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Discover Graduate Programs in Education at Georgia College
We ’ ve Produced Quality Educators for More than
Our programs are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), the Georgia Professional Standards Association (PSC) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).
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PROGRAMS
Master of Arts in Teaching in Middle Grades Education (online) Master of Arts in Teaching in Secondary Education Master of Arts in Teaching in Special Education* Master of Education in Educational Leadership (online) MasterMaster ofof EducaEducation in Middle Grades Education* Master of Education in Early Childhood Education* Master of Education in Special Education* Specialist Degree in Educational Leadership (online) Master of Education in Reading, Literacy and Language*
*Indicates programs are offered partially online or hybrid. Master of Education in Secondary Education (online) NON-DEGREE CERTIFICATION: Master of Education in Programs in Educational Technology - Media Specialist, P-12 (online)
Instructional Technology (online) Instructional Technology, P-12 (online) Master of Education Programs in Library Media (online) English to Speakers of Other Languages Specialist of Education with emphasis in: Endorsement, P - 12 (online)
Early Childhood Education* Reading Endorsement*
Middle Grades Education* Reading Specialist, P-12*
Secondary Education (online) Specialist of Education in Special Education* Learn more at gcsu.edu/education
Volunteers Wanted for Academic Competitions The PAGE Foundation honors outstanding students and teachers and encourages academic excellence through competitive programs such as the PAGE Academic Bowl for Middle Grades and PAGE Georgia Academic Decathlon. These programs would not be possible without the assistance of many dedicated volunteers. To find out more about volunteer opportunities, visit pagefoundation.org and click the “Academic Bowl” or “GAD” tab.
Ruling: Under the Fair Dismissal Act, Charter Schools Have Waived Employee Tenure
By Jill Hay, PAGE General Counsel & Director of Legal Services
Last summer, the Georgia Court of Appeals ruled [1] that Georgia charter school systems and charter schools have waived the Fair Dismissal Act, commonly referred to as “teacher tenure,” unless the system’s or school’s charter affirmatively incorporates the Fair Dismissal Act or allows FDA rules or policies. The ruling means that unless charter school systems and charter schools affirmatively state that they intend to extend tenure to employees, then tenure protections do not exist in the charter system or charter school.
Once a teacher has signed a fourth contract by the same employer, he or she enjoys a standing as tenure. Acquiring tenure rights simply means that one has a right to expect continuous employment in that school system. In other words, the school system must renew your contract year after year unless good cause to non-renew can be shown in a hearing that is afforded to the teacher under the Fair Dismissal Act.
THE RULING STANDS
The Court of Appeals case involved a Floyd County guidance counselor whose employment contract was non-renewed due to a Reduction in Force. The local school board voted in favor of Gilda Day’s non-renewal. Day objected, and the case wound through the State Board of Education, Superior Court and the Georgia Court of Appeals.
The ruling was not favorable to tenured teachers employed in charter systems or charter schools. The court held that under the Charter Schools Act, “systems are granted a general waiver exempting them from most state statutory and regulatory schemes that apply to non-charter public schools under Title 20.” Day argued that teacher tenure is a vested property right and that due process is a civil right that could not be waived by charter systems and charter schools. The court disagreed.
Day appealed to the Georgia Supreme Court, and it has denied the Writ of Certiorari, in other words, the court has refused to hear her case. Therefore, the original decision of the local school board to nonrenew Day’s contract was reinstated.
THE UPSHOT FOR EDUCATORS AND CHARTERS
PAGE is disappointed with this legal decision. Its implications are widespread given the large number of charter systems and charter schools in Georgia. It is important for educators in those systems or schools to understand that tenure is waived unless the charter affirmatively incorporates the Fair Dismissal Act or the local school board initiates policies to allow for employee fair dismissal. Appropriately, tenure does not prevent school districts from dismissing poorly performing employees, but it does protect employees who may be unfairly treated.
In the wake of the Day decision, PAGE hopes that charter school districts will amend their charter contracts to affirmatively add tenure protections for their valued employees.
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[1] Day v. Floyd County Board of Education, 333 Ga. App. 144 (2015)
The PAGE Assistant Principal and Teacher Leadership Academy is a two-year experience whereby assistant principals and teachers collaborate to develop engagement-focused schools. Leaders in these schools strive to know students well and design rigorous, relevant work for students and staff.
