Abstract
Paper–pencil teacher tests of professional knowledge typically are organized around the conventional dimensions that define state teaching standards, such as classroom management and assessment. We examined if such tests could be partitioned into three other dimensions (general knowledge, academic or textbook knowledge, and functional teaching knowledge), and if these dimensions (1) identified between those who did and did not receive teacher preparation, and (2) predicted teaching competence. A teacher test was given to advanced and beginning education majors, and non-majors. We found that advanced education majors and non-majors differed mostly on academic knowledge, but that functional knowledge predicted competence to the greatest extent. A variety of useful information can be gleaned from teacher tests if subscores of these dimensions are generated.
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Acknowledgement
This research was funded by a National Academy of Education/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowship awarded to the first author. We also would like to thank the manuscript reviewers for constructive comments regarding interpretation of the confirmatory factor analysis results.
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D’Agostino, J.V., VanWinkle, W.H. Identifying Prepared and Competent Teachers with Professional Knowledge Tests. J Pers Eval Educ 20, 65–84 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11092-007-9047-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11092-007-9047-2