ITQ RTWS

UNI continues to work toward full implementation of the Renaissance Teacher Work Sample. Evidence of integration and implementation includes: 1) teacher candidates receive teacher work sample prompt/rubrics at teacher candidate orientation to frame and monitor their learning; 2) all teacher preparation undergraduate syllabi incorporate work sample elements/indicators in curriculum; 3) teacher candidates required in Level II Field Experience to write an abbreviated (one week of instruction) version of the Renaissance Teacher Work Sample; and 4) Council on Teacher Education passed a motion to require student teachers to successfully complete the Renaissance Teacher Work Sample as a critical performance necessary for licensure.

Over half of UNI's 315 student teachers submitted a Renaissance Teacher Work Sample in May, 2003. Seventy teacher education faculty and cooperating teachers assessed the work samples in a blind scoring process using the work sample rubric scoring. Rubric scores were mailed to all student teachers for feedback. A breakdown of all scores was shared with teacher education faculty to serve as feedback on curriculum and programs. Expanded numbers of student teachers will complete the Renaissance Teacher Work Sample during the fall, 2003 semester. Ninety additional cooperating teachers were trained to mentor and support student teachers in September.

Research endeavors include analysis of assessments presented by teacher candidates in their teacher work sample, possibilities of extending the teacher work sample process into novice teaching stage, a study of the change process necessary to implement the work sample at UNI, and a follow-up study of UNI's first year teachers and the extent to which they incorporate the teaching processes in their teaching. Research will continue to be disseminated at national, state, and regional conferences and in publications.

A new brochure on the Renaissance Teacher Work Sample has been distributed at state conferences, to school districts, and teacher preparation institutions.

A new accountability system has been designed and should be fully operational by October, 2003. This system includes a tracking of decision points and critical performances and will provide aggregated and disaggregated data on all teacher candidates and graduates.

Teacher work sample analytical rubric scores from Spring, 2003 and Fall, 2003 semesters were shared with the 240 teacher education faculty as a form of feedback on the program. UNI teacher education faculty and supervising teachers joined together to scores the work samples using a blind read. The following letter and scores were sent to all teacher education faculty members at the University of Northern Iowa.

January 13, 2003

Dear Teacher Education Faculty Colleague,

Standards! Accountability! Performance-based assessment! NCATE and INTASC! We are certainly in a time of change with old molds being recast. However, one constant in the swirl of change exists - your dedication to quality teacher preparation. Please take minute to read the latest developments with the Teacher Work Sample.

About one hundred fall 2002 teacher work samples were scored on December 7, 2002 by teacher education faculty and cooperating teachers. The rubric scores from fall compared to spring are attached. Although it is easy to equate a 3 with an "A" and a 2 with a "B," remember that the goal for student teachers is to achieve a 3 indicating the standard was met.

I am often asked if the teacher work sample is a product or a process. I say, "yes." For the student teachers, it is a product that provides written evidence of their ability to impact student learning. It is also a framework process for student teachers to connect all the essential teaching processes and synthesize their understanding of teaching and learning. For teacher education faculty members, it is a product that can be reviewed for feedback, validation, and reflective practice. It is also a process for framing authentic task assignments, course alignment, departmental scope and sequence, and identification of rubrics linked to standards. The teacher work sample is a tool, one of multiple-assessment measures, and a common thread for students and teacher education faculty members.

In the last year, Iowa changed the licensing procedure for new teachers. All second year teachers now undergo extensive evaluation conducted by their principal based on the Iowa Eight Teaching Standards. The principal makes the recommendation to the state for licensure. Principals underwent extensive evaluation training and were required to practice the evaluation process with a volunteer master teacher. During evaluation conferences, the teachers provided principals data and evidence similar to the teacher work sample documentation. I thought you would like to know that the teacher work sample corresponds closely with the current reality in Iowa's schools.

Thanks for taking time to read this. Granted, the teacher work sample is not the be-all-and-end-all in the world of education. However, it is one of many pieces in our efforts to be accountable, uphold standards, and include additional performance in assessment.

Sincerely,

Your UNI work sample team

Additional teacher work sample communications and connections include a UNI team presentation at AACTE entitled "But I Covered the Material". Iowa's three Regents Universities has invited the work sample team to the Annual Articulation Conference with the 14 community colleges. The work sample team will present "Begin with the End in Mind" to the community college professors that teach various education courses to students who will complete their teaching degree at the Regents universities.

