Standard 1 Aspect D

Standard 1d: Evidence shows that, by the time of program completion, candidates exhibit knowledge, skills, and abilities of professional educators appropriate to their target credential or degree, including: Assessment of and for student learning, assessment and data literacy, and use of data to inform practice

Data Sources & Analysis

Data Source 1

Fresno Assessment of Student Teachers (FAST) Site Visitation Project (SVP) 

Description of Data Source: 
The Site Visitation Project portion of the FAST requires candidates to plan and deliver a lesson that is consistent with the current methods recommended for teaching the subject and designed to encourage the acquisition and use of academic language in the subject area. The lesson is to be designed to be relevant to the students prior experiences, interests, and backgrounds. Activities/strategies are to be designed to encourage active participation and communication by all students with opportunities for inquiry and reflection. Candidates are to determine the learning needs, backgrounds, and interests of their students and select one focus student. They are required to video the delivery of the lesson. They are to effectively implement and monitor their instruction consistent with subject specific pedagogy to teach the identified academic content standards. The assessment is scored using specific, task-focused rubrics. All coaches in the Ag Specialist program are calibrated to score the assessment.

Perspective Captured from Data Source:  University Coach

Rationale for using Data Source:
The Implementation rubric for the Site Visitation Project examines how well candidates are able to effectively implement the instruction they have planned. Embedded within the rubric are sections focused on Subject-Specific Pedagogy, Applying Knowledge of Students, and Student Engagement. The second of these areas--Applying Knowledge of Students--requires that candidates be able to assess students and use the knowledge they develop from their assessments to inform their instruction.

Specific Elements of Data Source:
Site Visitation Project Planning Rubric / Implementation section TPE 1.1, 1.3, 1.5, 2.2, 2.6, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.5. 

Overall score for three sections:

• Subject Specific Pedagogy
• Applying Knowledge of Students
• Student Engagement

Definition of Success for Each Element:
Although the university coaches encourage candidates to strive for a score of four on the scoring rubric, we would like to see scores of 2.5 or better. Candidates must score a two or better on the scoring rubric to show they meet the expectation for the site visitation project. The rubric calls for candidates to effectively implement and monitor instruction consistent with subject specific pedagogy. Candidates are also required to use management techniques to promote and monitor student participation.

Displays of Analyzed Data:

Table 1: Site Visitation Project Data Summary Fall 2018 - Spring 2020

Link to Full Dataset:  FAST Scores SVP F18 - Sp20 Ag_Students Summary & Data

Interpretation of Data:
Although the candidates average scores did not reach the goal of  2.5 or better, all candidates met the expectation for the planning portion by scoring 2.0 or better (a 2.0 score is required to pass) using the SVP scoring rubric. Still, we recognize that there is room for the scores to improve. One reason scores are not higher may be that the agriculture coaches tend to be conservative in their approach to scoring. They are most concerned about students failing to score a 2 and not concerned as much about students scoring higher. Regardless, this is something the program may want to look into further to ensure that candidates are developing the necessary knowledge of how to use assessment in meaningful ways to inform instruction.

Data Source 2

Fresno Assessment of Student Teachers (FAST) Teaching Sample Project (TSP) 

Description of Data Source:
The Teaching Sample Project is one of two tasks in the Fresno Assessment of Student Teachers (FAST) that collectively measure the pedagogical competence of teacher candidates and interns for Preliminary Teaching Credentials in California, and as information useful for determining program quality and effectiveness. To complete the TSP, candidates are required: (a) to identify the context of their classroom (i.e. students and classroom environment), (b) to plan and teach a series of at least five cohesive lessons (a unit of study) with a focus on content knowledge and literacy, (c) to assess students’ learning before, during, and after the unit, (d) to document their teaching and their students’ learning, and (e) reflect on the effectiveness of their teaching. The assessment is scored using specific, task-focused rubrics. All coaches in the Ag Specialist program are calibrated to score the assessment.

