TRANSKRIPT 🔗
WEBVTT
00:00:02.584 --> 00:00:07.799
Welcome back to Auburn Ed Talks, the official podcast of Auburn University's College of Education.
00:00:07.799 --> 00:00:18.977
Recorded in the Pratt Family Media Production room in our College of Education Building, this podcast spotlights the people, ideas, and innovation shaping the future of education and beyond.
00:00:18.977 --> 00:00:30.155
Today's episode is a special one as we bring together leaders from across Alabama to discuss the PARCA process and what it means for Educator Preparation Programs across Alabama.
00:00:30.155 --> 00:00:42.082
Whether you're a faculty member, program coordinator, administrator, or simply interested in advancing teacher preparation, this conversation will offer practical insights and valuable advice from those leading the work.
00:00:42.082 --> 00:00:48.881
So let's get to talkin’!
00:00:48.881 --> 00:00:50.216
Hello, everyone! I'm Dr.
00:00:50.216 --> 00:00:56.555
Vicky Cardullo, a professor in Auburn University's College of Education, and I'm delighted to welcome you to today's conversation.
00:00:56.555 --> 00:01:09.819
We have an outstanding panel of guests joining us—leaders from PARCA, leaders from the Alabama State Department, and leaders from higher education who have been instrumental in supporting education preparation and the PARCA process across the state.
00:01:09.819 --> 00:01:14.990
Thank you all for being here and for sharing your expertise, your experiences, and your insights.
00:01:14.990 --> 00:01:22.873
We're excited to learn from you and help our listeners better understand the process for higher education programs as they move through PARCA.
00:01:22.873 --> 00:01:33.551
Before we dive into today's discussion on PARCA, let's take a few minutes to get to know our panelists and the important roles each of you play in supporting the educator preparation program across the state of Alabama.
00:01:33.551 --> 00:01:34.968
Would you begin, Jason?
00:01:34.968 --> 00:01:37.971
Absolutely. So, my name is Jason Fulmore.
00:01:37.971 --> 00:01:55.072
I'm a senior research scientist at PARCA, and we have had the opportunity of kind of helping with the methodology and how we put this together to understand what the EPPs are going to be submitting and everything else.
00:01:55.072 --> 00:01:57.492
So, looking forward to it.
00:01:55.082 --> 00:01:57.492
Thank you.
00:01:57.492 --> 00:01:58.200
Good morning.
00:01:58.200 --> 00:02:05.667
Alethea Hampton, Alabama State Department of Education Executive Administrator in Educator Preparation in the Division of Teaching and Leading.
00:02:05.667 --> 00:02:11.296
I have the opportunity to work with all of the EPPs and ATPOs that are approved in Alabama.
00:02:11.296 --> 00:02:11.881
Thank you.
00:02:11.881 --> 00:02:21.014
Hi, Cortney Dilgard, I'm a clinical assistant professor at the University of Alabama and our literacy program coordinator, and I have been a part of the Early Review Committee.
00:02:21.014 --> 00:02:23.393
Perfect.
00:02:21.181 --> 00:02:23.393
Thank you all for those introductions.
00:02:23.393 --> 00:02:27.146
We have a wonderful perspective from a lot of different entities this morning.
00:02:27.146 --> 00:02:29.606
And so I want to jump right into our questions.
00:02:29.606 --> 00:02:39.366
When you think about a successful PARCA submission, what are the key elements that every education program should have in place before they even begin gathering evidence?
00:02:40.784 --> 00:02:42.829
If I can just take a stab at it first.
00:02:42.829 --> 00:02:43.496
Absolutely.
00:02:43.496 --> 00:02:49.711
One, I want to impress that we've just revised our continuous improvement process in the state of Alabama.
00:02:49.711 --> 00:02:57.384
And this is a great time because everything's falling right in place with literacy, with numeracy, and with what we're doing with all of the other programs.
00:02:57.384 --> 00:03:04.266
So, when we look at all of the programs, the first thing is critical for them to think about the curriculum alignment.
