Preparing UTeach Columbus
Students for Success on edTPA:
Lessons Learned from Initial
Implementation
Dr. Deborah Gober and Dr. Anna Wan
Columbus State University
Goals of edTPA
“The primary goal is to design, field-test, and offer at scale the first
nationally accessible pre-service teacher assessment process
designed by educators to:”
– Improve student outcomes;
– Be used in combination with other measures as a
requirement for licensure; and
– Guide professional development for teachers across the
career continuum.
– Help candidates develop the confidence and skills they
need to be successful in urban, suburban, and rural schools.
Benefits
– Provide a uniform and evidence-based process that can
be used across states to confirm that aspiring teachers
demonstrate their readiness for the classroom.
– Measure candidates’ ability to differentiate instruction for
diverse learners, including English language learners and
special education students.
– Create a body of evidence about teacher performance that
will ultimately establish a national standard for relevant and
rigorous practice that advances student learning.
– Allow states, school districts, and teacher preparation
programs to share a common framework for defining and
measuring teaching performance.
The Shift
(SCALE/edTPA: http://edtpa.aacte.org/)
• Shifting the definition of effective teaching:
– From- Successfully delivering the curriculum, “I got through
everything I wanted to cover.”
– To- Having a positive impact on student learning, “How have
I affected student learning?”
• Shifting the business of teacher preparation:
– From- License as entitlement of completing a curriculum,
“But I’ve always wanted to be a teacher.”
– To- An obligation to demonstrate the proficiency the
curriculum intends, “See, I can teach.”
Overview of the Planning Task
Artifacts
• Instructional and learning
context
• Lesson plans and
Instructional materials,
Rubrics
1. Planning to Build Student Understanding
2. Planning to Support Varied Student Learning
Needs
3. Using Knowledge of Students to Inform
Teaching and Learning
student assessment
• Planning Commentary
4. Identifying and Supporting Academic
Language Demands
5. Planning Assessments to Monitor and Support
Student Learning
Overview of the Instruction Task
Artifacts
Rubrics
• Video Clips
6. Learning Environment
• Instruction
Commentary
7. Engaging Students in Learning
8. Deepening Student Learning
9. Subject Specific Pedagogy
10. Analyzing Teaching Effectiveness
Overview of the Assessment Task
Artifacts
• Analysis of whole class
assessment
• Analysis of learning and
feedback to THREE
students
• Assessment
Commentary
Rubrics
11. Analysis of Student Learning
12. Using Feedback to Guide Further
Learning
13. Student Use of Feedback
14. Analyzing Students’ Language Use
15. Using Assessment to Inform Instruction
Rubric progression
Expanding repertoire of skills & strategies
Deepening of rationale and reflection
1
Not Ready
Teacher
Focus
Whole
Class
Fragmented,
Indiscriminate
5
Proficient Novice
Highly Accomplished
Beginner
Student
Focus
Individuals/
Flex. Groups
Integrated,
Intentional &
Well Executed
Results of External Evaluation (n=19)
Spring 2014
Planning
Instruction
Assessment
Rubric 1
Avg
Rubric 2
Avg
Rubric 3
Avg
Rubric 4
Avg
Rubric 5
Avg
2.95
2.55
2.55
2.63
2.73
Rubric 6
Avg
Rubric 7
Avg
Rubric 8
Avg
Rubric 9
Avg
Rubric 10
Avg
2.89
2.89
2.82
2.79
2.37
Rubric 11
Avg
Rubric 12
Avg
Rubric 13
Avg
Rubric 14
Avg
Rubric 15
Avg
2.26
2.55
1.97
2.39
2.29
Results of External Evaluation for UTeach (n=2)
Spring 2014
• “3” = proficient (ready to teach)
• Both UTeach candidates scored above the average
for the college on all rubrics
• Areas of strength (at least one candidate rated above
proficient):
–
–
–
–
–
Planning for subject-specific understandings
Planning to support varied student learning needs
Using knowledge of students to inform teaching
Planning assessments to monitor student learning
Deepening student learning
Results of External Evaluation for UTeach (n=2)
Spring 2014
• Areas for improvement (Task 3 Assessment)
–
–
–
–
Analysis of student learning
Student use of feedback*
Analyzing students’ language use
Using assessment to inform instruction
*Area with lowest average rating overall and for UTeach
Sample Candidate Response
• Read the sample teacher candidate response
provided and examine the student work. Discuss how
you would rate (emerging, proficient, or advanced)
this candidate on “Student Use of Feedback.”
– Discuss the quality of the feedback given to the three focus
students?
– How well did the candidate explain how the focus students
would use the feedback to improve their work?
– Did the candidate discuss how he/she would support student
use of feedback to deepen their understanding?
Integration of edTPA
Classroom Interactions
• Lesson Plan Commentary for Teach 1 (edTPA Task 1)
• Video analysis for Teach 2 (edTPA Task 2)
• Analysis of teaching and student artifacts for Teach 2
(edTPA Task 3)
• Peer review of Teach 2 Analysis using edTPA rubrics
Integration of edTPA
Project-Based Instruction
• All tasks
– EdTPA aligned template for the lessons taught
from the unit
– Sketches for remaining lesson plans for the unit
– Uploaded for evaluation similar to submission
during student teaching
• Rubrics
– Provided prior to tasks
– Peer evaluation using rubrics
Next Steps
• Design learning experiences that provide opportunities
for candidates to get to know the students they are
teaching in CI and PBI
– Observation Assignment – Getting to Know Your Students
– Additional classroom observations?
• Create assignments for CI and PBI to give candidates
experience in analyzing student learning and giving
feedback
– Analyzing sample student artifacts as a class and writing
feedback; discuss student use of feedback and supports
candidates may provide
– Analyzing use of academic language
A Teacher Candidate’s Perspective
• Important takeaways from completing edTPA
• Challenges of edTPA
• Advice for others completing the assessment
Sharing Best Practices