Standards-based teacher dispositions as a necessary and measurable construct.

Judy R. Wilkerson, W. Steve Lang

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Teacher dispositions comprise the affective dimension of teaching; they address teachers’ values and beliefs about the profession and about children. Definitions of teacher dispositions include both competency-based dispositions and morality-based definitions, with both conceptualizations debated. The possibility of measuring teacher dispositions well also has been the subject of debate. The international struggle to define teacher dispositions and measure them validly and reliably frames this study. We assert that dispositions can be measured, that it is important to do so, and that dispositions related to the skills of teaching (competencies) are critically important and should not be omitted from the teacher assessment process. Teachers can have the standards-based skills (competencies) to teach, as measured by teacher educators, without the will (dispositions) to apply those skills for the benefit of children’s learning in the K-12 classroom. The international literature focuses on one standard set -- diversity, multiculturalism, and social justice. We summarize the literature and demonstrate that teacher dispositions, including diversity, can be validly and reliably measured, presenting early evidence that dispositions impact K-12 student learning.

Original languageAmerican English
JournalDefault journal
StatePublished - Jan 1 2011

Keywords

  • Teacher dispositions
  • Assessment
  • Accreditation

Disciplines

  • Education

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