Source: Globe, Clker, http://bit.ly/1CVSonk; Stick Figure, Clker, http://bit.ly/1JoIB83; Shopping List, Pixabay, http://bit.ly/1U17v4M; Old Classroom, Pixabay, http://bit.ly/1KsH72f; Singer, Pixabay, http://bit.ly/1KsHaek; New Classroom, Provided By Author
Hello there, and welcome. We're all aware of the importance of data and accountability that exists in today's educational landscape. In this lesson, we'll evaluate the metrics used to measure competency based professional development goals. We have a lot to get to, so let's get started.
There are so many reality programs out there today, that are based on competition. It began with singing shows and has expanded to include almost any skill or talent imaginable. Maybe it's the teacher in me, but I enjoy the evaluation part of these shows even more than the actual performances.
I think it's because as the expert judges give their feedback, I like to compare what I'm thinking with their assessment. I wonder if someone is creating rubrics for them to use. Maybe that could be my next career.
The field of education has changed dramatically over this past generation, and for the better. I often think back to my days as a student and can't believe the practices that were employed. I don't even have to go that far back to recognize the shift. Things are so different from the first part of my own career. A big change that is connected to the content of this lesson is how teachers are evaluated and what professional growth means.
Today, teachers, much like students, set performance goals and are evaluated on the attainment of those goals using competency based metrics, rather than using content standards like we do for students. However, the metrics are built from professional teacher standards like ISTE, the National Board, and the inTASC Professional Teacher standards. Districts don't have to create their own, however, because some teacher evaluation models like, the Danielson model, already have rubrics embedded that can be adapted to measure the attainment of professional growth goals.
Let's look at metrics that specifically measure competency based professional development goal attainment. A great deal of work by some of the most influential researchers in education have gone into creating these extremely comprehensive rubrics. Here are some important points you need to know.
A wonderful feature of evaluation tools is that they clearly describe and show ways teachers can demonstrate competency or level of competency. There is very little room left for subjectivity. Combine this with a trained evaluator, and a teacher's evaluation and assessment will be accurate consistent.
A teacher's performance or attainment of a goal is measured against a professional teaching standard through the use of rubrics and checklists. And it is those rubrics and checklists that are used to measure progress toward the mastery of a competency, again, leaving very little room for subjectivity. I want to also point out that teachers may perform these evaluations for one another or use these tools for self-evaluative purposes.
In this context, a checklist is a list of desirable skills, behaviors, tasks, or conceptual understandings that we want to see in our teachers, administrators, and support staff. A checklist is meant to be very objective in nature, simply indicating whether a teacher is or is not exhibiting each of the elements listed. Checklists are basically used for acknowledging if a skill is present, or if a competency, or part of a competency, has been met, kind of like a met not yet approach.
Checklists are intentionally broad-based and do not measure the quality or level of the learning, only whether or not that skill or competency is evident. This tool is most effective when competencies are simple and straightforward, or if you are only interested in presence or absence of the skill. For example, did the teacher use visual cues? Are the standards written on the board? Did the teacher use any technology?
Here's an example of a professional development checklist for a teacher whose goal is to help students become more self-directed in their learning. As you can see, this is meant to be a quick, almost at a glance method, to gather information that could help guide professional growth. If you are in education in any way, you probably already know that a rubric is an evaluation tool. More specifically, it includes one or more criteria with different levels of achievement or proficiency and usually includes a description of each level of achievement. Many teachers take the adult language on a rubric and make it kid-friendly and use them with their students.
Just like a teacher would do with their students, any time we're using a rubric to evaluate teachers, we'd want to share it with them first so they can become familiar with it and even walk through it to make sure that they understand it. There are two types of rubrics commonly used, analytic and holistic, and either could be useful for evaluating your professional development. Let's define each one.
First, analytic. An analytic rubric resembles a grid with the criteria for a student product listed in the leftmost column and with levels of performance listed across the top row, often using numbers and/or descriptive tags. This is the same when used with teachers for their professional development goals.
A holistic rubric consists of a single scale with all criteria to be included in the evaluation being considered together, for instance, clarity, organization, and mechanics, and then given a single score, usually a 1 to 4 or 1 to 6 scale, based on an overall judgment of the work. As you consider using rubrics, remember, that they are most useful when the criteria you are evaluating is complex, And when you are evaluating strengths and weaknesses within a given competency.
Here's an example of an analytic rubric that a teacher can use to guide professional development in the area of classroom management. By completing something like this collaboratively with peers, a teacher can begin to see the areas in which they need support. And through rich discussions with the team, support can be gathered. Notice how detailed and finite each descriptor is. That is one of the features of this type of rubric.
On the other hand, a holistic rubric combines many skills or behaviors into each score. This means the individual using it sometimes is forced to make a judgment call on which skill is more valuable than another in order to select a score. In any event, holistic rubrics give you a much broader view of your professional development needs. You'll notice how the ideal performance level is listed on top. When written, the developer of this rubric started at the top and worked their way down to the least desired performance.
It's best to have three or four groups that indicate a level or range with broad categories such as, beginning, basic, proficient, distinguished, or maybe novice, intermediate, or advanced. And it can be very beneficial to avoid an odd number of categories, as sometimes evaluators can tend to choose the middle column regardless of the accuracy of it.
So let's take a look back at what we covered. We began by looking at what competency based performance is. Then we introduced the metrics to measure competencies, including checklists and two types of rubrics, analytic and holistic.
And now for today's food for thought. Conduct a scavenger hunt. Look around and collect the many rubrics that I'm sure are being used in your school. Are most of them analytic or holistic?
As you reflect on how this new information can be applied, you might want to explore the additional resources section that accompanies this presentation. This is where you'll find links to resources chosen to help you deepen your learning and explore ways to apply your newly-acquired skill set. Thanks so much for watching. We'll see you next time.
(00:00-00:17) Intro
(00:18-00:47) The Results Are In
(00:48-01:49) Competency Based Performance
(01:50-02:50) The Metrics
(02:51-04:06) Checklists
(04:07-07:02) Rubrics
(07:03-07:44) Summary/Food For Thought
Common Core of Teaching (CCT) Rubric for Effective Teaching
This rubric from the Connecticut Department of EducationĀ can be used as a model when developing competency based rubrics for teacher professional development.
http://www.connecticutseed.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/CCT_Instrument_and_Rubric.pdf
iRubricĀ
This free tool can be used to develop competency based rubrics.
http://www.rcampus.com/indexrubric.cfm