Frequently Asked Questions

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1. How do the underlying principles of TEAS support decisions?

Generally accepted practice of decision making and improvement: Performance Criteria » Performance criteria that reflect the decision maker’s values must be written down, shared, and maintained over time. In the case of the education unit the decision maker is likely to be the Dean or Department Chair. Consider a change in performance criteria when a change in direction or leadership alters the mission of unit. Alignment enables relevant results. Factual Data » A worksheet has been developed to assist in identifying TEAS data sources. Generating new data can be a complex process and include steps that validate data for future use. There will also be a need to coordinate the use of data within the institution. Coordination minimizing conflict and fosters acceptance of decisions that are supported using data.
Discipline » Discipline reflects training that corrects, molds, and perfects the decision making process. Control over circumstance is gained by enforcing the need for order and conduct is prescribed in advance. This self-control governs the conduct of a successful decision making exercise.
Follow-up » Complex decisions include factors that change over time. Consistent, periodic reviews provide better insight into performance. Those people with the best understanding of the data are likely to find follow-up most useful.

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2. How do we find written performance criteria that apply to education unit goals?

Education unit goals should align with institution goals. Institution leadership often supports the creation of a mission statement. Oversight bodies generally require a written set of objectives for an education unit. The most obvious and public statements of direction are the best place to start when looking for education unit performance criteria.

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3. How is TEAS data aligned with goals?

TEAS has four categories of data, candidate, faculty, resource, and productivity. The productivity category is rather unique and very useful in aligning data with goals. TEAS supports the tracing of productivity measures back to the data that defines them. Use this series of pointers to find the data most relevant to your goals.

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4. How is performance criteria consistency preserved?

An information system is relevant to establishing performance criteria. One difference between a “system” and independent effort is repeatability of the same process over time. A key to establishing performance criteria is to select factors that can be tracked to reveal performance. The ability to track performance may be lost if criteria is established without system control.

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5. How is relevant factual data identified?

The CEA has examples of core data that has been identified in other situations. This should provide a good starting point. Still core data relevant to your education unit will need to be agreed upon. These data will come for individual, program, department, and institution sources. It is useful to start with the desired output and track this back to required data. Internal system documentation will be invaluable in defining and communicating needed data. Documentation also contributes to greater efficiency and understanding beyond the identification process.

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6. How are data collected?

Use valid existing data sources whenever possible. Routine daily activities offer an opportunity to spot recurring mistakes made while handling data. Correct data errors as soon and close to its source as possible. The CEA can provide guidance on with importing data from other information systems into TEAS. The CEA is familiar with using Internet tools to assist with employer surveys. These surveys are used to gather new teacher performance data. There are inherent challenges in collecting soft data. These data often use rubrics and assessors. Assessors introduce a judgment factor that needs to be calibrated in order to generate consistent data. The CEA has developed additional software to assist with student portfolios, rubric scoring, and assessor calibration.

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7. How should data be organized?

TEAS data is divided into four categories that hold candidate, faculty, resource, and productivity data. TEAS data is organized and documented so that relationships between data can be identified with the help of Microsoft Excel functions. TEAS organization has been designed for adaptation by the education unit. It is important to maintain the TEAS structure so that logical relationships remain in place. Adapting data as for unit use will enable the addition of new data fields and support an increased amount of data without needing to replace the unit assessment system.

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8. How should the data be used?

TEAS data should be used as part of normal daily unit activity. Data compiled to support things like advocacy, budget preparation, accreditation, and program improvement should be included in TEAS. Data should be routinely updated on a scheduled basis. Data should be reviewed and corrected during the collection process in order to strengthen TEAS and other information systems shared by the education unit and the institution. TEAS data should also be used to enhance internal processes like meetings, committee action, employee reviews, and alumni interaction. The more TEAS data is used the more it contributes to better understanding and effective communication within the education unit.

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9. How are data validated?

Data should be validated whenever and wherever it is handled by knowledgeable people. There should also be automated validation at data entry and during consolidation. Data derived from the scoring of rubrics by assessors should be calibrated. Calibrated data should be reviewed for consistency and accuracy and then aggregated at program, department, and unit levels.

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10. How can the aggregation and disaggregation of data result in transformation?

Care should be taken to keep the meaning of data intact when taking it from student tracking, program assessment, or institution-wide systems. Transformation is the process of changing the meaning or accuracy of data by losing consistency during aggregation and disaggregation. Transformation is minimized through data analysis and processing rules. Even though aggregation is supported within TEAS at the unit level errors can be made in sub-systems that invalidate the data in TEAS. It helps to have a single point of control staffed by a knowledgeable person who oversees entry of data into TEAS and the generation of reports from TEAS. The CEA can explain the TEAS aggregation process in a training session.

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11. How can decisions that lend themselves to an analytical process be identified?

Decision opportunities present themselves in various ways. High stakes decisions that are scheduled often justify the extra effort invested in data collection and analysis. In addition, issues that are to be resolved in meetings or by committees benefit from the introduction of clearly defined data taken form TEAS. People should be able to arrive at a better solution more quickly if they can focus on the facts.

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12. How can stakeholders participate in the decision process?

