To be recommended for licensure candidates must have met all program requirements listed for their respective area of licensure (see respective program advising sheets), must have satisfactorily completed the required student teaching experience, and must have passed all state-required licensure examinations.
Passing student teaching requires that the candidate be rated as "competent" by the university supervisor on all four domains reported on the final evaluation report for student teaching. The four domains are planning, educational environment, instruction, and professionalism. The domains represent the performance outcomes established by Wittenberg's Education Department as essential for all candidates to demonstrate. The university supervisor makes the determination of the candidate's final performance ratings after consulting with the candidate's cooperating teacher(s). (See The Wittenberg University Student Teaching Handbook for additional information about procedures and responsibilities for student teaching.)
In addition to satisfactorily passing student teaching, candidates must also successfully pass state-required examinations in order to be recommended for licensure. The State of Ohio requires the Praxis II series of tests which measure levels of professional knowledge (e.g. general teaching techniques, educational issues, use of student knowledge in planning and teaching) and curriculum content and teaching techniques for specific licensure areas (e.g. special education, social studies, early childhood, middle childhood mathematics).
While passing the licensure examinations are required for recommendation for licensure, they are not a program requirement for graduation. Candidates who do not meet the minimum score established by the State of Ohio for purposes of licensure may still graduate. Candidates may retake the examinations an unlimited number of times. Several administrations of the examinations are offered each year. Information about licensure examinations is made available to teacher candidates during the spring term of their junior year. The examinations are typically completed during the senior year.
Policy for Transfer and Adult Non-traditional Students Transfer and adult non-traditional candidates must meet the university and teacher licensure requirements that are in effect when they enter the university. University policy states that at least half of a candidate's program of study in the major be completed at Wittenberg. As a general policy, all education methods courses should be taken at Wittenberg.