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Validity Evidence to Support the Development of a Licensure Assessment for Entry-Level Teachers: A Job-Analytic Approach PLT

Author(s):
Robustelli, Stacy L.
Publication Year:
2010
Report Number:
RM-10-10
Source:
ETS Research Memorandum
Document Type:
Report
Page Count:
31
Subject/Key Words:
Job Analysis, Licensure, Certification, Entry-Level Teachers, Validity, Praxis, Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT) Tests

Abstract

A job analysis was conducted to define knowledge/skills important for entry-level teachers. The results will be used to guide the development of new test content specifications for the Praxis SeriesTM Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT) assessment. A draft domain was constructed from various national and professional organization standards, state standards, and scholarly literature. A national advisory committee (NAC) of K–12 teachers, college faculty, and one Department of Education representative reviewed and modified the draft domain to reflect the knowledge/skills they believed were important for safe and effective practice and needed at time of entry into the profession. The revised domain consisted of 65 statements clustered within four major categories: Students as Learners, Instructional Process, Assessment, and Professional Development, Leadership, and Community. Survey responses of 930 pre-K–12 educators provided independent evidence of the importance of the domain. Respondents judged each knowledge/skill statement on a scale ranging from 1 (not at all important) to 5 (extremely important). Fifty-five knowledge/skill statements had mean ratings above 3.50 in the aggregate sample and for subgroups containing more than 30 respondents. These results indicate that 55 statements may be considered appropriate for guiding the development of new test content specifications for the PLT assessment.

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