Questions from University Colleagues

The following questions were posed by university colleagues concerning EA Student Teaching placements (EAST). Most responses also apply to our Practicum and Teachers, Go Abroad programs.

School Placements

• What are enrollment options?
  
  1. An individual candidate is supported by the class teacher(s) with mentoring/assessment online (e.g. skype) provided by an EducatorsAbroad colleague. Cost: £300.
  2. For 10 or more candidates from the same school, the cost is discounted to £200 for each candidate on the understanding that the school provides day to day support for the TA, and also acts as a first line of assessment.
     • The day-to-day support is just by dialogue with the class teacher that the TA works with most.
     • For the practical tasks, witness statements are required and are usually completed by the class teacher. Click here for template.
     • Each TA uploads their portfolio items module by module.
     • In schools with more than 10 TA candidates enrolled, an assigned School Leader reviews each candidate’s portfolio, module by module, and conducts a 5-10 minute Q&A with them, individually or as a small group, to check that they understand what they have done and will need to do next. Then the EA assessor is informed that modules are ready for assessment,
• Is there a downside to the EAICTA course?
  

  Well it is quite a rigorous course and it will probably take a full year.

  • The level of English. We are aware that not all locally recruited TA’s are fluent in speaking and/or writing in English, but we made a conscious decision not to water down the language of the tasks because we felt that it would help the TA in two ways:

    • By improving their English.
    • Encouraging effective collaboration between the TA and their mentor to affirm tasks are understood and customise each task to the specific needs of the school or the TA to ensure success.
  • The Learning Outcomes are set in stone, but the tasks to achieve them are customisable.
  • Not all parts of the portfolio need to be written – audio, jpg and video files can be included.
  • There is a lot of compiling of information and drawing it together. This is time consuming, but the TA’s can work together and split those tasks between them.
    
    The first 3 or 4 tasks in each module focus on collecting information. The later tasks are about interpreting and applying the information – an individual’s responsibility, not a collaborative task between the TAs.
  • Generally, it takes a full term to complete module 1, but after that things get much quicker. Usually TA’s complete within a year, but there is no set time limit. If a TA drops out (e.g. moves school etc.) before an assessment, their registration can be passed on to another TA free of charge.
• How should you progress?
  
  • If you are an individual – Register an account, submit the application, on admission pay the course fee and start the course.
  • If you are a TA School Leader with 10 or more candidates from your school register an account and submit an application in your name. When procedures are agreed, your status will be changed from ‘candidate’ to ‘school leader’. Then the TA/you/we (whichever is most convenient) can simply add the name and email address for each candidate under your registration.
    
    Each candidate will receive their own username/password to their TA page where they can upload items for their portfolio.
    
    As School Leader you will be able to see all records of your candidates and thus can review materials on-line if you wish to. The EA assessor will review candidate materials by opening materials they have uploaded to their www record.
  • When payment has been received payment you will receive materials required for the course. There are no additional costs.
• Payment of course fee?
  

  Click here for payment details.

• What is the format for portfolio witness statements?
  

  Click here for Word and PDF versions of this form.

• How are EAICTA modules assessed for multiple TA’s in one school?
  

  Each module is assessed through review of each candidate’s portfolio and discussion with the candidate by the School Leader and EA colleague assigned to the course.

  Specifically, as School Leader – in partnership with your EA TA colleague - you are asked to:

  • Have the TA’s in your group compile each portfolio and upload it to their EA www page where you can access it.
  • Review the learning outcomes that need to have been demonstrated for each module (bullet points at the start of each module task sheet).
  • Look through each portfolio, if each task has been done properly the candidate will have achieved the learning outcomes. This need not take long as good old impression-marking sometimes works just fine!
  • If you think some tasks are missing, not convincing or completed sufficiently to demonstrate the learning outcome you can ask them to add more information or seek clarification in your discussion with them.
  • Q & A Discussion
    • Plan to interview each candidate individually or better and quicker (as it confirms that they are working as a team), arrange a Q&A feedback session for as many as you think you can handle – maybe a group of 4 or even 6
    • Think of questions you could put to the TA’s to confirm, in your own mind, that they have understood what they have been doing, and that it is all their own work.
    • After completing the Q&A, or interviews, you should be confident that they have passed each module.
  • Then add a brief comment to each portfolio – or email it to the EA course colleague as a separate list – when ready for assessment. If parts of the portfolio are not easy to upload, your professional judgement on bits that we cannot see will be accepted.
• What does the EAICTA certificate look like?
  
  Click here for sample certificate.