Fall 2002

Eighty-five teacher work samples were written by student teachers in four of the University of Northern Iowa's student teaching centers. These centers included Waterloo, Davenport, North Iowa Cedar League, and Northeast Iowa. The work samples were scored by fifteen University of Northern Iowa faculty and seventeen cooperating teachers in May of 2002. The analytical scoring process was used. All scorers received a scoring guide based on anti-bias training and a review of the specific directions included in the teacher work sample prompt. The scores were analyzed based on the number of 1, 2, and 3's for each of the seven teacher work sample processes. These scores were then broken down to reveal the number of 1,2, and 3's for each of the indicators within the seven processes. The data serves as baseline for comparison and measures of imorovement. This information was disseminated to the University of Northern Iowa's 240 teacher preparation faculty members in late August of 2002. The same disaggregation process will be used in December of 2002 when the University of Northern Iowa collects the 100 teacher work samples from the same four student teaching centers. A "Krispy Kreme" Work Sample Open House brought 65 teacher education faculty members together the morning of September 16, 2002. Faculty members skimmed the spring, 2002 work samples in their specific areas, enjoyed high caloric donuts, and informally visited with one another about work samples. Gatherings such as this bring action to the belief that "communication builds connections, connections build trust, trust builds relationships, and relationships build reform." Teacher preparation faculty members responsible for Level I and Level II field experiences are meeting this fall to explore implementation of work sample components in their program areas. A part of this process will be informed through the study completed during the spring of 2002 at Price Laboratory School by four teacher preparation faculty members. The cooperating teachers from the Waterloo and North Iowa Cedar League received a two hour workshop on their role in the teacher work sample process the evening of September 12, 2002. Over seventy teachers attended along with four University of Northern Iowa faculty members serving as trainers. The cooperating teachers expressed much positive appreciation for a prompt that makes explicit the skills, knowledge, and experiences included in the work sample. Many recognized that the work sample is also a great professional opportunity for them as they guide their student teacher. Seven University of Northern Iowa student teaching coordinators attended the Renaissance Partnership Workshop "Using the Teacher Work Samples in a Standard-Based Teacher Preparation Program" in Kansas City, July 12-13, 2002. The workshop afforded them an opportunity to learn more about the research, development, and application of the work sample. Because the coordinators live and work in centers scattered around the state of Iowa and one in San Antonio, Texas, they appreciated the time to discuss how the work sample could blend into their program. The Renaissance Teacher Work Sample has been presented to teacher educators at Cardinal Stritch University, Milwaukee and University of Toledo by faculty members from the University of Northern Iowa Two University of Northern Iowa faculty members accepted an invitation from a consortium of 17 universities in Chile to provide workshops on the teacher work sample as a performance-based assessment. This will occur in the first week of November, 2002

Fall 2001

The year three objective is to bring our accountability system to full operation and to collect performance data on teacher candidates as well as a sample of first year graduates. This goal has received much effort over the past two years. At UNI, meeting this goal for the ITQ grant has also been tied in with a move to performance based teacher education as required by new state accreditation standards as well as by our move to rejoin NCATE. All three of these initiatives—ITQ, NCATE, and state accreditation—are pointed in the same direction with regards to requiring an accountability system, yet there are specifics differing them. This, as well as the political realities of change within an organization, especially one as large as UNI (with about 300 faculty involved with teacher education), has made the process slower than desired. Yet, it has been moving forward. At this time, a system for assessment of both candidate (using multiple measures, including a focus on student learning, and across several points in their progress through the program) and unit performance has been developed and is moving towards approval by faculty. Phase-in will proceed during this year (2001-2002), and an annual report of candidate performance based on data collected will be generated (for both the ITQ grant and for the state).

Progress on Goal 2: Research

We are contributing, as requested, to research efforts lead by other universities. In addition, we are working to define a research approach for the question given to us: What changes occur in faculty and P-12 practitioners as a result of using work samples. Renaissance Teacher Work Sample Progress at UNI The University of Northern Iowa begins a third semester of piloting the implementation of the

Renaissance Teacher Work Sample during the fall semester of 2001.

Student teachers in Waterloo, IA, (UNI's partner school), the NICL Schools (eighteen small school districts surrounding UNI) and Davenport, IA will develop a Renaissance Teacher Work Sample. Twenty-three NICL student teachers will complete their work sample by October 19, 2001. Twenty-five Waterloo student teachers will complete their work sample by December 11. 2001. Twenty-seven student teachers will complete their work sample by December 13, 2001.

