Quality Assessment Plan for Teachers - Coursework Example

Quality Assessment Plan for Teachers Abstract We specify an assessment plan for assessing teacher performance when teaching young people a technical subject, the ultimate goal being that they then find employment. An assessment matrix is used to show how the teachers may be assessed in relation to the teaching performance goals. Our plan also demonstrates the connection with the overall aim of the teaching and therefore the links with employers and employment. We also specify how non-specialists can apply this plan without requiring specialist teaching assessment knowledge. Introduction This Quality Assessment plan is destined for the assessment of teachers who will work with young people to train them in the installation of personal computers with associated software and peripherals. The ultimate aim of this training is to facilitate subsequent employment of the students. As teachers coming on to this program are skilled in information technology, at least to the level required to teach this course, but may not have had extensive experience in teaching and teaching techniques, this plan will help to assess the teachers in their teaching effectiveness. Overview: In the course, the teachers are the students. They learn how to teach. This is done in a specific training program that we name "teach-the-teacher". Our assessment plan is designed to be the logical conclusion of a “tell-show-do” teaching methodology, where it is first explained to the teachers what they need to assimilate (“tell”), the practical application is then demonstrated to them (“show”) and finally a check is made that each teacher can execute the practical tasks required or demonstrate competence in some appropriate way (“do”). The assessment plan will therefore cover these aspects with theoretical and written assessment tests, as well as practical assessment tests. Context: The assessment is to be administered to the trainee teachers following this "teach-the-teacher" course at the end of the three days of training. The theoretical / written assessments will take place at the desks situated in the classroom used for the training, as a pen and paper exercise, using multiple choice and essay type questions. The practical assessments will take place individually in the classroom itself as well as in rooms adjacent to the classroom to allow sufficient privacy for each trainee teacher and avoid the risk of collusion. Each teacher will answer the questions in the assessment on his or her own, and the grades will be calculated for each individual from the answers given. The correctness of the answers will be measured by the accuracy of the written result or by the demonstration of appropriate teaching behavior when doing the practical exercises. Course objectives: demonstrate broad understanding of teaching principles demo understanding of class dynamics demo understanding of learning motivation particularly in unemployment context demo understanding of continual assessment / orientation of students demo understanding of linking student learning to improved job prospects demo understanding of identifying learning problems and solving them demo workshop leadership for students to apply their learning demo ability to grade and assess students final performance Appendix 1 shows the relationship between the course objectives and the assessment Appendix 2 gives a representative sample of the assessment methods to be used. It may be noted as well that these assessment methods are available for immediate use by any person teaching the teachers on this course. Their application is specified in each case: for example, how to use the multiple choice questionnaires, which steps to accomplish in the practical exercise and what results are to be noted by the trainee teacher. Instructions have also been produced to allow any assessor or official examiner to apply these assessment methods. They require no specific knowledge on the part of the examiner (for the case where the person teaching the teachers cannot attend the final assessment). They are also designed to cover the whole of the training content and to be easy for examiners to grade (see further examiner-only notes on this subject). See Appendix 3 for corresponding samples of examiner instructions and grading instructions. PART TWO – Rationale for this plan This assessment plan has been designed to give relevant, measurable and consistent results under any circumstances. We take as a point of departure the requirement for each teacher who attends this training course to then, when teaching students him- or herself, to positively influence the chances of each student to gain employment. Employers of these students may be companies providing this IT services to other customers, or companies requiring this kind of competence for their own internal needs. As such, employers will typically look for practical ability and knowledge in this domain, motivation to use and apply that ability and related work experience where possible. The trainee teachers will therefore be assessed on their demonstrable ability to teach students to this level and to provide a motivating environment for the student to succeed. The assessment plan that is applied to the teachers measures what is measurable: the practical teaching ability and the assimilation of teaching knowledge. Competency-based and other forms of assessment For their students to succeed both in the IT curriculum and in the process of gaining employment, teachers will need to instill in them demonstrable competence. This in turn means that the