A video licensing exam requirement? Washington state has it
As part of their licensing exam, new teacher candidates in Washington state must now submit a 20-minute videotaped demonstration of their teaching performance in front of a class of students. Called edTPA, the new assessment system was first field tested by Stanford University researchers in 2011; assessors include the classroom atmosphere and students’ response in their evaluation of the teachers’ performance.
The video requirement is added to a largely multiple choice exam covering general knowledge, teaching knowledge, and knowledge of a specific academic area, plus required lesson plans and reports on instructional goals and approaches.
Funding from the federal “Race to the Top” initiative has helped Washington launch the new requirement. Several other states are planning to require the videotaped demonstration. In May, New York decided to postpone the effective date until 2015; Minnesota, Hawaii, Georgia, and Wisconsin will launch their programs in 2015 or later.
