Jennifer
Brannock Staff Writer Faculty Senate Beat
Jacque Lenz | The Appalachian
Dr. Tracy W. Smith, an associate
professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction.
Dr. Tracy W. Smith
of the Reich College of Education recently received a $452,000 grant,
given by the United States Department of Education and private donors,
which she will use to study and evaluate student progress in classrooms
across the nation.
Researchers will observe teaching methods used by National
Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) certified teachers
in public schools throughout the United States. Assessments will
be made based on the Structure of the Observed Learning Outcome
(SOLO) taxonomy, which is a system devised to review students’
schoolwork and measure their progress over time.
“We are looking at
student performance in teacher’s classrooms using measures
other than standardized tests,” said Smith. “Standardized
tests have become somewhat controversial, and so I think a lot of
people will be interested in this research, because it provides
an alternative to looking at outcomes in classrooms in ways other
than standardized tests.”
The study will attempt to measure teacher quality
and the link between student learning and teacher certification.
NBPTS teachers become certified through a two-part
assessment process. Candidates are first observed in the classroom
and submit portfolios to the board for review. Candidates then go
to an assessment center, where they perform various exercises and
are tested for knowledge of the field.
“[NBPTS] raises the standard for teaching
expertise,” said Smith. “It is comparable … to something
like the CPA exam. It’s an advanced licenser for teachers and
it raises the level in the teaching profession.”
Smith will be joined in her study by Michael
S. Hale, an Appalachian education professor, and Jody C. Holleman,
a graduate assistant, along with researchers from the University
of North Carolina at Greensboro and the University of Georgia.
“The study is directly addressing teacher
quality and how teacher quality effects student work,” said
Hale. “It will also bring recognition to Appalachian.”
The team will collect and assess data received
from more than 200 teachers over the course of the next two and
a half years.
“Appalachian State is a teacher’s college,
and we have a history with the national board,” said Smith.
“This is a way we can continue our involvement with this project.”
