Dispositions

The dispositions and evaluation procedures are introduced in program orientation. The candidate will sign a statement that indicates that he or she has read the policy and procedures for evaluating dispositions and has understood the use of the evaluation. Students are evaluated through the Educator Disposition Assessment (EDA). This instrument measures the following dispositions:

• Oral communication
• Written communication
• Professionalism
• Positive attitude
• Preparedness
• Appreciation of and value for cultural and academic diversity
• Collaboration
• Self-Regulation
• Social emotional learning

Here are the key points for EDA’s that we are reporting to CAEP:

EDUC 110/EDUC 501 – student self-assessment, hosting teacher

EDUC 333/EDUC 548 – course instructor, hosting teacher

EDUC 401/EDUC 409/EDUC 581 – course instructor, hosting teacher

Student Teaching – all courses – student self-assessment, hosting teacher

Greenville University Educator Disposition Assessment (EDA)

The Educator Disposition Assessment (EDA) is a valid and reliable measure of a teacher candidate’s dispositions. The EDA evaluates nine dispositions with 27 indicators. All are equally important. There are three scoring levels: needs improvement, developing, and meets expectations. A teacher candidate will be assessed a minimum of four times using the EDA: introduction to education course, learning behavior course, clinical practice course, and student teaching course.

(EDA) Policy

The teacher education majors are informed of the use and purpose of the EDA in coursework prior to and during admission to the teacher education program, in the handbook, and in other materials published by the school of education. Candidates are aware that the dispositions identified in the EDA form are categorized descriptions of teacher behavior that affect positive influence in the professional setting and promote gains in P-12 student learning. They are aware that a score of “0” on any disposition indicates an insufficient demonstration of a given dispositional character. The first exposure to the EDA is in the introductory education course and its importance in the classroom. The EDA is then administered within the learning behavior course, clinical practice course, and student teaching course. Should a candidate’s disposition become a concern outside the scheduled checkpoints, education faculty, advisor or staff can elect to assess a candidate’s disposition at any other time.

Additionally, the EDA may be completed for a candidate who needs improvement or requires additional development on a specific disposition. Greenville’s policy states if an EDA is completed for a candidate at any time other than the four checkpoints, the EDA will be completed to discuss an “EDA Candidate Intervention/Remediation Plan.”

If it is determined that a plan is warranted, then the teacher candidate will meet with the EDA committee. This committee will be comprised of the advisor, course professor (if applicable), and the Director of Field Experience and Clinical Practice). The committee along with the teacher candidate will develop a plan which is actionable remediation of the concern. Follow-up meetings will be conducted as deemed necessary by the committee. After a recommended amount of time an Outcome, Results of the intervention, and Remediation Plan will be completed to monitor progress. This information will need to be placed in the student file and recorded in the database.

EDA Teacher Candidate Intervention/Remediation

The evaluation of dispositions must include performance feedback to students when issues or concerns are raised followed with an intervention/remediation plan for professional development. The intervention/remediation will occur within the School of Education at Greenville University: Receiving an unacceptable dispositional rating in the EDA is taken seriously by the School of Education. Interventions are intended to help the candidate achieve the expected targets and benchmarks required to successfully complete the education program.

If a teacher candidate receives an EDA for the same dispositional concern more than once, they will be required to attend a meeting with the committee, a plan of action will be developed. If the candidate dispositions fail to improve, the committee has the option of dismissing the candidate from the program.

Extreme cases may require immediate dismissal after a meeting with the Director of the School of Education. Otherwise, plans of remediation will be discussed with the student and advisor. Failure to respond to this plan of remediation and/or other negative EDA forms for the same student may be cause for dismissal.

Any appeals should follow the appeals procedure in this guidebook.