Making Alternative Certification Work:
Alternative certification programs hold promise for increasing the
supply of qualified teachers in schools in the United States. The Military Career
Transition Program (MCTP) at Old Dominion University is an innovative Alternative
Certification Program that certifies persons retiring or separating from the military, the
Department of Defense, and NASA. The MCTP has prepared approximately 1000 people to begin
teaching as a second career. Several essentials can be identified for successful military
career transition programs: collaborative efforts, effective advisement and counseling,
placement efforts and career follow-up, instructors known for excellence in teaching, and
continuous program evaluation. The Military Career Transition Program (MCTP) began in the Spring of 1988 as a response to several reports suggesting the need for education reform. The documents include The Nation at Risk (National Commission on Excellence in Education, 1983), Education Reform in Virginia (Commonwealth of Virginia, 1985), and the National Executive Service Corps Report (National Executive Service Corps, 1987). These reports collectively addressed teacher recruitment, alternative training practices, collaborative groups, and quality standards. The MCTP, currently part of the Virginia Center for Career Transition at Old Dominion University, prepares teachers at thirteen military installations in southeastern and northern Virginia via direct instruction. After a brief description of MCTP teacher candidates, several essentials will be identified that contribute to effective alternative certification programs to prepare military people to teach. The MCTP introduces prospective educators to teaching by conducting informational
briefings at military installations, NASA facilities, and Department of Defense Offices
throughout Virginia and twenty other states. In addition, current information is provided
to the defense community throughout the world via the MCTP home page. The MCTP provides
information to service members to encourage them to begin considering a role in education
as a career prior to completing their military service. Brief Description of the MCTP Teacher Candidates Throughout their career, military personnel either teach or attend school. People in the military typically learn teamwork, collaboration, critical thinking, respect for diversity, and technology application. They develop a sense of confidence, respect, and purpose. Throughout their careers, they acquire considerable knowledge of mathematics, science, geography, political science, and psychology. Concepts such as management by objective, crisis management, and Total Quality Management are integral parts of service members' careers. Approximately 90% of students entering the MCTP program have earned a bachelor's degree, while 45% have earned masters. Sixty percent of the students are/were military officers and 40% senior enlisted. The average age of candidates is 42 years old and the racial composition of MCTP students comprises 82% White, 16% African-American, 1% Hispanic, 1% Asian or Pacific Islander. Although MCTP students meet the university general education requirements, they must comply with state course requirements in their certification areas. To meet state curriculum teacher preparation requirements, MCTP students enroll in appropriate subject area review courses along with first-time teacher education courses. Some students have earned degrees in fields ranging from accounting to zoology; degrees have been earned from over 200 different institutions. Many receive content credit through the American College Equivalency (ACE) Guide in various fields including English, history (American and Western Civilization), physics, geography, computer science, and environmental sciences. MCTP students take the Miller Analogies or Graduate Record Examination for admission. In addition, all students take PRAXIS I as part of their continuance requirement. They also take a writing examination early in their studies. At the end of their training, students must pass their PRAXIS II (specialty test) and a comprehensive examination. Upon completing all benchmark exams and upon successfully passing all coursework, students may then submit their cumulative folder for licensure approval. In the event of subject area difficulty such as in reading or mathematics, advisors recommend additional coursework or tutorial sessions at the University writing center. Currently, MCTP graduates are passing the PRAXIS at an average score of 30 points above the state rate. Approximately 1000 MCTP graduates teach in 47 states. About 65% of those graduates
elect to teach in the Commonwealth of Virginia. In the short time since the MCTP started,
program graduates have shown career advancement through in-house promotion and additional
licensure or degree programs. Five essentials have been identified that can strengthen alternative certification programs for the preparation of military people. Effective military career transition programs include collaborative action of universities, State Departments of Education, school districts, community leaders, and military leaders. The MCTP reflects a collaborative effort involving the military, university, and school community. The program required the consent, cooperation, and collaboration of a number of organizations, including colleagues in the various departments of the college, college governance and administration, the university, the general community, the state department of education, and the various military education communities. Initially, the MCTP was viewed as a pilot program leading to teacher licensure. During the combined State Department and NCATE visit in 1993, the MCTP became an approved teacher education program. Collaborative efforts involve periodical meetings between the State