SEVENTY-FIVE TEACHER WORK SAMPLES WILL BE COMPLETED END OF FIRST SEMESTER, 2001

Student teachers will receive support by cooperating teachers who will participate in work sample workshops offered September 27 and September 29, 2001. The coordinators of the student teaching centers have completed work sample training and were involved in the June, 2001 work sample prompt revision and rubric benchmarking three day session in St. Louis. The University of Northern Iowa's Price Laboratory School (K-12) faculty will receive work sample training September 29, 2001. Price Laboratory School serves as the site for level two field experience. During the Fall of 2001, 382 students are in level two. Components of the work sample will be introduced to level two preservice teachers during their four-week experience at the Laboratory School. UNI Arts and Science faculty and coordinators of student teachers will receive work sample training on November 14, 2001. A partner school cooperating teacher who has National Board Certification and also attended the St. Louis revision and benchmarking session, will assist in all training workshops.

Six of the thirteen student teaching centers at the University of Northern Iowa are involved in the Teacher Work Sample Methodology during the Spring semester of 2003. The 180 student teachers and their supervising teachers received training using two different models at various centers. In four student teaching centers, student teachers received their orientation and work sample training separately from their supervising teachers. In the other two student teaching centers, student teachers and both of their supervising teachers received the orientation and training sitting side by side. Based on comments from student teachers and supervising teachers involved in both models, UNI has determined that the future work sample training and orientation sessions will be combined.

Teacher work sample analytical rubric scores from Spring, 2003 and Fall, 2003 semesters were shared with the 240 teacher education faculty as a form of feedback on the program. UNI teacher education faculty and supervising teachers joined together to scores the work samples using a blind read. The following letter and scores were sent to all teacher education faculty members at the University of Northern Iowa.

January 13, 2003

Dear Teacher Education Faculty Colleague,

Standards! Accountability! Performance-based assessment! NCATE and INTASC! We are certainly in a time of change with old molds being recast. However, one constant in the swirl of change exists - your dedication to quality teacher preparation. Please take minute to read the latest developments with the Teacher Work Sample.

About one hundred fall 2002 teacher work samples were scored on December 7, 2002 by teacher education faculty and cooperating teachers. The rubric scores from fall compared to spring are attached. Although it is easy to equate a 3 with an "A" and a 2 with a "B," remember that the goal for student teachers is to achieve a 3 indicating the standard was met.

I am often asked if the teacher work sample is a product or a process. I say, "yes." For the student teachers, it is a product that provides written evidence of their ability to impact student learning. It is also a framework process for student teachers to connect all the essential teaching processes and synthesize their understanding of teaching and learning. For teacher education faculty members, it is a product that can be reviewed for feedback, validation, and reflective practice. It is also a process for framing authentic task assignments, course alignment, departmental scope and sequence, and identification of rubrics linked to standards. The teacher work sample is a tool, one of multiple-assessment measures, and a common thread for students and teacher education faculty members.

In the last year, Iowa changed the licensing procedure for new teachers. All second year teachers now undergo extensive evaluation conducted by their principal based on the Iowa Eight Teaching Standards. The principal makes the recommendation to the state for licensure. Principals underwent extensive evaluation training and were required to practice the evaluation process with a volunteer master teacher. During evaluation conferences, the teachers provided principals data and evidence similar to the teacher work sample documentation. I thought you would like to know that the teacher work sample corresponds closely with the current reality in Iowa's schools

Thanks for taking time to read this. Granted, the teacher work sample is not the be-all-and-end-all in the world of education. However, it is one of many pieces in our efforts to be accountable, uphold standards, and include additional performance in assessment.

Sincerely,

Your UNI work sample team

Additional teacher work sample communications and connections include a UNI team presentation at AACTE entitled "But I Covered the Material". Iowa's three Regents Universities has invited the work sample team to the Annual Articulation Conference with the 14 community colleges. The work sample team will present "Begin with the End in Mind" to the community college professors that teach various education courses to students who will complete their teaching degree at the Regents universities.

