HUMANIZING THE CAEP ACCREDITATION PROCESS:

Dr. Melissa Comer, Tennessee Technological University

Enacting Change from the Inside Out

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Humanizing the CAEP Accreditation Process: Enacting Change from the Inside Out

INTRODUCTION

Brief background information about my university, program, and the CAEP process.

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Oct

18

Located in Central Tennessee

Approximately 8300 undergraduates, 1300 graduates

Program: Literacy MA & EdS, 100% online with approx. 30 candidates

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Humanizing the CAEP Accreditation Process: Enacting Change from the Inside Out

• After initial certification, 7 year accreditation cycle
• CAEP’s review of the

program focuses on the

program’s self-study report.

• 5 standards of CAEP

Oct

18

Standard 1-Content & Pedagogical Knowledge

Standard 2-Clinical Partnerships & Practice

Standard 3-Candidate Quality & Selectivity

Standard 4-Satisfaction with Preparation, i.e., Program Impact

Standard 5-Quality Assurance System & Continuous Improvement

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Humanizing the CAEP Accreditation Process: Enacting Change from the Inside Out

Background

To achieve or to renew accreditation, Educational Preparation Providers (EPPs) generate a self-study report proving that each of the CAEP standards is met. My involvement prompted me to engage in action research, conducting an in-depth, multi-faceted exploration of the graduate level literacy program in which I teach. By examining the program through CAEP’s lens, an inside-out view emerged, encouraging change with potential to improve access for candidates within the program. Within this presentation, are three lessons learned with viable options for replication as well as a look toward future changes

CAEP Self-Study

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Action Research

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Action Research Design (adapted from Sagor, 2000).

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Humanizing the CAEP Accreditation Process: Enacting Change from the Inside Out

3 Lessons Learned from the Research

1. Charting the Waters
2. Aligning Each Assessment with Standards & Grading Scale
3. Creating a Database of Exemplar Assessments

Looking Toward Future Changes

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

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Humanizing the CAEP Accreditation Process: Enacting Change from the Inside Out

Lesson 1: Charting the Waters

Beginning to write a self-study report is overwhelming. It’s difficult to know where to begin and how to substantiate the many alignments to CAEP standards that the self-study report demands. After puzzling over how to begin, we started by charting the information required of Standard 1. Content and Pedagogical Knowledge. This chart helped us outline and write the beginning of our self-study report.

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Humanizing the CAEP Accreditation Process: Enacting Change from the Inside Out

Lesson 2: Aligning Each Assessment with Standards & Grading Scale

• Goal: Make the alignment clear for the CAEP self-study and candidates, i.e., students
• Action 1: Include specific, associated CAEP & professional standards on each assignment and assessment rubric
• Action 2: Add the grading scale to each assessment piece
• Action 3: Provide a spot for feedback

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Humanizing the CAEP Accreditation Process: Enacting Change from the Inside Out

Lesson 3: Creating a Database of Exemplar Assessments

Goal: Per CAEP requirements for the self-study report, include exemplar assessment pieces from our candidates for the past 3 years.

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Challenge: Locate sample pieces within time frame, identify student it was from so we could acquire distinct permission to use the piece for CAEP purposes, and then find where the original assessments were stored.

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Action: Create a system by which we could retain assessment exemplars that students had already granted permission to use. We also needed to create a system to store the documents so they could easily be retrieved for future accreditation purposes.

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Course Level

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Database of Exemplars (Program Level)

Humanizing the CAEP Accreditation Process: Enacting Change from the Inside Out

SLIDESMANIA.COM

Humanizing the CAEP Accreditation Process: Enacting Change from the Inside Out

Looking Toward Future Changes

Research from the self-study report and sustained accreditation support continuation of the program, but there must be a focus on access. One initiative under discussion is that of changing the degreed program to a certificate one, embedding it into the generalized Curriculum and Instruction MA and EdS programs. In doing so, a primary goal is to make it more accessible to various populations.

Future Goals:

• Increase enrollment
• Maintain program integrity
• Meet CAEP guidelines requirements

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Dr. Melissa Comer, mcomer@tntech.edu

Any Questions?

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