Data and Dialogue: Cultivating Transformative Change in Teacher Preparation Programs

Introduction

Demands for teacher education reform have intensified in the 21st century with increased calls for accountability, higher standards, and an expansion of the research base (Cibulka, 2009; Wilson & Youngs, 2005). Additionally, efforts to link K-12 student performance to teacher characteristics are growing (Darling-Hammond, 2010; Goe, 2007; Wayne & Youngs, 2003; Wilson, Floden, & Ferrini-Mundy, 2001) as more states connect K-12 student performance to teacher evaluations and teacher preparation programs. Value-added modeling (VAM) has been applied to P-12 education to determine teachers’ contributions to student learning. Data generated from VAM direct teacher preparation programs about where to look in their units for strengths and weaknesses, but not how to address them. Teacher Preparation Programs need valid and reliable performance assessments to provide actionable data upon which programs can direct meaningful change.

This chapter shares experiences from a large-teacher producing institution seeking to positively impact change in its programs and provides other teacher preparation programs (TPPs) three models for creating venues to utilize teacher candidate performance assessment data, such as edTPA. Analysis of these venues and the reflections of key programmatic leaders on those venues demonstrate the power of performance data and dialogue to foster transformative change in TPPs.