This handbook is a supplement to the Alverno College Student Handbook, Building a Community of Learners: A Community Guide and Student Handbook. The college handbook includes the policies that apply to all undergraduate and graduate students. The MA Student Handbook provides additional information, policies, and procedures specific to the Master of Arts in Education program and Advanced Licensure Programs. The Education Students Handbook addresses Initial Licensure Programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. In the spirit of continuous improvement, the Alverno education faculty invite you to contact the MA program director with your suggestions for changes to the handbook.
The Division of Education at Alverno College, located within the School of Professional Studies, prepares professionals committed to developing the abilities of all learners, building community as a context and support for learning, providing high-quality education in highest-need settings, and continuing their own ongoing growth through thoughtful reflection.
Purposes: The following major purposes provide direction in pursuit of our mission; these four purposes that guide the institutional mission are tailored her to express the mission of the Division of Education.
Creating a Curriculum: The curriculum for programs in the Division of Education is designed by faculty to be
Ability-based and focused on student outcomes
Developmental, leading through more and more complex experiences, to full professional practice
Integrative, consciously building connections across frameworks and areas of study
Focused on fostering leadership in the learning communities of practice in both informal and formal roles
Creating a Community of Learning: The development of school professionals and adult educators requires that the Division of Education create an environment that models the community of learning through
Respect for diverse backgrounds and perspectives
Collaborative and supportive interaction
Clear expectations
Active and reflective practice of self in relation to community
Creating Ties to the Community: In support of its mission, faculty and staff in the Division of Education develop partnerships with districts, schools, businesses, and community-based organizations in order to
Develop appropriate field experience and internship sites
Assist the Division of Education to understand and respond to current needs in diverse work settings
Assist partners in work settings to understand and value the contributions of the Division of Education
Creating Relationships with Higher Education: As colleagues with education professionals locally, regionally, and nationally, Alverno faculty and staff hold themselves responsible to contribute to the development of teacher education and adult education through
Actively contributing to professional organizations
Engaging in scholarship and the critique of scholarship
Serving on task forces, planning groups, etc., in formal and informal leadership roles
Sharing and building upon one another’s practice
The Master of Arts in Education Programs at Alverno College prepare educators for K-12 schools and educational settings:
We believe that the future of effective teaching, learning and assessment, across settings that work with learners of all ages, depends upon educators who are knowledgeable, committed to the success of each and every learner, able to act on that commitment, and courageous enough to do so. Therefore, the Alverno College Master of Arts in Education Programs are designed to prepare educators who will go forth with the knowledge, skills, and behaviors to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow, creating schools and other organizations that are flexible and responsive to the challenges of the times.
Dean of the School of Graduate and Professional Studies: Jodi Eastberg, jodi.eastberg@alverno.edu
Director of Graduate Education Programs: Desiree Pointer Mace, desiree.pointer-mace@alverno.edu
Director of Advanced Licensure Programs: Teri Marsicek, teri.marsicek@alverno.edu
Division of Education Office: CO 108 / Academic Administrative Assistant, Mary Tews, 414-382-6213; E-mail: mary.tews@alverno.edu
The MA program and both the K-12 and Adult Education specializations are guided by these five abilities:
See the appendices for maps that show the development of these five advanced abilities over time, from beginning teacher through experienced professional practitioner.
See the Wisconsin DPI website for the Wisconsin Teaching Standards, which are applied in every program that prepares personnel for Wisconsin schools, and the Wisconsin Administrator Standards, which are applied in every program leading to administrator-level licensure.
Programs for the preparation of school personnel are guided by state and national standards, as well as by the framework of Alverno’s advanced education abilities. Each program’s standards, portfolio design, and professional development plan is available in a separate appendix for your convenience. The exit portfolio is required for any new license in the State of Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction website and the Wisconsin Legislature website for PI 34 house the standards to which the programs are aligned.
Interactive Online (IOL) may be used to find an up-to-date academic evaluation for graduate programs, showing courses completed and those yet to take. Students may use the academic evaluation to consider changing majors, querying “What if I changed my program to?”
IOL may also be used to search for when the courses for a particular program are offered, by using “Search for Classes.” Note that classes may be closed for lack of enrollment during any given semester. Timely registration by graduate students helps to ensure that needed courses will be held.
Graduate program advisors may answer questions about particular courses and help students plan their program of study.
Students in the MA Program are assessed both in courses and through external assessments. All assessment processes are intended, first of all, for individual diagnostic, formative purposes. Some are also used to examine larger questions that can impact the program as a whole; data from the latter are aggregated and analyzed on a regular basis. The programs are developmental and aligned with research-based best practices.
All graduate students complete an application for admission, based upon a philosophy and goals statement and a set of communication samples from their work site. During their programs they participate in course assessments and of external assessments tailored to their programs and/or desired licensure.
For licensure programs, exit portfolios are required by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction and are aligned with particular licensure standards.
Students are expected to attend all classes and participate in all learning activities. If, due to illness or unavoidable personal/professional commitments, you must miss a class, you should consult with the faculty member involved and/or the MA program director, as soon as possible in advance of the class, to develop an alternative plan to meet the objectives of the missed class. Absence from more than one session of a course will generally require the student to repeat the course. Consistent lateness may be considered an absence.
Depending upon the situation, your professor or the MA program director may advise you to drop a course or may decide that you are ineligible to continue attending a course if attendance has not been regular or if you have missed the first class meeting. In all instances, if you choose to drop a course, it is your responsibility to officially drop the course by contacting the Registrar’s Office. You are always encouraged to communicate with your advisor if you are considering dropping a course.
Throughout your studies at Alverno College, you will be exposed to a variety of learning styles and experiences. In some classes faculty require students to complete assignments in small-group work sessions while others may require students to complete work on an independent basis. Both experiences can be stimulating and rewarding. Each academic experience at Alverno requires that you as the student take responsibility for your own work in accordance with the instructions of their professor and with sound academic principles. Each student is expected to conduct their work, both inside of the classroom and in their independent research in ways that are academically honest.
Academic honesty is a basic requirement of the Master of Arts in Education program. Failure to comply with procedures that are academically honest are grounds for failing a class, being dismissed from a particular program or being dismissed from the college. The following is a non-exhaustive list of expectations for academic honesty. All students are required to comply with these expectations, delineated in College handbooks and policies.
This form is completed as part of the orientation to the MA program.
Official Acknowledgement of the Academic Honesty Policy
The Master of Arts in Education Program at Alverno takes Academic Honesty very seriously. After reading the Academic Honesty Policy document, you are asked to read and sign the statement below.
If there is any part of the Academic Honesty Policy of this statement that you don’t understand, ask about it immediately.
I _______________________________________________________ understand that: (print your name and student number)
Signature
Date
DO NOT SIGN THIS UNTIL YOU UNDERSTAND IT.
When you are admitted to the MA program you are assigned the MA program director or your Licensure program director as your academic advisor. The advisor serves as a resource to each student during their program with regard to academic matters, policies and procedures, and registration.
Previous graduate course work is evaluated at the time of admission. Generally, a maximum of fourteen credits may be accepted in transfer, contingent on program director review and approval; more than half of the credits required for the Master of Arts degree must be completed at Alverno at the graduate level. Once in the program, students who wish to take a course elsewhere need to complete a permit, outlining the reason for taking a course at another institution. The permit is subject to approval by the director of the program. Additional consideration for prior learning can be demonstrated through Alverno College’s Credit for Prior Learning Process.
Master of Arts in Education students at Alverno College are expected to develop and consistently demonstrate strong communication and social interaction, along with critical thinking and problem solving. Three developmental rubrics, used across graduate programs at Alverno help guide the students in integrating these skills into their performance in academic and clinical settings. See the appendices for relevant criteria.
All Alverno MA students are held to high standards of practice. The Professionalism Rubric is a reminder of these high standards of practice. It is used by faculty to document student performance. Should concerns regarding professional behavior be noted, the form will be submitted to the director of the MA program, along with documentation of meetings or communication with the student regarding the behavior, including consequences as appropriate.