teacher will need to show practical competence in the teaching methods. Theoretical knowledge of teaching methods will not be enough. Therefore a significant part of the training and consequently the assessment is competency-based. However, assimilated knowledge must also be taken into account when it demonstrates the teacher's aptitude and flexibility in managing new or different learning situations. Therefore knowledge is also assessed. The assessment plan is thus designed to be realistic: we measure what it is important to measure for this teacher training initiative to be judged a success. The assessment plan also satisfies the following criteria: Reliable: both for the written parts (expressed in clear, easy to understand English) and the practical parts (consistent instructions will allow comparison of performance among the different trainee teachers). Practical: the written parts require only a writing implement (pen), the practical parts require no additional equipment. Flexible: the assessment can be held at any time and in any location Fair: trainee teachers are assessed only on their assimilation (theoretical and practical) of the course material. No prerequisites are required and the assessment is determined solely by the performance of the trainee teacher being assessed. Sufficient: the assessment covers all the learning objectives that in turn correspond precisely to the content of the training. Examples Please see Appendix 2 for further examples strongly linked to this assessment plan. Consistency with course objectives and standards See table in Appendix 1. Each course objective is tested with at least one of the assessment methods and each assessment method tests at least one of the objectives. Appropriateness of assessment methods to learner’s needs The assessment methods used test the effectiveness of a teacher in using and applying the information and competences learnt during the course. In particular: multiple choice questions test the teacher's ability to recognize the best answer to a question or solution to a problem and also to dismiss other answers which are not as good or invalid essay style questions test the teacher's faculty for reasoning and structuring a response to a question or a learning requirement practical exercises test the ability of the teacher to put into practice in a classroom simulation the knowledge learnt during the course. We take as an assessment guide here Bloom's taxonomy of education, declined as follows: ability to remember information ability to recall knowledge ability to apply knowledge ability to analyze a system into smaller components ability to aggregate information to see the "big picture" ability to solve problems Appropriateness of assessment methods to employers’ and wider community needs. It is the teaching by the teacher that is destined to equip the students with the methods and motivational environment which will allow them to increase their chances of employment. By correctly assessing this teaching ability (and therefore by including in the teacher training the relevant items), the positive influence extends not only to the student, but also to the prospective employer. The community as a whole benefits from the integration of young people apt for employment and ready to assume a positive role in society. This assessing the teacher's performance carries through to assessing their capability for teaching: specific IT capability, available to help the candidate find employment, to contribute to the business performance and/or social well being of other community members wider capabilities related, but not limited to information technology, such as the training in problem solving and understanding of user or customer requirements. Holism of the assessment, integration across components, links to key competencies The assessment is holistic in that the teachers are consistently assessed for their capacity to communicate IT knowledge and to improve their students' chances of finding employment. It is integrated across the different components and links to key competencies of the teach-the-teacher course by use of the model of Bloom's taxonomy. Conclusion In conclusion, the assessment plan is a quality one overall because it: addresses the end requirement for teachers to teach students how to be attractive candidates for employers evaluates holistically and relevantly the different knowledge and skill set taught on this teach-the-teacher course is easy to administer, requires no special skills or equipment from the examiner Appendix 1 Objectives / Measures Assessment Targets Assessment Methods Type of Knowledge Cognitive processes Multiple Choice Questions Essay Practical Exercise Broad understanding of teaching principles Conceptual Understand Yes Yes Ability to work with class dynamics Practical Apply Yes Yes Provide learning motivation Conceptual Understand Yes Yes Track and correct student orientation Practical Apply Yes Yes Link student learning to employability Conceptual Remember Yes Yes Identify and solve learning problems in a class Practical Apply Yes Yes Yes Lead a workshop for student application of course knowledge Practical Apply Yes Assess and grade students' final performance Practical Apply Yes From this table, it can be seen that certain assessment methods assess more than one objective, and that conversely certain objectives use more than one assessment method. Appendix 2 - sample of the assessment methods Multiple Choice (*Answers) Name ___________ Date ______________ Direction: This test is to assess the knowledge that you have acquired during the course. There