Mission

Vision

• Educate students to serve as ethical, reflective professionals who effect positive change with diverse populations in a variety of educational settings;
• Engage its faculty and students in research and other scholarly activities that enhance the quality of education in our global society;
• Develop collaborative partnerships to build a democratic community that responds to the changing needs of learners and the profession;
• Advance cross-cultural competence, technical proficiency, innovation, and life-long learning; and
• Have a dynamic culture that reflects, develops and supports educational advocacy and leadership to better society.

Core Values

Excellence -We seek excellence in all our endeavors, and we are committed to continuous improvement.

Intellectual Freedom – We believe in ethical and scholarly questioning in an environment that respects the rights of all too freely pursue knowledge.

Integrity – We are committed to the principles of truth and honesty, and we will be equitable, ethical, and professional.

Service – We believe that serving others is a noble and worthy endeavor.

Diversity – We respect others and value diversity of opinion, freedom of expression, and other ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

Stewardship of Resources – We are dedicated to the efficient and effective use of resources. We accept the responsibility of the public’s trust and are accountable for our actions.

Collaboration - We believe that collaborative and collegial relationships both within the school and with external partners enrich the academic and professional environment.

Goals, Critical Success Factors, Objectives, and Strategies

Goal One. Research: Foster a culture and an environment that value and support the creation and dissemination of new knowledge.

Critical Success Factors:

• increase scholarly productivity with an emphasis on state, regional, and national publications and external funding by 10%
• establish a balance among scholarship, teaching, and service/outreach activities
• increase local, regional, and national presentations by 10%
• involve graduate students and faculty in a research culture
• advise quality doctoral dissertations and master’s theses
• increase research colloquia within the School, include graduate and undergraduate students
• increase collaborative research with students by 10%
• leverage staff and financial resources to support faculty and student efforts in scholarship and grant writing

Objectives:

• Submit manuscripts and/or other scholarly works by individual faculty members and groups of faculty for publication in refereed research journals, and/or theoretical conceptual journals, and/or varied professional presentations and proceedings.
• Publish in refereed research journals and/or theoretical conceptual journals, and/or varied proceedings of professional conferences.
• Present colloquia/lectures/presentations to disseminate new knowledge and scholarship to colleagues, students, other professionals, and the general public.
• Connect research to the needs of our constituents in schools and communities.

• Write grant proposals by individual faculty members and groups of faculty and students for external funding/contracts.
• Serve as members of state, national and/or professional organizations that inform faculty of external funding opportunities.
• Attend workshops, seminars and/or events that focus on external funding proposal grant writing.

• Require graduate students to engage in research activities and projects.
• Provide opportunities for collaboration between faculty and students on research projects.
• Advise research-based master’s theses and doctoral dissertations.
• Require each Ph.D. student to make a research-based presentation at a professional conference prior to graduation.

Goal Two. Pedagogy: Provide programs, informed by research, that prepare graduates who understand personal, social, and ethical principles of teaching and learning.

Critical Success Factors:

• demonstrate that 100% of graduating (BS) students have earned at least a 2.5 gpa in content area
• demonstrate that 100% of graduating (BS) students have earned at least 2.5 gpa in professional courses
• increase Honors Program graduates by 10% by 2009
• increase graduate student stipends by 3%
• track employment of graduates after program completion
• continue positive ratings on the National Student Satisfaction Survey
• demonstrate that 100% of graduating (BS) students have earned no grade lower than “C” in certification content area and professional education area
• demonstrate that 95% of recommended-graduates gain standard certification after one year in the field
• maintain continued National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
• meet Specialty Program Association standards for each certification program
• acquire tenure-track faculty lines for high-growth programs and those demonstrating the potential for high growth
• establish salary parity with peer institutions
• increase professional development funding for faculty by 10%

Objectives:

• Engage in professional development that enhances faculty and staff knowledge of unit, state, and national standards.
• Leverage resources to support faculty in designing and delivering undergraduate and graduate programs that meet unit, state, and national standards.
• Initiate a freshman scholarship plan to increase enrollment in undergraduate programs.
• Recruit and retain high quality undergraduate and graduate students.
• Continue to develop partnerships and cohorts within program areas.

