Unpacking the role of the Teacher Performance Assessment in teacher preparation programs [PowerPoint presentation]

Abstract

This project was a qualitative case study of the pilot of the Teacher Performance Assessment (TPA) at City University in the United States. The purpose of the study was to: (a) discover the role of the TPA; and (b) determine the implications of the TPA for university preparation programs. Two teacher education programs, Elementary Education and Secondary Science Education participated in the pilot. The study focused on the experiences of faculty and university-based supervisors (graduate students) during their participation in the TPA pilot process. Three research questions guided the study: (1) What is the role of the Teacher Performance Assessment in teacher education programs? (2) How did each program take up the TPA? (3) How, if at all, did teacher educators use data generated from the TPA to inform revisions of program content, pedagogy and supervisory practices? Other than its established function as a capstone assessment, the TPA took on additional roles: diagnostic, professional development, and as a learning tool. Participants in the Elementary program were avoiders of the innovation, while participants in the Secondary Science program were adopters. Greater support for university supervisors and pro-activity of some faculty members were recommended