DEFENSE OF DEGREE

WORKSHOP

DALLAS BAPTIST UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF EDUCATIONGRADUATE PROGRAMS

Capstone collection of signature assessments and artifacts with reflections that demonstrate a

candidate’s personal growth, development, and acquisition of knowledge, skills, and dispositions.

WHY A DEFENSE OF DEGREE?

Desire for meaningful and authentic assessment

Candidates’ evidence of growth through the reflection/explanation of designated standards

Allows candidates to present information about themselves as learners and to document growth over time

WHY A DEFENSE OF DEGREE?

The College of Education program directors, faculty, and Educator Preparation Board members have determined three competencies in which candidates will demonstrate their knowledge, skills, and dispositions.

Candidate demonstrates expertise/experience in three competencies:

(1) College of Education – Diversity(2) Program Specific – (see program director)(3) Candidate Choice – (refer to Standards)

DEFENSE OF DEGREEOBJECTIVES

Candidates: take an active role in shaping their learning process reflect on their learning process and become evaluators of their own work and performanceset goals for their progress and feel comfortable in taking risks in achieving those goals

OBJECTIVES

Candidates have the opportunity to actively engage in an exchange of ideas and feedback with their peers and advisors as a collaborative team

Candidates takes a role in setting the standards for accountability

Candidates incorporate service learning into the defense that enhances student learning, fosters civic responsibility, and develops servant leaders

OBJECTIVES CONTINUED

Contact your program director regarding competencies that need to be addressed in your defense of degree.

 

COMPETENCIES

Initial Advising Session--defense of degree guidelines and components will be discussed and disseminated by program director.

Workshop Sessions (offered during Fall, Spring and Summer)--includes an overview of defense of degree/development/presentation

Ongoing Evaluation—candidates are responsible for making appointment(s) with their designated Program Director to discuss progress.

Pre-presentation Evaluation—candidates are responsible for scheduling a meeting with their Program Director at least two weeks before the final presentation for feedback and approval

Final Evaluation—candidates will present their defense of degree to the Educator Preparation Board for final approval during their last semester of program of study.

ATOMIC LEARNING – available on Blackboard for assistance on how to use various presentation types for digital presentation.

DEFENSE OF DEGREE DEVELOPMENT

Candidates will utilize their choice of technology in presenting their defense of degree

Candidates may choose to select an organized thematic portfolio that reflects what was written in personal philosophy.

Candidates will write a comprehensively developed philosophy in relation to program of study.

Show originality; do not create an assemblage of packaged materials. Plagiarized work automatically disqualifies your portfolio.

DEFENSE OF DEGREE PROCESS

3 to 5 page paper describing “Who are you as a professional educator in your program of study?”

Include: What you think is important Beliefs and/or theories which guide

your professional practice Goals for what you want to

accomplish On-going piece of work

PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION

Service Learning is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates academic instruction, community service, and guided reflection from a Christ-centered, faith-based perspective:

Goal 1: Enhance Student Learning

Goal 2: Foster Civic Responsibility

Goal 3: Develop Servant Leaders

SERVICE LEARNING

How have you incorporated service

learning in your program of study that

fostered civic responsibility, enhanced your

learning, and enhanced your servant leadership

skills?

SERVICE LEARNING

Tangible evidence of knowledge that is gained, skills that are

mastered, values that are clarified, or dispositions and

attitudes that are characteristic of you.

WHAT IS AN ARTIFACT?

Anecdotal recordsArticle summariesAssessmentsAwardsBulletin Board Ideas

Case StudiesClassroom Management Philosophy

Essays/ Book ReviewEvaluationsFloor PlansGoal StatementsIndividualized PlansConferences Presentations or Attendance

JournalsLetters

ARTIFACTS

Management Strategies

Media ExperiencesWorkshop AgendasObservation ReportsPicturesPlanning DocumentsProfessional

Development ActivitiesStaff Development

Plans/ Activities

Professional Organizations

ProjectsResearch PapersRules and

ProceduresSchedulesSelf-Assessment

InstrumentsDeveloped

materials

ARTIFACTS

Artifacts, that reflect the modeling of the individual’s Personal Philosophy

of Education throughout their graduate program. This can be in

the form of a “Reflective Journal” or “Reflections” within the portfolio.

WHAT ARE REFLECTIONS?

DIGITAL FORMAT

Utilize technology for talking points to enhance presentation

Refer to defense of degree rubric

Show growth and transformation

Justify why degree should be awarded

COLLECTIONREFLECTIONSELECTION

PRESENTATIONEVALUATION

CLOSING STATEMENT

Short reflective essay

Describes growthSelf-assessment

Draws conclusionsMakes inferencesAnalyzes learning

• Arrive approximately 30 minutes prior to your designated presentation time.

• Be familiar and comfortable with the components of your defense- this is your story

• Dress professionally• The formal defense will take place on the main

campus at a date set by the College of Education and approved by the University.

• Present to a selected committee of members of the Educator Preparation Board

• Allow 30 minutes (presentation-20-25 minutes, questions-5 minutes)

DEFENSE OF DEGREE PRESENTATION

Mission StatementPersonal Philosophy of Education (focus,

ideas, organization)Diversity AwarenessDirector selected competency (program

specific)Candidate selected competency

(contribution to discipline)Evidence of service learning

EVALUATIVE CRITERIA

Artifacts with explanations and reflectionsEffectiveness in explaining contentsQuality and designEffective use of technologyProfessionalismGoals for the futureClosing Statement

EVALUATIVE CRITERIA

Upon completion of the candidates defense, the EPB committee will collaborate and the committee chair will submit the final score to program director.

DEFENSE OF DEGREERUBRIC

1. Personal Philosophy of Education 4 3 2 1

2. Diversity Awareness 4 3 2 1

3. Director Selected Competency 4 3 2 1

4. Candidate Selected Competency 4 3 2 15. Evidence of Service Learning 4 3 2 1

6. Technology 4 3 2 1

7. Goals for the Future 4 3 2 1

8. Professionalism 4 3 2 1

9. Communication 4 3 2 1

10. Closing 4 3 2 1

Please complete the following evaluation by circling the appropriate number:

4 = Exceeds expectations; 3 = Proficient; 2 = Below Expectations; 1 = Unsatisfactory Requirements (Refer to Defense of Degree Rubric)

DEFENSE OF DEGREERUBRIC

CANDIDATE’S FINAL SCORE: __________

40-36 = Exceeds expectations30-35 = Proficient00-29 = Resubmit

Approval: Yes No Resubmit: ________

If a resubmission is required, candidate will have the opportunity to present within 5 calendar days to a committee of COE full time faculty for final review as scheduled by program director.

EDUCATOR PREPARATION BOARD COMMITTEE REVIEW: Chairperson Signature:

_________________________________________________________________

Comments are encouraged. A written explanation is required if final score is 30 or below.

Comments: __________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Based upon the candidate’s presentation, EPB committee members will utilize a defense of degree rubric stating the candidate’s status of approval and/or if a resubmission is required.

In the event of a resubmission, candidate will have the opportunity to present their defense at the next scheduled EPB meeting.

Educator Preparation Board meets three times a year: fall, spring, and summer.

DEFENSE OF DEGREESCORING CRITERIA

DBU CORNERSTONE