are 3 questions (1 mark per question) and the maximum time allowed is 5 minutes. For each question, choose the best answer and circle the letter beside that answer. Q1. To increase student participation from the start of the course, a teacher should: A. Give details of his or her professional qualifications B. Ask the students to state their objectives in attending the course* C. Distribute all course materials including pens and paper D. Explain how the final assessment will be made Q2. A perceived learning problem for an individual student is best handled by: A. A frank and open discussion with the whole class B. Waiting for verification of a problem from the final assessment C. An discussion in private with the individual* D. Taking the material more slowly for the whole class Q3. The value of your teaching for potential employers of your students is in: A. The practical, real-life application of the different concepts taught* B. The technical detail and complete theoretical grounding of the course C. The interaction of the students in a group D. The up-to-date training materials and course equipment Essay question: Name ___________ Date ______________ Direction: This test is to assess your ability to give a reasoned response to a question or a requirement, using the knowledge that you have acquired during the course. You have 25 minutes to complete the test. Read the paragraph below and follow the instruction. A local employers association makes contact with you concerning the course on the installation and configuration of PCs and associated IT items (accessories, software). The employers are concerned that the course might be too theoretical and not properly prepare the students for "real life". In 10 – 12 sentences, describe how you would answer such a criticism in a way that would not only reassure the employers, but also position your course as a particularly good source of job candidates in their eyes. (15 points possible) Practical question: Name ___________ Date ______________ Direction: This test is to assess your ability to interpret in a practical sense the knowledge that you acquired during the trainee teaching course. Read the questions below (5 minutes). You will then watch a short video clip showing a simulated classroom session for a general introductory course to PCs and information technology. Following this, you will then have 30 minutes to write your answers to the questions. 1. Using a separate sentence for each item, write down three of the things that the teacher in the video clip did particularly well 2. Select one of the items that you gave in answer to question 1. Explain in 3 – 4 sentences why it is important for the teacher to demonstrate such teaching behavior. 3. Using a separate sentence for each item, write down three of the things that the teacher could improve on. 4. Select one of the items that you gave in answer to question 3. Explain in 3 – 4 sentences why this kind of teaching behavior may have a negative effect in student learning. 5. A representative from a local company known to employ students has been invited to give a short talk on the company, followed by an informal question and answer session. The teacher has the opportunity to brief the representative before the presentation. In the context of the video clip, what important points should the teacher emphasize in the briefing in order for the talk to have maximum benefit for the students? 6. The teacher will also discuss the forthcoming talk with the students in the class. In the context of the video clip, what important points should the teacher emphasize to them so that they make the most of the talk and the contact with a potential employer? (For a total of 18 marks: 3 marks per question) Appendix 3 - examiner instructions and grading instructions 1. Examiner instructions: Please follow the instructions below for successful administration of the multiple choice, essay and practical tests. Before the assessment, inform the trainee teachers about the types of questions in the assessment Remind the trainee teachers of the contents of the course and tell them that the questions will together cover the whole of the course material Tell trainee teachers that an overall grade of 60% is required to pass the course Tell the trainee teachers the length of each test Trainee teachers may not take notes or textbooks with them to the assessment, neither may they collude with any other candidate. 2. Grading instructions Grading for the multiple choice questions and the practical exercise is self-explanatory (the examiner’s version – confidential – lists the correct answers and the marks to be awarded). For the essay question: Perform grading of the essay according to the content and the reasoning shown. Do not grade on grammar and spelling unless this has rendered the essay partially or wholly unreadable. The examiner’s answer sheet for this essay question indicates possible responses and structured reasoning together with recommendations on marks to be allocated. Bibliography Campbell, J., Kyriakides, L., Muijs, D., & Robinson, W. (2004). Assessing Teacher Effectiveness - Developing a differentiated model. RoutledgeFalmer / Taylor & Francis Group Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (2008). 10 principles for assessment for learning. Retrieved April 1, 2008 from http://www.qca.org.uk/qca_4336.aspx Scriven, M. (1996). Types of evaluation and types of evaluator. Evaluation Practice, 17(2), 367-382. Shadish, W. R. (1994). Need-based evaluation theory: What do you need to know to do good evaluation? Evaluation Practice, 15(3), 347-358. Read More