147The findings suggest that the use of the rubric, self-assessment and goal-setting
processes had a positive impact on these aspects of professional experience.
Tables 9.4 and 9.5 indicate that participants largely agreed or strongly agreed that
the rubric assisted the preservice teacher to self-assess their progress towards the
achievement of the graduate level of the APST and set specific goals. This view was
supported by the open-ended survey comments related to the most significant
changes that occurred as a result of the innovation. A summary of the range of com-
ments is provided below. This indicates that compared to previous years, and as a
result of using the rubric, preservice teachers:
- Demonstrated a greater awareness of performance expectations
- Took greater ownership of the assessment and reporting process
- Spent more time self-reflecting and monitoring their professional growth
- Improved the quality of their self-reflections and goal setting
- Were more motivated to meet expectations and respond to feedback
- Were proactive in asking questions, seeking feedback and engaging in
conversations - Were more open and honest discussing the assessment of their performance
The proactivity of preservice teachers was reported to be particularly evident by
the school coordinators and teacher educators in two key aspects. Firstly, they
reported that preservice teachers were more likely to notice, research and adopt
focused strategies to attend to students with particular needs. Secondly, they reported
that preservice teachers actively sought and utilised feedback to inform and modify
their behaviour. Supervising teachers reported finding it helpful when preservice
teachers initiated research regarding effective teaching strategies to employ in the
classroom. One school coordinator remarked that the feedback-seeking behaviour
of preservice teachers was a contrast to that of previous years (prior to the introduc-
tion of the rubric), when supervisors had felt their advice was not listened to, valued
or heeded. Fourth-year preservice teachers’ comments described how they used the
rubric with their supervising teacher for formative assessment, to evaluate existing
knowledge, understanding and skills and monitor the development of these through-
out the professional experience. One preservice teacher commented:
I found the guide especially valuable as the common language of the AITSL standards was
familiar to my supervising teacher and Principal, and it was easy to see how my placement
experiences were helping me to attain the graduate level. I used the guide to identify which
areas I had the least experience with so far and used these to ensure I had a chance to experi-
ence these areas. I feel using the guide has given me more confidence in self-assessing
against the standards, and I can see the value of this in creating my teaching portfolio.
Another wrote:
I found it extremely valuable to have the standards set out in terms of Novice, Emerging,
Graduate and Proficient. It showed clear difference in terms of the language used to describe
achievement for each standard e. g. Emerging teachers are expected to ‘discuss’ whereas
Graduate teachers may be expected to ‘create and implement’.9 Using a Developmental Assessment Rubric to Revitalise Stakeholder Conversations...