Education

Mission

The mission of the Chadron State College Education Preparation program, founded on educating Visionary Leaders, is to prepare teacher candidates to use current pedagogical methods that effectively impact student learning in the candidate’s respective content area/s of study. Candidates will gain applicable knowledge and skills in the area of assessment, curriculum, guidance, diversity education, classroom management, professional issues, special education, English language learners, psychology, literacy and instructional technology as part of this program.

Philosophy

Education in a democracy is accepted as the most important human activity for the maintenance, perpetuation, and advancement of the society. The Education Preparation Program at Chadron State College is dedicated to the development of visionary leaders. The program recognizes the institutional responsibility of developing leadership that promotes collaborative engagement and advocacy to influence policy development to serve all constituents in our profession. The faculty within the Education Program act upon a set of common beliefs that reflect the importance placed upon the preparation of qualified professional educators who will assume leadership roles within the local education community and the education profession at large.

Students within the Education Program are valued as unique individual learners, each wanting to learn and also capable of making good learning decisions. Each student is a client to be served by the staff of CSC, and in turn, the student (Teacher Candidate) will serve others after graduation in their role as an educator.

We believe the educator’s role is to facilitate learning. The facilitation of learning is accomplished by creating opportunities for all learners to actively participate/engage in the learning environment and process knowledge through methods appropriate to their individual learning needs. Our model is based, to a great extent, on the constructivist theory of learning.

In so doing, various methods of instruction are planned to be consistent with sound theory and current research findings. The individual faculty member is free to use varied approaches and personalized techniques in instruction. In creating a non-threatening learning climate, allowances for individual learning preferences are encouraged and responded to through appropriate pedagogical practices and open, respectful communication among all participants. Learning is believed to be inherently joyful and efforts toward developing and maintaining this end are supported. The demands of the content of the subject are not diminished in the teaching effort which will produce the greatest positive change.

The Visionary Leader Model

Chadron State College’s Education Preparation Program is designed to produce Visionary Leaders. Visionary Leaders inherit our profession’s quintessential traditions and tools and are made aware of the best contemporary educational research and developments. We bequeath a vital educational vision - one that honors both tradition and innovation - to our students.

The Visionary Leader model is depicted by three interlocking circles, each representing an interrelated area of the curriculum: Essential Studies, Specialty Studies, and Professional Studies. One circle, professional studies, consists of seven learning themes that make up the instructional themes for the Education Preparation Program. These learning themes are:

  • Communication
  • Thinking Skills
  • Methodology
  • Leadership
  • Assessment
  • Inclusive Learning Environment
  • Professionalism

These seven theme areas constitute the instructional themes for the professional preparation programs at Chadron State College. All seven learning themes are interwoven throughout the professional preparation program curricula.

Student Learning Outcomes

CSC Education Program Intended Outcomes

The intended program outcomes are as follows:

  1. CSC/InTASC Standard #1: Learner Development. The teacher candidate understands how learners grow and develop, recognizing that patterns of learning and development vary individually within and across the cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical areas, and designs and implements developmentally appropriate and challenging learning experiences. (Methodology)
  2. CSC/InTASC Standard #2: Learning Differences. The teacher candidate uses understanding of individual differences and diverse cultures and communities to ensure inclusive learning environments that enable each learner to meet high standards. (Inclusive Learning Environments)
  3. CSC/InTASC Standard #3: Learning Environments. The teacher candidate works with others to create environments that support individual and collaborative learning, and that encourage positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation. (Communication)
  4. CSC/InTASC Standard #4: Content Knowledge. The teacher candidate understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches and creates learning experiences that make the discipline accessible and meaningful for learners to assure mastery of the content. (Specialty Studies)
  5. CSC/InTASC Standard #5: Application of Content. The teacher candidate understands how to connect concepts and use differing perspectives to engage learners in critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative problem solving related to authentic local and global issues. (Thinking Skills)
  6. CSC/InTASC Standard #6: Assessment. The teacher candidate understands and uses multiple methods of assessment to engage learners in their own growth, to monitor learner progress, and to guide the teacher’s and learner’s decision making. (Assessment)
  7. CSC/InTASC Standard #7: Planning for Instruction. The teacher candidate plans instruction that supports every student in meeting rigorous learning goals by drawing upon knowledge of content areas, curriculum, cross-disciplinary skills, technology, and pedagogy, as well as knowledge of learners and the community context. (Methodology)
  8. CSC/InTASC Standard #8: Instructional Strategies. The teacher candidate understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage learners to develop deep understanding of content areas and their connections, and to build skills to apply knowledge in meaningful ways. (Methodology)
  9. CSC/InTASC Standard #9: Professional Learning and Ethical Practice. The teacher candidate engages in ongoing professional learning and uses evidence to continually evaluate his/her practice, particularly the effects of his/her choices and actions on others (learners, families, other professionals, and the community), and adapts practice to meet the needs of each learner. (Professionalism)
  10. CSC/InTASC Standard #10: Leadership and Collaboration. The teacher candidate seeks appropriate leadership roles and opportunities to take responsibility for student learning, to collaborate with learners, families, colleagues, other school professionals, and community members to ensure learner growth, and to advance the profession. (Leadership)
  11. CSC Standard #11: Impact on Student Learning and Development.  The teacher candidate works to positively impact the learning and development for all students. (Professionalism)
  12. CSC Standard #12: Professional Dispositions. The teacher candidate demonstrates passion, self-awareness, initiative and enthusiasm; and demonstrates skills in interpersonal relationship, reflective response to feedback, and displays evidence of appropriates social awareness; and practices good judgment, flexibility, problem-solving skill, professional communication and organization; and maintains a professional demeanor and appearance, and displays dependability, punctuality and perseverance. (Communication, Professionalism)

CCSSO’s Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC). (2013). InTASC model core teaching standards and learning progressions for teachers 1.0. Washington, DC: Council of Chief State School Officers.

Program Changes

Chadron State College is a member of the Nebraska Council on Teacher Education, a teacher education governance and recommending body to the Nebraska Department of Education; therefore, all students majoring in early childhood, elementary, middle grades, secondary, or graduate level education programs are subject to any program rule changes that may occur while a student is enrolled. 

For information about the Chadron State College Education Preparation Program, please follow the link to the CSC Teacher Education Handbook at https://www.csc.edu/media/website/content-assets/documents/pdf/education/Teacher-Education-Handbook-2023-2024.pdf.

Program for Adding an Endorsement

To add another endorsement to an existing teaching/administrative certificate, the student must complete the appropriate departmental and endorsement area coursework. To determine coursework requirements, the student should contact the CSC Teacher Certification Officer for assistance in completing an Evaluation Worksheet for an Added Endorsement program. The student must then notify the Teacher Certification Officer when the program coursework is complete and request that the subsequent Endorsement be posted (or added) to the student’s official CSC transcript record. The student may then submit a Nebraska Application for Teacher Certification to the Nebraska Department of Education, in order for the State Department of Education to add this new endorsement to the student’s teaching/administrative certificate. The CSC Certification Office is unable to process requests to added endorsements/programs to a teaching certificate until this procedure has been completed.