WTCS Certification Educational Requirements Professional Development Design Wisconsin Technical College System

Description

The learning experiences defined in this professional development design are intended to lay the groundwork for excellence in teaching and learning and for on-going professional development. The eight courses that make up the WTCS certification requirements ensure that teachers and other instructional leaders possess core skills and abilities needed to meet the needs of a diverse population of adult learners; to plan, deliver, assess, and continually improve learning; and to contribute to the accomplishment of the Wisconsin Technical College System mission. The certification process begins when an individual is hired by a Wisconsin Technical College or another state agency that offers technical education.  The certification process is an effort to insure quality education.

Target Population

This professional development series is intended to lay the groundwork for excellence in teaching and educational leadership in the Wisconsin Technical College System.  The target audience is professionals holding positions requiring WTCS certification and includes technical college teachers and those serving in other technical college leadership roles (e.g. counselors, supervisors, librarians, administrators).

External Requirements

Professional development offerings must meet the requirements laid out in Chapter TCS 3, Education Requirements 50 - 69 of the Wisconsin Administrative Code.

Career/Job Titles
1.	Instructor
2.	Instructional Specialist
3.	Instructional Supervisor
4.	Instructional Related Supervisor
5.	Instructional Administrator
6.	Instructional Related Administrator
7.	Counselor
8.	Librarian

WTCS Pre-Requisites for Provisional Certification

In order to obtain certification in the WTCS, an individual must be a full or part time employee holding a position that requires WTCS certification in one of the sixteen Wisconsin Technical Colleges or another state agency that delivers technical education.

WTCS Certification Education Requirements Program Outcomes
A.	Develop performance-based curriculum for a learning experience
B.	Contribute to the accomplishment of the Wisconsin Technical College System Mission
C.	Facilitate teaching/learning strategies that help learners maximize learning
D.	Create a supportive learning environment that meets the cognitive, emotional, social, and physical needs of adult learners
E.	Assess learning outcomes
F.	Foster the intellectual, professional and personal growth of adult learners
G.	Give leadership to the planning, design, implementation, assessment, continual improvement, and marketing of instruction and other educational services
H.	Create a learning environment that will meet the needs of diverse student populations including, but not limited to diversity of:  age, sex, physical and cognitive ability, race, ethnic background, social/economic background, employment status, religion, sexual preference, religion, or affiliation as they are present in your teaching and learning environment.

Core Abilities
Facilitators of WTCS Certification Activities may incorporate core abilities established by the sponsoring organization or they may address the following recommended core abilities:
	Learn effectively, modeling lifelong learning
	Respect cultural diversity and pluralism
	Develop a sense of personal, social, professional ethics
	Think critically and creatively
	Communicate clearly
Professional Development Activities Configuration

Requirement Number	Requirement Title	Credits	Approximate Hours of Learning
WTCS 50	Course Construction	2	80
WTCS 51	Philosophy of Vocational Technical and Adult Education	2	80
WTCS 52	Teaching Methods	2	80
WTCS 53	Educational Psychology	2	80
WTCS 54	Educational Evaluation	2	80
WTCS 55	Guidance and Counseling	2	80
WTCS 58	Leadership and Supervision	2	80
WTCS 69	Educational Diversity	2	80

Professional Development Activities Detail
Requirement Title:	Curriculum and Course Construction
Requirement Number:	WTCS 50
Approximate Hours of Learning:	80
Requirement Description:	Prepares educators to employ the performance-based instructional design process.  Participants designate performance expectations, design learning plans, develop assessment tasks, and produce a syllabus. Participants may choose to apply the process to classroom, lab, onsite industrial, online, or other distance learning environments. [This course meets WTCS Certification Requirement #50 - Course/Curriculum Construction.]
Learning Outcome	A. Develop performance-based curriculum for a learning experience
Requirement Title:	Philosophy of Vocational Technical and Adult Education
Requirement Number:	WTCS 51
Approximate Hours of Learning:	80
Requirement Description:	Prepares technical college educators to contribute to the accomplishment of the Wisconsin Technical College mission and purposes.  Participants will think critically about their personal philosophy, roles, and responsibilities as they focus on serving Wisconsin Technical College customers (external and internal).
Learning Outcome	B. Contribute to the accomplishment of the Wisconsin Technical College System Mission
Requirement Title:	Teaching Methods
Requirement Number:	WTCS 52
Approximate Hours of Learning:	80
Requirement Description:	Prepares educators to create a learning environment that supports learners and results in the achievement of designated learning outcomes.  Emphasizes teaching and learning techniques that promote active learning, support learners with a variety of learning preferences and needs, and generate continuous improvement in teaching and learning. [This course meets WTCS Certification Requirement #52-Teaching Methods]
Learning Outcome	C. Facilitate teaching/learning strategies that help learners maximize learning

