A teacher competency instrument was developed to determine the level of teacher competency in small schools in Peninsular Malaysia. This study was conducted in Perak and Negeri Sembilan to determine the instrument's reliability and validity. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and item reliability analysis were used to determine the questionnaire's…

This study examines the relationship between teachers' technology proficiencies and their level of integrating technology into their lessons. In this research, which was designed in a relational survey model, as data collection tools, the "Technology Proficiency Self-Assessment Scale for 21st Century Learning" developed by Christensen…

This article reports on the findings of 25 associate teacher surveys and six associate teacher interviews collected between June 2008 and February 2009. The survey invited associate teachers to report on the preparedness of student teachers, including their strengths, weaknesses, and how well prepared they were for the realities of becoming a…

This brochure explains the National Board certification process, helping teachers understand the process and suggesting ways for them to become involved in National Board certification even if a certificate for their area is not yet available or if they are not yet ready to pursue National Board certification. Section 1 explains what the National…

Portfolio assessment can be a valuable tool in assessing professional proficiency in teachers if appropriate attention is given to issues of reliability and validity. The Teaching Assessment Project at Stanford University has explored portfolios as an alternative to traditional methods of teacher evaluation. (IAH)

One dimension of the current educational reform movement made testing teacher candidates a fixture in nearly every state. The companion problem is that standardized test scores often correlate with the test-takers ethnicity and gender. Such an outcome appears to place teacher competency interests in competition with egalitarian interests. Is…

The comprehensive review of Nevada's Competency Testing Program for Educational Personnel grew out of a study which followed a cohort of new teachers over 2 years to determine their test-taking experiences. Results suggested a need to investigate the program and its scope, implementation problems, and relation to other educational entities such as…

This study investigated the concurrent and predictive validity of the Preprofessional Skills Test (PPST), a basic teacher competency test. Using data for 1986-1992, researchers examined relationships between preservice teachers' PPST scores and grade point average (GPA), student teaching achievement, employment interview scores, and postgraduate…

This study examined (1) whether students taught by National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS)-certified teachers would produce higher quality work than students of teachers who attempted NBPTS certification but were not certified; (2) whether the observed classroom behaviors of NBPTS-certified teachers would be demonstrably…

This fastback gives teachers and other educators a feel for being a National Board for Professional Teaching Standards candidate, offering an outline of the candidacy process, ways to assess readiness to become a candidate, and tips for proceeding through candidacy. Section 1, "National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS),"…

This paper reports on an independent review of two examinations designed to assess teacher competencies: the Praxis Series and the Content Mastery Examinations for Educators (CMEE). The review was ordered by the Montana Department of Public Education in order to decide which battery of tests would replace the National Teacher Examination (NTE).…

This publication presents evidence that low-income and minority children are more likely to be in schools with unqualified and ineffective teachers than their white and more affluent peers. A growing body of research claims that this lack of qualified teachers in high-poverty schools is more critical in explaining the underachievement of…

Demonstrates a process for creating a preservice teacher evaluation instrument utilizing the expertise of teacher educators who conduct the evaluations. Highlights how one college developed such an instrument using the Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scales (BARS). Preservice teacher supervisors participated at all stages of development of the rating…

This study investigated inservice teachers' assessment competency as a function of measurement training and years of teaching. Data were collected from 311 teachers on a 67-item Assessment Practices Inventory (API). Seven composite scores were formed based on the underlying dimensions from a principal factor analysis. A 2x3 MANOVA was conducted to…

The Standards and Assessment Work Group in Wisconsin developed an assessment framework for performance based teacher licensure. They determined assessment criteria, measurement categories, and contexts for assessing readiness for teaching. The License and Career Stages Work Group devised a licensure system to further enhance the quality of…