Graduate Teacher Performance Assessment (GTPA)

Implementation
INFORMATION LETTER for PRESERVICE TEACHERS

Research project team*

Research Director Professor Claire Wyatt-Smith | Claire.Wyatt-Smith@acu.edu.au | 07 3623 7112
Research Team Professor Joce Nuttall A/Professor Lenore Adie Dr Chantelle Day
Professor Michele Haynes Dr Melanie Spallek Dr Andrew Smith
Professor Joy Cumming Dr Colette Alexander Mr Alex Chen
*More information about researchers’ qualifications and experience is available at www.acu.edu.au/ilste

What is the GTPA research project about?

The GTPA is an authentic culminating summative assessment designed to demonstrate preservice
teachers’ ability to meet the Graduate Teacher Standards (Australian Institute for Teaching and School
Leadership (AITSL)). In completing the GTPA, preservice teachers demonstrate their competence in
planning, teaching, assessing and reflecting on the impact of their teaching on student learning. They
also show how they use evidence of student learning during their final-year professional practice.

The GTPA will be implemented in a collective of higher education institutions (HEIs) in 2020 as part of a
study of the application of standards in teacher education. The research project is concerned with
identification of performance standards and cross-institutional moderation of judgements. The project
is being undertaken by the Institute for Learning Sciences & Teacher Education, Australian Catholic
University (ACU). Funding contributing to this research project is provided by ACU and the HEIs forming
the collective.

The project intends to generate evidence of graduate readiness for classroom practice and provide
essential evidence of the impact of ITE programs, assessed against mandated national program
standards. The GTPA Fact Sheet for Preservice Teachers (www.graduatetpa.com/stakeholders) provides
more information about the implementation of the GTPA.

What is expected from preservice teachers involved in project?

As part of your institution’s involvement in GTPA implementation, a selection of completed GTPAs will be sent to
the project to inform cross-institutional moderation. The sample selected is fully de-identified prior to inclusion
in the data informing the project.

We would like you to consider use of your GTPA for identification of examples of high-quality practices for use in
supporting implementation during 2020 onwards and for dissemination through publications. You can indicate
your support for your fully de-identified GTPA to be used for these purposes by ticking the box at the bottom of
your Coversheet in your GTPA submission to your institution.

The project would also like to obtain information from you through an 1) online survey and/or 2) interview. The
purpose of the survey and interview is to gather information about your experiences of undertaking the GTPA in
2020. We are interested in the impacts of the GTPA in use of data and evidence to address diversity in the
classroom and identify learning outcomes, resources you drew on, and your knowledge of the wider policy
environment. Depending on your responses, the survey could take up to 10-15 minutes to complete, and the
interview could take up to 30 minutes. Interviews will be digitally recorded or filmed. The invitation to
participate in either of these two aspects of the project is provided through an email from your University.
Are there any risks associated with participating in this project?
Participants across the whole project include final year preservice teachers, teacher educators from the
institutions that form part of the collective implementing the GTPA, supervising teachers in schools, and
other educational experts who will join teacher educators in activities around moderation.

The project is low risk for preservice teachers as focus is on moderation of GTPA judgements across the
collective of institutions, identifying high-quality practices to inform the 2020 GTPA implementation,
and impacts of implementation.

What are the benefits of the research project?

For HEIs and teacher educators: The GTPA is designed primarily to satisfy the requirement of Program
Standard 1.2 and addresses Program outcomes expecting providers to identify how their preservice
teachers demonstrate a positive impact on student learning in relation to the assessment
requirements in Program Standards 1.1 and 1.3. The research project will further provide
information to teacher educators about how the specific academic program involved addresses
Programs Standards 2.1, 6.2 and 6.3.
For preservice teachers and schools: The GTPA enables preservice teachers to engage with the full cycle
of teaching practice in their final-year professional experience placement in schools. It enables them
to demonstrate the impact of their teaching on students.

Can I withdraw from the study?

Participation in the research associated with the GTPA implementation in the project is voluntary so you
are free to withdraw at any time, without comment or penalty. As all data is confidential and de-
identified, withdrawal of data once submitted as part of the project is not possible. Please note,
aggregated data and pseudonyms will be applied in publications to ensure anonymity of participants.

Will anyone else know the results of the project?

Findings from the project will be shared with participating institutions and disseminated through publications and
related links on the GTPA website: www.graduatetpa.com.au

All data will be de-identified and secured on ACU premises in line with ethical guidelines for safe use
and storage of data. All information collected is confidential with actions taken to assure the anonymity
of participants, such as aggregation of data in reporting or publishing. All scientific publications will be
made available through the GTPA website (www.graduatetpa.com.au).

Who do I contact if I have questions about the research?

Should you have any questions about the research, please contact: Dr Chantelle Day | Research
Partnerships Manager | Chantelle.Day@acu.edu.au | 07 3623 7812

What if I have a complaint or any concerns?

The project has been reviewed by the Human Research Ethics Committee at Australian Catholic
University (review number 2017-101H). If you have any complaints or concerns about the conduct of
the project, you may write to the Manager of the Human Research Ethics Committee care of the Office
of the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research):
Manager, Ethics / c/o Office of the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research) / Australian Catholic University
North Sydney Campus / PO Box 968 / NORTH SYDNEY, NSW 2059
Ph.: 02 9739 2519 / Fax: 02 9739 2870 / Email: resethics.manager@acu.edu.au
Any complaint or concern will be treated in confidence and fully investigated. You will be informed of the outcome.