The scores were analyzed based on the number of 1, 2, and 3's for each of the seven teacher work sample processes. These scores were then broken down to reveal the number of 1,2, and 3's for each of the indicators within the seven processes. The data serves as baseline for comparison and measures of improvement. This information was disseminated to the University of Northern Iowa's 240 teacher preparation faculty members in late August of 2002. The same disaggregation process will be used in December of 2002 when the University of Northern Iowa collects the 100 teacher work samples from the same four student teaching centers.

A "Krispy Kreme" Work Sample Open House brought 65 teacher education faculty members together the morning of September 16, 2002. Faculty members skimmed the spring, 2002 work samples in their specific areas, enjoyed high caloric donuts, and informally visited with one another about work samples. Gatherings such as this bring action to the belief that "communication builds connections, connections build trust, trust builds relationships, and relationships build reform."

Teacher preparation faculty members responsible for Level I and Level II field experiences are meeting this fall to explore implementation of work sample components in their program areas. A part of this process will be informed through the study completed during the spring of 2002 at Price Laboratory School by four teacher preparation faculty members.

The cooperating teachers from the Waterloo and North Iowa Cedar League received a two-hour workshop on their role in the teacher work sample process the evening of September 12, 2002. Over seventy teachers attended along with four University of Northern Iowa faculty members serving as trainers. The cooperating teachers expressed much positive appreciation for a prompt that makes explicit the skills, knowledge, and experiences included in the work sample. Many recognized that the work sample is also a great professional opportunity for them as they guide their student teacher.

Seven University of Northern Iowa student teaching coordinators attended the Renaissance Partnership Workshop "Using the Teacher Work Samples in a Standard-Based Teacher Preparation Program" in Kansas City, July 12-13, 2002. The workshop afforded them an opportunity to learn more about the research, development, and application of the work sample. Because the coordinators live and work in centers scattered around the state of Iowa and one in San Antonio, Texas, they appreciated the time to discuss how the work sample could blend into their program.

The Renaissance Teacher Work Sample has been presented to teacher educators at Cardinal Stritch University, Milwaukee and University of Toledo by faculty members from the University of Northern Iowa Two University of Northern Iowa faculty members accepted an invitation from a consortium of 17 universities in Chile to provide workshops on the teacher work sample as a performance-based assessment. This will occur in the first week of November 2002.

Twenty Arts and Science and Education faculty members scored the seventy-five student teacher work samples completed during the fall of 2001on January 7, 2002. The work samples were returned to the student teachers with the rubric and feedback comments. Student teachers were also encouraged to communicate with UNI's project coordinator when they obtained their first teaching position. This information will be used to conduct follow-up studies. The twenty faculty members who participated in the scoring process informed the project's team members of needed revisions in the prompt and rubric and also suggested additional ways to implement the work sample at UNI. Their comments were reported to the other ten institutions attending the January 9-12 meeting in St. Louis.

During the spring of 2002, four student teaching centers will participate in writing the teacher work sample. These centers include: Waterloo Community Schools (Partner school), Davenport, N.I.C.L (18 small school districts surrounding UNI) and NE Iowa (20 small schools east of UNI). Fifty cooperating teachers from Waterloo and the N.I.C.L. will receive work sample training on February 12th, 2002.

The UNI Director of Teacher Education handed out the teacher work sample prompt and rubric to over one-thousand Level I and Level II students during orientation in mid-January, 2002. The Director encouraged students to keep the prompt and rubric in constant view as they progress through their program. The prompt and rubric will serve as a framework of what they need to know and be able to do by the time they student teach.

Teacher Work Sample Infused in Many Teacher Preparation Courses and Field Experiences

Faculty members in many teacher preparation courses have included one or more of the teaching processes in their lessons and projects. Field experiences at Price Laboratory School also include a focus on the seven teaching processes.

Scheduled Teacher Work Sample Events

February 2002: Six UNI faculty members present "Walking on Water, Hot Coals, and Thin Ice: One University's Journey with Teacher Work Samples and Accountability" in New York at AACTE Conference on Sunday, February 24, 2002 at 3:15-4:30 in Murray Hill B, 2nd Floor

March 2002: Work Samples on Parade-A Faculty Open House for Teacher Work Sample Viewing

April 2002: Teacher Work Sample Show and Tell (Faculty get-together to share how they have infused the seven teaching processes and work sample in their courses)

The University of Northern Iowa begins a third semester of piloting the implementation of the Renaissance Teacher Work Sample during the fall semester of 2001. Student teachers in Waterloo, IA, (UNI's partner school), the NICL Schools (eighteen small school districts surrounding UNI) and Davenport, IA will develop a Renaissance Teacher Work Sample. Twenty-three NICL student teachers will complete their work sample by October 19, 2001. Twenty-five Waterloo student teachers will complete their work sample by December 11. 2001. Twenty-seven student teachers will complete their work sample by December 13, 2001.

