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- Introduction
- In 1996, the Ohio State Board of Education adopted The Teacher Education and Licensure Standards (Administrative Code 3301-24) which require performance-based assessment of beginning teachers and an entry year mentoring program. In anticipation of such requirements, the Ohio Department of Education began a pilot project in 1994 to examine various forms of performance-based assessments of teaching.
- PRAXIS III: Classroom Performance Assessment for Beginning Teachers (ETS, 1992) and Pathwise (ETS, 1995) its mentoring framework corollary, have been implemented across the state in various pilot projects to assess the validity and reliability for use in Ohio. Study continues as regional educational groups, school districts, and teacher preparation institutions begin to look closely at the process and benefits of this framework for analyzing teaching.
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- Shared Framework
- Pathwise and PRAXIS III work together to form a comprehensive model for support and critical analysis of teaching and for teacher development. Both consist of the same four domains and nineteen criteria which form the framework for analysis. In Ohio, support, assistance and coaching are provided through the Pathwise framework; PRAXIS III is the framework which is being piloted as the "high stakes" assessment to determine state licensure decisions.
- Pathwise and PRAXIS III consist of three major shared components:
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- a framework of knowledge and skills for beginning teachers that is used to analyze and/or assess beginning teaching performance which is not context, grade level or subject specific;
- the instruments and forms that trained observers and assessors use to collect and analyze data and, in the case of PRAXIS III assessment, to score the teaching performance providing the rationale for the judgements; and
- the training of observers and assessors to document the teacher's performance and to accurately and reliably interpret the data collected in a wide variety of classroom contexts.
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- Pathwise
- The Pathwise framework, designed by ETS is intended to be used by preserve and beginning teacher mentors. The trained mentor/observer is able to observe, analyze the teaching in light of nineteen specific criteria and provide the protégé with substantive and specific feedback and coaching.
- Ohio uses a three level trainer-of-trainers model to prepare mentors and mentor trainers:
- Level I - Mentor/Observer: consists of 16 hours of training which includes not only knowledge of the four domains and nineteen criteria, but practice with the collection and analysis of information via video-taped simulations.
- Level II - Mentor Trainers: open to those who have completed Level I training, used the framework in a mentoring relationship and wish to train others as mentor/observers. It consists of 24 hours (3 days) of in-class training, field experience during the training and after in a : "shadowing" role, and the successful completion of the Observer Proficiency Test. This training requires a seven (7) day commitment.
- Level III - Trainer-of-Trainers: open to those who have completed Level I and Level II, and are experienced and successful Mentor Trainers. It consists of a two-day "shadowing" experience.
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- PRAXIS III is the observation and interview-based assessment instrument that has been adopted by the Ohio Board of Education for use in evaluating entry year teachers for purposes of teacher licensure.
PRAXIS III has been piloted in Ohio since 1994. The Ohio Department of Education is in the process of building capacity for statewide assessment. Ohio now has assessor trainers who conduct six-day PRAXIS III assessor training sessions for nominated and qualified educators. Assessor training is an intensive experience, organized into a six-day workshop with associated field experience and culminating in the Assessor Proficiency Test. Across the state, teachers and other educators have joined the ranks of PRAXIS III assessors through this training.
- The PRAXIS III assessment is centered around direct observation by a trained assessor of a lesson or instructional episode taught by a beginning teacher. The system uses three assessment methods:
- direct observation of classroom teaching;
- review and analysis of written documentation (profiles of both the class and students and of the lesson to be taught) prepared by the teacher; and
- semi-structured interviews both before and after the observed lesson.
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For more information, contact your local Regional Professional Development Center, the Ohio Department of Education, or the Educational Testing Service.