EDUC 602 Key Assessment Praxis II Pedagogy

Overview

The Praxis II Pedagogy Key Assessment is a self-assessment intended to allow teacher candidates to reflect on their preparedness for the licensure exam of general teaching strategies and differentiated instruction. Teacher candidates will reflect on their perceptions of their preparedness level, complete a practice exam, and reflect on the results of the practice exam.

Purpose

Knowing content is not enough to teach content well. While teachers need deep content understanding, teaching strategies are also needed for helping all students develop their own deep content understanding. The Praxis II Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT) Grades 7-12 licensure exam evaluates candidatesÕ knowledge and understanding of educational practices foundational to beginning a career as a professional teacher. The Praxis II Pedagogy Key Assessment provides candidates an early opportunity to assess their progress toward being ready to take the exam.

Connections to Standards

CAEP Standard 1.1 Teacher candidates and completers know subject matter (including pedagogical content knowledge) and pedagogy.

Requirements

The Praxis II Content Key Assessment must include the following:

1. Pre-Reflection Paragraph. Candidates reflect on their comfort level with the content described on the cover page of the Praxis II PLT Grades 7-12 exam.

2. Performance Analysis Paragraph. Candidates report on the number of correct and incorrect responses and a description indicating that they are aware of which responses are incorrect and why. A holistic analysis of overall level of preparation should be included.

3. Future Growth Paragraph. Candidates describe a plan for future growth in content understanding. Response should provide connections between identified strengths and weaknesses with specific courses/ experiences that should be taken in the future.

Process

Pre-Reflection

Review page 11 of the PRAXIS II PLT Grades 7-12 Exam Study Companion (http://www.ets.org/praxis/prepare/materials/0624). Use a 5 pt. Scale (1 – not comfortable with knowledge, 5 – very comfortable with knowledge) rank your knowledge comfort level for the overall content area as well as for each of the listed content categories.
Construct a paragraph(s) that includes your comfort level rankings and a rationale for your stated level of comfort.

Performance Analysis

Complete the Practice Praxis II PLT Exam (pp. 28-37).
Grade your exam using the provided responses.
Analyze Performance:

Score: Written response that includes the number of correct and incorrect responses and a description indicating that you are aware of which responses are incorrect and why.
Current Level of Preparation: Written response that reflects on your current level of preparation as it relates to your prior/current content preparation. Response should provide connections between identified strengths and weaknesses and previously completed courses/experiences.

Future Growth

Future Growth Plan: Written description that describes a plan for future growth in content understanding. Response should provide connections between identified strengths and weaknesses with specific courses/ experiences that should be taken in the future.

i. State overall feeling

ii. Include specifics strengths/weaknesses based upon performance

iii. Include description of specific content courses OR relevant experiences that may improve content understanding

iv. Describe strategy for how to continue growth of content knowledge after program completion.

Rubric link

Component	1	2	3	4
Pre-Reflection	Pre-Reflection paragraph is provided but lacking comfort rating for some Praxis II pedagogy categories; rationale for included categories may be provided.	Pre-Reflection paragraph includes 5-point scale comfort rating for every Praxis II pedagogy category AND rationale for most ratings or an overall rationale provided.	Pre-Reflection paragraph includes 5-point scale comfort rating for every Praxis II pedagogy category AND rationale for every rating.	Pre-Reflection paragraph includes 5-point scale comfort rating for every Praxis II pedagogy category AND clear, detailed, and succinct rationale for every rating.
Performance Analysis	Analysis of prior and current pedagogy preparation lacks important details.	Analysis of prior and current pedagogy preparation is vague.	Analysis of prior and current pedagogy preparation is sufficient.	Analysis of prior and current pedagogy preparation is insightful.
Future Growth Plan	Strategy for growing in pedagogical knowledge addresses some areas noted as deficient in the performance analysis.	Strategy for growing in pedagogical knowledge addresses most areas noted as deficient in the performance analysis.	Strategy for growing in pedagogical knowledge addresses all areas noted as deficient in the performance analysis.	Strategy for growing in pedagogical knowledge insightfully addresses all areas noted as deficient in the performance analysis.