VCSU

The data tagged to Standard 6 are gathered and analyzed from exit surveys, TLC data, student teacher final evaluations, completer surveys, and employer surveys (InTASC Standard 6 Evidence 6.1). Annual data sharing sessions with stakeholders in the summers of 2018 and 2019 referenced the lower mean score ratings in assessment (example of data sharing sessions feedback from stakeholders on page 4). The program acknowledged the data and set out to improve teacher candidate preparation in the use of assessments and engaging students in self-assessments. Cooperating teacher ratings of teacher candidates improved in the Fall 2019-Spring 2020. Faculty ratings also improved for TLC units (InTASC Standard 6 Evidence 6.1 pages 2 and 3). The teacher candidate self-assessment rating results and reflective exit survey ratings were also higher. The use of multiple measures provides data to inform the program about the teacher candidates' preparation to use assessments to improve instruction.

The teacher education program regularly reviews data to make informed decisions for continuous improvement. The combination of data and annual discussions with area P-12 educators indicated the need to improve teacher candidate knowledge of assessment strategies, the terminology used by teachers, and the application of assessments. In 2010 a workgroup of EPP faculty members and area P-12 educators were organized to discuss solutions.

The outcome was a new course in the Fall of 2010 titled EDUC 450 Trends in Assessment and Educational Issues. The course involved a complete redesign of a current issues course with an emphasis on assessment. A workgroup of area P-12 educators partnered with the EPP's faculty to identify and define key assessment terms in a glossary that would be useful for teacher candidates entering the profession (Assessment terms Evidence 6.3). The workgroup reviewed a variety of textbooks and recommended a book promoted by the Southeast Education Cooperative for its emphasis on formative assessment and descriptive feedback titled The Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning written by Jan Chappius. The EPP gathered another workgroup of P-12 educators in 2016 to review and update the course again.

Teacher candidates learn to design, select, adapt, and administer formative and summative assessments in EDUC 450 (Evidence 6.4). Teacher candidates learn about state standards, writing learning targets, various types of formative assessments, strategies for teaching self-assessment and peer assessment. Teacher candidates also learn about types of rubrics, Bloom's Taxonomy as well as the strengths and limitations of multiple-choice, true/false, matching, fill in the blank, and essay items useful for formative or summative assessments. Teacher candidates assess student samples and use the evidence to determine learner needs and potential next steps in teaching that will include additional practice and feedback. Teacher candidates also see examples of standardized testing data and learn how a teacher may interpret and utilize data to impact student learning.

Teacher candidates complete an assessment project that requires the identification of standards and the writing of learning targets for a unit. Teacher candidates design a summative post-assessment to measure student success at meeting the learning targets. Teacher candidates to design a pre-assessment that aligns with the post-assessment. The alignment allows for the opportunity to analyze student growth on the learning targets over the course of the unit. The next step is to design or select a formative assessment that can be utilized to help the students make progress by the end of the unit. The teacher candidates also identify adaptations they would make for a sample group of students. The assessment planning experience (Evidence 6.5) helps prepare teacher candidates to lead their Teaching for Learning Capstone (TLC) unit during student teaching (Evidence 6.6) and learn more about their impact on student learning.

The greatest opportunity for regular application of formative and summative assessments with actual students occurs during the candidates' student teaching experiences. Each teacher candidate completes a TLC unit during student teaching. The TLC unit requires the planning and implementation of both formative and summative assessments to measure the teacher candidates' impact on student learning. The teacher candidates post the assessment results of their TLC unit in the Evaluate section of their portfolio (Evidence 6.7).

In EDUC 450 Trends in Assessment and Educational Issues, teacher candidates are provided with an opportunity to assess students' work. The candidates use the assessment results to practice: (1) providing feedback to individual learners; (2) use the evidence of student learning needs to determine the next steps in teaching; and (3) to consider how they would design instruction that was focused, followed by practice with feedback for the class and the individual learners. Candidates also practice writing feedback to students using an authentic writing sample and rubric from a student and teacher (Evidence 6.8).

Teacher candidates learn to use assessment data to plan, monitor, guide, and revise instruction in EDUC 450. Teacher candidates view examples of de-identified standardized testing data and learn how teachers may interpret and utilize data results to monitor learning over time. More significantly, candidates learn the importance of assessing student work for learning in the classroom on a daily basis. Teacher candidates learn about using informal assessments and formative assessments to identify student progress towards learning targets. One assignment in EDUC 450 requires candidates to assess student samples and use the evidence to determine learner needs and potential next steps in teaching followed by practice and additional feedback (Evidence 6.9).

Teacher candidates apply their professional education sequence and methods experiences related to assessment during their student teaching experience. Teacher candidates plan pre-, post-, and formative assessments to learn more about their impact on student learning (Evidence 6.10). Teacher candidates share feedback with students and select three focus students for the TLC unit: a student who has identified learning needs; a student whose achievement has been in the middle of the class; and a student who is identified as gifted and talented or at least has done well in the course. The teacher candidates provide work samples from each of the three students to help describe each student's individual learning strengths and challenges. Student teachers also provide evidence of feedback on the work of two of the three focus students. Teacher candidates are asked to explain how their feedback addressed individual student needs and learning objectives (Evidence 6.11).