Teacher Quality & Evaluation: An XtraNormal Perspective

Hello Everyone!

I made this very brief and only generally informative video about teacher quality and evaluation, meant to show a very optimistic perspective about evaluations of teachers from the conversation of two classroom teachers. For you ISTE-ers, it also includes a reminder of the three types of iPad evaluation processes I outlined at the convention. For optimized viewing, watch it in full screen mode. Enjoy!

eCOVE: Imagine the Possibilities

One of the core ideas I had when tackling the iPad revolution and teacher evaluation was to create my own app; however, after doing several hours of research on the internet this winter and spring, I came across a wonderful software and app system called eCOVE. It is a comprehensive data collection instrument for educational observations, and, after communicating with them about my project, they were kind enough to provide me with some one-on-one web training on how to use it! It has several different versions to select based on your objectives, but the one I chose to work with is the administrator version. The setup work and reporting functions are on the computer, and the observation instruments are available both on the computer AND on the iPad in app form! For more information on this software and app, or to obtain a free 30-day trial, click here. To satiate your immediate inquiry, here is a screenshot of what it looks like on the iPad:

PDF & Google Forms

Two form possibilities for using the iPad to collect observation data are PDF forms and Google forms. Working with PDF Expert, an app on the iPad, you can fill out and submit (or email) PDF forms that look, for instance, like this:

You could also consider using Google forms, a powerful tool in the world of Google Docs, to save data automatically to a Google spreadsheet for further analysis. Sending yourself a link to the live form via email will allow you to fill out the form on your iPad, looking something like this perhaps:

Click here for more information on PDF Expert and here to get started on Google forms.

NCLB's Explanation of a "Quality Teacher"

In a letter from 2005, then-Secretary of Education Magaret Spellings wrote on the NCLB provisions about what it means to be "highly qualified." The letter can be found here. After you read it, I would highly recommend that you try to look up your state's definition to what makes a "highly qualified" teacher. Do you agree with the requirements? What do you think makes a teacher a quality one?

Here is an example from the state of New Mexico. If you cannot find your state's definition, please share your feelings about this definition. Is it adequate to justify that a teachers is "highly qualified?" What additional measures should be in place to determine the level of quality of these teachers?

Welcome to the iPad Revolution!

I admittedly did not coin the term "iPad Revolution" (as far as I know it came from ISTE); however, I love the phrase and think it very well describes a distinct alteration in the way we do things in the world of education and technology integration. There are many promising aspects of using the iPad in education, and while I may occasionally comment on an array of ideas for its use, the core reasoning for this blog's existence is to promote the iPad's use in effective teacher evaluation practices. Teacher evaluation is a common discussion thread in many schools, teacher & administration graduate programs, and other arenas within the realm of education. I plan to offer a wide variety of ideas on how to effectively evaluate teachers in a comprehensive way, and how to record and communicate the results with the iPad as your main (but certainly not the only) tool.

I look forward to providing open and honest reflection for the reader, and please do not hesitate to contact me if you have questions about something specific on the blog.

- John