An Introduction to the
edTPA
Performance Assessment
For All Initial Licensure Programs
Saint Xavier University
S
What is the edTPA?
S The edTPA is a national performance assessment focused
on readiness to teach.
S The edTPA was organized and developed by the Teacher
Performance Assessment Consortium (TPAC)
S Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning, & Equity (SCALE)
S American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education
(AACTE)
S Institutes for Higher Education (IHE)
S 25 State Education Associations
As you can see the edTPA was designed for the profession . .
.by the profession. The edTPA was developed by more than
1,000 teachers and teacher educators from 26 states.
It builds upon the model of the National Board for
Professional Teaching Standards and assesses subject specific
pedagogy in 27 distinct licensure categories.
The purpose of the edTPA is to measure novice teachers’ readiness
to teach.
The State of Illinois & SXU
Following the State of Illinois guidelines, the edTPA is a required
assessment for candidates seeking a professional educators license –
effective September 1, 2015.
At SXU the passing of the edTPA is a benchmark/gate that will take
place during the Student Teaching semester.
.
Why the edTPA?
3 advantages . . .
S The edTPA complements the 3 traditional certification
exams by allowing teacher candidates to demonstrate their
readiness for the classroom through performance vs a ‘test’.
S The edTPA also prepares teacher candidates for the new
teacher evaluation system.
S The edTPA poises candidates for application for National
Board Certification.
The edTPA tasks are built around what
we know effective teachers do . . .
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Engage Students in active learning
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Create intellectually ambitious tasks
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Use a variety of teaching strategies
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Continuously assess student learning by adapting teaching to student
needs
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Create effective scaffolds & supports
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Provide clear standards, constant feedback, & opportunities for revising
work
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Develop & effectively manage a collaborative and interactive classroom in
which all students have membership
S The following diagram depicts the cycle of effective teaching
& the domains assessed with the edTPA and the core
constructs within each domain. Central to every consideration
is the key question,
S “How to have a positive impact on student learning?”
Copyright © 2012 Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University. All rights reserved. edTPA handbooks are authored by the Stanford
Center for Assessment, Learning and Equity (SCALE) with editorial and design assistance from Pearson.
What does all of this mean for
you?
S If you are planning to student teach in the Fall of 2015 OR
later . . .
S You will be required to complete the edTPA Performance
Assessment.
S To help prepare you for this important Performance
Assessment you will be enrolled in a series of online courses
specifically designed to allow you to become familiar with and
practice the various edTPA tasks.
S Each Program (Early Childhood, Elementary Education,
Secondary Education, & Special Education) will offer edTPA
courses that have been customized to fit the edTPA tasks for their
respective Program. Generally, each set of courses will cover:
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An introduction to the edTPA
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Task 1 – Planning for Instruction & Assessment
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Task 2 – Instructing & Engaging Students
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Task 3 – Assessing Students’ Learning
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Elementary Education teacher candidates will have one
additional task.
S You will be contacted by your Program Chair with specific
information related to enrolling in the online courses
designed to support you in preparing for the edTPA.
S These online courses will be ‘zero’ credit and will be graded
on a Pass/Fail basis.
S Each edTPA course will be delivered completely online via
CANVAS.
Program Chairs
S Early Childhood
S Dr. Anne George – george@sxu.edu or 773.298.3887
S Elementary Education
S Dr. Maureen Spelman – spelman@sxu.edu or 773.298.3435
S Secondary Education
S Dr. Eileen Quinn Knight – knight@sxu.edu or 773.298.3211
S Special Education
S Dr. Meg Carroll – carroll@sxu.edu or 773.298.3212