Teacher candidate perspectives of edTPA readiness: preparation programs and edTPA supports

ABSTRACT

This qualitative study focuses on elementary teacher candidates (TCs) at two United States university-based teacher preparation programs and their experiences with edTPA, a teacher performance assessment increasing in implementation nationwide. TCs from two public universities, in a state where edTPA bears a high-stakes connection to teaching licensure, were participants. Their perspectives of program supports that contributed to edTPA completion are emphasized. Findings suggest that particular supports within coursework and the student teaching practicum contributed to TCs’ feelings of success regarding edTPA completion, while certain gaps were hindrances. Implications are applicable to teacher education programs when considering structures that may or may not be necessary for supporting TCs with edTPA.

KEYWORDS:

• Teacher performance assessment
• edTPA
• teacher education
• student teaching

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Notes on contributors

Arthi B. Rao

Arthi B. Rao, Ph.D., is a clinical associate professor in Curriculum and Instruction in the College of Education at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Her teaching focuses on issues of multiculturalism and effective pedagogy in the urban elementary classroom. She helps her teacher candidates bridge the theory–practice gap in a seminar coupled with field observations during the student-teaching semesters. Her instruction across classes emphasizes the importance of culturally sustaining pedagogy in all aspects of teaching: community building/learning environment, planning, instruction, and assessment. Dr Rao’s research interests include pre-service teacher education and induction support in the beginning years of urban teaching and language program models and their impact on emergent bilingual students’ academic performance and perceptions of schooling.

Jennifer D. Olson

Jennifer D. Olson, Ph.D., is a clinical assistant professor in Curriculum and Instruction in the College of Education at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She coordinates the Secondary Education program and teaches curriculum, instruction, and assessment courses to undergraduate and graduate secondary education students. Jennifer’s research focus on urban high school reform is informed by nine years of teaching in Chicago Public Schools, giving her an informed perspective of how policy moves from theory to practice. Jennifer received her Ph.D. in Urban Education Policy Studies in 2013 from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Her dissertation explored students’ perspectives of organizational change in urban turnaround high schools. Dr Olson’s current research interests include urban high school reform, urban teacher preparation, school turnaround, student voice, and organizational change.

Melanie D. Koss

Melanie D. Koss, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at Northern Illinois University. Her research interests include examining representations of diversity in children’s and young adult literature and exploring the role of literature in the teaching of English language learners.