Instruments
Assessing Teacher Learning About Science Teaching (ATLAST)
Assessing Teacher Learning About Science Teaching (ATLAST) measures teacher knowledge in a specific content area. Assessments exist in the following content areas: Flow of Matter and Energy in Living Systems; Force and Motion; and Plate Tectonics. All questions are set in instructional contexts, with some items requiring teachers to analyze student thinking or to choose among instructional responses to student thinking. The measure has been used as a pre- and post-test to assess the effects of professional development programs. There are also corresponding student written assessments.
Category: Schooling
Sub-Category: Teaching
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade
Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS)
The Classroom Assessment Scoring System™ (CLASS™) is an observational instrument developed to assess instructional quality in PK-12 classrooms. It is a tool for analyzing the quality of teacher-student interactions in the classroom by capturing multiple dimensions of teaching that are linked to student achievement and development. It produces qualitative ratings of teacher performance on a scale from 1-7 across three broad domains: emotional support, classroom organization, and instructional support.
Category: Schooling
Sub-Category: Teaching
Grades: Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Classroom Observation of Early Mathematics - Environment and Teaching (COEMET)
COEMET is a classroom observation instrument that evaluates classroom culture and the use of specific math activities. It includes questions about how actively the teacher interacts with the children, how the teacher uses teachable math moments, how math is displayed in the physical environment of the room, how confident the teacher appears about math, etc. The specific math activities measured are not connected to a specific curriculum.
Category: Schooling
Sub-Category: Teaching
Grades: Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade
Classroom Practices Inventory (CPI)
The Classroom Practices Inventory is a classroom observation measure for early childhood classrooms. It is designed to assess the developmental appropriateness of classroom and curricular practices, teachers actions, children's activities, and teacher-child interactions.
Category: Schooling
Sub-Category: Teaching
Grades: < 3 Years, Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten
Culturally Ambitious Teaching Practices in Mathematics (CATP)
Culturally Ambitious Teaching Practices in Mathematics (CATP) measures practices that support the development of a culturally relevant classroom environment.
Category: Schooling
Sub-Category: Teaching
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Diagnostic Teacher Assessment in Mathematics and Science (DTAMS): Elementary Mathematics Teacher Assessments
Diagnostic Mathematics Assessments for Elementary School Teachers are written tests that measure mathematics knowledge in four content domains (Whole Number/Computation, Rational Number/Computation, Geometry/Measurement, Probability/Statistics/Algebra) and across four types of knowledge (Memorized Knowledge; Conceptual Understanding; Problem Solving/ Reasoning; and Pedagogical Content Knowledge). Researchers, professional development providers, and course instructors can administer the assessments as pre- and post-tests before and after workshops, institutes, or courses to determine growth in teachers' content knowledge. Multiple parallel versions of each assessment are available.
Category: Schooling
Sub-Category: Teaching
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade
Early Childhood Classroom Observation Measure (ECCOM)
The Early Childhood Classroom Observation Measure (ECCOM) is a classroom observation instrument that rates the nature and quality of academic instruction and the overall learning environment. The instrument is based on social-constructivist learning theory, such that in high-scoring classrooms teachers are identified as actively guiding and supporting children's learning efforts and the development of their social skills.
Category: Schooling
Sub-Category: Teaching
Grades: Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, 1st Grade
Early Childhood Ecology Scale
Using the frameworks of cultural responsiveness and classroom management, the Early Childhood Ecology Scale (ECES) is developed to be an observation and reflective tool to examine teacher candidates' notions of classroom ecology. It includes five sub-domains to measure teacher's interaction with diverse students. These subdomains are sociocognitive, sociocultural, sociolinguistic, socioemotional, and sociophysical.
