Supporting Teacher Candidates: Practical Solutions for edTPA Video Success

Ariana Eichelberger
ariana@hawaii.edu
Claire Chun
cchun8@hawaii.edu
Francisco Jumawan
fjumawan@hawaii.edu
Department of Learning Design and Technology
University of Hawaii at Manoa
United States
Keywords: edTPA, Assessment, Video, Teacher Education, Personal Devices
Short Description: In 2019, all Hawaii teacher candidates will be required to pass the edTPA
assessment. Part of the assessment requires students to submit video clips of themselves teaching.
In 2015 the University of Hawaiis College of Education developed and piloted a set of tools and
training solutions for supporting online and campus-based student video clip creation for edTPA.
This presentation will share the results of the pilot and the lessons learned from the process.

Abstract
This Pecha Kucha session will describe the challenges faced and solutions developed by the College of
Education in supporting its teacher preparation students and faculty in the creation of video clips compliant with
requirements of the edTPA assessment. The session will share the results of a pilot study, the lessons learned and a
set of practical recommendations. The intended audience is those facing challenges posed by supporting students
and/or faculty with edTPA video creation. The session will also be relevant to those needing low-cost solutions for
creation of compressed and trimmed video. Participants will be encouraged to discuss their own experiences and
solutions to the challenges posed by edTPA or other student video clip creation.
In 2014-15 the College of Education (COE) at the University of Hawaii at Manoa (UHM) began the
process of preparing students to meet the requirements of a new state-mandated standardized assessment entitled
edTPA (Education Teacher Preparation Assessment). The edTPA is growing in popularity across the country as a
measure of teacher preparedness. Beginning 2019, the state of Hawaii will require all teacher candidates to pass the
edTPA to become state-licensed teachers. The edTPA requires students to submit a portfolio of digital artifacts to
the online Pearson ePortfolio system for assessment. In addition to lesson plans and reflection pieces, these artifacts
include video clips of students teaching in their school placements. The system will only accept specific formats and
files under 500MB in size. Because the clips include footage of minors, they must be stored securely and cannot be
shared through popular public media sharing sites such as YouTube. As a result, the edTPA is having significant
impact on the COEs teacher preparation curriculum and its video component has introduced a number of technical
challenges for faculty, students and support staff relating to the capture, preparation and submission of students
video clips.
The edTPA has increased the use of video in teacher reflective practice as it requires substantial evidence,
reflections, and videotaped classroom teaching (Darling-Hammond & Hyler, 2013, p. 10). Despite its power as a
tool to improve teaching, video has not been consistently integrated at the University of Hawaii COE, and many
students and faculty do not possess the skills to produce video clips compliant with edTPAs requirements. They are
not alone. A recent survey of students at 10 New York and Washington universities found that only 38% of students
taking the edTPA felt adequately prepared to format and submit their video clips (Meuwissen, Choppin, Shang-

Butler, & Cloonan, 2015). The resulting need for technical support has been reported as one of the confounding
issues of edTPA implementations, one that may halt institutional change before it beginsthat is, before the
performance data that can prove its worth is even collected (Lys, LEsperance, Dobson, & Bullock, 2014, p. 2).
The COEs instructional technology support team knew it would be tasked with supporting online and
campus-based faculty and students with edTPA video production. It therefore dedicated time during the fall 2014
semester to the evaluation of challenges and possible technology solutions. In the spring 2015 the COE then piloted
and evaluated a training workshop, a set of recommended tools, and an instructional website to support the video
component of edTPA.
Challenges faced by the College included lack of equipment or budget, student and faculty inexperience
with video capture and compression, large numbers of students required to create clips within a short time frame,
geographically dispersed students, noisy open-air classrooms leading to poor audio quality, and the need for secure
online submission and storage of video. YouTube or similar online video hosting and sharing sites were not allowed
due to the requirement of privacy for minors.
Solutions included use of student-owned smartphones, a set of free Android and iOS apps to capture,
compress and trim video, an optional audio accessory kit to be used with smartphones, a secure internal file storage
system and an instructional workshop and website detailing how to use the apps and equipment.
In spring 2015, the training workshop was conducted 8 times in teacher preparation courses with a total of
115 student participants. One hundred were students in undergraduate teacher preparation programs, 15 were part of
a graduate teaching program.
At the end of the pilot semester, students were asked to complete a 19 question online survey for feedback
on the training, website and accessory kits. In addition, four in-class, end-of-semester discussions were held with
students, led by members of the Colleges instructional technology team.
In the fall of 2015, the workshop, equipment and website continued to be used with students and revisions
were made based on findings and feedback.
This presentation will:
Outline the challenges created by edTPA video clip creation
Describe the strategies and tools developed to support students creating edTPA video clips
Share findings from a pilot study with 150 students on the effectiveness of these tools and
strategies
Show how the tools and strategies have changed over time and based on findings and feedback
Present a set of practical recommendations for those working with teacher candidates required to
capture and share edTPA-compliant video clips
Encourage audience participants to share their experiences through a discussion about solutions to
the challenges posed by edTPA video clip creation

References
Darling-Hammond, L., & Hyler, M. E. (2013). The role of performance assessment in developing teaching as a profession.
Rethinking Schools, 27(4).
Lys, D. B., LEsperance, M., Dobson, E., & Bullock, A. A. (2014). Large-scale implementation of the edTPA: Reflections upon
institutional change in action. Current Issues in Education, 17(3). Retrieved from
http://cie.asu.edu/ojs/index.php/cieatasu/article/view/1256

Meuwissen, K., Choppin, J., Shang-Butler, H., & Cloonan, K. (2015). Teaching candidates perceptions of and experiences with
early implementation of the edTPA licensure examination in New York and Washington states. Retrieved from
http://www.warner.rochester.edu/files/research/files/edTPAreport.pdf