Perspective Captured from Data Source:  University Coach

Rationale for using Data Source:
The Assessment Plan section of the TSP requires candidates to have an assessment plan congruent with the learning outcomes. The assessment plan is to assess student knowledge before, during and after instruction.

Specific Elements of Data Source: 
Teaching Sample Project rubric for Assessment Plan TPE 4.3, 5.1, 5.2 

Overall score for Three Areas:

• Congruence with Learning Outcomes and Content
• Variety in Methods of Assessment
• Clarity of Assessment Methods

Definition of Success for Each Element:
Although the university coaches encourage candidates to strive for a score of four on the scoring rubric, we would like to see scores of 2.5 or better. Candidates must score a two or better on the scoring rubric to show they meet the expectation for the site visitation project. To score a two, the rubric calls for candidates to develop an assessment plan with methods that are congruent with the learning outcomes and accurately analyze student knowledge before, during, and after instruction.

Displays of Analyzed Data:
Table 2: FAST Teaching Sample Project (TSP) Assessment Plan

Teaching Sample Project Data Summary Fall 2018 - Spring 2020

Link to Full Dataset:  FAST TSP F18 Sp20 Ag Students Summary and Data

Interpretation of Data:  
The university coaches encourage candidates to strive for a score of four on the scoring rubric and would like to see scores of 2.5 or better. Candidates must score a two or better on the scoring rubric to show they meet the expectation for the assessment plan section of the project. For the semesters listed in the table above the students all scored a two or better on this section of the TSP. Although they failed to reach the goal of a score of three, all students passed this section of the TSP.

Still, scores were just above the passing point, meaning there is room for improvement. Moving forward, program faculty will work to better understand where, specifically students struggled and will look for ways to embed further attention to assessment within existing coursework.

Data Source 3

Exit Evaluation of Professional Objectives

Description of Data Source:
During their second semester of their field placement (EHD 155B), candidates are expected to complete professional objectives in six key areas as a way of developing the knowledge and expertise needed to be a successful Ag Educator. Their progress gets monitored on the Exit Evaluation of Professional Objectives. Each time the candidate accomplishes one of the stated objectives, their mentor teacher initials the checklist near the date to verify that the objective was accomplished. Mentor teachers provide university coaches with feedback on each candidate’s performance in regard to meeting expectations for the exit objectives.

Perspective Captured from Data Source:  Candidate and Mentor Teacher

Rationale for using Data Source:
The curriculum/instruction objectives call for the candidates to utilize California core curriculum, plan instruction, deliver instruction, and evaluate instruction. Fourteen of the objectives evaluate candidates’ performance in the area of curriculum/instruction.

Specific Elements of Data Source:
Total score for number of Curriculum/Instruction objectives met

Definition of Success for Each Element:
Candidates are asked to complete as many of the curriculum/instruction objectives as they can. The expectation is that candidates will complete all fourteen of the curriculum/instruction objectives. Some candidates may not complete all fourteen objectives due to various circumstances. Mentor teachers provide university coaches with feedback on each candidate’s performance in regard to meeting expectations for exit objectives.

Displays of Analyzed Data:
Table 3: Cohort Mean Scores for EHD 155B Exit Evaluation of Professional Objectives -- for Fourteen Curriculum & Instruction Objectives

Link to Full Dataset:  EHD 155B Exit Evaluation of Professional Objectives

Interpretation of Data:
During the last four semesters, all but three candidates completed all fourteen of the guidance objectives.  One of these students only completed nine of the objectives. This student’s performance was hindered by restrictions imposed by the cooperating school due to COVID-19. The other candidates only completed thirteen of the objectives also due to complications created by the cooperating schools restrictions due to COVID 19.

Next Steps:
In order to address what we found, we will continue to seek high quality mentor teachers and university coaches to supervise our student teachers. All coaches will be calibrated to utilize the FAST scoring rubrics. To improve scores on the SVP and TSP we will devote more of the seminar time to assessment and how to use assessment data to improve instruction. We will continue to analyze the exit evaluation of professional objectives data we collect each year and discuss as program faculty how we might improve our candidates’ performance in the areas of curriculum and instruction.

Aspect E →