Category: Schooling
Sub-Category: Teaching
Grades: Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade
Early Language and Literacy Classroom Observation Toolkit (ELLCO)
The Early Language & Literacy Classroom Observation Toolkit (ELLCO) is a classroom observation measure that assesses the quality of the classroom environment and teacher practices across five key elements: classroom structure, curriculum, the language environment, books and book reading opportunities, and print and early writing support. The measure is primarily designed for administrators and teachers of preschool and early elementary classrooms to use for professional development and program improvement.
Category: Schooling
Sub-Category: Teaching
Grades: Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade
Framework for Teaching (FfT)
Framework for Teaching is a classroom observation instrument that can be used for measuring and evaluating the instructional quality of all teachers (from pre-service to experienced) across K-12. The measure can be flexibly used by classroom teachers for professional learning, school leaders for evaluation, researchers for measurement, and system leaders as a common language for organizing the profession.
It should be noted that the majority of research on the Framework for Teaching focused on general education teachers. Studies exploring FfT with special education teachers (see “Psychometric references” below) suggest that they tend to be rated low on FfT’s instruction domain and that FfT does not reflect core practices known to support students with disabilities.
Category: Schooling
Sub-Category: Teaching
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Frequency of Mathematics Instructional Practices Survey
The Frequency of Mathematics Instructional Practices Survey is a 14-item survey of self-reported instructional practices. The survey can be used by teachers, administrators, teacher educators, policymakers and researchers in order to assess the extent to which teachers' practices are social-constructivist or transmission-based.
Category: Schooling
Sub-Category: Teaching
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Instructional Quality Assessment (IQA)
The Instructional Quality Assessment (IQA) is a classroom observation instrument that rates the nature and quality of classroom instruction by considering students’ opportunities to engage in cognitively demanding mathematical work and discussions. The IQA uses the following elements to assess instruction: potential of the task, task implementation, rigor of the discussion, teacher’s questions, and accountable talk.
Category: Schooling
Sub-Category: Teaching
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching
The Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching (MKT) instrument measures the specialized knowledge of K-8 teachers of mathematics use in teaching. These measures include items that reflect the real mathematics tasks teachers face in classrooms, such as assessing student work, representing numbers and operations, and explaining common mathematical rules or procedures. Assessments composed of these problems can be used to measure the effectiveness of mathematics-focused professional development.
Category: Schooling
Sub-Category: Teaching
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade
Mathematics Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Instrument (MTEBI)
The Mathematics Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Instrument (MTEBI) is a domain-specific modification of the Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument (STEBI). The MTEBI measures pre-service teachers’ beliefs regarding mathematical instruction, students' ability to learn mathematics and teachers’ sense of efficacy in teaching mathematics.
Category: Schooling
Sub-Category: Teaching
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Matthews & Lopez 2019
Subscales within the article are: Critical Awareness, Heritage Language Expectations, Cultural Content Integration. The authors reported that honoring students’ heritage language (i.e., Spanish) is the mediating element through which cultural content integration predicts mathematics achievement for Latino children.
Category: Schooling
Sub-Category: Teaching
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Multicultural Efficacy Scale (MES)
The Multicultural Efficacy Scale (MES) measures teachers' multicultural efficacy and the multicultural teacher education dimensions of intercultural experiences, minority group knowledge, attitudes about diversity, and knowledge of teaching skills in multicultural settings.
Category: Schooling
Sub-Category: Teaching
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade, Post secondary
Multicultural Staff Development Teacher Survey
The Multicultural Staff Development Teacher Survey analyzes the teachers' perceptions of multicultural education's benefits to their students and who and what is necessary for the students to receive those perceived benefits; the teachers' interest and motivation for attending a multicultural education workshop given a particular format; and the self-perceived awareness of the basic elements surrounding multicultural education.
