EdTPA: AN EVIDENCE-BASED ASSESSMENT OF TEACHER EFFECTIVENESS IN THE CONTEXT OF ONLINE AND FACE-TO-FACE (F2F) TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAMS IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Teacher preparation programs involve face-to-face (f2f) and online modes of delivery. Although the face-to-face learning environments are often complex and unpredictable, we are very familiar with them and have developed high levels of skill in working in these environments. The skills, strategies, and techniques that we so effectively use in face-to-face learning environments may not work well in online learning and vice-versa. Despite the pervasiveness of online learning in higher education, this delivery mode has yet to receive similar quality status of F2F learning. Long standing beliefs that F2F training as the only viable option continues to dominate teacher education. Central to determining the effectiveness of technology to support learning and the value of technology-mediated instruction is the quality of programs. edTPA (Educative Teacher Performance Assessment) is a widely accepted, national measure of teacher readiness and preparation. Using edTPA scorecards, teacher candidates' efficiency can be evaluated after the completion of teacher education program in traditional face to face (F2F) and online mode. This article focuses that online may be a more effective and adept program delivery platform for preparing educators for planning for instruction and assessing student learning outcomes.