School of Education

Professional development collaborative

UNCP Professional Development Collaborative (PDC), USTEP
N.B. UNCP PDC is UNCP's form of USTEP, a North Carolina state program. The terms are used interchangeably

Mission Statement

The mission of the UNCP Professional Development Collaborative (PDC) is to create a community of public school and University educators who work together to achieve mutual goals. PDC initiatives are focused on improving the quality of life in schools for students and teachers in the UNCP service region. PDC partners will work together to nurture the development of caring and competent teachers through all phases of the professional cycle -- preservice, induction, and career.

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The University-School Teacher Education Partnerships are based on John Goodlad’s conclusion that “any teacher education program created or conducted without the collaboration of surrounding schools is defective.” Goodland, J. Why we need a complete redesign of teacher, education, and educational leadership. Volume 49, No. 3, 1991.

As a result of the process begun by the Deans’ Council on Teacher Education in 1996, the 15 schools of education in The University of North Carolina developed a plan that strongly emphasized the strategic involvement of school districts and communities in the preparation and development of teachers, administrators, and other education professionals.

This evolving approach to teacher preparation, described as University-School Teacher Education Partnerships, was approved by the UNC Board of Governors in January 1997, examined by a national review team in July, and provided initial funding by the North Carolina General Assembly in August 1997.

 

 

USTEP Guiding Principles

USTEP Success

Structure

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

USTEP Guiding Principles
The five guiding principles for the North Carolina USTEP mission are:
 

• Increased time for preservice teachers to experience earlier, longer, and more intensive field-based placements in the public schools, connected to methods classes and clinical teachers at school sites.
   
• Jointly-crafted professional development programs for teachers, administrators, and others in the public schools and universities.
   
• Increased communication between public schools and higher education for the purpose of sharing and disseminating best practices.
   
• Generation and application of research and new knowledge about teaching and learning; and
  Joint involvement of university and school personnel in curriculum planning and program development.
   

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USTEP Success
The key to successful partnership
 

• A vision, mission, and goals that focus equally on transformation of the school and renewal of the teacher education program.
   
• The partnership is guided by a governance structure that supports equal participation by members in a clearly articulated decision-making process.
   
• The governance structure must also be one that is empowered to develop policy and to oversee implementation of partnership plans.
   
• Finally, this partnership must establish an ongoing communication and feedback system at many levels that allows everyone in the partnership organizations to assess and monitor progress, to identify problems, and to develop self-correcting mechanisms.

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Structure

The structure of the UNCP Professional Development Collaborative reflects the mission to nurture the development of professional educators through all phases of the career cycle. The PDC is organized into three major committees: the preservice committee, the induction committee, and the career committee.

The preservice committee is comprised of five subcommittees representing the various teacher education program formats: Birth to Kindergarten, Elementary K-6, Middle Grades, K-12 programs, and Secondary 9-12. The preservice subcommittees are chaired by the respective program coordinator or an elected chair. Public school teachers, agency administrators, program graduates, preservice teachers, agency administrators, and university faculty comprise sub-committee membership. The preservice committee is co-chaired by a public school representative and university representative. As with the three major PDC committees, the preservice subcommittees are autonomous. Each subcommittee will develop a plan of action related directly to the needs of that particular program area(s). The common focus for all five subcommittees is strengthening education in both the public schools and teacher preparation through collaboration.

The Induction Committee’s mission is to develop ways to support beginning teachers in the UNCP service region, especially graduates from our own teacher preparation programs. The Induction Committee is co-chaired by a public school representative and a university representative. The committee is comprised of beginning teachers (ILTs), school administrators, university faculty, key administrators from local districts, and master teachers.

The Career Committee’s mission is to improve the quality and delivery of professional development programs and services to teachers in the UNCP service region. The Career Committee is co-chaired by a public school representative and a university representative. The Committee is comprised of public school teachers, National Board Certified teachers, public school administrators, university faculty, and university administrators.
 

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Updated: Thursday, May 11, 2006

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