David
You probably know we in England have a National Curriculum for
Initial teacher Education, and even national numeracy and other
tests for beginning teachers.
What you may not know is that we also have now benchmarks for
various levels of programmes at undergraduate and even post-
graduate level: forinstance I am being asked to 'comply' by using
certain key phrases in describing the Key Skills and Qualification
Descriptors for my Masters course so that it complies with what is
described as 'M-level'
Here's one:
"a systematic understanding of knowledge and a critical awareness
of current problems and/or new insights, much of which is at, or
informed by, the forefront of their academic discipline, field of
study, or area of professional practice"
Julian
Subject: State Regulation vs Academic Freedom
To: xmca@weber.ucsd.edu
Copies to: "Earl H Cheek" <echeek@lsu.edu>, "atrous" <atrous@lsu.edu>,
jwander@lsu.edu
From: "David H Kirshner" <dkirsh@lsu.edu>
Date sent: Thu, 10 Apr 2003 17:37:34 -0500
Forwarded by: xmca@weber.ucsd.edu
Send reply to: xmca@weber.ucsd.edu
Date forwarded: Thu, 10 Apr 2003 15:41:08 -0700 (PDT)
> XMCA Colleagues.
>
> In parallel with many other U.S. states, we in Louisiana recently have
> undergone extensive revision of our teacher certification programs
> (undergraduate and graduate) to make them conform to new licensure
> requirements promulgated by the Louisiana Department of Education and the
> Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE). Now the Board of
> Regents which oversees higher education in Louisiana, in conjunction with
> BESE, has issued a set of prescriptive guidelines for our non-certification
> masters programs. These guidelines are intrusive, including prescriptions
> for the structuring of specializations (which currently are
> unstructured--negotiated individually), and for the inclusion of
> "performance indicators" for each course description.
>
> Our Department is struggling with how to respond to what appears to be a
> clear infringement of our academic freedom. We would appreciate finding out
> if colleagues in other U.S. states or other national jurisdictions are
> grappling with similar problems.
>
> Thanks.
> David
>
> _____________________
> David Kirshner
> Department of Curriculum & Instruction
> Louisiana State University
> Baton Rouge LA 70803-4728
> (225) 578-2332 (225) 578-9135 (fax)
> dkirsh@lsu.edu
>
>
>
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