Category: Schooling
Sub-Category: Teaching
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Multicultural Teaching Competency Scale (MTCS)
The Multicultural Teaching Competency Scale (MTCS) captures three dimensions of multicultural teaching competency: awareness, knowledge, and skills. Multicultural teaching awareness is defined as three dynamic and continuous processes reflecting teachers’ awareness of (a) self and others as cultural beings, (b) their attitudes and biases, and (c) the need to create culturally sensitive learning environments for all students. Multicultural teaching knowledge captures teachers’ knowledge of culturally responsive pedagogy and instructional strategies related to diverse populations, major sociohistorical and current sociopolitical realities, and cultural dynamics (e.g., ethnic identity, gender socialization, etc.) that may affect between- and within-group differences. Multicultural teaching skills are defined as teachers’ ability to (a) actively select, develop, implement, and evaluate strategies that facilitate the academic achievement and personal development of all students; (b) select and implement culturally sensitive behavioral management strategies and interventions; and (c) participate in ongoing review and evaluation of school policies, procedures, and practices with regard to cultural responsiveness.
Category: Schooling
Sub-Category: Teaching
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
National Survey of Science and Mathematics Education (NSSME)
The National Survey of Science and Mathematics Education (NSSME) is a periodically administered national survey that collects information from teachers and administrators about STEM offerings in schools. The teacher surveys cover a broad range of topics, including demographic information, experience, pedagogical approaches, professional development, curriculum use, and collaboration. The survey also collects information about teachers' perceptions of how schools are encouraging and supporting student participation in STEM.
Category: Schooling
Sub-Category: Teaching
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Project CRISP Questionnaire
The Culturally Responsive Instruction for Special Populations (CRISP) project is a teacher directed professional development program designed to increase teachers’ awareness of culturally influenced learning and behavior differences in the classroom. Content integration, knowledge construction process, prejudice reduction, empowering school culture, and equity pedagogy are measured.
Category: Schooling
Sub-Category: Teaching
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol (RTOP)
The Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol (RTOP) is an observational instrument that can be used to assess the degree to which mathematics or science instruction in grades K-12 is “reformed”. Trained observers rate teachers' instruction across three domains: Lesson Design and Implementation; Content; Classroom Culture. Possible scores range from 0 to 100 points, with higher scores reflecting a greater degree of use of reform-based instructional practices.
Category: Schooling
Sub-Category: Teaching
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade, Post secondary
Scale of Teacher Empathy for African American Males (S-TEAAM)
The Scale of Teacher Empathy for African American Males (S-TEAAM) measures teachers’ conceptions of empathy and the application of empathy with Black males.
Category: Schooling
Sub-Category: Teaching
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Science Discourse Instrument
The Science Discourse Instrument (SDI) is an observation tool and rubric used to evaluate the quality of discussions in science classrooms. There are six categories for observation in the SDI, which are considered essential to strong discourse in science classrooms, three of the categories focus on teachers and three focus on students. The categories for teachers are: asking open ended questions; pressing for explanation; and linking discussions. The categories for students are: explanation of ideas; co-constructing ideas with peers; and critiquing the reasoning of others.
Category: Schooling
Sub-Category: Teaching
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument (STEBI)
The Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument (STEBI) can be used to measure science teachers’ self-efficacy and outcome expectancy across all levels of teaching. The STEBI-A is the version recommended for use with in-service teachers; the STEBI-B is the version recommended for use with pre-service teachers.
Category: Schooling
Sub-Category: Teaching
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Teacher Multicultural Attitude Survey (TMAS)
The 20-Item Teacher Multicultural Attitude Survey (TMAS) is a unidimensional self-report inventory of teachers' multicultural awareness and sensitivity. The survey analyzes teachers' multicultural awareness, appreciation, and tolerance.
Category: Schooling
Sub-Category: Teaching
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade
The Science Management Observation Protocol (SMOP)
The Science Management Observation Protocol (SMOP) is used to conduct structured observations of science classroom practice. SMOP identifies specific teacher behaviors and classroom characteristics which influence an inquiry-based classroom. Teachers and administrators can use the protocol to support the development of quality inquiry-based practices.
Category: Schooling
Sub-Category: Teaching
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade