Standards-Based Assessment Systems: A Description and Analysis of the Teacher

Performance Assessment (edTPA) and Critical Reflection via Blogging Portfolios

A paper presented at the 2013 AACTE Conference

Andrew LumpeRick Eigenbrood

Dan Bishop

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Hypothesis

Blogging portfolios (bPortfolios), as a form of electronic portfolio, can serve as an effective tool to promote critical reflection and professional performance as measured by the edTPA.

• “Thinking about Thinking” (Costa, 2001) Metacognition

• Learners construct their own narratives based on learning experiences and professional practice (Ellis, 2001).

Narratives

• Professional reflection can promote effective teaching and learning (Sockman & Sharma, 2008).

Reflection

Reflective Practice

Web 2.0 tools such as blogs are proposed as effective

online vehicles for fostering critical reflection and

feedback (Godwin-Jones, 2008; Bartlett-Bragg, 2003)

Electronic portfolios (ePortfolio) can serve the

dual role of personal reflection and program

evaluation (Barrett, 2011; Yang, 2009)

Electronic Portfolios

• bPortfolios = Blogging portfolios • Well suited for enhancing professional

learning of teachers:

bPortfolios

Causes reflection

Crystallizes thinking

Increases audience and

feedback

Creates personal

momentum

Increases creativity Enhances skills

(Wheeler, 2011; Lumpe & Wicks, 2010; Tan, 2006)

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Context• Graduate Initial Teacher Preparation Program• One year period• All teaching candidates maintained a

bPortfolio on www.wordPress.com • Random sample of 50% of bPortfolios (n=41)

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Using bPortfolios

• Initial set up of bPortfolio and training• Reflective posts made during courses/internships• Posts linked to standards via categories• Artifacts include text files, A/V, or web links • Meta-reflections served as summative posts • Peer and instructor feedback via comments link • Summative evaluation by faculty at end of program

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“Doing bPortfolios”

• 10 Questions about bPortfolios• Assessing bPortfolios• Sloan C Effective Practice Award 2011• bPortfolio Instructions• Sample student bPortfolios

– http://hamiltonlauren.wordpress.com/– http://rollis1.wordpress.com

Tags forIndividual Post

Categories (typically programstandards)

ReflectivePost for Weekly Module

StudentGeneratedTitle

Optional Graphics,Links, etc. Comments for

Peer or TeacherFeedback

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Research Questions

• What are the Teacher Performance Assessment results for the pilot and field testing?

• How do blog portfolio posts document reflective practice?

• How are Teacher Performance Assessment (TPA) scores predicted by reflective practices in an blog portfolio?

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Variables• edTPA (Teacher Performance Assessment) – scored by Pearson Corp.

– 2012 Field Test Version– Tasks included

• Planning• Instruction• Assessment • Analysis of Teaching• Academic Language • Student Voice

• WEST-E – Washington Educator Standards Test Endorsement (content assessment)

• WEST-B – Basic skills in reading, writing, mathematics• Blog Reflection

– All posts coded for level of reflection

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Methods

• Blog coding for level of reflection• Descriptive statistics• Multiple regression and correlation

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Coding Blog Reflection Level

Two coders coded all posts. Reached 85% interrater agreement. Adapted from Kember, 2000, 2009; and Lai & Calandra, 2010

• An activity is performed automatically1 – Habitual Action

• Learning occurs without personal/practical application2 - Understanding

• Self-centered concerns3 - Routine Reflection

• Response to a situation without change4 - Technical Reflection

• Focus on student learning5 - Dialogic Reflection

• Focus on change in professional practice6 - Transformative Reflection

• A major shift in personal perspective/beliefs over time7 - Critical Reflection

1 - habitual action

2- under-standing

3 - routine reflection

4 - technical reflection

5 - dialogic reflection

6 - trans-formative reflection

7 - critical reflection

Percent 10.3644107903455

26.5026029342168

24.2782773308093

14.9077141504969

9.27591102697586

11.7368670137246

2.8868906767629

2.5

7.5

12.5

17.5

22.5

27.5

Reflection Level of Coded Blog Posts

• 36.9% of posts were non-reflective• 63.1% were reflective

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Correlations Amongst edTPA Tasks TPA

planning TPA

instructing TPA

assessing TPA

analysis

TPA academic language

TPA instructing

.591** .000

41 TPA assessing

.572** .620** .000 .000

41 41 TPA analysis .287 .275 .473**

.069 .082 .002 41 41 41

TPA academic language

.662** .549** .719** .518** .000 .000 .000 .001

41 41 41 41 TPA student voice

.417** .417** .579** .276 .546** .007 .007 .000 .081 .000

41 41 41 41 41

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How are Teacher Performance Assessment (TPA) scores predicted by reflective practices in an blog portfolio?

ModelSum of

Squares dfMean

Square F Sig.  Total 26.359 38      4 Regression 4.788 2 2.394 3.995 .027

Residual 21.571 36 .599    Total 26.359 38      

Model

Unstandardized Coefficients

Standardized

Coefficientst Sig.B Std. Error Beta

4 (Constant) -4.306 3.370   -1.278 .210Blog reflection

.553 .223 .379 2.476 .018

West B writing

.020 .011 .274 1.785 .083

Model RR

SquareAdjusted R

Square

Std. Error of the

Estimate

Change Statistics

R Square Change

F Change df1

4 .426a .182 .136 .77408 -.024 1.064 1

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Conclusions

• Teacher candidates’ blogs displayed mostly low levels of reflection.

• Blogging portfolios were demonstrated to be a positive predictor for fostering professional reflective practice on the edTPA Analysis Task.

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Recommendations

• Professional preparation programs should consider using web-based blogging portfolios to enhance reflective practice.

• Professionals utilizing such portfolios should be given structured training on reflective writing via blogs.

• Future research should continue to focus on the use of electronic portfolios and other social media for professional reflection.

• More research is needed on the edTPA.

Comments or Questions?

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Andrew Lumpe, Ph.D.Associate Dean and Professor

School of EducationSeattle Pacific University

lumpea@spu.edu