Name: ______________________
Course: _____________________ Semester:___________________
Criteria
Evidence
Student effectively demonstrates discipline and responsibility for attending all class sessions and for being present at the start of each class
___ Met ___ Concerns*
Student finishes and turns in on the dates requested assignments that are complete and have been proofread
___ Met ___ Concerns*
Student takes the initiative to communicate with the instructor if there are attendance or assignment concerns
___ Met ___ Concerns*
Student consistently uses appropriate language, interacts in a professional manner and shows respect for others
___ Met ___ Concerns*
Student accepts equal responsibility for group assignments and supports others in doing so
___ Met ___ Concerns*
Student honors professional ethics, including appropriate use of quotations, recognition/citation of sources, respect for confidentiality and privacy, etc.
___ Met ___ Concerns*
*If concerns are noted, faculty members are asked to attach documentation of meetings or communication with the student regarding his/her behavior, including consequences related to the behavior.
Course work is to be completed within seven years of entry into the MA program. If you are not able to complete the program within this timeframe, you must submit a letter to the MA program director requesting an extension. Your letter should explain why an extension is required and describe your plan and timeline for program completion. The program director will review the request and respond in writing. The deadline for submitting a request to extend your program completion is the beginning of your sixth year in the program.
Students who want to develop a course that is not available at Alverno can do so using the Independent Study proposal form, available in the appendix. Proposals must indicate the learning goals to be pursued, how the independent study addresses the five advanced education abilities, and a detailed plan for the independent study, including how it will be assessed. Independent study courses may range from 1 to 3 credits. Either an Alverno faculty member or an external professional may be identified as the instructor for the course. Independent Study may also be approved by the program director if the student is unable to take a course when it is normally offered.
In 1979, the Education Department, in collaboration with the Office of Research and Evaluation and selected faculty across the discipline, began to work toward the development of a model of the generic abilities of the educator. A review of the literature in education competence was completed in the fall of 1979.
The Education Reconceptualization Group's aim was to identify the broad competences of the educator, across grade levels and content areas and including educating in informal settings (e.g. as practiced by a nurse or manager, as well as by a classroom teacher). Because the Alverno notions of competences as developable abilities of the person contrasts with notions in much of the research of competences as discrete behaviors, the Group began with wide-ranging discussion probing their experiences as educators and with other educators. After four years of discussion and refining work, a developmental model of teacher competence was captured in five "maps" showing the aspects of each ability as it typically develops from beginning to developing to advanced performance.
The Alverno conceptualization was used in the development of the beginning teacher standards by the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC) in the early 1990s. The INTASC standards, in turn, became the basis for development of the Wisconsin Teaching Standards in the late 1990s. The Alverno abilities have been reviewed and updated periodically by the Education Division, drawing upon the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards work, among other resources.
The five abilities are identified as generic teaching skills:
The expectations of the Beginning Teacher characterize the expected performance of a teacher entering the field. Because the dynamic competences are further refined through experience and reflection on that experience, the expectations of the Developing Teacher characterize a stage of professional development usually demonstrated by teachers with several years of teaching experience. The expectations of the Experienced Professional Teacher are the mark of a master, demonstrating professional depth and development.
The Division of Education aligns to the Wisconsin Administrator Standards, which are indicated in PI 34 and available on the WI DPI website.
Your coursework and experiences in teacher leadership have prepared you to demonstrate these standards and your exit portfolio is the vehicle through which you provide evidence of your competence, reflect on your strengths and areas to develop, and set goals for your future professional development.
Each portfolio is constructed to reflect the individual experiences and strengths of the candidate; your faculty suggests that you approach the development of the portfolio in this way:
Provide a reflective statement of your philosophy of education and leadership, setting forth your beliefs about the roles of the administrator license you have prepared for. Drawing upon your coursework and other reading, provide the key theoretical perspectives that guide your work in these roles. You will use both the Wisconsin Administrator Standards and frameworks from the reflective statement to analyze the evidence in your portfolio. At the close of this reflection, provide a statement of purpose for your portfolio
Provide your resume, incorporating the key experiences that you have had in education.
Organize artifacts in a way that allows you to show your strengths related to the tasks of the principal, to the administrative standards, and to your own reflective statement. You may want start your organization by standard as a first draft to help you makes linkages, and then select 5-8 pieces of your best work that cut across multiple standards. Your final portfolio should be samples of your best work that cut across standards. Clearly explain why you chose the artifacts that you select; and for tasks that you completed with others, indicate your contributions clearly. A key part of your analysis should be identifying areas for further development. These areas will become part of your professional development plan.
Use the following criteria to self assess your portfolio
Have you clearly aligned your evidence with the standards, combining and
integrating standards if appropriate?
Have you clearly explained how the evidence reflects your philosophy of
education as well as critical educational frameworks that guide your work?
Have you provided sufficient evidence to demonstrate beginning
administrator levels of knowledge, skills and dispositions?
Have you maintained appropriate confidentiality in using artifacts from
your school site?
Have you presented a portfolio that reflects the professionalism of a
school leader? (You should meet Alverno’s graduate level writing criteria
throughout.)
Does your level of analysis and reflection make a compelling case for your
readiness to take on the role of the administrator license you seek?
The Practicum for the Alternative Education license is completed in the candidate’s own classroom, in an alternative school. Listed below are the requirements for the Professional Portfolio and Professional Development Plan
The program for Alternative Education requires that you put together a portfolio linking your practice in an alternative educational setting to the ten Wisconsin teaching standards. It’s an opportunity for you to reflect on your strengths and areas to develop in work with students who have not been successful in traditional school settings. Based on that reflection, you can then set goals for your professional development plan as a teacher in an alternative school.
While each portfolio is constructed to reflect the individual experiences and strengths of the candidate, your faculty suggests that you approach the development of the portfolio in this way:
Provide an introductory reflective statement of your philosophy of education, especially in relationship to the needs of students who have not been successful in traditional school settings. Drawing upon your experience, coursework and reading, provide the beliefs and key theoretical perspectives that guide your work in alternative school settings.
Organize the portfolio by standard. For each standard
Write a reflection about your work with learners in alternative school
settings that describes how you address the standard. Use the full statement of the knowledge, dispositions, and performances related to each standard.
Include artifacts that provide evidence for your application of selected knowledge, dispositions, and performances. Some artifacts may be applicable to more than one standard. In that case, incorporate the physical artifact with one standard and reference it when reflecting on the other standard(s).
Clearly explain why you chose the artifacts that you select
As part of your reflection, also identify areas for further development.
These areas will become part of your professional development plan.
Use the following criteria to self assess your portfolio
Have you clearly provided evidence of how your teaching in alternative
school settings addresses the ten standards?
Have you made clear connections between artifacts from your school site
and your beliefs about teaching and learning?
Have you presented a portfolio that reflects the professionalism expected
of a teacher? (You should meet Alverno’s graduate level writing criteria
throughout.)
Does your level of analysis and reflection make a compelling case for your
effectiveness in working with learners in alternative school settings?
Portfolio:
Provides evidence of how own teaching in alternative school settings addresses the ten standards
Makes clear connections between artifacts from school site and beliefs about teaching and learning
Reflects the professionalism expected of a teacher/Meets graduate writing criteria.
Level of analysis and reflection makes a compelling case for effectiveness in working with learners in alternative school settings
Reflects the professionalism expected of a teacher/Meets graduate writing criteria
The Practicum for the Director of Special Education and Pupil Services license takes place across the coursework, as students develop and practice the skills appropriate to the license; it may also be completed in conjunction with the Administrative Leadership Practicum. Listed below are the requirements for the Professional Portfolio and Professional Development Plan. This program is aligned to the Wisconsin Administrator Standards, which are available on the WI DPI website.
Your coursework and experiences in teacher leadership have prepared you to demonstrate these standards and your portfolio is the vehicle through which you provide evidence of your competence, reflect on your strengths and areas to develop, and set goals for your professional development plan.
Format: You can either use a form provided by your school district, the Department of Public Instruction, or the Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC), or you can use the following guide provided by your faculty at Alverno.
Provide a reflective statement of your philosophy of education and leadership, setting forth your beliefs about the roles of director of instruction/curriculum leader/teaching, learning, and assessment leader. Drawing upon your coursework and other reading, provide the key theoretical perspectives that guide your work in these roles. You will use both the Wisconsin Administrator Standards and frameworks from the reflective statement to analyze the evidence in your portfolio. At the close of this reflection, provide a statement of purpose for your portfolio.
