The faculty of the College of Education, Health, and Human Services at Oswego State University believes that the role of schools is to promote authentic learning by all students. The role of educators in meeting that goal is to function as socially conscious catalysts for change who create and sustain school environments where excellence is cherished and social justice flourishes. These beliefs reflect the mission of the College of Education, Health, and Human Services.
Conceptual Framework and Professional Dispositions
Conceptual Framework
The act of weaving a braid is a visual metaphor for the interactive, recursive, and transformative nature of the teaching and learning process. Educators continually weave strands of knowledge, practice, reflection, collaboration, and leadership, thus creating a complex braided school fabric in which authentic learning is an everyday reality for diverse students. Concern for social justice anchors the educational process; it is the knot at the top of the braid.
Authentic Learning
Educators provide meaningful opportunities and appropriate support for all students to engage in self-directed inquiry, problem-solving, critical thinking, and reflection in real-world and creative contexts.
Social Justice
Educators who graduate from Oswego State University are socially conscious catalysts for change who promote authentic learning by all students.
Knowledge
Educators have a deep understanding of the organizing concepts, processes, and attitudes that comprise the disciplinary knowledge base (including the New York State Next Generation Learning Standards), the pedagogical knowledge base, and the pedagogical content knowledge base.
Practice
Educators have a rich repertoire of research-based strategies for instruction, assessments, and use of educational technologies, focused on promoting authentic learning by all students.
Reflection
Educators continually assess and reflect upon their professional practice in order to change and grow as life-long learners.
Collaboration and Leadership
Educators continually seek opportunities to work together, learn from one another, forge partnerships, and assume positions of responsibility and leadership.
Professional Dispositions
Professional dispositions are the habits of mind and resulting behaviors that make it possible for educators to use their professional knowledge and skills to fulfill the vision expressed by the conceptual framework of the School of Education at SUNY Oswego.
Educators must express professional values, commitments, and ethics in order to promote authentic learning by all students in socially just school environments. We expect the potential for these dispositions to be exhibited by candidates at entrance to all programs. Faculty, administrators, teachers, and other school personnel associated with programs in the School of Education support the development of candidates' understanding and practice of these professional dispositions with a socio-cultural perspective.
Our goal is to prepare educators to function effectively as socially conscious catalysts for change, who create and sustain school environments where excellence is cherished and social justice flourishes.
Advocacy
Educators understand how social structures and power relationships disadvantage some groups of learners; assume an effective leadership role in recognizing and challenging injustice; and act with courage and patience to ensure that all students can learn authentically at high levels in socially just schools.
Collaboration
Educators listen, communicate, and work effectively with others from a variety of diverse backgrounds to provide a safe, inclusive, equitable, and shared learning environment.
Commitment to Authentic Learning and Teaching
Educators exhibit enthusiasm, initiative, and dedication to the task of providing a safe, inclusive, equitable environment for all students to learn at high levels; and seek effective new ideas, diverse perspectives, and relevant information to develop continuously as educators for social justice.
Critical Reflection
Educators exhibit self-awareness and critical inquiry into their own biases and teaching practice within a socio-cultural perspective; and seek and respond appropriately to constructive feedback from others to improve their own practice.
Integrity
Educators exhibit honesty, fairness, and trustworthiness; adhere to professional ethics and standards of behavior; recognize and challenge injustice in effective ways; and act in the best interest of all students and others in the learning community.
Socially-Conscious Respect and Responsibility
Educators demonstrate cultural sensitivity, empathy, and a commitment to understanding others. They take responsibility for authentic learning by all students, showing initiative, reliability, and sound judgment. Through equitable best practices, they create inclusive and supportive learning environments.