Test of Teaching Knowledge (TTK)

Tests of teaching knowledge (TTKs) are used by various stakeholders to assess teachers' knowledge before, during, and after teacher preparation programs. TTKs identify individuals with formal teacher preparation, predict teaching success, or both. This entry reviews and discusses types of TTKs, associated knowledge, relevant criticisms, and provides examples of existing TTKs.

Three types of tests are used to measure teacher knowledge, namely tests of basic skills, tests of content knowledge, and tests of professional knowledge. Tests of basic skills are typically used for selection into teacher preparation programs. While these tests are often criticized for their low cutoff scores, many educators hold that increasing the passing rate may result in a less diverse teaching force. Examples of basic skills tests include the Educational Testing Service's (ETS) Praxis I: [Page 890]Academic Skills Assessment and the Pre-Professional Skills Test (PPST).

Even though educators today may disagree about the relative value of pedagogical and academic content knowledge as the ultimate goal for licensing, tests of content knowledge and professional knowledge are required for credentialing and are typically completed as candidates near graduation. Candidates may take one to several content knowledge tests, depending on their licensure area. ETS offers several Praxis II tests on subject matter. Similarly, ETS offers a variety of tests of professional knowledge that are purported to target academic and functional professional knowledge. Examples include the Praxis II: Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT). Critics of the professional knowledge tests target their effectiveness as requirements for teacher licensing, claiming that it is nearly impossible to represent the profession of teaching with such exams, or capture the complexity of informed decision making in context. Critics claim that professional knowledge tests measure general and academic knowledge rather than provide effective measures of functional pedagogical knowledge and skills. These critics question the validity of professional knowledge tests as predictors of future teaching competence.

In some states, candidates are required to satisfactorily complete an additional test at the end of their first or second year of teaching. Results of this performance assessment provide the final evidence required to issue ongoing or permanent licensure. Examples of these performance assessments include Praxis III: Classroom Performance Assessment for Beginning Teachers and the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium's (INTASC) Test of Teaching Knowledge (under construction).

The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the federal government require teacher education institutions to report pass rates of their graduates on content and professional knowledge tests. A further requirement is alignment of the TTKs with adopted state standards for teacher education, such as the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium standards and principles.