Preparing Pre-Service Teachers for Performance Assessments
Abstract
Performance-based assessments, such as the edTPA, have become one way that many teacher education programs use to evaluate the effectiveness and readiness of pre-service teachers. These assessments allow teacher candidates to demonstrate their ability to plan, instruct, analyze, and assess students. There are many factors that influence a teacher candidates successful completion of a performance-based assessment. Teacher education programs can make changes to the curriculum that allow teacher candidates to learn the elements of the assessment, and strategic changes can also be made to student teaching placements. Various support structures such as peer mentoring, seminars, technical assistance, and group meetings can also be effective strategies in preparing teacher candidates. This article describes the process and changes that one university has initiated to provide support for teacher candidates submitting a performance assessment.
References
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