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Article Excerpt
Abstract
The present study investigated graduate and undergraduate teacher candidates' assessment literacy by identifying the extent to which assessment standards were met. Participants' teaching experiences were also examined for their influence on level of assessment literacy. Results showed that graduate teacher candidates had higher assessment literacy than undergraduate teacher candidates, and those with prior teaching experience demonstrated higher assessment literacy. Participants were found to have the most difficulty with communicating the assessment results to others such as parents, school personnel, and students.
Introduction
As Linn and Gronlund (2000) state, educational accountability means higher demands in P-12 classroom assessment, and the number of required assessments will increase in the years to come. Assessment and evaluation greatly impact teachers, students, parents, schools, educational reform, and teacher preparation programs, and are hotly debated issues in the educational field (Phye, 1997). The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001, which was signed into law in 2002, required state public schools to implement accountability systems. This act mandates states to test students annually in grades 3 to 8 and document schools' progress statewide. [1] With this act's emphasis on accountability and assessment, there is an increase in standardized tests and greater demand for classroom assessment as well. With this current trend, teacher candidates are now pressured to prepare for assessing and evaluating their own students' learning and improving instruction inside their classrooms, and be able to interpret externally mandated assessment results. As this federal demand increases, one critical question is: How well-prepared are teacher candidates to assess their pupils? To learn about teacher candidates' assessment literacy, an equally important question to raise is: To what extent are the Standards for Teacher Competence in Educational Assessment of Students (AFT, NCME, & NEA, 1990) being met? Researchers have advocated that classroom assessment should support instruction and enhance students' learning (Shepard, 2001). However, studies show that teachers have consistently used a variety of factors in their assessment practices and consequently make erroneous decisions. Even more disturbing is that most teachers lack effective assessment knowledge and skills; that is, when evaluating student academic achievement, teachers exhibited misconceptions about assessment practices (Cizek, Fitzgerald, & Rachor, 1996; McMillan, 2001). In short, while many seem to understand assessment, more seem to misunderstand it instead.
Theoretical Background
Individuals seem to have multiple points of view to describe assessment. As Cizek (1997) states, at least four definitions of assessment can be found in the current literature. Assessment can be referred to as new formats for gathering information about student achievement (e.g., portfolio assessment); a new attitude toward gathering information (e.g., methods "kinder than'" standardized testing); a new ethos of empowerment (e.g., information gathered to serve students and teachers); and a new process (e.g., diagnosing and providing alternative instructions for students' with learning difficulties). Despite these definitions, one consistent theme in the assessment literature is the many roles assessment plays in the classroom. While one major role is to promote student learning (Shepard, 2001; Stiggins, 2002), teachers are not...
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