Curriculum Standards
Curriculum Standard C1
Courses administered through a CEP are college catalogued courses with the same departmental designations, course descriptions, numbers, titles and credits.
Evidence:
M State CEP courses are college catalogued courses with the same departmental designations, course descriptions, numbers, titles and credits.
Curriculum Standard C2
College courses administered through a CEP reflect the pedagogical, theoretical and philosophical orientation of the sponsoring college departments.
Evidence:
M State concurrent enrollment courses reflect the pedagogical, theoretical and philosophical orientation of the sponsoring college departments. This is done through a variety of actions, including but not limited to:
New Teacher Orientation
Discipline-specific new teacher training and orientation that occurs between the mentor and instructor before the course commences ensures that the concurrent enrollment course(s) are in alignment with M State's campus courses and individual disciplines.
Mentor Meetings
The faculty member's collaborative mentoring relationship ensures that concurrent enrollment students are experiencing a rigorous college-level course delivered through the Concurrent Enrollment Program. On-site visits and course observations for every concurrent enrollment course and instructor certify that the concurrent enrollment course(s) reflect the pedagogical, theoretical and philosophical orientation of the discipline. These meetings and observations are in-depth and discipline-specific and continue throughout the academic year.
Our dedicated team of faculty mentors regularly reaffirm compliance with this standard by completing and documenting ongoing communication with their concurrent enrollment instructor(s) regarding the pedagogical, philosophical and theoretical orientation of the discipline. Mentors are required to formally document the quantity and quality of their interactions with the instructors to support ongoing compliance with this standard. (See "M State Faculty Mentor Responsibilities" in the Concurrent Enrollment Handbook, page 3. This information and CEP requirements can also be found on the faculty mentor webpages.)
Professional Development
Additionally, M State's CEP hosts an annual Concurrent Enrollment (professional development) Day each fall. This large-scale event provides training, support, course development and alignment activities for all concurrent enrollment instructors and mentors. (Standard F3 addresses the CEP's annual professional development day agenda and participation requirements).
CEP Procedure
As described in M State's CEP handbook on page 6, our Noncompliance with Course Content procedure reinforces that concurrent enrollment courses will reflect the pedagogical, philosophical and theoretical orientation of the discipline.
*Official letters describing and verifying compliance with the C2 standard will also be used as evidence in the final application portfolio.
Curriculum Standard C3
Faculty site visits ensure that college courses offered through the CEP are the same as the courses offered on campus.
Evidence:
Discipline-specific course alignment verification is done through site visits for all new and veteran high school instructors. Site visits also allow faculty mentors to observe course delivery and student engagement.
For a new class, new instructor or new mentor, six mentor meetings are required with the high school teacher. At least one planning meeting between the mentor and high school instructor (which includes New Teacher Orientation) must occur prior to the start of the semester. At least two in-person classroom observations will occur and one follow-up meeting. Repeat course offerings with the same instructor and mentor are required to have three meetings. At least one of these meetings will be a classroom observation. The classroom observations and mentor meetings afford the opportunity for collegial interaction between the high school teacher and M State faculty mentor.
M State CEP staff have developed the Concurrent Observation Form that is an optional form faculty mentors can use when observing a class. This optional form thoroughly illustrates the breadth of a mentor visit and observation. Many mentors meet with the high school instructor after the class and review the Concurrent Observation Form and formal Mentor Report. This post-course meeting facilitates improvement discussions, celebrates achievements and engages the mentor and instructor in discipline-specific conversation.
Faculty mentors are required to document their meeting dates, observations and recommendations in an online form. Concurrent Enrollment Program staff ensure all mentor reports have been submitted at end of every fall and spring semester. M State's K-12 Collaboration Manager and Associate Vice President of Academics (AVP) review all mentor reports and contact faculty mentors when follow up is necessary. Upon request, high school instructors may be given an official copy of the full faculty mentor report.
One mentor report for each discipline was submitted as evidence in the final application portfolio.