Disposition Survey for Individual Learning Plan Order Instructions: Major Assessment
Individual Learning Plan: Part 2
Transition Point 4
When you first took the Disposition Survey for Individual Learning Plan (ILP) in your ePortfolio: Transition Point 2, you were at the beginning of your MSED specialization program. Your reflection on your knowledge and skills was a snapshot in time. Your Individual Learning Plan was constructed based on your interpretation of your ratings and your perception of your level of implementation in the areas of Professional Dispositions, National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), and Technology Proficiencies.
Now, you are at a point in your program journey where your knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions have likely grown and changed as a result of your teaching experiences and your professional learning.
For this Major Assessment, you will write a two-part essay describing what you have accomplished in your Individual Learning Plan (ILP) and explaining your plans for continual improvement. In preparation for writing this essay, you will take the Disposition Survey for ILP a second time and compare both your initial and current survey ratings. You will also review your initial Individual Learning Plan and assess your progress in completing the activities you had planned.
Address the following in your essay:
Essay Part 1: Accomplishments(1 to 2 pages)
• Describe the activities you implemented from your initial Individual Learning Plan for each of the three sections: Professional Dispositions, NBPTS, and Technology Proficiencies. Share specific information that illustrates how these activities have contributed to your professional learning and growth.
Essay Part 2: Plan for Continual Improvement(2 to 3 pages)
• As part of your plan for continual improvement, describe the activities from your initial Individual Learning Plan that you have not yet completed. Explain why these activities have not been completed and share new timelines and/or revisions to the activities you had initially planned.
• Review your new survey results and compare your ratings with the initial survey results. Reflect on and explain your perceptions of how you initially rated your knowledge and skills compared to your current ratings. What new insights did you gain when comparing the two results? What additional areas do you now want to target for continuous improvement in each of the three sections that were not included in your initial plan (Professional Dispositions, NBPTS, and Technology Proficiencies)? Report on one new area from each section and create SMART goals for each.
*If you need assistance citing the major assessment resources, see the APA Citation Guide for Major Assessments located in the left menu bar of your ePortfolio.
Save your Individual Learning Plan: Part 2 essay with the file name “last name+first initial+ILP2essay”. For example, Sally Ride’s major assessment filename would be “RideSILP2essay”. Submit your assessment as a document attachment by clicking on the word “attachments” at the bottom of the screen.
Disposition Survey for Individual Learning Plan Sample Answer
Part 1: Accomplishment
Dispositions
My individual learning plan dispositions, my strengths are delineated by the enthusiasm about the mathematics subject. I value and respect this subject and enjoy every moment that I am teaching the students. I have taught the subject for over decade, and I have acquired a deep understanding of the content through continual learning through professional development courses, refresher courses and interaction with my colleagues with the aim of staying informed. My teaching plan is arranged in a manner that one topic connects with the previous topics, and try as much as possible to connect the subject into reality. I ensure that student participates by using various platforms of assessment such as group discussion boards and student portfolios. Additionally, I maintain a healthy learning environment and cohesive learning community, which improves student participation and cultural competency. Additionally, I integrate motivational strategies to encourage active involvement in this learning process (Bloch & Spataro, 2014).
These disposition activities have enabled address my weaknesses. By keeping a reflective journal, I have learned ways to ensure that there is equitable learning opportunity through the establishment of an environment that enables the students to reach their full potential. These activities have enabled me to maintain persistence in promoting the student to achieve the learning outcomes. It has contributed immensely in identifying the prior unique knowledge as well as life experiences and interests of the students and integrating them into the learning process (Dottin, 2009).
NBPTS core propositions
I am committed to teaching and ensuring that the students are satisfied and learning outcomes is achieved. Using the NBPTS core propositions, I looked at my strengths and integrate these practices into teaching. This includes giving equal opportunities to the students and in the content that is taught. I understand the impact of diversity of the students based on their socioeconomic background and experiences, which has led to the development of various teaching and assessment method to ensure that student needs are met irrespective of the family and cultural background. The common strategies that I apply include the modeling, learning groups, group activity, individual assessments, portfolio’s, student reflection, rubric and think pair share (Irvine Belson & Husted, 2015).
From the NBPTS core propositions, it is evident that I need more reading about the emerging learning processes and the current research and issues that are affecting American education. I keep engaged and informed about the new issues by subscribing to education journals and websites, which keeps on giving me alerts about the new and interesting journals that must be read. I am also a member of the administrative management in my institution, where we discuss strategies, do lesson plans and discuss the results and remedies. These NBPTS core propositions have enabled me to become to understand the subject, ways to teach, learning and monitoring the students learning the process. It has enabled me to think systematically about my practice and aided me in learning from experience (Shoffner, Sedberry, Alsup & Johnson, 2014).
