Conceptual Framework

Rockford University Mission and Vision embodied in the Conceptual Framework: As its mission, Rockford University seeks to educate men and women to lead responsible and productive lives by means of a curriculum grounded in liberal arts, complemented and extended by professional and practical experiences. The total academic and co-curricular experience provides Rockford University students with the foundation for fulfilling lives and effective participation in their professions and the civic life of their communities.

As its vision, Rockford University prepares its graduates to contribute to the world as knowledgeable, ethical, and productive citizens with the necessary resources to be active, effective, and reflective, possessing knowledge for understanding the world, values for envisioning the world, and skills for shaping the world.

Rockford University Mission and Vision aligned with the Conceptual Framework & Education Programs: Interwoven directly with the University mission and vision and the central theme of the unit’s conceptual framework, the Education Program mission and vision are to prepare teachers to empower their students’ minds to enhance present and future quality of life; to use and apply knowledge in real-life situations, and to successfully maneuver the path to self-actualization. Students in Education Programs are expected to be committed, responsible, scholarly, professional, respectful, collaborative, ethical, reflective, and fair educators who have full command of appropriate knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to empower students to learn in today’s diverse educational institutions.

Rockford University Student Learning Expectations embodied in the conceptual framework: Rockford University graduates will demonstrate knowledge for understanding the world, values for envisioning the world, and skills for shaping the world.

Knowledge for Understanding the World

A candidate with knowledge for understanding the world presents standards-based subject matter in meaningful ways and demonstrates a clear understanding of the physical, sociological, cognitive, and psychological development of each learner. Further, a successful candidate improves teaching behaviors through continuous systematic reflection targeting areas for improvement and growth. In addition, the effective candidate comprehends, interprets, analyzes, and synthesizes current research to determine a personal philosophy of education, an opinion about education as a social institution, and to make research-based decisions in the areas of pedagogy, assessment, and curriculum, to name a few.

A candidate with knowledge for understanding the world is committed, responsible, and scholarly.

Values for Envisioning the World

A candidate with values for envisioning the world plans for and interacts with each student in an equitable, effective, and caring manner while respecting diversity in relation to race, gender, culture, multiple ways of learning, linguistic differences, and exceptionalities. The successful candidate creates a positive learning environment by effectively managing and monitoring the classroom while implementing best practices of classroom management and effective teaching that successfully meet the diverse needs of each learner.

A candidate with values for envisioning the world is professional, respectful, and collaborative.

Skills for Shaping the World

A candidate with skills for shaping the world designs instructional strategies that reflect content knowledge standards and the needs of the learning community.

Capitalizing upon a variety of instructional design strategies, the successful candidate facilitates each student’s higher-level thinking and performance skills, adapting the classroom environment and lessons to meet the diverse needs of each student. In addition, the candidate designs, constructs, and evaluates varied assessment measures that incorporate local, state, and national standards.

A candidate with skills for shaping the world is ethical, reflective, and fair.