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Validity Evidence to Support the Development of a Licensure Assessment for Gifted Education Teachers: A Job-Analytic Approach

Author(s):
Swiggett, Wanda D.
Publication Year:
2011
Report Number:
RM-11-32
Source:
ETS Research Memorandum
Document Type:
Report
Page Count:
40
Subject/Key Words:
Job Analysis, Licensure, Certification, Gifted Education, Validity, Praxis

Abstract

A job analysis was conducted to define knowledge/skills important for entry-level gifted education teachers. The results will be used to guide the development of new test content specifications for the Praxis Series™ Gifted Education assessment. A draft domain was constructed from national and professional organization standards, various state standards, textbooks, and scholarly literature. A national advisory committee (NAC) of gifted education teachers and college faculty 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 79 statements clustered within five major categories: (a) development and characteristics of gifted students, (b) the learning environment, (c) curriculum and instruction, (d) identification and assessment, and (e) professionalism. Survey responses of 605 gifted education 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). A total of 74 knowledge/skill statements had mean ratings above 3.50 in the aggregate sample and for subgroups containing more than 30 respondents. The results indicate that these 74 statements may be considered appropriate for guiding the development of new test content specifications for the Praxis Gifted Education assessment.

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