00:03:04.266 --> 00:03:09.271
Think about the key assessments and think about the field experiences.
00:03:09.271 --> 00:03:21.658
We want all of our EPPs to be engaged in the process of continuous improvement, and learning to use those three data pieces so that they can ensure that their candidates are learning didactically what they need to know in the classrooms.
00:03:21.658 --> 00:03:37.300
They're able to demonstrate that on the assessments, and the EPP is keeping a pulse on what they need to change in order for them to be more effective, and that they are having an opportunity to marry the theoretical and the applicable when they go out and do their field experiences.
00:03:37.925 --> 00:03:40.010
Yeah, I don't know.
00:03:40.010 --> 00:03:40.010
I could have said that much better.
00:03:40.010 --> 00:03:40.929
That was great.
00:03:40.929 --> 00:03:43.889
Do you want to add anything to it?
00:03:43.889 --> 00:03:48.811
Cortney, Cortney's been part of the the process, so I think she really has a good -- a good sense.
00:03:48.811 --> 00:03:49.103
Yeah.
00:03:49.103 --> 00:04:03.200
So, I would say kind of where we started reflecting is just the work that we had done prior with ARI and with the crosswalk document and looking at how we align those standards within our literacy courses.
00:04:03.200 --> 00:04:12.502
And then the work that we've done recently is just looking to make sure that that work is very transparent in our materials and our syllabi.
00:04:12.502 --> 00:04:17.923
I think as higher ed professionals, a lot of times, you know, we have that curriculum mapping tucked in our back pocket.
00:04:17.923 --> 00:04:18.757
We have it there.
00:04:18.757 --> 00:04:23.512
But just making sure that that is transparent in the materials has been really important.
00:04:24.096 --> 00:04:25.014
I agree.
00:04:25.014 --> 00:04:34.357
What I'm hearing is that it doesn't happen overnight, and that it
Load full transcript
takes intentional planning and that we need to look at multiple sources as we're moving forward.
00:04:34.357 --> 00:04:37.485
And having that transparency, I think is really critical.
00:04:37.776 --> 00:04:38.069
Yeah.
00:04:38.069 --> 00:04:40.654
And you've been part of that process as well, Vicky.
00:04:40.654 --> 00:04:50.081
So it's how I think you guys offer a real interesting perspective, because you've been able to look at it as we've been looking at other programs and such.
00:04:50.081 --> 00:04:58.673
The experience, I think, is a comprehensive view and looking at it from a distant view all the way down to the micro view, I think is really critical.
00:04:58.673 --> 00:05:07.307
And I think having these conversations across universities is really important because everyone hears the same message then.
00:05:07.307 --> 00:05:08.057
Yeah, I agree.
00:05:09.100 --> 00:05:09.934
Absolutely.
00:05:09.934 --> 00:05:10.267
Alright.
00:05:10.267 --> 00:05:20.944
My next question, what are some of the most common misconceptions institutions have about PARCA evaluation process, and what advice would you give programs to help them navigate it successfully?
00:05:22.529 --> 00:05:28.619
Oh wow, I wish I actually knew what most of the common misconceptions were.
00:05:28.619 --> 00:05:40.213
I think that if I were sitting back, a lot of times, and this is anecdotal, I don't deal with a lot of anecdotal data.
00:05:40.213 --> 00:05:44.718
So, I would love to have a focus group and actually be able to ask.
00:05:44.718 --> 00:06:01.360
But because of the process you guys went through with Barksdale previously, and the feeling that everyone had, as it related to maybe it not being as transparent as they hoped it would be or whatever the case was.
00:06:01.360 --> 00:06:17.084
I wasn't a part of that, I wasn't here. The fact that PARCA would have a similar type of process, I think, is one of the things that I think most people assume, and our process is a little bit different.
00:06:17.084 --> 00:06:22.839
One of the things we wanted to do very, very early on, we wanted an outside perspective.