For information about Assistant Principal and Teacher Leadership Academy, please contact Ricky Clemmons at 770-826-0161 or rclemmons@pageinc.org.
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‘As we embarked on this journey in the Assistant Principal Teacher Leadership Academy, I had many questions: What will we learn? How will this help us? Is there something wrong with our school? So much uncertainty! I am proud to say that the academy is a wonderful experience thus far. In Burke County, we are already implementing many useful strategies, such as design qualities for increasing engagement. I can’t wait to learn more to continue to improve my district’ — Richard Washington, Burke County Middle School
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1. (l-r) Ricky Clemmons from PAGE and Carrollton ES Assistant Principal Montrell McClendon with Melanie Harwell from Calhoun ES and Jessica Trimble from Calhoun PS. 2. Felecia Lovett (left) and Colisa Latimore from Blakeney ES (Burke). 3. (l-r) Lindsey Montgomery , Brad Burel and Sarah Bright from Cartersville MS. ‘APTLA is truly changing my vision and expectations within my classroom, school and county. It is refreshing to be with others who understand exactly what I’m going through and where I’m coming from. It is awesome to learn from educators around the state and to take what we learn back to our school system to make positive changes.’ — Katie Taylor, 2nd Grade Teacher, Burke County
4. Schlechty Center Senior Associate Annie Wimbish coaches leaders on their various roles. 5. North Columbus ES Assistant Principal Aetavia Williams (left) and Melanie Gouine (Muscogee). 6. Brooks County MS Assistant Principal Derrick Jenkins (foreground) and Waynesboro PS Assistant Principal Merla Jones (Burke). 7. (l-r) Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe HS Assistant Principal Chance Nix, teacher Amanda Campbell, Assistant Principal Kristy Montieth, and teachers Rhonda Eaves and Jason Lyles (Catoosa). 8. (l-r) Kelly Voss from Lowndes MS with Matt Rice and Brock Holley from Calhoun HS.
teach 21st-century learners engage technology
This PAGE One column features technology-in-the-classroom advice from tech-savvy Georgia educators.
Technology in the Classroom: Badges, A Means to Teacher Professional Growth and Certificate Renewal
By Dr. Thomas R. Koballa Jr.
Teacher professional development is often the key to school improvement, and school improvement rarely occurs in the absence of teacher professional development. Changes presented in the Georgia Professional Standards Commission’s Certificate Renewal Requirements (505-2-3.6), set to become effective July 1, 2017, highlight a recalibration of teacher professional development, while pushing school leaders to optimize the effectiveness of teacher professional development.
By what means can educators meet the new requirements and document completion of professional learning segments? Digital badging may be an answer. Think Scout merit badges — with each badge signifying the acquisition of a new set of skills or understandings. Now think about badges, not on a Scout’s sash, but as digital images linked to a collection of information, called metadata, that provides details about what was learned and actual evidence that the learner has demonstrated new skills and understandings.
As Kevin Carey explained, digital badges operate much like when you take a photo with a smartphone [1]. Most people focus on the image alone. But, associated with the digital image is a wealth of data, including the date and time the photo was taken, the file size, image resolution and more. If a GPS receiver is installed in the phone, coordinates — latitude and longitude — of where the photo was taken are also part of the data file.
Digital badges function in much the same manner. By positioning your cursor over a badge and clicking, you can gain access to metadata about the badge. Thanks to Mozilla’s Open Badges project, common protocols were established for the kinds of data accessed when clicking on a badge. Metadata typically includes the issuing institution and date issued, perhaps an expiration date, the rubric or standards used for assessing competence and the artifacts that provide evidence of learner accomplishment. The set of common protocols also enable anyone — universities, businesses, schools and individuals — to issue badges.
CERTIFICATE RENEWAL
Over the past year, faculty in the College of Education at Georgia Southern University, in partnership with the First District RESA, several south Georgia school systems, eCOM of Scotland and the university’s Center for Academic Technology Support have initiated an open badging project targeting the professional development needs of Georgia teachers consistent with the new certificate renewal requirements. The project provides opportunities for teacher learning across the 10 Teacher Assessment on Performance Standards of the Georgia Teacher Keys Effectiveness System.
