Student (and Candidate) Path Domain

This article describes the Student Path Domain for the Educator Preparation Data Model (EPDM), providing the background and rationale, and offers guidance for its application in the field.

Background

The EPDM model is an extension to Ed-Fi core model that captures data to allow an Educator Preparation Provider (EPP) to understand and answer key questions relating to educator Candidates, as they progress through the process of being a Student of the EPP, receiving instruction, taking assessments, accomplishing fieldwork and clinical teaching, and getting their teacher certification(s).  The EPDM model supports capturing the results of these processes. 

Feedback from the EPP community indicates a need to capture the student’s detailed plan and track progress against that plan, referred to as a “path.”

Note a similar need has been raised in the K-12 community to similarly capture the student’s detailed graduation plan and track progress against that plan.

Drivers for the Student Path Domain

The path for a student to become an educator comprises many steps, including a program sequence of courses offered by the EPP, various assessments, fieldwork in a school, certification exams typically offered by a third party, and certifications from the state education agency.  Candidates are a finisher when they have completed the EPP program, but still must pass their exams for educator certification.

The need to capture the student path and track progress against the path is driven by several requirements to:

·         Capture the detailed path that individual students are assigned.

·         Track the student’s progress to the path, so as to better counsel the student to remain on track.

·         Support paths that may extend back in high school and then into an EPP, for students with an interest in becoming an educator.

·         Track the aggregate EPP students’ progress so as to assess and improve the EPP program.

·         Track the pipeline of EPP students against the projected needs of the local school districts.  Target certifications can be matched to available assignments.

·         Assess how many EPP finishers complete their certifications.

Student Path Concepts

A Path defines the various requirements for students to achieve an educational goal, for example educator certification, graduation, etc. 

·         Paths are typically generic paths to which many students are assigned. Different Paths may be defined for different pathways to certification.

·         However, a Path may be customized for a specific student. 

·         A Path entity is identified by a PathName and a reference to an EducationOrganization

The Path is defined along a timeline organized by Path Phases, (aka stages) for example, for example school year, student seniority (freshman sophomore…), or ranges of credits earned.

·         A PathPhase entity is identified by a PathPhaseName and a reference to a Path.

The Path is defined by specifying Path Milestones to be achieved in each Path Phase.  For example, Path Milestones may include courses, assessments, fieldwork, or certifications.

·         Path Milestones may be shared amongst Paths.  This allows a student to maintain their status if they change paths that have common path milestones.

·         A PathMilestone entity is identified by a PathMilestoneName and PathMilestoneType.

The concept for a Path is shown below.

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Figure 1. Conceptual View of a Path

The hierarchical structure for the three entities: Path, PathPhase, and PathMilestone are shown below.

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Figure 2. Structural View of a Path

A student is assigned to a Path via a StudentPath association and may change Paths.  Multiple students may be assigned to the same Path.

Students may be tracked through the PathPhases over time with the StudentPathPhase. 

·         Status may be recorded using a ConmpletionIndicator and/or by recording more granular PathPhaseStausEvents (e.g., active, complete, inactive). 

·         The period(s) when a student is considered “in the phase” can be recorded, if desired, in StudentPathPhasePeriods.

·         Recording of StudentPathPhaseStatus is optional.

As students attempt and complete PathMilestones, the appropriate StudentPathMilestoneStatus is posted. 

·         Status may be recorded using a completion indicator and/or by recording more granular PathMilestoneStatusEvents (e.g., scheduled, attempting, pass, complete, fail, in remediation, waiver).

·         Multiple PathMilestoneStatusEvents may be posted for the same PathMilestone as the student makes progress.

·         The PathPhase when the PathMilestone is completed may optionally be recorded.

The entity structure for the Path definition and the recording of a student’s Path status is shown below.

Student Path Domain Data Model

The Student Path domain data model is shown below.  Key items of note:

·         The Path entity is defined and associated with an EducationOrganization.

·         Paths may be generic paths to which many students are assigned or may be customized for a student.

·         Paths may be optionally associated with a GraduationPlan.

·         Paths must have PathPhases and PathMilestones defined.

·         PathMilestones may be referenced in multiple Paths and PathPhases.

·         The optional PathMilestoneCode attribute of the PathMilestone is meant to hold a unique identifier associated with the PathMilestone, for example, for a course identifier, a certification identifier, or an exam or assessment identifier.

·         The StudentPath entity is associated with Student.  In EPDM, Students may be associated with Candidates via the Person entity.

·         A StudentPath may be created when the Student is initially assigned to a Path and before there is any status.

·         Tracking of StudentPathPhaseStatus is optional; if desired, only StudentPathMilestoneStatus may be used to track status.

·         Status may be tracked simply with the CompletionIndicators or more granularly with *StatusEvents.

The detailed definition of the model is shown in the tables below.

Using the Student Path Model

The following diagram provides an example certification path annotated with the using the Student Path domain model.  The example certification path is part of a university-based teacher preparation program.

·         The program Path is organized into five PathPhases, as reflected in the vertical columns of the path.

·         The program Path is further organized by the various PathMilestoneTypes (a descriptor), as reflected in the horizontal swim lanes.

·         The body of the Path lists the individual PathMIlestones, organized by their PathMilestoneType (the horizontal swim lanes) and by the PathPhase (vertical column).