Artifact – Within the e-portfolio, this term refers to an item that the candidate creates to demonstrate knowledge, dispositions, and performances acquired within a particular course or SOE experience. An e-portfolio artifact may include a single file (e.g., a lesson plan) or multiple files (e.g., a lesson plan, a 5-min. video of students engaged in an activity, a sample of one student’s work produced during the activity). Within the narrative that is included with the artifact, the SOE candidate identifies and explains the SOE themes and INTASC principles that are demonstrated by the files combined in the artifact.
Candidate – This term is used here and in NCATE’s documents to refer to the pre-service teacher in an accredited preparation program. It is differentiated from student, which is the term used to refer to P-12 students.
Competencies - The competencies identified as the developmental outcomes within each of the three SOE theme areas are the criteria used to assess SOE students at each gate. These serve as the basis for the rubrics.
Course Coordinator – A course coordinator is a faculty member who takes responsibility for overseeing an undergraduate course that is (a) a multi-section course, or (b) a single-section course taught by someone who is not a member of the SOE faculty. The course coordinator is responsible for the following administrative, mentoring, and instructional duties associated with the course they have been assigned to coordinate.
Course Instructor – A course instructor takes responsibility for teaching an undergraduate course and may include tenure-track faculty, clinical faculty, graduate teaching assistant, or other qualified person who is not a member of the SOE faculty.
Document – Within the e-portfolio, this term is used to identify a particular kind of file.
Faculty – Employees of a higher education institution with full time assignments. Faculty members are qualified and model best professional practices in scholarship, service, and teaching.
File – SOE candidates use the File Manager within PEP to put files into their e-portfolios. These files are of various kinds (e.g., text documents, video clips, photographs). Each file can be prepared independently as part of a course assignment or experience and then combined with other files into an artifact.
Gate – Within the Purdue University Unit Assessment System, there are four Gates, A, B, C, and D. Candidates must successfully pass through Gates A, B, and C in order to meet all requirements for licensing at Gate D.
Gate Keeper – Faculty who provide formative/summative decisions on candidates’ portfolios.
Gate Review Process and Procedures – Candidates will be audited for meeting requirements at each Gate. Requirements for passing through Gates include required courses, minimum GPAs, satisfactory assessment of portfolios, successful pass scores on tests, etc.
INTASC Principles – The Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC), a project of the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSO), has developed model performance-based standards and assessments for the licensure of teachers. There are ten principles that address knowledge, dispositions, and performances deemed essential for all teachers regardless of their specialty area.
Integrative Narrative – Integrative narratives are written by candidates when they compile artifacts for review at each gate within the unit assessment system. Within the integrative narrative, the candidate demonstrates a level of competency that is appropriate for the gate.
For example, within the integrative narrative written for the first gate, a candidate would articulate how students’ social, cultural and personal histories influence learning (Theme A – Competency #1- INTASC Principle #2). The final gate’s integrative narrative would go beyond articulating and provide evidence that the candidate can apply this understanding, can provide learning opportunities that support diverse learners, and can provide disciplinary knowledge to create effective learning opportunities (Theme A – Competencies #1, 2, and 3 – INTASC Principles #1, 2, 3 and 7).
Model Artifacts and Portfolios – On the MENU page of PEP, these buttons open sample artifacts and portfolios that have been created by SOE candidates and identified by faculty as appropriate models for others to view. Only faculty can recommend an artifact or portfolio as a model.
Portfolio – The entire Purdue electronic portfolio (PEP) is designed as (1) a systematic, web-based collection of candidate-generated works that demonstrate competencies aligned with the Purdue SOE conceptual framework, IPSB standards, and INTASC principles, (2) a dynamic environment in which candidates may reflect on their knowledge, dispositions, and performances over time as they create artifacts to demonstrate learning, and (3) an informative assessment tool for evaluating candidates’ learning and the SOE program. In addition, PEP was created as a vehicle for supporting faculty and candidates as they integrate technology into their own and their students’ learning experiences.
Portfolio – as it is used within the environment of PEP refers to the collection of approved artifacts that the candidate compiles along with an integrative narrative to submit for gate review.
Rubric – Rubrics are evaluation tools aligned with performance standards that are used for guiding and assessing progress.
SOE Themes – The three Purdue University School of Education (SOE) themes (Attention to Learners, Understanding Curriculum in Context, and Commitment to Professional Growth) are aligned with both the INTASC principles and the SOE conceptual framework. They serve as the guides for candidates as they think about their evolving practice and for instructors as they develop curriculum and assess candidates’ knowledge, dispositions, and performances within the SOE.
For additional definitions, please refer to the glossary of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) at the following URL.
http://admin.education.purdue.edu/oppl/2002/UASTF/NCATEglossary.pdf