Provide your resume, incorporating the key experiences that you have had in education.
Organize artifacts in a way that allows you to show your strengths related to the tasks of the director of instruction, to the administrative standards, and to your own reflective statement. For example, you might organize by tasks (e.g., curriculum development, staff development, assessment design, special program organization, program planning and evaluation, grant writing, etc.), make explicit links to standards, and provide an analysis of each task using frameworks from your reflective statement. Or you might organize by standards, illustrating your work with tasks related to each standard and analyzing each task using frameworks from your reflective statement. Clearly explain why you chose the artifacts that you select; and for tasks that you completed with others, indicate your contributions clearly.
A key part of your analysis should be identifying areas for further development. These areas will become part of your professional development plan.
Use the following criteria to self assess your portfolio
Have you clearly aligned your evidence with each standard, combining
and integrating standards if appropriate?
Have you clearly explained how the evidence reflects your philosophy of
education as well as critical educational frameworks that guide your work?
Have you maintained appropriate confidentiality in using artifacts from your school site?
Have you presented a portfolio that reflects the professionalism of a school leader? (You should meet Alverno’s graduate level writing criteria throughout.)
Does your level of analysis and reflection make a compelling case for your readiness to take on the role of Director of Instruction?
Reflects the professionalism expected of a school leader/Meets graduate
writing criteria
The Practicum for the Director of Instruction license takes place across the coursework, as students develop and practice the skills appropriate to the license; it may also be completed in conjunction with the Administrative Leadership Practicum. Listed below are the requirements for the Professional Portfolio and Professional Development Plan. This program is aligned to the Wisconsin Administrator Standards, which are available on the WI DPI website.
Your coursework and experiences in teacher leadership have prepared you to demonstrate these standards and your portfolio is the vehicle through which you provide evidence of your competence, reflect on your strengths and areas to develop, and set goals for your professional development plan.
Format: You can either use a form provided by your school district, the Department of Public Instruction, or the Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC), or you can use the following guide provided by your faculty at Alverno.
Provide a reflective statement of your philosophy of education and leadership, setting forth your beliefs about the roles of director of instruction/curriculum leader/teaching, learning, and assessment leader. Drawing upon your coursework and other reading, provide the key theoretical perspectives that guide your work in these roles. You will use both the Wisconsin Administrator Standards and frameworks from the reflective statement to analyze the evidence in your portfolio. At the close of this reflection, provide a statement of purpose for your portfolio.
Provide your resume, incorporating the key experiences that you have had in education.
Organize artifacts in a way that allows you to show your strengths related to the tasks of the director of instruction, to the administrative standards, and to your own reflective statement. For example, you might organize by tasks (e.g., curriculum development, staff development, assessment design, special program organization, program planning and evaluation, grant writing, etc.), make explicit links to standards, and provide an analysis of each task using frameworks from your reflective statement. Or you might organize by standards, illustrating your work with tasks related to each standard and analyzing each task using frameworks from your reflective statement. Clearly explain why you chose the artifacts that you select; and for tasks that you completed with others, indicate your contributions clearly.
A key part of your analysis should be identifying areas for further development. These areas will become part of your professional development plan.
Use the following criteria to self assess your portfolio
Have you clearly aligned your evidence with each standard, combining
and integrating standards if appropriate?
Have you clearly explained how the evidence reflects your philosophy of
education as well as critical educational frameworks that guide your work?
Have you maintained appropriate confidentiality in using artifacts from your school site?
Have you presented a portfolio that reflects the professionalism of a school leader? (You should meet Alverno’s graduate level writing criteria throughout.)
Does your level of analysis and reflection make a compelling case for your readiness to take on the role of Director of Instruction?
As part of the Reading Teacher, Reading Specialist and/or Master of Arts in Reading programs, each student/candidate will develop a portfolio to demonstrate her/his growing knowledge and professional development in literacy learning based on the ILA Standards for Reading. The complete listing of standards and elements can be found on the following website: https://www.literacyworldwide.org
Your final and completed professional portfolio must address all IRA standards and evidence from your coursework and teaching that demonstrate the standards. It must also address the administrator standards (available on the WI DPI website and in PI 34) for ED 754 and ED 755.