Requirement Title:	Educational Psychology
Requirement Number:	WTCS 53
Approximate Hours of Learning:	80
Requirement Description:	Participants use principles of educational psychology to connect teaching to learning.  Focusing on the importance of a learner-centered educational environment, they apply what is known about how people learn to the process of planning, evaluating, and improving the quality of learning.
Learning Outcome	B. Contribute to the accomplishment of the Wisconsin Technical College System Mission
Requirement Title:	Educational Evaluation
Requirement Number:	WTCS 54
Approximate Hours of Learning:	80
Requirement Description:	Prepares educators to design and implement the performance assessment component of a course.  Places emphasis on the development of criterion-referenced performance assessment strategies, the application of varied assessment formats, and the use of assessment as a tool for improving teaching and learning.  Participants will design performance assessment strategies for a course or other learning experience, create varied assessment tools, and summarize their assessment philosophy. [This course meets WTCS Certification Requirement #54 - Educational Evaluation]
Learning Outcome	I. Assess learning outcomes.
Requirement Title:	Guidance and Counseling
Requirement Number:	WTCS 55
Approximate Hours of Learning:	80
Requirement Description:	Prepares teachers and other educators to assume an effective and appropriate role in meeting the guidance and counseling needs of learners.  Participants differentiate the guidance and counseling services provided by professional counselors from the guidance and counseling needs appropriately met by teachers and other educators.  Emphasizes the development of guidance and counseling skills such as detecting barriers to learning, referring learners to support services, employing intervention strategies, communicating in a learner-centered fashion, supporting the career development process, building learner confidence and self-esteem, resolving conflict, and analyzing legal and ethical implications.
Learning Outcome	F. Foster the intellectual, professional and personal growth of adult learners
Requirement Title:	Leadership and Supervision
Requirement Number:	WTCS 58
Approximate Hours of Learning:	80
Requirement Description:	Prepares practicing or aspiring leaders and supervisors of instructional staff in the WTCS to provide effective leadership to the planning, design, implementation, evaluation, and marketing of learning opportunities and other related services.  Emphasis is placed on contributions to a learning college and team environment.  Participants evaluate models and share best practices in their leadership roles and overall responsibility of coordination of the delivery of quality learner-centered products and services.  Participants differentiate the roles of leader and manager while growing to appreciate followers and their professional and personal growth.  Strategies for the optimization of human and financial resources and compliance with laws, policies, and procedures are also addressed.  Successful completion of WTCS Wisconsin Leadership Development Institute (WLDI) may substitute for this course.
Learning Outcome	G. Give leadership to the planning, design, implementation, assessment, continual improvement, and marketing of instruction and other educational services
Requirement Title:	Educational Diversity
Requirement Number:	WTCS 69
Approximate Hours of Learning:	80
Requirement Description:	Prepares participants to pro-actively contribute to a learning environment that will meet the needs of diverse student populations.  Participants examine organizational, classroom, and individual diversity issues, and develop strategies for increasing personal effectiveness in working with diverse groups.  Participants are encouraged to apply competencies to meeting the needs of the specific diverse populations, or individual members of diverse groups, that make up their teaching and learning environments.  These populations may include, but are not limited to diversity of:  age, sex, physical and cognitive ability, race, ethnic background, social/economic background, employment status, religion, sexual preference, religion, or affiliation.
Learning Outcome	H. Create a learning environment that will meet the needs of diverse student populations including, but not limited to diversity of:  age, sex, physical and cognitive ability, race, ethnic background, social/economic background, employment status, religion, sexual preference, religion, or affiliation as they are present in your teaching and learning environment.

For more information contact: barbara.miller@wtcsystem.edu

Last modified: May 8, 2008

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