Changing Assessment Practices of Teaching Candidates and Variables that Facilitate that Change

Abstract

This mixed-methods study explores changes over time in assessment strategies and identifies variables that facilitate that change by examining assessment practices of 11 teacher candidates enrolled in a one-year postbaccalaureate teacher education program that prepares for teaching in rural and urban settings of Alaska. Analyzing multiple data sources drawn directly from candidates’ fieldwork performances and teacher education program experiences suggests changes in emphasis and range of assessment strategies between the first and second semesters of the teacher education program. The extent of change varied between rural and urban candidates indicating a need for more attention to the specifics of rural education in teacher preparation. Variables that facilitated a change in assessment practices were identified as mentor teachers, field experiences, unit and lesson planning, university coursework, collegial interactions, and university supervisors. Results further indicate that assessment strategies develop within the sociocultural context where teaching takes place.