Teachers Assessing Themselves
AfL
Along with videos being used to primarily teach training teachers, videos are also being used to assess experienced and beginning teachers. Teachers now have the capability and technology to record a lecture they give. They can go back and review the video and see the positive and negative ways their teaching affects the classroom. A program, AfL that stands for Assessment for Learning, uses video recordings of lessons and interviews with teachers to show how teachers interact with their classroom. According to Bethan Marshall and Mary Jane Drummond of King’s College London and University of Cambridge, respectively, AfL shows whether the teacher or professor promotes student education (137). “A distinction is drawn between lessons that embody the ‘spirit’ of AfL and those that conform only to the ‘letter’” (Marshall, Drummond 133). It shows if the teacher truly cares about the student’s learning and progression in education or just about the grades the students receive in the class/course.
AfL also takes into consideration whether the teachers’ beliefs about learning contribute to the different ways in which they interpret the procedures of AfL. “Interviews with teachers indicated that those whose lessons captured the spirit of AfL were more likely to take responsibility for success and failure in the promotion of pupil autonomy. Thus they had a sense of their own agency and sought to use it to overcome barriers to learning” (Marshall, Drummond 133).
If a teacher feels responsible for the students’ learning, then they take the time to make sure that their students understand the material. They use different methods such as videos, demonstrations, diagrams, etc to make sure the students have a clear understanding of what is being covered in class. “Results of teachers using video playback suggest that the digital video innovation brought about changes in student–teacher interactions in science practical work and assisted the teacher in reflecting on her professional learning” (Tan, Ling, Towndrow 61). Especially in college-level classes with a few hundred kids in the lecture hall, it can be intimidating going up and talking to the professor. Student’s feel insignificant and by having programs where the teacher believes the success of his class relies solely on his teaching, makes the class feel a lot smaller. If a professor wants to take the extra time to make sure all his students understand the information, it makes all the pupils feel important and take the extra steps to comprehend the material.
FTEP
At University of Colorado at Boulder, teachers use a program called Faculty Teaching Excellence Program or FTEP. This program “promotes excellence in the service of student learning through its initiatives, workshops, symposia, individual consultations to faculty and research in undergraduate learning and in academic development for the faculty” (“The Role of the Faculty”). After interviewing Dr. Lisa Barlow Baker Residential Academic Program department of Geological Science and Environmental Studies, she states that the Faculty Teaching Excellence Program really assists in her overall teaching. She records herself lecturing her Baker Residential Academic Program class, and goes back to view it. When asked if the program is beneficial, she said, “oh sure, sure it’s helpful. You learn things you don’t pick up on on how you teach.” She also stated that it is kind of nerve-racking, but she is able to see a lot of the errors she has made while teaching the class such as standing in one place for too long and any other annoying habit. It benefits her teaching and the overall classroom environment. After interviewing Dr. Nick Schneider from the department Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences he also has a similar opinion on the use of the Program of Excellency. Dr Schneider states that, “to see what you look like up there in the classroom can be a little shocking and a little eye opening, but really helpful.” Teaching a large lecture hall, the program helps him see the mistakes and strengths he has as a teacher.
A study was done in the Department of Mathematics and Information Technology at the Hong Kong Institute of Education. The goal of the program was to promote student teachers to reflect of their teaching performance through the effectiveness of online self-reflection videos (Kong). Eight student teachers from four different subjects were invited to use this program. After the study, the results indicated that self-reflection videos encouraged a 50% increase on the student teachers “reflective thoughts in the areas of discipline and classroom management, and professional knowledge on teaching” (Kong). Although this study shows an increase in awareness of teaching methods, it does not necessarily increase action inside the classroom.
By Claudia Mroczkowski
Government Assessing Teachers
Videos are also being used to assess teachers and professors by a higher level of educators and the government. The lectures are being recorded then reviewed by the board later. They can assess the teaching method of the professor and the effectiveness of it. They can see whether or not the students are engaging in the lecture based on teacher-student interaction and can rate the faculty.
