Video tool to pave path for teacher preparation

Dec. 18, 2020 – DENTON –The COVID-19 pandemic has made it tougher for student teachers to gain field experience and observation for clinical student teaching. But the Department of Teacher Education and the Educator Preparation Program at Texas Woman’s University has found a novel way to help.

TWU is one of 20 universities across the country and just two in Texas to receive the Video Observation Technology Implementation Grant from the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE).

The grant comes with up to $25,000 to implement a video feedback platform in Spring 2021 to help student teachers get the experience they need. The platform, called Edthena, allows teachers, or student teachers, to upload classroom or online teaching videos for timestamped feedback from colleagues, supervisors or professors as part of the teacher training and supervision process.

“I am excited for this timely tool to help our students and faculty gain valuable experience that will enhance their classroom skills,” said Lisa Huffman, TWU’s dean of the College of Professional Education.

Edthena will give faculty and observers opportunities to provide more specific and individualized feedback to teacher candidates.

At TWU, students and teachers will use Edthena for cross-program collaboration as well as professional development. Candidates will be able to learn how to give professional development online and conduct faculty meetings in addition to practicing mock special- and bilingual-education meetings.

Maria Peterson and Laura Trujillo-Jenks co-authored the grant application with collaborators Peggy Malone, Gina Anderson and Huffman.

Page last updated 5:35 PM, December 18, 2020