Abstract:

As a culminating activity in teacher preparation programs, pre-service teachers undergo a variety of assessments that include observations, portfolios, and teacher work samples. All of these assessments provide evidence that a new teacher is ready to teach, but they focus on different aspects. Observations, for example, tell reviewers about class instruction. Portfolios combine observational data with lesson plans, student test results, parent communication, and student meetings, all of which provide evidence of meeting standards for teachers. Teacher work samples involve planning, instructing, and analyzing a unit of teaching.

While each of these assessments offers partial information about teacher readiness, a comprehensive performance assessment has been lacking. To address this need, the Educative Teacher Performance Assessment, or edTPA, has been offered as a means for teacher candidates (student teachers) to show that they can plan, teach, and assess student learning in an effective way (AACTE, 2013). Hundreds of teacher educators as well as teachers have been involved in the development and pilot testing of this assessment. Initial findings from the pilot test report are positive, indicating that edTPA provides valuable information about pre-service teachers’ readiness to instruct in the classroom (Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning and Equity (SCALE), 2013).

The presenters will report on the first phases of this innovative teacher assessment in a teacher education program in the United States. The actual assessment involves pre-service teachers making video recordings of their teaching to document their ability to plan, instruct, and deliver instruction. Video clips are selected that provide evidence of instruction, and pre-service teachers accompany the clips they select with narratives that justify and explain their planning and teaching. Sample video clips of instruction will be shared as well as narratives of teacher candidate reflection. Finally, rubrics that have been carefully field-tested will be shared as well.

Keywords:

Pre-service teachers, video, assessment.