Seventy-Five Teacher Work Samples Will Be Completed By The End Of First Semester, 2001

The University of Northern Iowa's Price Laboratory School (K-12) faculty will receive work sample training September 29, 2001. Price Laboratory School serves as the site for level two field experience. During the Fall of 2001, 382 students are in level two. Components of the work sample will be introduced to level two preservice teachers during their four-week experience at the Laboratory School.

The University of Northern Iowa recently developed a brochure, which talked about its participation in the Renaissance Partnership for Improving Teacher Quality.

"Research now confirms that the quality of the teacher is the key factor in student success in school. While other factors such as class size, subject matter knowledge, teaching experience, and licensure status are important in providing quality education, teacher behavior and practices are linked most strongly to student learning. The teacher work sample increases the confidence that the students we are preparing to teach are effective in promoting student learning."

The University of Northern Iowa is one of the ten Renaissance Group universities participating in the Title II Grant, Improving Teacher Quality. The Renaissance Partnership for Improving Teacher Quality Project is a five year initiatives by these institutions to advance the quality of their graduates and the teachers in their respective partner schools by focusing attention on P-12 student learning. These institutions collectively prepare 6,000 new teachers each year. Presidents, provosts, and deans of the Renaissance Group institutions have collaborated on issues of teacher preparation since 1989. The Title II Grant, awarded in1999, addresses several issues facing teacher education. One of the six purposes of the grant focuses on the development of a Renaissance Teacher Work Sample.

The year three objective is to bring our accountability system to full operation and to collect performance data on teacher candidates as well as a sample of first year graduates. This goal has received much effort over the past two years. At UNI, meeting this goal for the ITQ grant has also been tied in with a move to performance based teacher education as required by new state accreditation standards as well as by our move to rejoin NCATE. All three of these initiatives-ITQ, NCATE, and state accreditation-are pointed in the same direction with regards to requiring an accountability system, yet there are specifics differing them. This, as well as the political realities of change within an organization, especially one as large as UNI (with about 225 faculty involved with teacher education), has made the process slower than desired. Yet, it has been moving forward. At this time, a system for assessment of both candidate (using multiple measures, including a focus on student learning, and across several points in their progress through the program) and unit performance has been developed and is moving towards approval by faculty. Phase-in will proceed during this year (2001-2002), and an annual report of candidate performance based on data collected will be generated (for both the ITQ grant and for the state).

A teacher work sample is a performance-based narrative prepared by a student teacher with a focus on increased student teacher with a focus on increased student learning. Directed by a guiding prompt created by the Renaissance Group institutions, student teachers describe the teaching and learning process included in a three to four week unit of instruction. The teacher work sample provides written evidence that documents the student teachers' ability to increase student learning.

"This was a rewarding because I was able to prove that my students will leave 3rd grade knowing more because of my teaching. I can make a difference."

"I learned that what I do and how I do it and why I did it makes a big difference in student learning. Made me understand what reflective practice really means."

"Preparing the teacher work sample was a lot of work but I think it was good for us. Parents want to know that their students are learning."

"My students showed a gain in learning and this gave me confidence as a teacher."

"The work sample helps the students teachers focus on their objectives. This model provides a better picture of the student teacher's aptitude and ability for teaching and helping students learn as opposed to a paper and pencil teacher test."

"The teacher work sample process helped me focus more on student learning. It was a form of professional development for me!"

"The teacher work sample documents what my student teacher did and how she thought about what she did. My student teacher basically assessed herself through looking at how well her students learned. This adds another dimension to the entire student teacher assessment process."

"I'm going to do a work sample next semester to help me rethink my own teaching."

Thomas Switzer                                                               Roger Pankratz
Dean of College of Education                                        ITQ Project Director
thomas.switzer@uni.edu                                                roger.pankratz@wku.edu
(319) 273-2717                                                                  (270) 745-2452

Lynn Nielsen
UNI Teacher Work Sample Coordinator
lynn.nielsen@uni.edu
(319) 273-7759

Yana Cornish
Project Web Site Coordinator
yana.cornish@uni.edu
(319) 273-3064