TEAS data should reflect the need to serve specific purposes. A collegial environment will help stakeholders identify the data of greatest interest to them. Minimize confusion by rejecting the temptation to use data that has not been defined and integral part of an established trusted information system. Establish documented processes that identify decision making tasks that rely upon factual data. The documentation should show the role of stakeholders in these approved processes. Some stakeholders are likely to rejecting report findings when the outcome appears unfavorable to their interests. Stakeholders should be coached on the importance of identifying opportunities for improvement and the need to be open to new information.

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13. How can TEAS data relevant to a given decision be selected?

Those familiar with TEAS can assist in identifying data that will aid in making decisions. Familiarity with TEAS data can be enhanced through a report distribution process. Identify the audience authorized to view and use reports in advance and manage report distribution. Be sure to apply a reasonableness check before reports are released. Use one knowledgeable responsible TEAS resource to check reports for reasonableness and follow-up to see that the reports have been reviewed. Ask for feedback on the reports including thoughts on the relevance of report content and its relationship to important decisions.

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14. How can the logical relationships within TEAS improve decisions?

The existence of logical relationships within TEAS is the result of educator collaboration. These relationships have been compiled and tested over a period of roughly twenty years. The confirmation of these relationships through their practical application reinforces confidence in those who would use TEAS to support decisions.

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15. How is a formal decision process established?

Train staff to recognize the principles and benefits of a formal decision making process. Encourage personnel to use data in reaching decisions by identifying this as part of their job. Identify, document, and formalize unit operating procedures that support the deployment and maintenance of TEAS. Focus on the distribution of reports that assist in program improvement, advocacy, oversight compliance, budget preparation, and the handling of routine daily issues.

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16. How do decision makers gain confidence by using TEAS?

Decision makers gain confidence through familiarity. They read and understand data definitions, check for reasonable outcomes, and oversee the data collection process. Decision makers see new possibilities as they come to understand and appreciate the education knowledge contained within TEAS. Decision makers use logical relationships within TEAS to gain insight into factors that relate to the decisions they make.

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17. How does TEAS enable decision refinement?

TEAS enables decision refinement by supporting a disciplined approach to decision making that utilizes factual data over an extended period of time. The systematic properties of TEAS produces repeatable results so changes can be track and the impact of those changes can be determined. Decisions can be refined as knowledge is gained about changes and their outcomes. Decisions are further refined because TEAS graphs and reports can be shared making it possible to collaborate on trend identification and outcome evaluation.

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18. How do systematic efforts differ from reactionary work activity?

Reactionary work activity is takes place on a short term basis in response to outside pressures. The shortest job with the highest payback tends to drive the events during the day. While the short term benefit may be high the longer term benefits may be missing. System oriented activity differs in that it tends to be planned and scheduled process. The tasks and benefits are more consistent over time. It is like winning a tug of war. Everything else being equal, the team that pulls in unison will be the winner.

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19. Why is a “refined” decision better?

The knowledge reflected in TEAS has been refined over time. This means that lessons learned from passed decisions are passed on through TEAS for the benefit of others. Stored knowledge makes it possible for others to do a better job of identifying opportunities and validating education program improvements. The decision process supported by TEAS is used in fields in addition to education such as software, insurance, government, manufacturing, and financial services. Using a fundamentally sound decision process makes the results more meaningful. Education performance improvement can be more easily explained to people who are not educators. Greater awareness of teacher education improvement is good for educators.

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20. How can TEAS increase efficiency?

TEAS can increase efficiency by making it possible to keep a single unit assessment system in place over time. TEAS is scalable. This makes it possible to accumulate large amounts of data without having to replace TEAS. TEAS is flexible making it possible to adapt the system to data used within the institution. As a result historical data can be applied to current issues without going through an expensive and time-consuming conversion process. TEAS enables the collection of data one time and its use for multiple purposes. Different people collecting the same data for different reports is inefficient. Then there is the primary use of TEAS, supporting better decisions. Better decisions should result in greater efficiency.

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21. How can a refined decision process support other advances?

A formal information system within the education unit can lead to the creation or expansion of internal operating procedures. It encourages the creation and use of reference materials. It help identify training that can improve staff capabilities. TEAS may also result in more detailed job descriptions and the use of performance reviews that include more factual data. Just the fact that communication is enhanced by terms that are defined and issues presented in a more factual manner can bring benefits.

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22. How is TEAS expanded?

Projects related to the implementation, maintenance and expansion of a system like TEAS benefit from a formal streamlined project methodology. A methodology tailored to the education unit’s culture defines expectations and provides people with direction. In addition, a more formal problem resolution process may reduce the chances of disrupting the daily activities. Another possibility is the use of a change control process. Change control is intended to preserve the progress made in using TEAS. It protects disrupting of existing TEAS operations as the system continues to evolve.

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23. Where can I get TEAS© and learn how to use it?

The Center for Education Assessment (CEA) is the sole source provider of the Teacher Education Assessment System, TEAS©. CEA consultation is recommended as a way to achieve the greatest return by using TEAS© Call or email the CEA at 816.309.4925 or earl@educationassessment.org if you have additional questions related to TEAS©.

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