During the semester of your last course, you will register for a 0 credit external assessment where you will present your portfolio to at least one reading professional
from Alverno College and/or a professional in the field.
The Department of Public Instruction requires that you put together a portfolio linking your practice in reading to the Standards. Based on your reflection, you can then set goals for your professional development plan in the area of reading.
While each portfolio is constructed to reflect the individual experiences and strengths of the candidate, your faculty suggests that you approach the development of the portfolio in the following format:
Write a brief introductory letter to the reader of your portfolio detailing information about yourself and your teaching experience. Include a statement reflecting upon your literacy philosophy as it relates to your learning. Provide details about the program(s) you are completing.
Select portfolio pieces from your individual courses and teaching that demonstrate all five IRA/NCATE Standards for Reading Professionals at the appropriate candidacy level. (i.e. 316 license candidates = “Classroom Teacher Candidates” level, 317 license candidates = “Reading Specialist/Literacy Coach Candidates” level)
Write a rationale for each standard. Detail how your selected piece(s) of evidence provide support to your overall ability in the standard and element(s). This will be the introductory page to the identified standard/pieces of evidence.
Write a brief reflection that projects your goals for future development in relation to the standards and how what you have learned in your program will assist you with your future career.
Complete a Professional Development Plan to detail future plans related to the highlighted standards. Set goals for development in at least two other standards elements in future coursework and your teaching.
Submit your completed Professional Portfolio to the Coordinator of the Reading Program no later than 4 weeks prior to the end of your final course.
___Introductory letter includes philosophy statement
___ Strong rationale is provided for choice of standards.
___ Standard elements selected are related to course outcomes and/or teaching performance (minimum of 2 elements per standard)
___ Evidence clearly and logically supports ability in the standard
___ Strong rationale for choice of area(s) to develop is clearly articulated
___ Implementation of plan is specific in stating how development will occur
___ Articulation of own learning experience shows appropriate level of reflection
___ Plan includes appropriate future plans (course work, fieldwork, teaching, etc.)
___ Goals solidly address development of stated standard
Use the following criteria to self assess your portfolio:
If you have a learning need, which clearly cannot be met through the regular course sequence of requirements and electives in your focus area, you may meet it by pursuing an Independent Study for up to three graduate credits. You register for a “697” course, either ED or ID or another prefix that indicates the area of your study, depending upon your focus area. Any “697” course must fit the description for an independent study course as described in the M.A. Bulletin. Please read the course description carefully before proceeding with an application. You should meet with your advisor very early in your proposal planning process to discuss your idea and to ascertain whether your future required courses will or will not in fact deal with your learning need.
If you decide to go ahead with developing a “697” course, be aware that you must take the initiative to generate a proposal and identify the necessary specific resources – namely faculty and learning activities. In order to undertake an independent study you need to have completed your planning by the middle of the semester prior to registering for the course.
Attached is an Application for Independent Study, which you need to submit to your advisor at least one week prior to registration for the semester in which you intend to carry out your plan. Following are some guidelines to consider in completing the application.
Keep in mind that each credit assumes at least 3 hours of study activity per week per credit over the length of the course. Thus, for example, a three- credit course assumes a minimum of nine hours per week.
Your independent study must have a specific, substantive title that will indicate to a reader of your transcript exactly what your study dealt with. The title can contain up to 35 characters, including blank spaces. You may use reasonable abbreviations.
The term “external” is used to refer to your learning mentor, whoever that may be, because she or he is “external” to your regular graduate course program. It could be a faculty or staff member from Alverno, or it could be from another institution. The person must have the expertise you need plus the ability to effectively assess your learning at a graduate level of performance. If the external professional is not from Alverno, she or he receives a small honorarium; the amount depends upon the responsibilities involved but generally will not exceed $250.
Be as specific as possible here, taking care to explain how you can’t meet them through an established course in your program. If you are using “697” to improve your substantive knowledge in a content area by incorporating work from an undergraduate course, you must explain how your work will be graduate level. This means you will need to integrate graduate-level learning experiences and assessment into whatever course requirements there might be.
Review the definitions of these five abilities and discuss them with your advisor. Your “697” project should address at least several of them, but it won’t necessarily address them all.
