The partnership seeks to achieve this balance through a triad of
measurement tools that include a classroom observation protocol,
an artifact-based instructional instrument, and a student perception
of instructional practices survey. The committee chose the
UTEACH observation protocol as the observation protocol for the
STEM Common Measurement System for several reasons. First, the
UTEACH observation protocol has satisfactory reliability and
validity evidence (Kane and Staiger, 2012; Walkington et al.,
2011). Second, an analysis of the UTEACH manual and rubrics
revealed that the instrument was well matched to the majority of
the instructional practices except the implementation multiple
and diverse opportunities (practice number 3 above). Newman and
Wehlage (1993) note that classroom observations will often fail to
reveal connection between lessons or multiple instructional days
that may combine to culminate into more complex experiences for
students. The instructional practice related to multiple and diverse
opportunities is, consequently, difficult to measure with classroom
observations because it is likely to occur over more than one class
period or observation. Other measurement tools will be used to
balance the limitations of observation protocols.