As one of 12 states selected through Race to the Top to receive hundreds of millions of dollars in funding from the U.S. Department of Education, Tennessee has embarked on a once in a lifetime opportunity to implement sustainable education reform statewide to improve student learning.
As part of this effort, the Tennessee Higher Education Committee and the Tennessee Department of Education have partnered to provide access to a series of formative instruction and value-added online courses to public and private higher education/College of Education institutions and alternative providers that prepare teachers and school leaders. Developed by Battelle for Kids, the courses were previously made available to all K–12 public school educators in fall 2010 as part of First to the Top.
This new higher education offering aligns learning opportunities for pre-service and practicing educators—efficiently using state support to meet the need for educator development that can drive student achievement.
“One of our biggest priorities as part of First to the Top is to strengthen the relationship between K–12 and higher education across the state of Tennessee,” said Katrina Miller, Director of Academic Affairs for the Tennessee Higher Education Commission. “We are pleased to take the first step and provide complimentary access to online learning to educators at all levels throughout the state. Over 40 Tennessee higher education organizations have recently made the formative instruction and value-added online courses available to College of Education faculty and students, helping these educators understand how to successfully implement strategies that result in improved student learning. We are confident this K–16 alignment will support the state’s renewed focus on developing and improving great teachers and leaders in Tennessee classrooms.”
About Formative Instruction and Value-Added Online Courses
Available at no cost as part of First to the Top, the online courses help educators maximize their knowledge of balanced assessment systems, including formative instructional practices, value-added progress measures and effective strategies to improve teaching and learning. The courses expand on the work of leading experts in the field. Educators can access the courses through the Tennessee Student Progress Portal (www.BattelleforKids.org/Tennessee).
Formative Instruction Online Courses:
Research shows that formative instructional practices can dramatically enhance student learning. In fact, few education interventions have come close to having the same impact as assessment for learning through high-quality formative instructional practices. A set of eight formative instruction online courses provides Tennessee educators with the necessary information and resources to use high-quality, daily formative instructional practices that lead to increased student achievement.
Value-Added Online Courses:
Value-added analysis, more than any other data source, allows educators to assess their impact on students’ performance and project the future performance of students to identify those who need additional support. When teachers know how to guide their instructional practices based on the interpretation of TVAAS® and achievement data, the result is higher progress and achievement levels for students. Organized into four role-based learning paths, a suite of nearly 30 value-added online courses help Tennessee educators to further understand, interpret and use TVAAS® value-added analysis to inform practices and accelerate student progress.
Significant Online Course Participation Since Fall 2010
Since the formative instruction and value-added courses online courses became available to K–12 public school educators in fall 2010, more than 270,000 courses have been completed throughout Tennessee and over 42,000 user accounts have been created on the portal.
For more information about Tennessee’s First to the Top efforts to ensure college- and career-readiness for every child, visit www.BattelleforKids.org/Tennessee.
About the Tennessee Higher Education Commission
The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) was created in 1967 by the Tennessee General Assembly for the purpose of coordinating and supporting the efforts of post-secondary institutions in the state of Tennessee. One of our statutory requirements is to create a master plan for the development of public higher education in Tennessee. The mission for Tennessee's 21st century system of higher education is to elevate the overall educational attainment of citizens in the state through increased accessibility to mission-focused institutions, which deliver educational services on campus, as well as through a planned network of off-campus instruction and to prepare citizens responsibly for success in the new century by providing high-quality teaching and research in an environment that serves the needs of its consumers.