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Assessing the Classroom Performance of Beginning Teachers: What Evidence Do Teachers Regard as Relevant?

Author(s):
Morris, Lori V.; Powers, Donald E.
Publication Year:
1994
Report Number:
RR-94-11
Source:
ETS Research Report
Document Type:
Report
Page Count:
32
Subject/Key Words:
Beginning Teachers, Classroom Observation Techniques, Content Analysis, Criteria, Praxis, Surveys, Teacher Evaluation

Abstract

One of the three components of The Praxis Series: Professional Assessments for Beginning Teachers is a classroom performance assessment concerning the new teacher's ability to apply basic elements of good teaching in a classroom setting. At the core of this classroom assessment are 19 criteria for which asses- sors are to identify examples of evidence supporting whether or not a teacher can perform the function(s) implied by each criterion. The purpose of this study was to delineate further the kinds of teacher cog- nitions, decisions, and behaviors that may ap- propriately be regarded as evidence for each criterion. The focus was to establish the kinds of "generic" evidence that might cut across contexts, as well as determining what might be specific to particular situations. Survey responses from 131 teachers across subject matters are analyzed and both positive and negative evidence statements are developed for each criterion. Examples of both "generic" evidence and subject matter specific evidence are provided. The data gathered in this study could be useful for training assessors for the classroom assessment component of The Praxis Series: Professional Assessments for Beginning Teachers. (32pp.)

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