Framing the Context: The History of Teacher Quality Assessment

Framing the Context: The History of Teacher Quality Assessment Mary E. Diez Alverno College

The Puzzle of Teacher Quality: Two Paradigms • A Nation at Risk (1983) • Credentialing • Highly qualified • A Nation Prepared (1986) • Professionalism • Highly effective

Wolf, Bixby, Glenn & Gardner (1991) • How do assumptions about what learning is and how to assess it make a difference in what we see as evidence? • The epistemology of intelligence and the culture of testing • The epistemology of mind and the culture of assessment

Shepard (2000) • 20th century paradigm—Social efficiency curriculum, hereditarian theory of IQ, associationist and behaviorist learning theories, and scientific measurement • Emergent paradigm—Reformed vision of curriculum, cognitive and constructivist learning theories, and classroom assessment

Baker (2007) • Concerned by an “evidential disconnect between test design and learning research” • “. . . We must augment our usual accountability tests with other qualifications that link accountability to learning, that tap deeper individual knowledge, and that measure ability to transfer to new contexts and applications.”

Managing Polarities • Epistemology of intelligence vs. mind • Culture of testing vs. assessment • Credentialing vs. professionalism

Hallmarks of Professionalism: The Traditional Three • Specialized training and knowledge in a codified field of knowledge • Public recognition of autonomy and self regulation* • Commitment to service and altruism beyond one’s own economic welfare* *Teaching as a semi-profession

Hallmarks of Professionalism:A New Three • Collaborative and integrative skills in complex organizations (meaning-making, connecting, mentoring) • Knowing how to work in emergent social systems, like e-communities, temporary organizations like task forces and project teams (navigating and structuring)

Seeing the work of the profession as for the larger group, with crucial social implications (civic awareness and stewardship mentality)

Our challenge Given PI 34’s vision: • To construct meaningful assessment of the complex performance of teaching • Through working in new ways as colleagues, rather than competitors

Learning from each other • Making our understandings explicit • Sharing our assessments, criteria and rubrics • So far--baby steps • Student teaching instrument • Graduate follow up instrument

To continue learning, we need to • Recognize we need to keep learning (overcome our “expert” identity) • Follow Carnegie: Make it public, critique it, improve it, pass it on

Introducing Ray Pecheone • Advocate of professionalization • National Board assessments • Connecticut BEST assessment • PACT assessment in California • 30 institutions joining together to implement a set of assessments and learn from each other’s practice and data

Framing the Context: The History of Teacher Quality Assessment