Can a standards-based assessment of teaching be authentic?

A teaching performance assessment (TPA) is a tool used to assess the practical skills and knowledge of all pre-service teachers (PSTs) who complete an undergraduate or postgraduate initial teacher education (ITE) qualification in Australia. The task is an opportunity for PSTs to showcase their growth during their ITE. However, this is not always realized given the tight structure of the TPA. There is little room for PSTs to respond in aspirational ways when the task is being assessed against a minimum standard. In this chapter, we (authors) share our story; two teacher educators surprised by the autonomy demonstrated by PSTs during a disruptive semester and report our thinking about authenticity in assessment related to the TPA. For this qualitative study, data were collected from a select group of PSTs as TPA work samples and transcribed interviews. The data was analyzed with a view to exploring how we navigated the spaces between society, institution, and individuals. Our findings indicate that when provided greater latitude in what they were able to draw on for their TPA, PSTs rose to the challenge and presented work that was far more authentic example of their knowledge and skills, while still adhering to the requirements of the TPA. The research has inspired further questions for us about what a space for aspirational PSTs who are ready to show more sophisticated thinking about their practice might look like, and how that space might be created given the constraints of the TPA.