Guiding Online Graduate Special Education Candidates Through E-Performance Assessments and edTPA

2022 ◽  
pp. 1021-1036
Author(s):  
Charmion Rush ◽  
Karena J. Cooper-Duffy
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
Teacher Candidate ◽  
Performance Assessments ◽  
Teacher Preparation Programs ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Online Teacher ◽  
Field Supervisors

As online teacher preparation programs continue to grow, guiding the process for edTPA candidates can pose varying challenges. As such, teacher preparation programs must be equipped to provide guidance to online candidates as they complete the actionable items required for edTPA. Provided from the field supervisors' perspective, this chapter outlines the current process Western Carolina University has in place to provide effective clinical and teacher candidate experiences for students in their online program. The purpose of this chapter provides guided structure for graduate special education teachers pursing initial licensure through an online masters' program. This chapter will include 1) the challenges of guiding online students through the e-portfolio process, 2) an exploration of the provided structure for the teacher candidates to fulfill the requirements of edTPA, as well as 3) recommendations for teacher preparation programs and teacher candidate readiness in the practice and application of e-performance assessments and edTPA.

Guiding Online Graduate Special Education Candidates Through E-Performance Assessments and edTPA

2019 ◽  
pp. 120-142
Author(s):  
Charmion Rush ◽  
Karena J. Cooper-Duffy
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
Teacher Candidate ◽  
Performance Assessments ◽  
Teacher Preparation Programs ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Online Teacher ◽  
Field Supervisors

As online teacher preparation programs continue to grow, guiding the process for edTPA candidates can pose varying challenges. As such, teacher preparation programs must be equipped to provide guidance to online candidates as they complete the actionable items required for edTPA. Provided from the field supervisors' perspective, this chapter outlines the current process Western Carolina University has in place to provide effective clinical and teacher candidate experiences for students in their online program. The purpose of this chapter provides guided structure for graduate special education teachers pursing initial licensure through an online masters' program. This chapter will include 1) the challenges of guiding online students through the e-portfolio process, 2) an exploration of the provided structure for the teacher candidates to fulfill the requirements of edTPA, as well as 3) recommendations for teacher preparation programs and teacher candidate readiness in the practice and application of e-performance assessments and edTPA.

What Are High-Leverage Practices for Special Education Teachers and Why Are They Important?

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (6) ◽  
pp. 331-337 ◽  
Author(s):  
James McLeskey ◽  
Bonnie Billingsley ◽  
Mary T. Brownell ◽  
Lawrence Maheady ◽  
Timothy J. Lewis
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
Beginning Teachers ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Core Curriculum ◽  
Special Education Teacher ◽  
Teacher Preparation Programs ◽  
Initial Attempt ◽  
Preparation Programs

Improving educational outcomes for students with disabilities and others who struggle in school largely depends on teachers who can deliver effective instruction. Although many effective practices have been identified to address the academic and behavioral needs of students who struggle in school, including those with disabilities, these practices are not used extensively in classrooms. This article provides a rationale for and description of major changes that are occurring in teacher preparation programs that are designed to improve the practice of beginning teachers. This is followed by a description of a set of high-leverage practices that was recently approved by the Council for Exceptional Children. These practices represent an initial attempt to delineate a core curriculum for special education teacher preparation to support the changes that are occurring in teacher education.

Collaboration of General and Special Education Teachers: Perspectives and Strategies

2017 ◽  
Vol 53 (2) ◽  
pp. 99-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Alexandra Da Fonte ◽  
Sally M. Barton-Arwood
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
Teacher Preparation Programs ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Potential Barriers ◽  
School Settings ◽  
Teachers Perspectives ◽  
Successful Collaboration

Schools today focus on inclusive models of education for students with disabilities that include higher expectations and increased teacher accountability. Within this inclusion framework, both general and special education teachers have responsibilities for the education of diverse learners. Collaboration skills take time to develop, with many potential barriers that can limit successful teamwork. Therefore, teacher preparation programs have a responsibility for preparing general and special education teachers for collaboration with a focus on strategies to minimize potential barriers and support outcomes for students with disabilities. In order to be more responsive to teacher candidates’ development, a first step is to understand their perspectives about collaboration. This article outlines the hopes and fears of both general and special education preservice candidates regarding collaboration and how their perspectives align with documented views of practicing teachers. Strategies to minimize fears and potential barriers for successful collaboration in school settings are presented.

