The Wicked Problem of Measuring the Impact of Teacher Preparation: Increasing Rigor in Documenting Preparation Practices Larry Maheady, Buffalo State University Kristin Sayeski, University of Georgia The IRIS Center is funded through a cooperative agreement U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) Grant #H325E120002. The contents of this presentation do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. Project Officer, Sarah Allen.

Click to access handout The “Wicked Problem”

IRIS Impact and Other TPP Studies There is a need to move beyond discussions related to “what” needs to be addressed within TPP to discussions related to “how” content and skills should be addressed for TPP to “take the lead” on documenting impact (rather than leaving it to others to determine what should be collected and how those data are to be interpreted) to gain meaningful insights on practice in order to capture the potential of TPP (program evaluation)

Knowledge and Perception Study Study #1: Knowledge and Perception Study (IRIS Impact) Experimental, Pretest-Posttest-Maintenance Across Three Conditions (n = 115) Knowledge and Perception Study Group #1 Group #2 Group #3 Week 1: Peer Assisted Learning Strategies Independent Flipped Facilitated Week 2: Comprehensive Classroom Management Week 3: Accommodations: Instructional and Testing

Skill Development Study Study #2: Skill Development: Distributed vs. Massed Practice (Phoneme-Grapheme Correspondence) Skill Development Study

Study #3: Skill Development of a HLP: Opportunities to Respond HLP Skill Development Study #3: Skill Development of a HLP: Opportunities to Respond Experimental, Pretest-Posttest Across 2 Conditions (n = 48) Does distributed practice with performance feedback result in differences in teacher candidates’ knowledge of OTR when compared to a massed practice condition with no practice feedback? Does distributed practice with performance feedback result in teacher candidates’ delivery of a higher ratio of OTR during a microteaching lesson when compared to the instructional delivery of candidates who received massed practice with no practice feedback? Does distributed practice with performance feedback result in differences in teacher candidates’ capacity to accurately deliver specific OTR strategies when compared to a massed practice condition with no practice feedback? Does distributed practice with performance feedback result in differences in teacher candidates’ perceptions of competence for the delivery of OTR?

Two Significant Gaps Teacher Preparation Teacher Practice What effects do preparation experiences (i.e., coursework, clinical experiences, IRIS modules, and student teaching) have on candidate practice (i.e., what they do instructionally in authentic settings)? Which program components are most likely to impact candidate practice? Which practices should be taught to improve student outcomes? How should preparation programs be structured and implemented to improve candidate practice? Teacher Practice Student Learning What effect(s) does candidate practice have on important student outcomes? Are some practices more effective than others in improving student outcomes? How might these practices be disseminated more broadly and sustained in P-12 settings?

Strengthen Preparation-to-Practice Link Short-term Examine effects of varied preparation experiences (e.g., modeling, role- playing, IRIS modules) on limited range of teaching practice(s); linking to student learning if possible) Clinical experiences delivered via School-University Partnerships built around improving student outcomes Long term Track candidates beyond initial school placements, monitor performance, and link to ongoing measures of student progress Examine effects of induction and professional development models on practice and student learning

Strengthen Practice-to-Learning Link Short term Conduct more research linking candidate practice to important student outcomes Consider infusing studies as program requirements (e.g., capstone research experiences) Link research to specific student and school needs (i.e., What is your biggest instructional challenge & how can we help?) Long Term Comprehensive data collection, management, and analysis systems Longitudinal research on teachers, practice, and student learning Build a broader evidence-based culture in schools

Developing Practice Continuum A Continuum of Options for Developing Practice Developing Practice Continuum

Final Thoughts Linking teacher education to student outcomes is a “wicked problem” It cannot be “solved,” but we can strengthen links between Our preparation experiences and what candidates do instructionally Learn what effects their practice has on important student outcomes Strengthen these links by: Building solid School-University partnerships focused on improving student outcomes Allocating more time and effort to promoting use of signature set of practices (High Leverage Practices and Evidence-Based Practices) Studying preparation, practice, and student learning using rigorous research designs