Departments of Education, school districts, and community and military leaders to discuss
and explain program modifications and developments. The provision of regular and accurate
information during these collaborative sessions provides safeguards to avoid
misunderstandings. Effective military career transition programs include effective advisement and counseling. From the onset of the MCTP, counseling has been a key component to the program's and students' success. Advisors are selected for their knowledge of teaching, teacher training, professional involvement, and success as a teacher or school administrator. Most advisors have over twenty years of experience as school leaders, are technologically literate, and are active professionals. This "full service program" provides counseling and advisement as students complete their military careers, enroll in the teacher preparation program, and enter the education profession. Advisors guide students into an appropriate teacher education track. In addition, the MCTP assists with placement of graduates, career induction, and career ladder opportunities. The counseling role includes advisors who act as the primary point of contact for prospective students as well as for those already enrolled; who offer career/program counseling and follow-up each semester; who conduct registration and data entry; who conduct informational briefings; who assist with field placements; who assist with the selection and training of adjunct faculty; who serve as curriculum leaders; who assist with placement seminars; and who assist with evaluation review and program remediation. Advisors review each student's academic background, service training,
and advanced schooling and, then, recommend an appropriate course of study that will lead
to teacher licensure for the Commonwealth of Virginia. Advisors meet with students at
least once a semester and frequently respond to questions via e-mail. In order to
determine the student's appropriate content program requirements, advisors use several
guides that include Department of Defense documents, state licensure guidelines, and MCTP
program sheets. The program sheets outline coursework that each student will follow to
reach licensure. Advisors update students with program developments, content work, and
assure proper and timely completion of administrative procedures and processes. Students
may also choose to contact advisors through the MCTP home page and via e-mail. All
advisors use the same guidelines as provided in the MCTP Advisor's Manual that assures
consistency with advising across all thirteen program sites. Effective military career transition programs include effective placement efforts and career follow-up. MCTP teacher candidates are assisted in their job placement through career seminars and interviews. MCTP graduates have access to three placement seminars that bring the graduates together with prospective employers. Typically, forty or more school systems send recruitment representatives to these placement events. During these placement sessions, MCTP graduates schedule interviews and school representatives receive a profile of MCTP graduates. In addition, the MCTP home page provides teaching positions posted by school divisions in Virginia as well as other states. Also, the home page provides graduates with access to the Troops to Teachers Placement Assistance Program. The placement rate of graduates has consistently been 95% or higher.
The retention of graduates in teaching positions continues to average between 85% and 90%
after ten years. Many graduates have been nominated for or awarded "Teacher of the
Year" within their district. One graduate won the Milliken National Award for
Teaching. Approximately ten MCTP graduates are continuing their education at the doctoral
level. Four graduates are in the role of assistant principal, two graduates serve as
student activities directors, and four graduates work in university level positions. Effective military career transition programs include instructors who work daily in classrooms and who are considered experts by their peers. The MCTP faculty, considered "masters at the craft of teaching" by their peers, consists of full time university faculty as well as practicing educators. The MCTP faculty members consists of ten full-time university faculty and a pool of approximately 80 adjunct faculty. The full time faculty are drawn from the major program areas of Education Curriculum and Instruction, Educational Leadership and Counseling, and Early Childhood and Special Education. Adjunct faculty members work as full partners in the program as trainers, advisors, and committee members. Some are area supervisors, directors, lead teachers, department chairs, and principals. Adjunct faculty members meet university criteria for assigned faculty rank. All faculty participate actively in the profession, in their schools, and have an established record of excellent teaching. Both MCTP students and Director evaluate each faculty member each semester. Adjunct faculty members are selected to teach on the basis of their professional experience, school leadership, technological ability, and reputation as effective teachers. In fact, some faculty members have won teaching awards at the national level. They meet each semester and also participate on the curriculum, evaluation and distance learning committees. Program strength and comprehensiveness result from the fusion of university faculty who are proven teaching professionals and adjunct faculty who are exemplary practitioners. Faculty members generally teach no more than two courses per semester.
