Uncovering Preservice Teachers’ Conceptions of Achievement and Accountability: Evidence from a Framed Field Experiment

ABSTRACT

Contemporary research on preservice teachers’ data use opportunities, coursework, and interventions typically focuses on preservice teachers’ perceptions about data use comfort, confidence, and preparedness. Despite the contribution of such research to understanding the efficacy of approaches to teacher preparation, understanding preservice teachers’ underlying conceptions about data and data use is critical to responsive teacher preparation. However, these conceptions are elusive as preservice teachers do not routinely engage in authentic data use practices. In the present study, I develop a novel methodological approach for uncovering preservice teachers’ conceptions about data. Then, I use this framework to investigate how achievement classifications and accountability pressure manifest in preservice teachers’ instructional decision-making. Findings suggest preservice teachers have a general propensity for differentially allocating instructional resources to their lowest achieving students and respond to accountability pressure by shifting these resources toward students approaching proficiency criterion and those closest to achievement thresholds. Findings have implications for how teacher preparation programs may leverage preservice teachers’ conceptions as a foundation for the development of data literacy, iterative instructional improvement, professional inquiry, and accountable leadership.

KEYWORDS:

• Preservice teacher education
• achievement
• accountability
• data literacy

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. Cooperating faculty members distributed an electronic announcement describing the present study as an opportunity to help researchers understand how teachers make instructional decisions. The electronic announcement indicated participation would require approximately 35 minutes and participants would earn about $12. Participation in the research study was asynchronous, voluntary, and confidential; the identity of participating preservice teachers was not shared with cooperating faculty.

2. Participants earned $0.50 per round under the traditional compensation condition and up to an average of $0.65 per round under the strategic compensation condition. Round-specific maxima varied based on initial student achievement distribution.

3. Phase order was randomly determined upon starting the application.

4. Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (2014) color-coded achievement classifications included “minimal understanding” (red), “partial understanding” (yellow), “adequate understanding” (green), and “thorough understanding” (blue).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Austin S. Jennings

Austin Jennings is an education research and data analyst with expertise in multilevel modeling, network analysis, and mixed methods. His research focuses on the implications of data literacy for teachers’ capacity to understand and respond to diverse student learning needs.