Chapter 6 Developing a National Science Assessment for teacher certification: Practical lessons learned

Abstract

Creating something entirely new, something important, something for which there is no agreed upon “right way,” set model, or solid precedence is exciting – and, at times, frustrating. Developing the Adolescence and Young Adulthood assessment for science teachers (AYA/S) of students aged 14 to 18+ for the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) is a case in point. This chapter describes our experiences as an Assessment Development Laboratory (ADL) and looks at some of the challenges inherent in developing a large-scale assessment that is complex, strives to be innovative, and must be closely aligned with a given set of standards. Some of the external challenges we faced included shifting and unclear expectations, the conflicting needs of multiple stakeholders and a deadline that was dramatically shortened midway through the process. Within the assessment development process itself we also needed to consider how best to involve teachers, address issues of equity and standardize the process to maximize efficiency. We share some stories to illustrate not only the challenges but also the insights gained and lessons learned during the early years if the project with the hope that they provide a useful historical perspective relevant for other large-scale assessment development projects.

Citation

Schneider, S.A., Daehler, K.R., Hershbell, K., McCarthy, J., Shaw, J. and Solano-Flores, G. (2008), "Chapter 6 Developing a National Science Assessment for teacher certification: Practical lessons learned", Stake, R.E., Kushner, S., Ingvarson, L. and Hattie, J. (Ed.) Assessing Teachers for Professional Certification: The First Decade of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (Advances in Program Evaluation, Vol. 11), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 139-174. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1474-7863(07)11006-1