Sultan Qaboos University College of Education (COE)

The College of Education at Sultan Qaboos University received accreditation for 7 years (2016-2022) under the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) standards.

Presentation Outline Oman Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) College of Education Accreditation Efforts • Steps  • Support • Specialized Professional Associations (SPAs) • Conceptual Framework 

Accreditation Benefits Diversity • Definition • Assessment • Main Objectives • Outcomes

Supporting Units Field Experience and Student Teaching (FEST) • Old and New FEST • Clinical Component & Community Outreach • Assessment Tools

Candidates Preparedness to Teach

As of 2014 Data Official Language : Arabic Area: 309, 500 sqm Total Population: 4,433,427 Education: Total Schools – 1, 048 Total no. of students‐ 524,000 Total no. of Classes‐ 19,000  Total no. of teachers‐ 56,000 Students/Teacher ratio – 1:10 Students/Class ratio – 1:27 Sources of income: Oil exports,  Tourism, Agriculture & Industry Source: Oman Statistical Yearbook 2015

Sultanate of Oman

Source: http://www.majalisna.com/g/vp.php?PID=2718 and MOI

Population Percentage by Nationality as of April 2016 60

55

50

45

40 30 20 10 0 Omani

Non‐Omani

Sultan Qaboos University ‐Founded

by His Majesty in

1986 ‐Nine (9) Colleges  Agricultural & Marine  Sciences  Arts & Social Sciences  Economics & Political Science  Education  Engineering  Law  Medicine & Health Sciences  Nursing  Science

SQU Admission per College (AY 2015-16) COLLEGE

No. of Students Undergraduate

Postgraduate

TOTAL

Education

412

225

637

Agricultural and Marine Sciences

192

18

210

Arts & Social Sciences Economics & Political Science Engineering Law Medicine & Health Sciences Nursing

564

81

645

528

54

582

483

64

547

197

36

233

150

7

157

115

1

116

Science

454

63

517

3,095

549

3644

TOTAL

COE Statistics as of Spring 2016 Staff

Candidates

Technical Postgraduate (Advanced) Administrative Undergraduate (Initial) Academic

0 Series1

20

Academic 139

40

60

80

Administrative 47

100

120

140

Technical 11

160

0 Series1

Undergraduate (Initial) 1719

500

1000

1500

Postgraduate (Advanced) 499

2000

College Vision and Mission

The College of Education  aspires to be a professional  and contemporary center of  excellence that affirms  societal and scientific values,  contributes to the quality of  life for each individual, and  enhances the prosperity of  society as a whole

The College of Education is committed to preparing  distinguished graduates in  teaching, training, counselling, and  research through undergraduate  and post graduate programs. The  College strives to be a center of  excellence that uses scientific  research to develop sustainable  systems and programs that meet  the needs of the society while also  fostering its values.

COE Organizational Chart T The Deputy Vice‐Chancellor for Academic  Affairs & Community Services

Dean of the College Section of Coordination, Follow‐up  and Documentation

College Board College Board  Sub‐Committees

Academic Accreditation & Quality  Assurance Unit

Advisory Board

Assessment & Technical Support  Unit

Assistant Dean  for Undergraduate Studies

Director of Administration Assistant Dean  for Post Graduate Studies & Research

Assistant Administrative  Director for  Administrative Affairs

Assistant Dean  for Training & Community Services

Assistant Administrative  Director for  Services

Field Experience &  Student Teaching Unit

College Technical Supervisor

Educational  Foundation &  Administration  Dept.

Psychology  Dept.

Curriculum &  Instruction  Dept.

College Library

Instructional &  Learning  Technologies  Dept.

Art Education  Dept.

Physical  Education Dept.

Islamic Science  Dept.

Early Childhood  Education Dept.

COE Academic Departments and Programs

Major Partnerships College of  Arts and  Social  Sciences College of  Science

Diwan of  Royal Court

CoE

Ministry of  Defense Ministry of  Endowments  & Religious  Affairs

Ministry of  Education

Ministry of  Manpower

Ministry of  Social  Development

Steps to Accreditation Build • Building conceptual frame work of the college.

Assess • Using conceptual framework and  global standards  of accreditation in assessing the programs and the  colleges.   

Develop • Using data collection to identify the strength and  weakness points for the sake of developing college  programs, its graduates and its potentials. 

