Renaissance Teacher Work Samples Consortium

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TWS at the University of Northern Iowa

Our use of Teacher Work Samples (TWS’s) in teacher preparation programs

UNI uses the TWS as one of multiple measures for student teachers to graduate from our program. We also have a Level II TWS for level II Field Experience students. A doctoral student is also using the TWS as a tool for Professional Development with Adjunct faculty at a Des Moines Area Community College. (So…it is a research tool!) We also use the TWS scores as part of our accountability system and feedback to the program for curriculum mapping and course improvement/revisions. Our cooperating teachers still help with the scoring and this has been a valuable system for communication and connections between UNI and the surrounding schools.

How long University of Northern Iowa has been using TWS’s

We were in the original pilot group – had some student teachers write TWS in spring, of 2000. The TWS has been required since 2004.

How the TWS used at University of Northern Iowa compares to the RTWS

UNI TWS is about 97% the same as the RTWS. We clarified some language and also worded some of the assessment plan pieces so that students would perhaps use more than paper and pencil tests.

How TWS is used as an evaluation tool

See Question #1

How University of Northern Iowa achieves scoring reliability in judging performance on TWS’s

Each TWS is scored twice. If there is a difference, we have it scored the third time. If this still results in differences, a committee of three reads the TWS.

How TWS’s have impacted teacher preparation programs at University of Northern Iowa

Gee….in multiple ways! The best one I’ve heard so far is a quote from a cooperating teacher in Des Moines. “I like having UNI student teachers because UNI holds the student teachers accountable by requiring that they write a TWS”. That’s awesome, isn’t it?

Ed Media was totally revised

Faculty come together to score and receive feedback firsthand

Accountability system

TWS used for curriculum mapping

Contact Person

Barry Wilson (barry.wilson@uni.edu) & Vickie Robinson (victoria.robinson@uni.edu)