The physical education student teaching experience under edTPA

Background: The introduction of performance assessments (i.e., edTPA) to the student teaching experience and its influence on stakeholders has become an increasingly important topic for the physical education (PE) profession.... [ view full abstract ]

Background: The introduction of performance assessments (i.e., edTPA) to the student teaching experience and its influence on stakeholders has become an increasingly important topic for the physical education (PE) profession. For many prospective PE teachers, passing the edTPA is a requirement for licensure. The performance assessment process requires student teachers to create a portfolio that documents teaching effectiveness. Due to the recency of edTPA, there is limited understanding of how it is impacting the student teaching experience; more importantly, how are members of the student teaching triad processing and reacting to this high stakes performance assessment? The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of edTPA on members of the student teaching triad. Methods: The project uses a qualitative research design, wherein members of the student teaching triad submit artifacts (i.e., weekly journal entries, edTPA poster, progress reports) for analysis. Participants include fifteen PE student teachers, fifteen cooperating teachers, and four university supervisors at a mid-Atlantic university in the United States. Data analysis follows the rules of inductive content analysis.  Data reduction and cross-group synthesis will produce within and across group themes.  Results: Data collection will conclude at the end of the Spring 2018 semester. Preliminary results from participant data indicate a duality of feelings toward edTPA.  Three emergent themes from participant data thus far include (1) concern over high stakes nature of edTPA; (2) appreciation of edTPAs conception of PE; and (3) apprehension surrounding the assessment and evaluation of the edTPA portfolio. Implications: The edTPA represents a new frontier in student teaching evaluation. Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) programs now have to prepare members of the student teaching triad to navigate the performance assessment process. In doing so, PETE programs need to implement a combination of strategies to help student teachers be successful on the edTPA.