The project was developed because College of Education faculty and administrators sought to provide opportunities for teacher professional development across the 10 TAPS. Conversations with teachers and guidance from an advisory board composed of school leaders, teachers and system-level curriculum coordinators and administrators prompted the decision to develop instructional modules informed by the following principles: • Modules should be suitable for induction teachers as well as veteran teachers. • Modules should emphasize the recalibration of teaching practices relative to TAPS rather than changing teaching practices. • Modules should facilitate competencybased learning and allow for use by an individual learner or professional learning communities. • Modules will be most instructive when they support the expectations of teaching and learning in public schools. • Modules should include vignettes of practice, as well as opportunities for reflection and for the demonstration of appropriate practice through job-embedded performance. • Use of the modules should enhance school/university partnerships that promote high-quality teaching and learning. • Completion of modules should be formally recognized (i.e., certificate, badge, etc.) and may lead to the awarding of university graduate credit.
These guiding principles and our growing understanding of open badging, via eCOM consultants, led to our focus on badging.
TAPS MODULES UNDERWAY
We plan to develop three to five modules for each of the 10 TAPS. Each module will take about 10 to 12 hours to complete. Badges are earned by demonstrating competence through job-embedded performances tied to skills and understandings associated with the standards. Presently, we are field testing modules within Standard 4: Differentiated Instruction
Think Scout merit badges — with each and Standard 8: Academically Challenging Learning badge signifying the acquisition of Environments. According to project advisory board members, assessors’ ratings of teachspecific skills or understandings. Now think about badges, not on a Scout’s ers’ TAPS performances in their school systems were the sash, but as digital images linked to lowest for these standards. details about what was learned and Modules support a progression of learning emphasizing providing evidence of comprehension. the construction of knowledge, the execution of optimal practice and the development of leadership skills and strategies. The graphic to the right shows this progression for Standard 4: Differentiated Instruction, with the puzzle piece indicating that differentiated instruction is but one aspect of teaching, integrally linked to others. The figure also reveals our two-tiered badging approach: Educators who complete all five badges for Standard 4 will earn a Mega-Badge for Differentiated Instruction, signifying a broad-range of learning relative to the standard. The inclusion of leadership as the focus for at least one badge for each standard supports Georgia’s new tiered certification system. Leadership badges, which build on the knowledge and skills acquired through other badges, provide advanced professional development opportunities activities in the model’s third step. encourage the formation of communities for teachers who seek to become leaders of • In the final step, the learner is asked to of teachers around shared areas of expertise their peers. produce evidence of competence in his or and interest, and they provide a means for
The intended audience for the modules her own school context when engaging in school systems to document and validate is teachers who want to improve their own performance tasks introduced in Step 2. teachers’ professional development, ranging practice and their students’ learning. All A consistent pattern of activities across all from granular skills to learning portfolios. teachers may benefit from engaging with modules helps learners know what to expect When contemplating your next professional the modules, especially induction-level and should expedite their completion of development experience, consider earning a teachers — those in their first three years of multiple modules. badge. n teaching or those working in a new field — An instructor’s favorable assessment who desire opportunities to learn and dem- results in a badge signifying the learner’s REFERENCES onstrate improvement of their practice. strengthened educational identity. It Carey, K. (2015). “The End of College: can be displayed on a school website or Creating the Future of Learning and the MODULES HAVE CONSISTENT FLOW on LinkedIn or Facebook, for example. University of Everywhere.” New York:
Teacher engagement with each module is The metadata accompanying a badge Riverhead Books. facilitated by a four-step model of instruc- can help school leaders document the Ferdig, R. & Pytash, K. (2014). “There’s a tion and by an instructor with expertise in outcomes of professional development, Badge For That.” Tech & Learning. Retrieved the standard: showing accomplishments and learn- Dec. 22, 2015, from techlearning.com/ • First, a short video highlights a chal- ing pathways at a level of specificity not news/0002/theres-a-badge-for-that/63725. lenge encountered by teachers and pro- possibly revealed through diplomas, vides context for learning. course grades, certificates or Professional • In the second step, the module’s core Learning Units. elements are introduced: job-embed- Badges are not just the latest educational ded performance tasks and rubrics for fad: They demonstrate a shared underassessing competence. The learner’s standing of accomplished outcomes [2]. Georgia Southern knowledge and skills relative to the Through badges, teachers can gain access University’s Dr. module’s learning objectives are also to personalized professional develop- Thomas Koballa diagnosed in this step. ment experiences that target the skills and Jr. is dean of • The badge instructor’s diagnostic apprais- knowledge they want and need to be more the College of al customizes a menu of instructional effective classroom leaders. Badges can also Education.
