2024-2024
Data-based decisions correlated to direct measures
Based on Outcome Data of student grades on course assignments, most students show mastery of skills and knowledge. There are areas for improvement in specific courses, and the faculty will continue to meet to review learning objectives, artifacts, and data. Curriculum and assessment decisions will be discussed and implemented to improve student achievement for the program’s objectives.
BUSN 1091: Business Presentations
We felt it would be beneficial for students to be able to take the industry standard MOS exam so this was incorporated into the class as an option.
BCIS 1405: Word Processing
We felt it would be beneficial for students to be able to take the industry standard MOS exam so this was incorporated into the class as an option.
BSED 2150: Orientation to Business Education
In Fall 2022, only four out of six students completed the Four-Year Plan by meeting with a business education advisor. This led to students not signing up for correct classes. Due to this outcome, during the 2024-2025 school year meeting with an advisor became a mandatory assignment in the BSED 2150 course.
BCIS 2500: Web Business
After teaching this for the first time in 2023, it was determined to add more content and reference material to the Canvas modules. So far the 2024-2025 year seems that there have been less questions on certain material in the course due to the added reference material. Videos were created walking students through certain aspects of the assignments.
BUSN 2620: Digital Marketing
After teaching this for the first time in 2024, it was determined that we need to add video explanations of the different steps in the simulation. These were created and the class is running much smoother with what seems to be less confusion on the student side.
BSED 3150: Methods of Teaching Business and Marketing I
In Spring 2022, we felt that students needed more practice actually teaching before their student teaching experience. We implemented them creating and teaching 2 lesson plans. In 2023, we also updated the lesson planning component to incorporate generative AI for creating lesson plans, assessments, rubrics, and projects. Overall course mastery has been strong throughout the past several years in this course.
BSED 3300: Business Education Clinical I
In Spring 2022, we felt that students needed more practice actually teaching before their student teaching experience. We implemented them creating and teaching 2 lesson plans. In 2023 faculty felt that students weren’t reaching out with questions or concerns during their clinical hours. We implemented required monthly check in’s for this course to help keep current on how clinical observations were going. In 2024 it was determined by the university as a whole that students needed more time in the classroom. The original 30 hours observation was bumped up to 45 hours. We also updated the mentor evaluation in 2025 to align with the TEAL requirements.
BSED 4150: Methods of Teaching Business and Marketing
In Fall 2022, one student struggled with setting up content in Canvas and received a C. To address this, we revised the curriculum the following semester, splitting the Canvas instruction into two class periods with separate assignments for better clarity and support. As a result, all students in Fall 2023 earned As on the Canvas assignments. In 2025 this course is being taught by different faculty who have updated what is required in the Canvas assignment.
BSED 4300: Business Education Clinical II
In Spring 2022, we felt that students needed more practice actually teaching before their student teaching experience. We implemented them creating and teaching 2 lesson plans. In 2023 faculty felt that students weren’t reaching out with questions or concerns during their clinical hours. We implemented required monthly check in’s for this course to help keep current on how clinical observations were going. In 2024 it was determined by the university as a whole that students needed more time in the classroom. The original 30 hours observation was bumped up to 45 hours. We also updated the mentor evaluation in 2025 to align with the TEAL requirements.
BSED 5500: Business Education Seminar
In Spring 2021, we started requiring the PPAT assessment for all our students. After the 2022 year when our students didn’t pass the PPAT because they didn’t take it seriously, we required them to pass it in 2023 or have to go through revisions to pass the BSED 5500 course. This greatly improved the scores and pass rate in 2023. We also revamped the Canvas material for this course in 2022 and made it much easier for students to understand what exactly was required of them to the pass the PPAT. In 2023 we implemented a cut off score of 36 on the PPAT exam. The PPAT was no longer required in 2024 so this course was revamped. It aligns with the student teaching class. Students are required to submit lesson plans and show their Canvas courses.
BSED 5630: Business Education Student Teaching
In 2021 and 2022 we had university assigned USU mentors for our students. Talking with our students this was creating a disconnect as they did not know or trust these mentors. Starting in 2023 we, the Business Ed faculty, started to mentor and observe our students during their student teaching. This greatly improved the morale of our students and let to more open communication with them on how student teaching was going. Scores for both the mentor and USU evaluation have been strong for this course over the past 5 years. We also have been collecting data from our students on who has good mentor teachers. We reach out to those teachers thanking them and encouraging them to be our mentors in the future.
Data-based Decisions Correlated to Indirect Measures 2024-2025
Advisory Board Meeting
The business faculty meet with the advisory board consisting of 6 individuals who have various ties to business education in the state of Utah. All of the advisory board members emphasized that they would like to see an AI course added to the program requirements. The advisory board encouraged us to keep offering MOS testing to our students. This meeting 2 times in the 2024-2025 year.
