2003 - Volume 26, Number 2
Editor, David L. Hough, Missouri State University

A Case of Authentic Redesign:
Collaborating with National Board Certified Teachers to Revise an Advanced Middle Level Program

Barbara R. Blackburn Mark W. Dewalt Jonathan W. Vare Richard W. Riley College of Education Winthrop University

Complete Article

Abstract

Three concerns prompted the search for literature to guide revision of a master's program in middle level education: the existence of multiple standards, the desire to accommodate the needs of various groups of master's candidates without designing a new program solely for teachers who wanted to pursue National Board Certification, and the wish to involve partners from local schools in the collaborative redesign. "Authentic redesign" emerged as the preferable standards-based approach to achieving a new vision of master's education for all candidates in the middle level program. Focus groups of National Board Certified teachers provided specific suggestions for redesigning the program to incorporate National Board skills. Faculty also aligned the Conceptual Framework with National Board Standards and the new National Middle School Association/National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education standards, along with performance-based assessments. Complete results from focus groups, specific program changes, and a sample alignment chart are provided.

ISSN 1084-8959