1. Teacher Licensure An Evolving Landscape
National Observational Teaching Exam
October 16, 2014
The Ohio Confederation of Teacher Education Organizations
9/18/2018

2. Research continues to advance our understanding of effective teaching
The current environment suggests the need for a change in how we license and certify teachers
Common core changes what teachers are expected to know and be able to do
Research continues to advance our understanding of effective teaching
New technologies offer innovative ways to test more effectively
Status quo is no longer acceptable
Demand for accountability is at an all time high
Set the context….just like the accountability on teacher prep programs is ramped up so is the pressure on us to do more through our licensure assessments.

3. Help states make more informed decisions about who is ready
The Challenge
Help states make more informed
decisions about who is ready
to enter the classroom
9/18/2018

4. This challenge has led to two different initiatives
Praxis Performance Assessment of Teaching: The Praxis™ Series
A portfolio based assessment of teaching skills primarily administered during student teaching
National Observational Teaching Exam:
A new generation of licensure assessments designed to measure content knowledge for teaching and critical high leverage teaching practices necessary to effectively teach, day one.
9/18/2018

5. Praxis Performance Assessment of Teaching (PPAT)
Assessment of clinical experience
Single assessment comprised of four tasks
Portfolio entries submitted throughout the course of student teaching
Candidate can choose lessons/content within the context of prescribed curriculum during clinical experience
Summative assessment connected to formative activities (coursework, observations, interactions with mentor professor and cooperating teacher)
Culminates in Professional Growth Plan carried into first year of teaching
9/18/2018

6. National Observational Teacher Examination (NOTE)
Licensure assessment
Suite of assessments
rigorous assessments of content knowledge for teaching in the subject area(s) being licensed
four types of performance assessments
On demand performance
Lessons and content are standardized
Summative focus on licensure decision
9/18/2018

7. National Observational Teaching Exam
Project Overview
9/18/2018

8. Traditional approach to teacher licensure
Some combination of multiple-choice and open- ended questions that measure knowledge of:
Content to be taught
Common classroom and pedagogic situations
Some professional knowledge
Some academic knowledge as taught in prep programs
Tests differ depending on the state and their licensure requirements
Passing standards differ between states

9. How are we changing the paradigm?
A collaborative partnership between TeachingWorks and ETS
The new assessments will be grounded in TeachingWorks’ high leverage practices for teaching.
Assessment development activities are beginning with the elementary license and we are developing a suite of assessments to be offered collectively or individually
Tryouts in 2014
Pilots and field testing in 2015
Operational launch of the elementary title in 2016

10. What will this new licensure assessment look like?
Assessments designed to measure content knowledge for teaching (CKT) in the subject areas being taught. For the elementary license, these currently include ELA and math with plans to expand to science and social studies in the near future.
Performance-based assessments measuring ability to engage in high-leverage practices for teaching:
Leading a whole-class discussion
Making content explicit through explanation, modeling, representations and examples
Eliciting and interpreting individual students’ thinking
Communicating about a student with a parent or guardian

11. What is different about this approach?
The assessments are designed to:
Measure specific skills and knowledge that are critical for beginning teachers to have in order to be prepared for today’s classrooms on day one.
Elicit both content knowledge for teaching as well as assess on-demand performance measures
Evaluate a teacher's ability to translate content and pedagogical knowledge into effective practice in the classroom, thereby measuring a teaching candidate's readiness to teach

12. Early Involvement for Educator Preparation Programs
Current opportunities include:
Tryouts – end of 2014
Pilot – early to mid 2015
Field Testing – mid to late 2015 (2016 launch)
Advisory Board – TBD

13. Help us with Tryouts Participants must be at the elementary level
Enrolled in or recent graduates of an education preparation program (any phase)
In their student teaching assignment and have access to a classroom of students
Enrolled in an alternate certification program and are the teacher of record
Practicing teachers with less than 2 years of experience

14. What is the time commitment?
Assessment
Estimated
Time Commitment
Classroom-based Assessment
(1 or 2 tasks)
4 hours per task
Standardized Teaching Performance Assessment
(2 tasks)
2 hours
Assessment of Teacher-Student Interaction
(2 or 3 tasks)
1 hour per task
Assessment of Teacher-Guardian Interaction
Assessment of Content Knowledge for Teaching
1 hour
Participants will be paid an honorarium based on length of tasks

15. When are tryouts in 2014? Assessment July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
Classroom-based Assessment
Standardized Teaching Performance
Teacher-Student Interaction
Teacher-Guardian Interaction
Content Knowledge for Teaching

16. How to get involved
To learn more or find out how you can play an
integral role in this groundbreaking research:
Kathy Miller (609)
Melanie Schine (609)