Fair, Accurate, Consistent, and Free from Bias Procedures
The Teacher Education unit uses the following strategies to ensure fairness, accuracy, consistency, and elimination of bias throughout its assessment system:
- The unit ensures that the assessments are linked to the unit’s Conceptual Framework; and the NCATE, InTASC, and SPA Standards as indicated and demonstrated in the alignment matrices.
- Initial undergraduate and graduate teacher candidates are informed of all requirements in the education program when they meet with their program coordinator and before they submit their application for admission to the program.
- Information about the Conceptual Framework, dispositions expected of candidates, transition points, key assessments, and other requirements are included in the Teacher Education Handbook that is available to candidates on the SWCU web site and discussed during the faculty interview as part of the admission to teacher education process.
- Assessments and transition points are discussed in each Professional Teacher Education course and SCU Conceptual Framework and InTASC standards are included in syllabi.
- Rubrics that are used for program specific assessments are discussed with the candidates each semester by program faculty members. Program-based rubrics assess candidates’ knowledge, skills, and dispositions are shared with the candidates within the course. Thus, candidates know what factors they will be assessed on, what is expected of them, and the level of proficiency associated with assessment.
- Unit faculty members review the rubrics used for the assessment of clinical practice competencies in unit meetings (SWCU Teacher Education Council and SWCU Teacher Education faculty members).
- Course content and rubrics are revised and clarified where needed.
- Assessments that are used to evaluate student teachers are discussed at the beginning of each semester with the student teachers, P-12 clinical faculty members, and university supervisors.
- Data sets are triangulated wherever possible to enhance the reliability of findings.
- Evaluations include feedback from the teacher candidate, P-12 clinical faculty members, university supervisor, and SWCU Teacher Education Director. Each independently completes evaluations on each stakeholder according to communicated expectations aligned with the SWCU conceptual framework and InTASC standards.
- Unit reports candidates’ progress on its checkpoints to the SWCU Teacher Education Council and SWCU Teacher Education faculty members. These reports allow non-unit personnel to exam unit data to ensure fairness and lack of bias.
Candidates learn the assessment system of the program through a variety of sources. Initially, candidates learn about the Unit Assessment System through the Introduction to Teaching course or small group information meetings. During Foundations of Education all assessments and requirements are part of the curriculum. The SWCU Teacher Education Handbook is also discussed and explanation of application forms are included. Candidates meet their advisors, and learn the transition process; how to apply for admission to teacher education and clinical internship; and all portfolio requirements. Additionally, they are also made aware of unit and program requirements in the application process for admission as a part of the interview process.
Candidates continue to meet with their advisors to learn the required unit and content specific assessments. This process helps students understand the major unit assessments and achieve the conceptual framework goals as they move through the program. Clinical practice assessments are distributed to all candidates as part of their course introductions and are also available online. Information about the conceptual framework, dispositions expected of candidates, transition points, key assessments, rubrics, and other requirements are included in program handbooks and on the unit website. The rubrics provide candidates with clear expectations of the work that they submit, and help reduce the potential bias of the rater. In addition, rubrics ensure fair evaluation for content specific assessments, portfolio check points, as well as, clinical internship evaluations. Therefore, candidates know in advance on what they will be assessed, what the expectations are of them, and what level of proficiency is associated with each scoring decision.
The State Department of Oklahoma requires all candidates to successfully pass the OGET, OSAT, and OPTE as part of the requirements to show that they are highly qualified. These exams are nationally recognized assessments that have undergone validity and reliability studies. Other major unit assessments utilized by the unit are scoring guides with detailed rubrics that address issues of fairness, accuracy, consistency and bias.