Professors at all locations use the standardized curriculum and syllabus. Statistically,
25% of the faculty members possess doctorates, 75% hold master degrees, 95% have been
teaching 10 or more years, 80% are in leadership positions, 58% are female, 42% male, 10%
minorities, and all faculty members serve on MCTP committees. Effective military career transition programs include continuous program evaluation to ensure a curriculum that reflects state and national accreditation standards as well as recommendations of curricular area professional associations. Professional and scholarly sources serve as the basis for curricular standards and the MCTP curriculum. Curriculum design incorporates the knowledge base, maturity, training and experiences of military personnel. Significantly, MCTP professors design the standards and course syllabi as well as engage in continuous curriculum evaluation. Continuous curriculum evaluation has been a key to the MCTP's successful growth. Aspects evaluated include instructional effectiveness, graduate placement and retention rate, career choice satisfaction, and professional development of graduates. Evaluation results provide the basis for program changes and improvement. Through formal and informal methods, the MCTP constantly changes in response to student needs and demands of the profession. Because of their military background, students are accustomed to review and assessment; they do not hesitate to comment in writing or verbally about program effectiveness. All graduating students submit a written statement suggesting program strengths along with areas requiring improvement or modification. The director and faculty members review and incorporate student comments into the renewal and improvement processes. Curriculum designers recognize candidates' military experience and training, and provide educational experiences that build upon these areas of expertise. Curriculum experiences teach specified standards, skills and qualities; the actual program consists of subject content, education foundations, methodology, content specific methodology, and field experiences. At the onset of training, opportunities are provided for teacher candidates to connect to in-service teachers, students, and school culture. The number of courses that constitute an individual's training varies depending on the candidate's experiences and academic record. For example, a student may elect to earn credit toward education via transfer credit, through the CLEP examinations (College Level Experience Program) or through credit equivalency as described in the ACE (American College Equivalency) Guide. Typically, students earn licensure and a master’s degree with eleven courses in addition to six credit hours and six weeks of student teaching. Typically, an MCTP course of studies includes: 1. Subject Area Review (math, science, social studies, and language
arts) The overall design of the MCTP curriculum enables students to integrate content and pedagogical studies for classroom instruction. The courses take military experience and training into consideration along with the fact that the vast majority of students have had little or no experience working with children and adolescents in schools. The Trends and Issues class brings the students up to date about schools and learning. The practicum experience places program candidates in schools with students and teachers. The methods courses provide students with multiple approaches to the teaching of content. "Design for Effective Instruction" is a class crafted to enable students to understand and apply various planning and instructional strategies. The student teaching experience provides the students with a mentored learning practical experience. All licensure areas of the MCTP require special education coursework and Reading in the Content Areas. Since practicing teachers teach the majority of courses, the students receive ancillary benefit from the practical, day to day experiences of their teachers. Then, these teachers frequently enroll in university classes to earn recertification points for licensure. Instructional quality is based on the MCTP standardized curriculum designed by the teaching faculty. The curriculum is monitored through course evaluations, class inspections, samples of student work, instructors' schedule of sessions, student placement rate, standardized testing results, and employer comments. MCTP students work in schools during their practicum and during student
teaching. The student teaching package includes an autobiography so mentor teachers may
specifically request a military career transition student. The university supervisors work
in teams to supervise student experiences. At least two professionals evaluate MCTP
students. The MCTP student teaching experience is a minimum of six weeks; however, the
six-week experience begins only when the student teacher takes over classroom instruction.
If a student does not demonstrate proficiency of all required competencies, her or his
experience will either be extended or the student may be placed in another setting. NASA
and Department of Defense teacher candidates have a minimum ten-week student teaching
experience. The Future: Challenges and Prospects The most pressing problem facing the MCTP in the immediate future is acquiring adequate
funding to support program operations. A program of the MCTP's magnitude needs a
university resource base that provides support for several additional full time positions
including clerical, technical and counseling positions. With assistance and support from
the Office of Distance Learning, the MCTP is undertaking the development of an electronic
(video and Internet) curriculum. Currently, a distance learning/electronic delivery is
under development using various types of technology, e.g., video, CD-ROM. Once
implemented, the MCTP will be available to military personnel at installations throughout
the United States and overseas. The MCTP anticipates expanding its collaboration with
Service Members Opportunity Colleges (SOC) when approval for licensure occurs. The MCTP has provided effective alternative certification education to military people
for ten years, due in part to its close attention to changing professional demands,
collaboration with school systems, and highly effective teaching faculty. MCTP faculty
members believe in alternative certification and have demonstrated a powerful commitment
to training military people for a second career. MCTP students benefit from the program's
emphasis on collaboration, advisement and counseling, placement efforts and career
follow-up, qualified instructors, and program evaluation. These essentials have
contributed to the success of the MCTP and will contribute to the overall success of other
alternative education programs that prepare professional educators. National Commission on Excellence in Education. (1983). The Nation at Risk. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. Commonwealth of Virginia. (1985). Education Reform in Virginia. Richmond, VA: Author. National Executive Service Corps. (1987). National executive service corps report.
New York, NY: Author. |
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Dr. M. Lee Manning, Professor, Educational Curriculum and Instruction, teaches language arts in the Military Career Transition Program, Darden College of Education, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA. He received his Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina. His research interests include alternative teacher certification, language arts, and middle school education. Department of Educational Curriculum & Instruction Robert H. MacDonald, Professor, Educational Curriculum and Instruction, serves as Director of the Military Career Transition program and the Virginia Center for Career Transition, Darden College of Education, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA. He received his Ed.D. from Wayne State University. He has published articles and spoken widely on alternative certification and staff development. Department of Educational Curriculum and Instruction [Index] |
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