Teacher Performance Assessment
This type of program is not only being initiated by schools, but also by the government. According to Emilie Deans, a program associate in the Education Policy Program, “The Obama Administration has repeatedly stressed the importance of measuring teacher effectiveness as part of a reform agenda for K-12 education” (Deans). One part of the assessment would be through classroom videos and teacher self-reflection videos (Deans).
The administration wants to strengthen the government’s role in assessing teachers through a program called Teacher Performance Assessment Consortium. With all the budget cuts seen throughout our country recently, this can greatly benefit each school. The government would use the data from the program to distribute funds to support “effective teacher training and development programs” (Deans). This motivates the teachers to educate students to their fullest potentials because of the bonus funding that would come along with it. Computers could be funded for inner city kids that will greatly benefit their learning and research.
Under a new program being implemented in 19 states, the Teacher Performance Assessment program demands more requirements for teachers to receive their teacher license. The schools will now be evaluating a video of student teachers in their classroom and the candidates must make a lesson, modify it to different levels of students, and present it effectively (Williams). There are some supporters of the new system, saying that it is an improvement from the traditional requirements of being able to pass their class work and a written test. There are others that are more cautious about the system, saying that it doesn’t guarantee more successful teachers.
Teaching License Requirement
Along with the Teacher Performance Assessment Program, there is a new requirement in Arizona, Connecticut and Indiana regarding education. The states require that all novice teachers in the three states will have to pass a test of classroom skill via videotape to get a long-term license (Keller). Videos in classrooms are not just an add on for a more interesting curriculum, but a necessity to obtain a job because of the ever growing technology growth and progression. Tom Home, who adovated the change and is Arizona state schools Superintendent, said, “now, we don't even know if the teacher at least has the capacity to communicate with students” (Keller). Those three states are making sure that teachers are up-to-date on the newest technologies of teaching students in a more original and dynamic way.
By Claudia Mroczkowski
Works Cited
Marshall, Bethan, and Mary Jane Drummond. "How teachers engage with Assessment for Learning: lessons from the classroom." Research Papers in Education 21.2 (2006): 133-149. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 30 Nov. 2010.
Tan, Aik Ling, and Phillip A. Towndrow. "Catalyzing student–teacher interactions and teacher learning in science practical formative assessment with digital video technology." Teaching & Teacher Education 25.1 (2009): 61-67. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 30 Nov. 2010.
"The Role of the Faculty Teaching Excellence Program and the Promise of Student Engagement in Interactive Learning." University of Colorado at Boulder. Web. 03 Dec. 2010. <http://www.colorado.edu/ftep/about/RoleoftheProgram1.html>.
Deans, Emilie. "Improving Teacher Performance Assessments." Federal Education Budget Project | NewAmerica.net. 26 Oct. 2010. Web. 03 Dec. 2010. <http://edmoney.newamerica.net/blogposts/2010/improving_teacher_performance_assessments-39041>.
Williams, Chris. "Video Assessments Gain Ground As Way to Grade Future Teachers." Boston.com. 3 Nov. 2010. Web. 03 Dec. 2010. <http://www.boston.com/news/education/k_12/articles/2010/11/03/video_assessments_gain
Keller, Bess. "New Teachers in Arizona Must Prove Skills Via Videotape." Education Week. Web. 03 Dec. 2010. <http://www.edweek.org/login.html?source=http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2005/10/26/09ariz.h25.html&destination=http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2005/10/26/09ariz.h25.html&levelId=2100>.
Kong, Siu Cheung. "Using a web-enabled video system to support student–teachers’ self-reflection in teaching practice." Computers & Education 55.4 (2010): 1772-1782. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 30 Nov. 2010
Digital image. Northumbria University. Web. 3 Dec. 2010. <http://www.northumbria.ac.uk/static/images/schoolimages/ar_images/cetl/6conditionsbw.gif>.
Teacher Pay for Performance. Experimental Evidence from the Project on Incentives in Teaching. Digital image. Sept. 2010. Web. 3 Dec. 2010. <http://www.blogcdn.com/www.politicsdaily.com/media/2010/09/teacherincentives-427.png>.