00:06:22.839 --> 00:06:49.324
So we have team leaders from outside of the state of Alabama, but we thought it was critical for institutions within the state of Alabama to play a role in helping us understand whether the rubric was working or it's not working, what to look for, so we could have this conversation so that you could have conversations with other institutions and trying to be as transparent as possible, so that I think that's for me.
00:06:49.324 --> 00:06:52.411
I don't - I would love to hear what you guys perception is.
00:06:52.411 --> 00:06:52.661
Yeah.
00:06:52.661 --> 00:07:07.718
For me, what I've seen is, is that transition from an attainment mindset to a growth mindset, and too often EPPs have been on the side of if you didn't get it, there were consequences and they're afraid about those consequences.
00:07:07.718 --> 00:07:13.682
We're moving more to that truly continuous improvement vein where let's look at what's working.
00:07:13.682 --> 00:07:15.392
Let's look at what's not working.
00:07:15.392 --> 00:07:28.113
How do we make the adjustments to ensure that those things that haven't been working, we can tweak and make sure we're we're trying to become more effective in those places, but don't throw out everything and keep those things that have been successful.
00:07:28.113 --> 00:07:35.788
And another thing that's really new - that EPPs are making huge adjustments to - the collaborative spirit that has come about with this.
00:07:35.788 --> 00:07:52.096
And so it's really wonderful to see how EPPs are reaching across to one another, relying on that expertise that lies within each of them, so that they can have something that's unanimously decided upon and also that's beneficial for the candidates.
00:07:52.305 --> 00:07:53.180
I agree.
00:07:53.180 --> 00:07:55.432
There's two things that I wanted to kind of pop in there.
00:07:55.432 --> 00:07:59.896
One of the things I think you mentioned, it's evaluative, but it's not punitive, right?
00:07:59.896 --> 00:08:04.567
And I don't think that that is a message that has come across all the way yet.
00:08:04.567 --> 00:08:12.033
I think that's something that we have to continue to talk about, and that it is a end mindset or an end goal.
00:08:12.033 --> 00:08:13.242
What are we doing with this?
00:08:13.242 --> 00:08:21.875
It's got to be more than just we're checking off the boxes to submit it. And how are we using the tools and the data in order to support our next steps?
00:08:21.875 --> 00:08:28.673
And then the other thing is looking at universities and the collaborative nature across universities.
00:08:28.673 --> 00:08:30.800
I think that is the powerful thing.
00:08:30.800 --> 00:08:33.846
I think that is the most powerful piece that we have so far.
00:08:33.846 --> 00:08:41.562
In order to have EPPs have a resource that has a like mind.
00:08:38.193 --> 00:08:41.562
Yes.
00:08:42.062 --> 00:08:42.522
Yeah.
00:08:42.522 --> 00:08:46.900
I’m fairly new like as far as this process.
00:08:46.900 --> 00:08:55.451
So you guys could probably speak historically to, you know, whether EPPs have been more siloed and kind of not had this level of collaboration.
00:08:55.451 --> 00:09:05.168
I think it's fantastic because I think that your opportunity to learn from one another - I'm really happy you put this together, Vicky.
00:09:05.168 --> 00:09:12.009
And that, that and Auburn put this together, because this should be part of this process the entire way through.
00:09:12.009 --> 00:09:23.812
So I again, I, I'm very, from an outsider's perspective, and I'm trying to play the role of kind of assessing and evaluating, kind of staying on the outside a little bit.
00:09:23.812 --> 00:09:28.985
I'm very, very pleased with kind of the process that has kind of come up, come about.
00:09:28.985 --> 00:09:30.820
Sorry, Cortney, I don't
know if I jumped in.
00:09:30.820 --> 00:09:36.241
No, I would add, like, I really have appreciated PARCA's responsiveness just during the early reviews.
00:09:36.241 --> 00:09:45.750
And, you know, things that we've brought up and things that we've had questions about, just them being very open and listening and adjusting based on what we're seeing.
00:09:45.750 --> 00:09:53.384
And so I think that speaks to this growth mindset and is setting a really good foundation for the process.