Specify what you will be doing, where, with whom, and when. You should discuss with your proposed external professional and include in your plan both how your learning will be assessed and how the results of that assessment will be communicated back to Alverno and your advisor.
Note that your Independent Study Proposal must be signed by you and your external professional; it must then be approved by both your advisor and the Director of the Alverno Graduate Program. Again, the deadline for submission to your advisor is one week prior to registration for the semester in which you hope to undertake the study.
Directions: Provide complete responses for each question. For further descriptions of the independent study process and the education abilities, see the Master of Arts Bulletin. Completed application is due to your M.A. program advisor at least one week before the registration weekend for the following semester.
Student Name:
Program:
Proposed semester of study:
Proposed number of credits (usually limited to 3):
Title and brief description of study:
Proposed external professional:
Name:
Organization:
Address:
Phone:
Attach separate page for responses to questions 1-3 (see page 2)
Describe how you will meet your learning goals by providing a detailed plan for your
independent study, including how your goals will be achieved and how learning will be assessed.
Alverno College Communication Department
In a given speech, the student should show the following abilities to the level indicated: Preliminary: Follows directions: yes ___ no ___
Connects with audience through SPEAKING ON ONE’S FEET
L1 Speaks to an audience for at least a minute with little reliance on scripted or memorized input
L2 Communicates to an audience, long enough to suggest the speaker has internalized his/her message, with little reliance on scripted or memorized input
L3 Communicates with the audience, giving the impression of both thinking and speaking spontaneously without reliance on scripted or memorized input
L4 Gives a consistent impression of communicating with the audience without reliance on scripted or memorized input
Graduate Level: As a professional, gives a consistent impression of communicating with the audience without reliance on scripted or memorized input in a variety of job related contexts.
L4 Clearly articulates relationships between ideas/concepts out of an academic Framework/theory and those out of his/her own thinking
Graduate Level: As a professional,
Shows explicit awareness of one’s own ideas as claims rather than truths in the context of disciplinary/professional discourse.
Where appropriate, shows awareness of historical precedent
L1 Uses language that shows some awareness of appropriate word choice/style/tone
L2 Uses language that shows general awareness of appropriate word choice/style/tone— avoiding vague, empty, and condescending expression
L3 Uses language that consistently shows awareness of appropriate word choice/style/tone
L4 Uses language that reflects a refined awareness of the audience
Graduate Level: As a professional,
Effectively incorporates word choice/style/tone unique to a particular discipline or profession
Shows explicit awareness of ambiguity, e.g., that words/concepts may have different meanings for different audiences
Maintains the individuality of the speaker
Communicates a sense of ongoing dialogue, common ground, and openness to other perspectives
L1 Speaks with some elements of effective delivery
L2 Speaks with most elements of effective delivery
L3 Speaks consistently with elements of effective delivery
L4 Speaks with a refined repertory of effective delivery techniques
Graduate Level: As a professional, meets the delivery requirements of a given discipline
or profession
L1 Generally follows appropriate conventions
L2 Consistently follows appropriate conventions
L3 Adapts appropriate conventions to the expression of complex relationships
L4 Shows a refined sense of appropriate conventions
Graduate Level: As a professional, meets the stylistic requirements of a given discipline or profession
L1 Presents a message with recognizable introduction, development, and conclusion
L2 Establishes and maintains focus on a clear purpose, providing transitions to clarify relationships between most points of development
L3 Without digression from the focus of the speech, consistently articulates relationships between points of development
L4 Maintains a refined sense of structure in relation to an academic framework
Graduate Level: As a professional, maintains a refined sense of structure in relation to an academic framework integrated into that of a profession
L1 Shows ability to use examples and/or evidence meaningful to audience
L2 Supports most generalizations with examples and/or evidence meaningful to audience
L3 Consistently develops ideas through appropriate use of generalizations, examples, and/or evidence
L4 Develops ideas with appropriate depth, variety and sufficient interest to engage audience
Graduate Level: As a professional, explicitly acknowledges contradictory or conflicting evidence
L1 Incorporates a visual that is legible, understandable, and appropriate to topic and audience
L2 Computer-generates eye-appealing visuals, using them purposefully to enhance presentation
L3 Smoothly incorporates high-quality and diverse media whose messages reflect the core concepts of a presentation
L4 Incorporates professional-quality media within a specific context to aid in clarifying academic frameworks
Graduate Level: As a professional, meets expectations for media quality for a given profession
L1 Articulates ideas accurately
L2 Demonstrates appropriate application of designated or selected ideas
L3 Identifies key elements that indicate understanding of frameworks/theories
L4 Articulates original applications, syntheses, and/or evaluations of academic frameworks/ theories, validating them with substantial thinking and appropriately using valid sources
Graduate Level: As a professional,
Effectively integrates academic frameworks/theories into the context of the profession • Thoughtfully challenges existing frameworks and/or approaches
L3 Articulates, providing evidence, a realistic sense of performance in all criteria areas
L4 Shows a refined sense of strengths and weaknesses in all criteria areas Graduate Level: As a professional,
Shows a refined sense of one’s own strengths and weaknesses in all criteria areas, particularly in professional contexts
Identifies reasonable plans for improvement related to one’s own areas of weakness
Shows explicit awareness of the development of one’s own understanding of one’s own mental models
(Note: Each level incorporates the previous one(s).)
