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CTE Common Assessment Portfolio

Information and Requirements for All UIUC Teacher Education Candidates

What is a CTE Common Assessment Portfolio?

The CTE* Common Assessment Portfolio is a requirement for students completing the K–12 Library Information Specialist Certification program through GSLIS. It is required by all teacher education programs across campus at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, as specified by the CTE. The CTE Common Assessment Portfolio represents the culmination of a candidate's professional growth through content and professional education coursework and clinical experiences. The CTE Common Assessment Portfolio will contain performance-based documentation of each candidate's knowledge, skills, dispositions, and professional behaviors achieved throughout their entire teacher education preparation program.

*The Council on Teacher Education is the UIUC Professional Education Unit.

Why is a CTE Common Assessment Portfolio required?

The CTE Common Assessment Portfolio provides the UIUC Professional Education Unit with a consistent measure to ensure that all teacher candidates have met state and institutional standards and to aggregate candidates' performance data across programs.

When should I begin preparing my CTE Common Assessment Portfolio?

Students will want to begin developing their portfolio at the beginning of their education program. A meeting or discussion with the Program Coordinator should be scheduled at the beginning of their course of study. Students should consult with the Program Coordinator once a semester and more frequently if needed. These meetings provide opportunities to assess progress and provide feedback. Such reflection throughout the program greatly enhances the quality of the final result.

What format will I use to design my CTE Common Assessment Portfolio?

GSLIS requires that your portfolio be totally electronic. You will create an e-portfolio. The GSLIS Instruction Technology Office (ITO) will offer workshops on html, Dreamweaver, etc., during the academic year. Students should plan to attend one or more of these workshops.

What are the requirements for the CTE Common Assessment Portfolio?

The CTE Common Assessment Portfolio core requirements are as follows:

I. Section One: Philosophy Statement

A philosophy statement (300–400 words) that includes the candidate's view of education with respect to the UIUC Conceptual Framework: Teaching and Learning in a Diverse Society.

For assistance in writing a philosophy statement, go to the following address:

http://www.cofc.edu/~cetl/Essays/DevelopingaPhilosophyofTeaching.html

II. Section Two: Artifacts and Reflective Statements Related to Meeting the Standards

Candidates must include artifacts and accompanying reflective statements from coursework and/or clinical experiences that demonstrate their professional growth for each of the following state standards (available as PDF files):

• the 11 Illinois Professional Teaching Standards
• the 3 Language Arts Standards for All Illinois Teachers
• the 8 Technology Standards for All Illinois Teachers
  
  (You are attending to the main standards. You DO NOT have to address each of the individual knowledge/performance indicators listed under each standard.)

One artifact may be used to document more than one standard; however, a reflective statement must be included for each standard.

Though the CTE Common Assessment Portfolio does not address Library Information Specialist Standards directly, you may elect to include our standards as well so that your portfolio is more useful as a job-seeking tool. We strongly suggest doing this.

IIa. Artifacts Defined

An artifact is a sample of the candidate's work that provides evidence of meeting a standard. The candidate must identify the standard(s) the artifact is addressing and write an accompanying reflective statement for each artifact.

Candidates may select multiple forms of artifacts and ways of presenting the reflective statements such as through text, video files, slideshow or audio files.

There are many types of artifacts that could be included in the CTE Common Assessment Portfolio. We have compiled a list of some possible artifacts, adapted from Dorothy Campbell's, How To Develop a Professional Portfolio (Allyn & Bacon, 1997), that candidates may choose to use:

• anecdotal records (i.e., personal notes, especially from field experiences, journal entries)
• case studies (i.e., a student's growth over time)
• community resource documents (e.g., correspondence demonstrating one's ability to form professional partnerships and to nurture community relationships)
• interviews with librarians, teachers, parents, students and administrators
• description of work and/or volunteer experience
• essays/reports from course work
• research projects/course papers
• bibliographies and annotated bibliographies
• lesson/unit/curriculum plans
• brochures, newsletters or flyers developed
• videos of teaching/library media activities
• descriptions of recordings of simulated experiences (e.g., storytelling, reference interviews, book discussion, role playing)
• examples of computer software utilized, developed or incorporated into lessons/library media services
• pictures and photographs (e.g., bulletin boards, learning centers, special projects, field trips)
• portfolios of a student's work
• specialized reading lists for students
• evidence of ability to incorporate technology in the classroom.
• descriptions of involvement in professional organizations/committees
• professional development plans
• in-service/staff development activities
• peer critiques
• descriptions of participation in distance learning activities
• conferences/workshops planned, presented or attended
• reference letters (from supervisors of academic work, experiences in the classroom or library experiences)
• self-assessment instruments
• reading promotion websites
• candidate created web tutorials
• candidate written book reviews/critiques
• storytelling audio files/video files

IIb. Reflective Statement Defined

A reflective statement:

• clearly identifies the standard(s) the artifact is addressing,
• states why the artifact was chosen,
• states why the artifact is an appropriate representation of the standard(s)and,
• states what the artifact demonstrates about the candidate's growth and development as a teacher.

III. Section Three: Impact on P–12 Student Learning

Each candidate will prepare two artifacts:

1. a project design
2. a report of that project's implementation

This project may be the outcome of the practicum or student teaching experience.

Artifact 1

Each candidate will prepare a plan for a project that will make a significant contribution to the educational program of the practicum or student teaching site, will be instructive to the candidate, will be conducted under the leadership of the candidate, and will pose a challenge to the candidate in improving the teaching and learning environment. The plan should include educational goals and objectives, participants involved and duration of the project.

Artifact 2

Each candidate will prepare a report presenting a full and formal explanation of a completed project designed to make a significant contribution to the educational program of the practicum or student teaching site, including implementation process, and outcomes reflecting a positive impact on the teaching and learning environment.

Each artifact should be accompanied by a reflective statement that describes how it documents the candidate's ability to accurately assess and analyze student learning, make appropriate adjustments to instruction, monitor student learning, and have a positive effect on learning for all students.

When will the CTE Common Assessment Portfolio be evaluated?

The portfolio will be evaluated at the end of a candidate's program. The candidate should schedule a meeting with the Program Coordinator to discuss the completed rubric.

Who will evaluate the CTE Common Assessment Portfolio?

The Program Coordinator and/or the Content Area Committee for the GSLIS K–12 Library Information Specialist Certification program will evaluate the portfolio.

What criteria will be used in the evaluation of the CTE Common Assessment Portfolio?

The CTE Common Assessment Scoring Rubric will be used to evaluate the portfolio. This rubric will eventually be included in your portfolio.

The Clinical Experience Program Coordinator for each teacher preparation program will submit a completed copy of CTE Common Assessment Portfolio Scoring Rubric to CTE. Candidates should view the rubric to become familiar with what is required in order to "meet expectations." Candidates must have a rating of at least "meets expectations" on the CTE Assessment Portfolio Scoring Rubric as one requirement to be recommended for certification.

Copies of CTE Common Assessment Portfolios will be made available to the Illinois State Board of Education review team members as part of the institutional accreditation process.