00:09:53.426 --> 00:09:54.009
Fantastic.
00:09:54.009 --> 00:09:56.803
And it's a little nostalgic being here today because, Dr.
00:09:56.803 --> 00:10:03.686
Cardullo, just as a personal privilege to you, you started this in bringing everybody to Auburn to birth the standards.
00:10:03.686 --> 00:10:10.900
And so now being back here today, it's almost coming full circle to where it began and now to how we evaluate the process.
00:10:10.900 --> 00:10:14.404
So it's wonderful to see the transition that has taken place in the state.
00:10:14.447 --> 00:10:16.240
I appreciate that.
00:10:14.456 --> 00:10:16.240
Absolutely.
00:10:16.240 --> 00:10:19.869
I know our time is short, and so I want to go on to the next question.
00:10:19.869 --> 00:10:28.543
Looking ahead, what advice would you give to education preparation programs as they prepare for the future of PARCA and program evaluation?
00:10:28.543 --> 00:10:36.760
What practices should they begin implementing now to ensure that they have a good, strong, successful submission?
00:10:38.303 --> 00:10:49.065
Well, I mean, I think you're doing one of the most important steps in this, in this having this conversation today and everything else.
00:10:49.065 --> 00:10:58.865
But I think that for me, or from PARCA's perspective, is we're going to be sharing some templates in the future.
00:10:58.865 --> 00:11:02.535
That was a feedback we got from the, from the reviewers.
00:11:02.535 --> 00:11:05.246
We’re going to be sharing a couple of different things.
00:11:05.246 --> 00:11:18.510
And I think what I would want to kind of share out is at any point in time, if you have questions, you're not sure about what the next step is, what you're going to do, our door is open.
00:11:18.510 --> 00:11:19.595
Please reach out.
00:11:19.595 --> 00:11:24.100
And if we don't have the answer, you know we will talk to one of the reviewers.
00:11:24.100 --> 00:11:35.193
We will, we will, we will find out the way to help you be as successful as possible with what you're submitting so that they're able to do their job.
00:11:35.193 --> 00:11:37.488
So that's kind of from our perspective.
00:11:38.489 --> 00:11:42.326
Just from the state's perspective, focus on progress, not perfection.
00:11:43.284 --> 00:11:43.451
Yeah.
00:11:43.451 --> 00:11:48.791
And I think at the EPP level, looking at those key assessments that you mentioned earlier is really important.
00:11:48.791 --> 00:11:50.710
Look to see what you're already doing well.
00:11:50.710 --> 00:11:57.758
And then, I was previewing some of the sessions on the agenda today looking at there's some gap analysis opportunities and that kind of thing.
00:11:57.758 --> 00:12:04.807
And I think kind of focusing there on where you can grow and looking at the standards and what you can do better is a great place to start.
00:12:05.682 --> 00:12:16.985
Well, this has been a very insightful conversation, hearing perspectives from different people - from PARCA to State Department to higher ed - and I appreciate the insights that you've given us.
00:12:16.985 --> 00:12:22.283
The review process is an opportunity for institutions to grow, and I believe that.
00:12:22.283 --> 00:12:33.836
And I think that as we collaborate together and come together, that growth process will happen and hopefully we'll be able to have an institute next year again, or something else that helps us to collaborate.
00:12:33.836 --> 00:12:35.671
So thank you.
00:12:33.846 --> 00:12:35.671
Thank you.
00:12:33.855 --> 00:12:35.671
Thank you, Vicky.
00:12:37.505 --> 00:12:40.301
Well, thanks for joining us for this episode of Auburn Ed Talks.
00:12:40.301 --> 00:12:49.769
We hope today's conversation provided valuable perspectives on program evaluation, continuous improvement, and the collaborative efforts that support future educators across our state.
00:12:49.769 --> 00:12:58.235
Be sure to subscribe for more conversations that elevate, empower, and celebrate the work of education leaders and educators.. War Eagle.