Department of Educational Psychology University of Wisconsin-Madison Plan for 10-Year Program Review, 2015-16 Mission Statement and Goals
The mission of the Department of Educational Psychology is to generate and promote the application of cutting-edge scientific knowledge concerning: (1) the psychological and social processes that underlie learning; (2) the design of effective instruction; and (3) the factors affecting the mental health of learners of all ages. This mission entails four component activities. First, the department produces high quality, innovative research and scholarship to understand the development and mental health of learners and to understand the nature of effective instructional contexts. Second, the department trains outstanding researchers who address problems in the substantive domains of the learning sciences, human development, quantitative research methods, and school psychology. Third, the department instructs prospective educators, mental health professionals, and future researchers in other disciplines in how to conduct, interpret, and apply scientifically based research on learning and instruction. And, finally, the department provides leadership and charts new directions for University, professional, and community organizations charged with understanding learners and instructional processes and with implementing educational programs.
Overview of the Department of Educational Psychology
The Department now includes 20-tenure line faculty. Of these, all but five are tenured, and twelve hold the rank of full Professor. The Department offers M.S. and Ph.D. degree programs in several areas of concentration. The Department does not have an undergraduate degree program, but does offer undergraduate courses, several of which are required for the teacher certification programs of the School of Education. In the following sections, the graduate and undergraduate offerings of the Department are described and the accomplishments of the faculty in research, teaching, and service briefly noted.
Graduate Programs in Educational Psychology.
The Department offers M.S. and Ph.D. degree programs in four areas of specialization: Learning Sciences; Human Development; Quantitative Methods; and School Psychology. In each area, training consists of a blend of course work, independent empirical research, and clinical practicum or other professional development experiences. The program in each area is designed to provide a breadth of knowledge in educational psychology as well as in-depth knowledge in the student's area of specialization. Most graduates assume faculty positions at universities, although many of the doctoral students in School Psychology go on to positions as school psychologists in public school or community settings. The Department also offers a
Master of Science in Professional Education (M S P E ) program, which is designed for practicing classroom teachers, curriculum coordinators, or other education personnel. In the following, we briefly describe the degree programs in the four substantive areas, as well as the Special Master’s program.
Program in Learning Sciences:
The program in Learning Sciences bridges learning sciences and educational practice. Its scholarship encompasses the coordinated design and study of learning environments, ranging from preschool to university education, and reaches outside of school to informal contexts for learning, such as museums and after-school programs. Faculty interests include the design of technologies as tools for learning, prolonged longitudinal study of relations between teaching and learning, and the nature of knowledge in substantive domains of inquiry, like mathematics, science, and composition.
The program of study emphasizes an apprenticeship model of scholarship with early engagement in substantive problems of learning and teaching. Students work in concert with faculty to develop research studies in each of the first two years of study. Courses are coordinated to promote the development of research and communication skills, so that students can become involved with important problems in educational research. As students advance in the program, they continue to work with faculty from within and outside of the Department, to craft systematic investigations of learning environments.
Program in Human Development:
The program in Human Development adopts a life-span approach to individual change. Studying development in context is an important component of the program, so that research can make conceptual/theoretical contributions to the understanding of human behavior and can address practical concerns of educators, parents, and others concerned with the developing person.
Program in Quantitative Methods.
Educational research has a strong tradition of employing state-of-the-art statistical and psychometric (psychological measurement) techniques. Researchers in all areas of education develop and use measurement instruments, study change/development .over time, design and conduct experiments and surveys, and analyze data resulting from these activities. Because of this tradition, quantitative methods has long been an area of specialization within educational psychology. Graduates in this area conduct research on statistics and psychometrics in education-related fields, teach, and serve as consultants to educational researchers. Within the department, the quantitative methods area offers the two major specializations of statistics and measurement.
The study of quantitative methods takes advantage of the range of resources at the University of Wisconsin-Madison by including course work in statistics, mathematics, and computer sciences, and in other units of the School of Education. The quantitative methods area also houses the School of Education's Laboratory of Experimental Design, which provides a consulting service on psychometric and statistical issues to School of Education students and faculty.
Program in School Psychology.
The program in School Psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison leads to a PhD in Educational Psychology and is fully accredited by the American Psychological Association, the National Association of School Psychologists, and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. The program prepares professional psychologists to use knowledge of the behavioral sciences in ways that enhance the learning and adjustment of children, their families, and their teachers. A balanced emphasis is placed on developing competencies necessary for functioning in applied settings such as schools and community agencies, and in research positions in institutions of higher education.
The focus of the School Psychology Program is the study of psychological and educational principles which influence the adjustment of individuals from birth to 21 years. Because the program emphasis is on the application of psychology in education, students are required to demonstrate competence in the substantive content areas of psychological and educational theory and practice. Other related areas outside the department from which course work may be drawn include: clinical, counseling, and rehabilitative psychology, special education, curriculum and instruction, and educational administration. Students have an option to minor in a Prevention and Intervention Science Program.
