Standard 5. Element Five: Collaboration

The Professional Education Unit faculty collaborate regularly and systematically with colleagues in PK–12 schools, faculty in other schools on campus, and other members of the professional community to improve teaching and learning and the preparation of educators (Table 60). Notable examples include the center for professional development, agreements with school districts to offer courses at their sites, and ongoing work with district offices to evaluate programs. Faculty members are actively involved in all aspects of collaboration through the delivery of workshops, consultancies with school-related agencies, supervision of teacher and administrative interns, and pre-service field experiences and clinical practice. Public school teachers and administrators are members of committees initiated by the unit which focus on instructional design and delivery systems. Additionally, the Professional Education Council’s advisory boards provide the opportunity for extensive collaboration between and among all stakeholders in the professional education community.

Table 60: Unit Faculty Collaboration Activities

Collaboration Activity	Unit Faculty and Participants
Music Clinics	PK-12 Public Schools and Music Department Faculty
Internship Field Experience	PK-12 Public Schools and Teacher Education Faculty
Thesis Oral Defense Committee	Master’s Degree Candidates and Unit Faculty
Workshops offered to assist beginning teachers with learning disabilities in the public schools	PK-12 Public School Teachers and Unit Faculty
Internship Field Experience	PK-12 Public Schools and Educational Leadership Unit Faculty
Consultant	Virginia Department of Education Committee on Violence/Crime Prevention in Public Schools” and Unit Faculty
Consultant	U.S. Office of Education for proposal and rule-making for federally funded programs
Workshops for Math and Science Teachers	PK-12 Public Schools and Unit Faculty
Publication of Articles and Books	PK-12 Public School Faculty and VSU University Faculty
Placement of practicum students and student teachers	PK-12 Public Schools, Teacher Education Admissions program, and Unit Faculty
Chair and committee member to evaluate and provide support for Schools in Crisis (varies states)	PK-12 Public Schools and Unit Faculty
Consultant for Multicultural Education	Brunswick County Public Schools (Virginia)
Workshop for Reading Council’s Young Authors	PK-12 Public Schools, University, and Unit Faculty
Workshop on Teacher Assessment for National Association Early Childhood Teacher Education	PK-12 Public Schools and Unit Faculty
Consultant to the American Association of School Administration for a study of Targeting Practices Used in the Chapter I Program	PK-12 Public Schools, AASA and Unit Faculty
U.S. Patent for Methylenediphosphonate Ion	Collaborative team members composed of Virginia State, Troy State, Hunter College, and Argonne National Laboratory
Grant for computer networking equipment	Collaborative team members composed of Math and Computer Science Department
Consultant for Writing Program Administration and Writing Across the Curriculum Programs	Collaborative team members composed of Talladega College, Florida A. and M. University, Norfolk State University, Alabama State University

A large number of faculty members in the various departments within the Unit, are actively participating in collaboration efforts. The faculty maintains numerous memberships in a variety of professional organizations associated with each individual's area of expertise. Many VSU faculty members participate in collaborative efforts with other faculty at numerous colleges and universities. Leadership at the local, state, regional and national levels is evident through membership on executive and/or advisory boards, editorships, offices held, conferences planned, and papers presented affords many opportunities for Virginia State University faculty members to collaborate.

Faculty in the Professional Education Program Unit and the University spend a significant amount of time collaborating directly with public schools in the service region. These efforts have led to improvements in:

Teaching

1. Collaboration provides a link between theory and practice which can be observed by practicing teachers.

2. Various teaching methods and styles can be observed by practicing teachers through the use of collaboration.

Candidate Learning

1. Teacher Education candidates gain knowledge and understanding that efficiency of an undertaking is measured solely in terms of productivity.

2. Teacher Education candidates gain knowledge and understanding that coordination will not be achieved unless it is planned and directed.

Teacher Education Program

1. Collaboration can be performed in varied types of activities.

2. Collaboration provides numerous options for bringing about change in the school or classroom.

This high degree of productivity (Table 60) indicates that the intellectual vitality of the faculty is at an extremely high level and reflects a continuing commitment to collaborative activities which compare favorably to major research institutions. This continues the public service commitment of the institution to meet the continuing educational needs of the region's public school personnel, which is stated in the 2020 Vision Long-Range Plan and in the School of Liberal Arts Mission Statement. The mission states, “a dedication to the promotion of knowledge, perceptive, and humane citizens-secure in their self-awareness, sensitive to the needs and aspirations of others, and committed to assuming productive roles in a challenging and ever-changing global world” (Virginia State University, 2004).