Supporting Accreditation Consulting & Reviewing support

Conceptual  Framework Program  Reviews  (SPA & non‐ SPA)

Use of Data

Accreditation  in College of  Education

Alignment  with  Standards

Partnership

Technology support

Unit  assessment  (NCATE IR)

Field  Experience

Training support

Media support

The Specialized Professional Associations (SPAs) B.Ed. in Mathematics

• National Council for Teachers of  Mathematics (NCTM)

B.Ed. in English Language

• American Council for the Teachers of  Foreign Languages (ACTFL)

B.Ed. in Science

• National Science Teachers Association  (NSTA)

B.Ed. in Early Childhood  Education

• National Association for the Education of  Young Children (NAEYC)

B.Ed. in Physical  Education

• Society of Health & Physical Educators  (SHAPE)

B.Ed. in Instructional &  Learning Technologies

• International Society for Technology in  Education (ISTE)

The Conceptual Framework: The graduate we want

Changing Practice Conceptual  Framework

Diversity

Technology

Assessment  system

Field  Experience

Student  Teaching 

Data Retreats Annual  data  retreat

Program  level

College  level

College  Board  decisions

Data Retreats

Data-based Decisions: recent examples

Faculty  Professional  Development Plan

Textbooks

Changes in some  courses

Assessment  criteria for  Assignment 

Specialized tests

Diversity: Definition gender age

Diversity the natural and acquired  differences among the education  community resulting from  individual differences in 

nationality language range of abilities  (including disability) socio‐economic  status geographical region

Assessment of Diversity Diversity  forms  Faculty Candidates Schools Cooperating

Teachers

Diversity  reflection  form and  its rubric candidates  on their:  Faculty  and their  own  teaching

Student  Teaching  Rubric Cooperating

Teachers

Others

Items in:  portfolio  rubric,  disposition s form, 

College  Supervisors

Students Results show a satisfactory level of our candidates to teach diverse students. 

graduate  and  employer  surveys

Diversity Strategy Main Objectives • Develop and sustain a joint understanding of  diversity among administrators, faculty members  and candidates  • Incorporate diversity principles and values as stated  in the CF • Assess diversity concept’s implementation process

Diversity Strategy Outcomes • To integrate diversity  definition in  developing course  descriptions 

• To develop Oman  map with diversity  components for  exhibition in multi‐ formats

• To embed diversity  concept in a number  of teacher  preparation courses 

• To conduct diversity  training program  every beginning of  semester to raise  faculty members’  awareness 

• To prepare  a rubric for  each diversity  activity in each  department

Supporting Units Field Experience and Student  Training Unit 

Academic Accreditation and  Quality Assurance Unit Assessment and Technical  Support Unit

Structure of Field Experience & Student Teaching Unit (FEST) Field Experience  Advisory Board  (FEAB)

Members from  COE & MOE

FEST Committee

Programs  Representatives 

Assistant Dean for  Training and  Community  Service

Deputy Director  of FEST FEST Field  Coordinator (1) Director of FEST  FEST Field  Coordinator (2)

FEST Coordinator 

Old FEST System Implicit SQU‐Ministry of  Education Agreement

Centralized Distribution of  Candidates

Scarce Field Experiences

Modest Involvement of  Ministry of Education (MOE)

Only 2 Training Program  courses

Cooperating Teachers  Irregular Involvement

270 Training Hours

Separate Departments  Operations No Field Experiences in  Advanced Programs

New FEST System Letter of Understanding  (LoU)

COE & MOE collaborative  Placement

Structured Field Experiences

Field Experience Advisory  Board Involvement

Full Semester Student  Teaching

Cooperating Teachers Deeply  Involved

700 Training Hours

FEST Committee Works with  FEST unit Incorporated in Advanced  Programs

Clinical Component & Community Outreach Creating & Renewing Partnerships Continuous Communication & Support

Connecting with Schools

Assessment Tools in Student Teaching by Candidate Evaluating Student Teaching  Effectiveness Diversity Reflection Self‐ assessment Evaluating Cooperating  Teachers

Assessment Tools in Student Teaching (cont’d) By College Supervisor Evaluating Student Teaching  Effectiveness

Diversity Reflection

Midterm/ Final Report

Disposition Scale

Action Research Project

Cooperating Teachers Diversity

Portfolio

Assessment Tools in Student Teaching (cont’d) by Cooperating Teacher Evaluating Student Teaching  Effectiveness

Diversity Reflection

Midterm/ Final Report

Disposition Scale

Action Research Project

Cooperating Teachers  Diversity Portfolio

How do we ensure that our graduates are prepared to teach? Early field experiences Full time resident student teaching Rigorous content knowledge  Student Teaching registration conditions  Continuous mentoring and monitoring by supervisors and CTs ST formative and summative assessments  Action research and portfolio experiment