of diversity – intellectual diversity, roles and context diversity and cultural diversity.
Revise course descriptions (EDL 7116 and 7709) to include overt language about innovation and diversity.
Domain 4: Clinical Practice
Notes from the domain synthesis conversation with critical friends
LEA partnerships and identified our rationale for continuous improvement. Document given for collaborative information. The SL&L have enhanced immediate feedback to candidates.
Are you thinking differently about your team’s selfassessment on any indicators as a result of that conversation? How?
What do you see as the next steps for your program team in this domain?
Partnerships need to be formalized.
Quality might be higher than we first rated but we continue to see a higher level need for enhancing LEA partnerships.
Tighten up mentor evaluation with aligning with feedback being commensurate across roles. Consider a 360 evaluation of the mentor, supervisor, candidate with a possible add-on of the Action Research team member.
Domain 5: Performance Assessment
Notes from the domain synthesis conversation with critical friends
Are you thinking differently about your team’s selfassessment on any indicators as a result of that conversation? How?
What do you see as the next steps for your program team in this domain?
NELP Standards are cross-walked with PSEL Standards. Candidate Leadership Plans goals are aligned to the NELP Standards and link to the Laboratory of Practice clinical experiences with a culturally responsive emphasis. The Dissertation in Practice is continuously developed throughout the program, but is a bit light in year two with intentional instruction (see Domain 2). Dr. Hale shared the positive impact of having all three pathways (teacher, building and district) combined in classes. This provides a wide-range of perspectives, while allowing for individualized opportunities.
Consider making the overall rating a whole number.
Tighten data and reports especially on candidate performance of selfreflection and continuous improvement in the field after graduation. (Exit survey answering…How are components of the program continuing to make improvements in your classroom/school/district? (Note: Also applicable to D6)
Emphasize WU CTE professional development feedback module to our adjuncts.
Domain 6: Graduate Performance Outcomes
Notes from the domain synthesis conversation with critical friends
Are you thinking differently about your team’s selfassessment on any indicators as a result of that conversation? How?
What do you see as the next steps for your program team in this domain?
Critical Friends:
Jennifer Alexander
Erin Kaplan
Matt Burrows
Travis Piser
Sylvia Henderson
Leon Wilson
Katie Harrison
Devon Jacob
Jennifer Nauman
Working on partnership extension with districts – District partner input given about the doctoral program prepares candidate’s skill development and leadership professional development for work in the field. It is evident that candidates the growth and focus for moving into leadership roles. Continuous growth of candidates after graduation and continued work in the profession was noted as well. Dr. Burrows shared his belief that the cohort model lends itself to continuous improvement. Dr. Nauman shared that the WU partnership with the Cape Henlopen district is changing the district culture. It is now an expectation for all administrators to obtain a doctorate and engage in continuous improvement.
Our critical friends continued to share the positive impact of having scholarly practitioners teaching in the program
Consider making the overall rating a whole number.
Graduate exit survey and scorecard data coordinated with the state of DE. Gain attention to data and resources for own scorecard. Expand LEA partnerships to develop the possibility of hub sites.
Hale
TJ Vari
Ed Small
Jason