The Impact of the edTPA on Visual Arts Teacher Education in Wisconsin.

This study concerns the nationally available, high-stakes, performance-based assessment for teacher candidates called the Educative Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA) and its impact on visual arts teacher education in Wisconsin, where it is required for certification. Participants in this case study were 10 visual arts teacher educators at Wisconsin public universities who had taught art methods courses for art education majors and who had supervised teacher candidates in the edTPA era. Qualitative data were collected via online surveys and follow-up Skype interviews, and content was analyzed using a phenomenological method. The results showed that all participants had incorporated preparation for the edTPA in their art teacher education programs, but they also had had a variety of experiences and attitudes regarding the value of the assessment. The findings point to some tensions around the use of the edTPA as a measure of teacher readiness. Recommendations for research and policy are included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]