Alignment Meetings
Business Ed meets with the Secondary Education (SCED) department at various times during the academic year to discuss the requirements for admission into the STEP program, how to apply for clinical experiences and student teaching. Faculty representation is also present at the institution's monthly Council of Teacher Education (CTE) meetings to receive updates from the Utah School Board of Education and USU (Utah State University) School of Teacher Education and Leadership department.
In addition to meeting with SCED and CTE, Business Ed faculty meets with Agriculture Education, FCSE , and Technology Education faculty to discuss common objectives within the teaching methods courses, student teaching, and licensure preparations.
National Certifications
The State of Utah Business Education department is requiring teachers to show competency in courses by passing national certifications. The USU Business Education is looking at ways the students can take the national certification tests before graduating.
We have started to implement Microsoft Office Specialist Exams (nationally certified and recognized industry exams) as a required assignment in several of our courses. We hope to increase the amount of these exams we offer in our different courses in the upcoming year. We are also looking into other exams, for example Adobe exams, that we can also have our students take and get certified in.
Primary Focus
This academic year (2024-2025), making new teaching assignments and recruitment have been primary concerns.
Strengths of the Business Education Program
- Great undergraduate advising. The students in our program have the opportunity to work one on one with a great advisor. They meet several times throughout their 4 years to make sure they are on the right track for graduation.
- Highly qualified faculty who have a background in K-12 teaching as well as real-world industry experience. ACTE members.
- Small size classes that promote one on one interactions with the instructor Approachable faculty members who care about their students succeeding.
- Commitment to the community through outreach activities. We participate in state and local FBLA, DECA, and Ed Rising events. We also have a strong presence at ACTE conferences.
- We have created a functioning advisory committee specific to the business education program that includes representatives of all stakeholder groups.
Weaknesses and Recommendations of the Business Education Program
- We have a strong need for recruitment to our program. The program has not seen significant growth in the past 5 years.
- Lack of communication between various departments that house business education classes. We need to work with both ASTE and USU Eastern to align the classes taught by Business Ed. Faculty.
2020-2021
Data-based decisions correlated to direct measures
Based on PPAT (Professional Performance Assessment for Teachers) scores from student teachers, focus in both methods classes and the student teaching seminar course focused more on the following:
- Knowledge of students and their learning environment
- Assessment and data collection to measure student learning
- Designing instruction for student learning
- Implementing and analyzing instruction
The PPAT is an extensive work for our students. We have focused on it in our BUSN 5500 course. While there is no set passing score as of yet for the PPAT, next year the passing score will be set at 36.
- Spring 2021 5 of our 6 students passed with a score higher then 36.
- The one student who did not pass decided to end the program early and not finish.
- Fall 2021 all of our students passed the PPAT with a score higher than 36.
Based on the collection of outcome-based data, the Business Education program will work towards program wide objectives to have cohesive data across all courses in the program.
Data-based decisions correlated to indirect measures
The State of Utah Business Education department is requiring teachers to show competency in courses by passing national certifications. The USU Business Education is looking at ways the students can take the national certification tests before graduating.
We have started implement Microsoft Office Specialist Exams (nationally certified and recognized industry exams) as a required assignment in several of our courses. We hope to increase the amount of these exams we offer in our different courses in the upcoming year. We are also looking into other exams, for example Adobe exams, that we can also have our students take and get certified in.
Working with the State of Utah Business Education department it has been brought up that we need to work on developing a Digital Marketing course to include in our program in the future. Talks are happening with the various stakeholders to work on developing this course for our program.
With the increasing number of classes going online due to health concerns this past year, it was determined to incorporate some instruction on online teaching into our methods courses. Students are now required to create a Canvas class and practice adding material to it.
Up until this year, student teaching observations have been preformed by the Secondary Ed. Department. As a program we feel it is important that we have larger role in this process. Going forward, student teaching observations will be performed by one of the Business Education faculty members.
Information about the 21 graduates since 2016 when the program started.
19 are currently teaching in high school or middle schools
2 are not teaching, 1 has opened her own hair salon, the other is pursuing careers outside of teaching
Of the 19 teaching
- 14 are teaching a high school
- 5 are teaching a middle/junior high school
Of the 19 teaching
- 18 are teaching in Utah
- 1 is teaching in Idaho
The graduating class of 2021 included
- 8 students graduated in 2021
- 1 student is not currently teaching
- 4 of the students signed contracts before student teaching
- 3 signed contracts within 3 months of graduating
2019-2020
Data-based decisions correlated to direct measures
The State Office of Education Business specialist revised the career pathways including requirement for teachers to teach in those pathways. Discussion with the state office and the Business Education Program resulted in focusing on courses students needed to take to be certified by the State.
Data-based decisions correlated to indirect measures
An additional teacher was hired to help with the growth in the Business Education program. The new faculty person will add diversity and strength. Each methods course will be taught by a different instructor providing improved perspectives and focus.
2018-2019
Data-based decisions correlated to indirect measures
Based on interviews with graduating students, students will have two teaching experiences in each methods course. One teaching experience will be a technology course (word processing, spreadsheets, digital media) and one lesson in marketing/communications area.