Performance-Based Competency Requirements for Student Teachers and How to Assess Them

Abstract

This paper reports a validation study of the performance-based competency requirements model for initial teacher education. An assessment rubric of student teachers’ performance-based competency requirements was developed in collaboration between Dutch and Estonian researchers and teacher educators. For the validation of the rubric a Delphi study was carried out. Teacher education experts (five in the Netherlands and 11 in Estonia) were asked to assess and comment on the model. This resulted, per context, in a high degree of consensus and support for the assessment rubric, involving five professional roles, 12 (Estonia) / 11 (The Netherlands) professional activities and five (Estonia) / four (The Netherlands) performance levels for each activity. Furthermore, the experts provide suggestions for assessment forms and required evidence (e.g., lesson plan, lesson observation and test including correction sheets) for the assessment of the professional activities The contribution of this study is an identified and formulated set of roles, professional activities and performance levels that can serve as an assessment rubric for performance-based teacher education. The next step is to implement the rubric and associated assessment forms in an electronic portfolio-system aimed at assessing and guiding student teachers’ professional development.