• Provide opportunities for students to work in and reflect upon a variety of educational environments such as internships, practica, field work, and special projects (e.g., Reading/Math Center tutoring).
• Provide opportunities for students to identify family and community resources related to the educational environments in which Oklahoma State University students are working.
• Provide opportunities for student development and career placement services.

• Mentor graduate and undergraduate students in research/scholarship.
• Participate with students in colloquia, team teaching, course planning, curriculum development, student assessment/evaluation, and teaching strategy sharing.
• Serve in public schools and technology centers in various capacities.
• Provide professional development programs within educational environments as part of faculty outreach efforts.
• Enhance research and other creative activities for students.

Goal Three. Diversity: Demonstrate respect for and commitment to a diverse society.

Critical Success Factors:

• ensure that graduates possess the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to work with diverse populations
• demonstrate that faculty are knowledgeable about and sensitive to issues of diversity
• provide experiences for students to work with diverse faculty, staff, and peers
• demonstrate leadership in promoting issues of diversity

Objectives:

• Require all students to prepare a variety of lesson plans with modifications addressing the cognitive and cultural needs of diverse learners throughout this program.
• Require all students to prepare essays/papers dealing with issues related to the needs of cognitively and culturally diverse learners.
• Design programs that are guided by core concepts that directly address diversity.
• Provide opportunities for students to apply knowledge from practical experiences in diverse settings in appropriate ways.

• Provide for students’ practical experiences in diverse settings such as field placement, tutoring, service learning, August Experience, and speaker series.

• Recruite faculty and staff through publications with diverse audiences.
• Solicit applications from underrepresented groups.
• Demonstrate faculty and staff knowledge of and responsiveness to diversity.

Goal Four. Technology: Critically analyze and apply technological processes and tools in teaching, research, service, and other outreach activities.

Critical Success Factors:

• demonstrate the appropriate and significant use of instructional technology in courses by a majority of faculty, staff, and students
• equip all classrooms with appropriate instructional technology resources
• leverage resources to obtain the budget and infrastructure to support technological innovation

Objectives:

• Develop descriptions of how instructional technology is integrated in a thoughtful, critical manner within each program. (Annual descriptions will be submitted to the School Head by each of the Program Coordinators by the end of the Fall semester.)
• Use technology to improve and expand partnerships.
• Use technology to enhance outreach efforts in a variety of ways including the continued development of online coursework and increased use of distance education.

• Gather and examine data to determine the level to which students in all programs are provided opportunities to demonstrate an understanding and appropriate use of technology.

• Develop a description of each program’s use of existing technology resources. (This annual description will include a list of hardware and software needs and will be submitted to the School Head by the Program Coordinator by the end of the Fall semester.)

Goal Five. Agency: Collaborate with and develop education professionals as proactive agents who have the knowledge and disposition for leadership in diverse educational settings to improve the economic development and quality of life in Oklahoma and beyond.

Critical Success Factors:

• demonstrate collaboration by faculty and students with related agencies
• continue and expand strong partnerships within and outside of the university
• establish active advisory boards for programs in the School
• demonstrate that graduates hold key leadership positions at the national and international levels

Objectives:

• Develop syllabi that directly address advocacy in social, educational and political change.
• Model leadership roles necessary for change.
• Demonstrate that professional dispositions are emphasized in all courses.

• Encourage student participation in professional associations, service groups, and community service activities.
• Encourage students to seek offices and leadership positions.
• Provide opportunities for students to participate in professional presentations and publications (requirement for Ph.D. students).

• Participate in professional leadership activities and serve as leaders in community activities.