Master of Science Program for Professional Educators
interest in fostering the professional development of teachers. Consistent with that interest, the department offers a wide array of courses to undergraduates enrolled in various teacher education programs. However, current research suggest that much of a teacher's development occurs at the in-service level. To provide for the needs of in-service practitioners, including teachers, administrators, and other educators (including those working in informal learning environments such as museums and libraries, as well as educators responsible for work place training), the Department supports a Master of Science Program for Professional Educators (MSPE).
Teaching professionals can complete this 30-credit Master of Science Degree in two years. In summer, participants join a cohort of fellow students on the UW-Madison campus for ten days of collaborative learning over a two-week period, with weekends off. During the school year, classes are taken from home through the World Wide Web, so there is no need to travel or to change work schedules. The MSPE curriculum emphasizes practical applications and strategies and is closely aligned with national teaching standards and the Wisconsin Model Standards for Teachers.
Key Questions for the Reviewers
• Does our Mission Statement reflect that of a cutting-edge Department of Educational Psychology? Does our current program structure serve to fulfill our mission?
• In what ways could we re-vision our identity and program offerings to better reflect our mission, the expertise of our faculty, evolving student needs, and emerging characteristics of educational organizations and learning environments?
• Do the student evaluations of courses allow us adequately to monitor the quality of our offerings, especially those taught by non-faculty?
• How can we increase the diversity of our department?
• How can we improve our recruitment efforts and expand student funding, given the current climate?
• Should we explore options to promote a different mix of students (MS/PhD; FT/PT), and if so, how will we recruit and support them?
• How can we improve the national and international visibility of our faculty and students?
• Given the need to maintain and increase overall enrollments, how might the department best balance its undergraduate presence without sacrificing the graduate program?
o Should the department consider developing additional undergraduate course offerings for freshmen and sophomores?
o How can the department enhance its enrollments in our upper-level (700-900) graduate course offerings?
health?
o Are there opportunities we should consider to (i) enhance our programmatic capacity by tapping into nontraditional student populations; and, (ii) generate revenue from innovative programs?
• How might the Department best maintain contact with its alumni?
• What are the experiences and learning needs of the students who are already here: o In what ways is equity and diversity addressed in the program/coursework? o How are we engaging students in and out of the classroom?
o What mix of online, face-to-face, and blended learning environments should we be seeking?
o Do our methods of assessing students allow us adequately to monitor their progress through their graduate careers?
o Are we meeting student needs?
• In what ways can the department better support the needs of a clinical training program?
Data to be reviewed will include, but is not limited to: • Mission Statement and Five Year Plan
• Area Specific Mission Statements • Faculty Information
o Faculty Profiles o Faculty Vitas o Faculty Highlights o Faculty by year of PhD o Salary by years since PhD o Staffing levels by area by year
o Fiscal Summary of External grants by year
o Department level summary of teaching evaluations (with instrument) • Students
o Profiles by gender, race, age, GRE scores, and previous academic record o Summary of Applications, GRE, GPA by year
o Number of advisees per faculty by year
o Summary of student support (TA/PA, Grants) by year • Graduates
o Summary by area by year o Graduates by Faculty member o Overall Summary
o First employment of PhD Graduates o Results of Survey of PhD Graduates • Course Offerings Report 2014-15 Academic Year
o Courses and enrollments listed by area o Courses and enrollments listed by instructor o Timetable Grids
o Credit Hours by Area • Relations with other Departments
o Learning Sciences area o Human Development area o Quantitative Methods area o School Psychology program o MSPE Program
o Relationship between the Waisman Center and the department
o Relationship between the Wisconsin Center for Educational Research (WCER) and the department
• Budgets
o Budget Summary by Year
• Support Staff
o Technology Support
o Computers and Video Equipment
o Instructional Media Development Center • Report of the 2005 Departmental Review
• Accreditation Site Visit Report, School Psychology Program • Departmental Brochures
• Admission Materials
• PhD Thesis Titles by: Area, Faculty, Year • PhD Employment survey
• Detailed Summary of External Grants
• Detailed Summary of Graduate School Grants and Awards • Course Syllabi
Recommendations for External Reviewers James Pellegrino, University of Illinois-Chicago James Middleton, Arizona State
David Berliner, Arizona State Michelle Perry, Illinois Mark Davison, Minnesota Cindy Carlson, UT-Austin Matt Burns, U of MO
Sue Sheridan, U of Nebraska Daniel Schwartz, Stanford Frederick Morrison, Michigan Michelle Mazzocco, Minnesota Proposed Budget
Honoraria $5000 (Requested from School of Education) Travel Expenses $3000 (Department supported)