Practicing Collaboration in Teacher Preparation

2016 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margaret P. Weiss ◽  
Anthony Pellegrino ◽  
Frederick J. Brigham
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
Concept Maps ◽  
Teacher Preparation Programs ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Know How ◽  
Special Education Program ◽  
Vital Component

Collaboration among professionals is a vital component for successful inclusion of students with disabilities. In many cases, teacher preparation programs assume that teacher candidates know how to collaborate without explicit instruction or authentic practice and, therefore, omit coursework on collaboration. Alternatively, some programs may require coursework in collaboration but that coursework may exclude candidates from any other programs. In this article, we describe candidate outcomes from a course about collaboration that was taught in two ways: (a) as a co-taught course with faculty and candidates from social studies and special education and (b) as a course in the special education program that included only faculty and candidates in special education. Candidates in both groups constructed pre- and post-course concept maps about collaboration. We conducted both quantitative and qualitative analyses to determine depth, breadth, and complexity of understanding of collaboration as well as growth in these areas. Findings and implications are discussed.

edTPA Local Evaluation

2018 ◽  
pp. 1673-1688
Author(s):  
John Louis Seelke ◽  
Kelly Mills
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
Student Teaching ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
National Board Certified ◽  
Performance Assessments ◽  
Mentor Teachers ◽  
Teacher Preparation Programs ◽  
First Year ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
National Board

Numerous teacher preparation programs now require teacher candidates to complete teacher performance assessments (TPA) to determine their readiness for the classroom. One of the newest assessments, edTPA, has been used by over 700 teacher preparation programs, with 12 states setting policy tying the successful completion of edTPA to teacher licensure. While edTPA is considered an educative tool for teacher candidates, it has also become a tool for teacher preparation programs to improve and change, as well as engage with their district partners on teacher practice. This chapter will describe one university's story of edTPA local evaluation, including its decisions to use local mentor teachers and local National Board Certified (NBC) teachers to assess the edTPA. It will reveal how bringing partners together through local evaluation can create a common language for teacher preparation, empower actors (mentors, supervisors) to share their voices with university faculty, and help bridge the gap between a pre-service candidate's student teaching year and the first year of induction.

edTPA Local Evaluation

2016 ◽  
pp. 93-108
Author(s):  
John Louis Seelke ◽  
Kelly Mills
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
Student Teaching ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
National Board Certified ◽  
Performance Assessments ◽  
Mentor Teachers ◽  
Teacher Preparation Programs ◽  
First Year ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
National Board

Numerous teacher preparation programs now require teacher candidates to complete teacher performance assessments (TPA) to determine their readiness for the classroom. One of the newest assessments, edTPA, has been used by over 500 teacher preparation programs, with nine states setting policy tying the successful completion of edTPA to teacher licensure. While edTPA is considered an educative tool for teacher candidates, it has also become a tool for teacher preparation programs to improve and change, as well as engage with their district partners on teacher practice. This chapter will describe one university's story of edTPA local evaluation, including its decisions to use local mentor teachers and local National Board Certified (NBC) teachers to assess the edTPA. It will reveal how bringing partners together through local evaluation can create a common language for teacher preparation, empower actors (mentors, supervisors) to share their voices with university faculty, and help bridge the gap between a pre-service candidate's student teaching year and the first year of induction.

scholarly journals Using a Culturally Responsive Lens in the Revision of a Core Preparation Course