Technology proficiencies
The last two decades is described by increased development in technology such as computers. These technologies have improved teaching processes in that it addresses the diverse needs of the students. My teaching plan and implementation are facilitated by technology, which facilitates as much as possible to connect the subject to reality. I ensure that student participates in class work using the various technology platforms during learning and assessment such as group discussion boards and student portfolio’s (Goodwin et al., 2014).
Additionally, technology helps me maintain a healthy learning environment and cohesive learning community, which improves student participation and upholds cultural competency. Additionally, I integrate motivational strategies to encourage active involvement in this learning process. This has helped in training and improving the student critical thinking abilities. I use technology virtually in all my lessons with the aim of empowering and preparing the students about the real world (McArdle, 2012).
Part 2: Plan for continual improvements
Dispositions
My individual learning plan dispositions, my strengths are delineated by the enthusiasm about the mathematics subject; however, my main weakness is that of leadership roles. I still feel like the level of my self-confidence is low, even if I am involved in all of the aforementioned professional growth activities, my presence is dormant. I am more of a follower than a leader. This is a challenge that must be addressed bearing in mind that I have many new ideas that could improve this course learning outcome (Arthur, 2012).
In this context, I intend to enroll in a leadership class, with the aim of boosting my performances and roles as a leader. Additionally, I will continue to ensure that I attend my professional development course, to ensure that professional growth is sustained. The knowledge in this discipline is infinite and keeps on evolving. Therefore, I will read more, interact with other professionals and colleagues in my department. I also intend to pursue higher studies in order to empower and disseminate knowledge in a manner that impacts the student’s life (Hoadley & Ensor, 2009).
NBPTS core propositions
The main challenge in NBPTS core propositions is that I am continually facing difficult choices, especially during decision-making processes. Evidently, the teaching needs and demands are not simple solutions; this is because they are consistently faced by conflicting objectives, forcing the teacher to compromise on what will satisfy both parties. For instance, I face challenges in reconciling the demands for the course coverage with the demands of students in-depth understanding. For example, when teaching mathematics, I am committed to ensuring that the students understand the conceptual basis and also to see the real world relationships (Irvine Belson & Husted, 2015).
This calls for longer time frames to ensure that students understand these problems, solves them, and compares the solutions with alternatives that are posed by their classmates. The issue of standardized tests is not a solution as I have a strong idea of what math class should look like as opposed to the type of competence it should yield. In this context, I should explore these core competencies, to ensure that I am able to employ the professional knowledge in teaching what makes caters for the student’s needs, interests and simultaneously sustains a sound practice. This should be done by attending professional development courses and should be achieved within the next four weeks (Ignico & Gammon, 2010).
Technology proficiencies
Despite the fact that I have acquired several technology proficiencies such as word processing skills, database skills, electronic presentation, web navigation, and email management skills; I still have some training in technology that needs to be addressed. This includes the use of the smart board. This is attributable to the fact that most of the study rooms lack a smart board. Therefore, I still require grasping more skills about the smart board features. This will be achieved through a lot of training and regular use of the smart board. With support from my colleagues, I should have learned this technique in the next two weeks (McArdle, 2012).
Disposition Survey for Individual Learning Plan References
Arthur, J. (2012). Knowledge and virtue in teaching and learning: the primacy of dispositions. Professional Development In Education, 38(5), 866-867. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19415257.2012.689139
Bloch, J., & Spataro, S. (2014). Cultivating Critical-Thinking Dispositions Throughout the Business Curriculum. Business And Professional Communication Quarterly, 77(3), 249-265. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/2329490614538094
Dottin, E. (2009). Professional judgment and dispositions in teacher education. Teaching And Teacher Education, 25(1), 83-88. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2008.06.005
Goodwin, A., Smith, L., Souto-Manning, M., Cheruvu, R., Tan, M., Reed, R., & Taveras, L. (2014). What Should Teacher Educators Know and Be Able to Do? Perspectives From Practicing Teacher Educators. Journal Of Teacher Education, 65(4), 284-302. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0022487114535266
Hoadley, U., & Ensor, P. (2009). Teachers’ social class, professional dispositions, and pedagogic practice. Teaching And Teacher Education, 25(6), 876-886. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2009.01.014
Ignico, A., & Gammon, K. (2010). A longitudinal study of the professional dispositions of teacher candidates. Natural Science, 02(02), 91-94. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/ns.2010.22014
Irvine Belson, S., & Husted, T. (2015). Impact of National Board for the Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) Certification on Student Achievement. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 23(0), 91. http://dx.doi.org/10.14507/epaa.v23.2074
McArdle, F. (2012). New maps of learning for quality art education: what pre-service teachers should learn and be able to do. The Australian Educational Researcher, 39(1), 91-106. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13384-012-0051-2
Shoffner, M., Sedberry, T., Alsup, J., & Johnson, T. (2014). The Difficulty of Teacher Dispositions: Considering Professional Dispositions for Preservice English Teachers. The Teacher Educator, 49(3), 175-192. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08878730.2014.917528