In a given piece of writing, the student should show the following abilities to the level indicated:
Connects with audience through ESTABLISHING AND MAINTAINING CONTEXT (clarifying, in a manner appropriate to a specified audience, limits of the situation and sources of thinking)
L1 Gives audience some sense of focus and purpose (What I am telling whom and why?)
L2 Throughout the writing, provides and maintains a sense of focus and purpose
L3 Takes responsibility for own ideas and distinguishes them from those of others
L4 Clearly articulates relationships between ideas/concepts out of an academic framework/theory and those out of her own thinking
Graduate Level: As a professional, Shows explicit awareness of one’s own ideas as claims rather than truths in the context of disciplinary/professional discourse / Where appropriate: Shows awareness of historical precedent
L1 Uses language that shows some awareness of appropriate style/tone and varied word choice
L2 Uses language that shows general awareness of appropriate style/tone and varied word choice — avoiding vague, empty, and condescending expression
L3 Uses language that shows consistent awareness of appropriate style/tone and varied word choice
L4 Uses language that reflects a refined awareness of the audience
Graduate Level: As a professional, Effectively incorporates word choice/style/tone unique to a particular discipline or profession / Shows explicit awareness of ambiguity, e.g., that words/concepts may have different meanings for different audiences / Maintains the individuality of the writer / Communicates a sense of ongoing dialogue, common ground, and openness to other perspectives
L1 Generally follows appropriate conventions
L2 Consistently follows appropriate conventions
L3 Applies appropriate conventions to the expression of complex relationships
L4 Shows a refined sense of appropriate conventions
Graduate Level: As a professional, meets the stylistic requirements of a given discipline or profession
L1 Presents a message with recognizable introduction, development, and conclusion
L2 Establishes and maintains focus on a clear purpose, providing transitions to clarify relationships between most points of development
L3 Without digression from the focus of the work, consistently articulates relationships
between points of development
L4 Maintains a refined sense of structure appropriate to disciplinary and/or professional
contexts
Graduate Level: As a professional, maintains a refined sense of structure in relation to an academic framework integrated into that of a profession
L1 Shows ability to use examples and/or evidence meaningful to audience
L2 Supports most generalizations with examples and/or evidence meaningful to audience
L3 Consistently develops ideas through appropriate use of generalizations, examples, and/or evidence
L4 Develops ideas with appropriate depth, variety, and sufficient interest to engage audience
Graduate Level: As a professional,Explicitly acknowledges contradictory or conflicting evidence when relevant / Relates any of own relevant work that she/he has done
L1 Articulates ideas accurately
L2 Demonstrates appropriate application of designated or selected ideas
L3 Identifies key elements that indicate understanding of frameworks/theories
L4 Articulates original applications, syntheses, and/or evaluations of academic frameworks/ theories, validating them with substantiated thinking and appropriately using valid sources
Graduate Level: As a professional, Effectively integrates academic frameworks/theories into the context of the profession / Thoughtfully challenges existing frameworks and/or approaches