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 36-47
Author(s):  
Kia R. Williams ◽  
Margaret P. Weiss ◽  
Pamela H. Baker
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
Culturally Responsive ◽  
Teacher Preparation Programs ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Evidence Based Practices ◽  
Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy ◽  
Diverse Backgrounds ◽  
Core Course

With increasing cultural diversity in schools and in special education, teachers must be prepared to meet the needs of students from diverse backgrounds. In addition to evidence-based practices, culturally sustaining pedagogy (CSP) is critical to helping students make meaning of their learning. Therefore, teacher preparation programs must be intentional and explicit in their instruction related to CSP for teacher candidates. We describe a replicable process of course review and revision for the inclusion of CSP with an example from a core course in a special education preservice teacher licensure program. The course, Intersectionality and Disability, is a course in a newly-implemented undergraduate licensure program.

scholarly journals Exploring Factors toward Pursuing a Career in Special Education

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda M. Reeves
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
Graduate Students ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Special Educators ◽  
Teacher Preparation Programs ◽  
Second Career ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Individuals With Disabilities ◽  
Prior Experiences

This study explored factors influencing an individual’s decision to pursue a career in special education.  Twenty-one graduate students in the Southeast who were enrolled in a master’s degree program in special education participated in a survey.  The survey consisted of nine questions that allowed the participants to provide information about (a) their background, (b) factors which contributed towards pursuing a career in special education, and (c) recommendations for university teacher preparation programs to effectively recruit more special education teachers.  The results were summarized quantitatively.  The majority of the participants were pursing special education certification as a second career.  Although their backgrounds varied, they all reported having prior experiences with individuals with disabilities which influenced their decision.  In addition, the most frequently stated recommendation for university teacher preparation programs to recruit special educators was to provide more exposure and experiences with individuals with disabilities.  Overall, the results highlighted the importance of experiences with individuals with disabilities in influencing one’s decision to pursue a career in special education.  

A Rational and Manageable Value-Added Model for Teacher Preparation Programs

2016 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 728-750 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael P. Brady ◽  
Katie Miller ◽  
Jazarae McCormick ◽  
Lawrence A. Heiser
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
Student Teaching ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Teacher Preparation Programs ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Grade Point ◽  
Value Added Model ◽  
K 12

Educators struggle with “value-added” teacher evaluation models based on high-stakes student assessments. Despite validity and reliability threats, these models evaluate university-based teacher preparation programs (TPPs), and play a role in state and professional accreditation. This study reports a more rational value-added evaluation model linking student performance to teacher candidates’ lessons during Practicum and Student Teaching. Results indicate that K-12 students showed learning gains on these lessons, with mixed findings on comparisons of part-time to full-time internships, academic and functional lessons, and candidates’ grade point averages (GPAs). Results indicated that teacher candidates’ lessons are a viable value-added model (VAM) alternative for TPPs.

Explaining the Decline in Special Education Teacher Employment From 2005 to 2012

2017 ◽  
Vol 83 (3) ◽  
pp. 315-329 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jim Dewey ◽  
Paul T. Sindelar ◽  
Elizabeth Bettini ◽  
Erling E. Boe ◽  
Michael S. Rosenberg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
General Education ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Public Law ◽  
General Educators ◽  
Special Education Teacher ◽  
Teacher Preparation Programs ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Disability Prevalence ◽  
Constituent Elements

Demand for special education teachers grew continuously from the passage of Public Law 94-142 in 1975 through 2005, when this trend reversed. From 2005 to 2012, the number of special education teachers employed by U.S. schools declined by >17%. The primary purpose of this investigation was to determine factors that contributed to this decline. We parsed change in number of special education teachers employed into four constituent elements and found that these recent reductions were fueled by decreases in disability prevalence and the relative ratio of teachers to students in special versus general education, which favored the latter. These changes have important implications for teacher preparation programs’ efforts to adequately prepare special and general educators and for policies designed to improve teacher quality.

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