Using the edTPA as a Formative and Summative Assessment Tool

Abstract

The education profession demands a great deal of our entry level “employees.” The edTPA was developed as a performance assessment that evaluates the readiness of beginning teachers to meet these high demands. On a broader scale, the information from the edTPA can be used by educator preparation programs (EPPs) to evaluate their curriculum and practice to ensure that they are adequately preparing beginning teachers for the rigors of the classroom. This chapter will discuss the formative and summative assessment possibilities that the edTPA provides for both candidates and EPPs. This summative assessment can take on a formative role for the preservice educator within their program of study prior to student teaching. The summative data can also be used by the EPPs to identify gaps in candidate knowledge. A case study of one EPP's use of the edTPA as a diagnostic tool for programmatic improvement will be discussed. This chapter will also discuss changes made to the program and specific courses in order to more fully support teacher candidates in the development of their edTPA portfolios.