Professional Development in Student Assessment for Educational Administrators: An Instructional Framework

Abstract

What assessment tasks do administrators perform? What knowledge and skills do they need for these tasks? How is this information useful for professional development?

Pockets of Resistance in the Assessment Revolution

“…As noted earlier in this article, professional development materials for teachers covering assessment topics are being developed. Similar materials have been developed for administrators (see Impara & Plake, 1996). These efforts are necessary and, combined with the commitment of individual educators to acquire greater expertise in assessment, are crucial to proclaiming that the assessment revolution has been a success.…”

Professionalism and Professional Development

“…Teachers often feel they are working in isolation (Ratna), that they need communally-established, hence validated, means of evaluation (Kirk), that they need to be on the cutting edge of evaluative (or curricular and instructional) processes (Ted), or that they seek validation through consort with like-minded professionals (Felicity). For all these teachers, moreover, participation affirmed or improved their classroom assessment practices, a shortcoming found repeatedly in pre-service education across North America (Daniel & King, 1998;Impara & Plake, 1996;O'Sullivan & Chalnick, 1991;Stiggins, 1999). In short, a variety of learning opportunities for teachers are embedded within the exercise (Falk & Ort, 1998).…”