GLOSSARY
academic: relating to knowledge and skills valued in schools; used in relationship to academic achievement (e.g., point-in-time measures of student knowledge), academic performance (e.g., an accumulation or body of information describing overall school-based accomplishments), and academic language (e.g., language forms and structures used within school-based subject matter content areas)
action research: research conducted by practitioners in their own work settings, utilizing a typical cycle of plan-act-observe-reflect
beginning teacher: a teacher in the first three years of teaching
CAEP: Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, a national accrediting agency for teacher preparation
Case Studies of Impact on Student Learning: an approach to understanding how individual beginning teachers impact student learning through a holistic and context-specific analysis using both qualitative and quantitative data
Common Metrics: a suite of surveys developed by NExT member institutions that includes a survey administered to teacher candidates as they enter their teacher preparation programs, an exit survey as teacher candidates complete their preparation program, a survey administered to teachers who completed NExT teacher preparation programs near the end of their first year of teaching, and a survey administered to the supervisors of those same teachers near the end of their first year of teaching
culturally relevant pedagogy: an approach to teaching that addresses the academic achievement of students by integrating the students’ cultural assets in curriculum choices and instructional approaches and by addressing issues of sociocultural importance as a means of developing a sociocultural consciousness
dispositions: as defined by the Model Core Teaching Standards by InTASC, dispositions are the habits of professional action and moral commitments that underlie an educator’s performance
early career teacher: a teacher in the first three years of teaching
edTPA: a nationally available teacher performance assessment based on video and student work samples as well as explanatory commentary from the teacher candidate used as one measure of a teacher candidates’ readiness to teach
engagement: a student’s or teacher’s way of interacting within the learning environment and broader school/community context through constructs such as behavior, passion, interest, curiosity, attention, and willingness to be in relationship with others
Entry Survey: one of the Common Metrics surveys, administered as candidates begin their teacher preparation program and asks potential candidates about their own educational backgrounds and what drew them into pursuing a teaching license
Exit Survey: one of the Common Metrics surveys, administered at the end of the teacher preparation program and asks the candidates’ perspectives on their teacher preparation programs as they leave their programs and prepare to enter the teaching profession
Focus Groups on Student Impact: a semi-structured interview procedure among four to six beginning teachers used to gain insight into teachers’ understanding of their impact on students’ learning
Impact on Student Learning Projects: a structured opportunity for early career teachers to examine closely their effect on students’ learning
induction: the support and guidance provided to beginning teachers and in the early stages of their careers