Preparation Manual

Domain I—Instructional Planning, Delivery, and Assessment

Competency 001—(Instruction): Apply knowledge of instructional development that builds coherently toward objectives based on state standards, course content, and expected student outcomes.

1. An eighth-grade career and technical education class includes students with disabilities, English learners, and students who are academically advanced. The teacher can most appropriately address this variation by adopting which of the following approaches?

1. incorporating activities to develop students' ability to cope with academic and personal challenges
2. focusing a greater amount of instructional time on areas in which students demonstrate the highest achievement levels
3. implementing long-term instructional groups based on students' overall performance levels
4. differentiating for students by prioritizing the development of students' strengths and higher-order thinking skills while providing supports for their specific needs

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Option D is correct because differentiation is the process of tailoring instruction to address individual needs. Differentiation provides flexibility that helps all students access content and achieve learning targets. Differentiation enables teachers to leverage students' strengths and maximize individual growth. Option A is incorrect because coping skills position students to overcome challenges but do not directly promote academic success. Option B is incorrect because it is important to address students' learning needs to close achievement gaps in addition to supporting them in areas where they are already successful. Option C is incorrect because implementing long-term instructional groups based on overall performance levels is a limiting approach that can prevent students from achieving their full academic potential.

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2. Teachers in a career and technical education program want to promote students' success as they progress through increasingly rigorous coursework. Which of the following actions by the teachers would be most effective in promoting this outcome?

1. assigning students in advanced classes to mentor students in introductory classes
2. implementing individual exit interviews with students at the end of each of their courses
3. ensuring that the curriculum is aligned vertically to minimize instructional gaps
4. participating in joint instructional planning with colleagues who teach related courses

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Option C is correct because vertical alignment is designed to organize the curriculum across grade bands in a way that identifies and supports students' acquisition of prerequisite knowledge and skills needed to master increasingly complex content. Option A is incorrect because peer mentoring focuses primarily on guiding students through processes such as developing study skills and managing course assignments and deadlines. Option B is incorrect because it is an after-the-fact strategy that does not support students who are currently enrolled in courses. Future students' needs may be entirely different than those of students who participate in exit interviews. Option D is incorrect because even courses that are related require different types of background knowledge and focus on different concepts, so appropriate instruction in one course may or may not be effective in a similar course.

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Competency 002—(Resources, Technologies, and Materials): Understand how to select, adapt, and incorporate resources, technologies, and standards-aligned instructional materials to promote student success in meeting learning goals.

3. In a principles-level career and technical education class, the teacher plans to engage students in a project-based learning experience that will involve extensive use of technology. Students have district-provided one-to-one electronic devices and technical support. The teacher is working with the technology department to plan and implement the project. Which of the following issues is most important to consider in the planning process?

1. putting in place steps to facilitate students' equitable access to and support in using technology during the project
2. designing the project with flexibility in requirements for students who do not have ready access to technology
3. acquiring user guides and tutorials specific to available technology for students to reference during the project
4. ensuring that the technology students will utilize during the project is approved by school and district administrators

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Option A is correct because there is often significant variation in students' access to technological resources, such as reliable Internet, and experience with different applications. For students to use technological tools effectively in the learning process, they all must have access to technological resources and support that will position them to be successful. Option B is incorrect because teachers should maintain the same high expectations for all students. Option C is incorrect because this consideration implies that the students are responsible for managing the technology on their own. Option D is incorrect because the district has provided students with the tools they will be using.

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4. An engineering teacher incorporates various strategies into instruction. For example, the teacher presents new content orally along with appropriate graphic support. Whenever possible, the teacher provides students with manipulative materials and tools to use in problem solving. At the end of each class, the teacher has students work with a partner to respond to a discussion question prompt focusing on the topic of the day's lesson. The teacher's approach can be expected to enhance students' abilities in which of the following areas?

1. personal responsibility for learning
2. conceptual understanding
3. connection of content to life experiences
4. use of academic language

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Option B is correct because providing students with opportunities to engage with content in different formats and with various supports is responsive to different learning modalities and promotes students' comprehension of the content on a deeper, more conceptual level. Option A is incorrect because personal responsibility is promoted by maintaining high expectations and providing students with choices in their learning. Option C is incorrect because students make connections between the content and life experiences through the teacher's use of familiar examples and contexts during instruction. Option D is incorrect because students' ability to use academic language requires explicit instruction in the vocabulary as well as opportunities to apply it in various contexts.

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Competency 003—(Data-Driven Practices and Student Assessments): Understand how to collect, analyze, evaluate, and communicate data and how to design and implement appropriate and effective student assessments.

5. Which of the following scenarios most clearly represents a teacher's use of informal assessment to guide instruction?

1. The teacher includes content that has been addressed on previous classroom tests on subsequent tests.
2. The teacher implements regular written tests to measure students' mastery of specific content and standards.
3. The teacher provides immediate feedback to students during lesson activities and class assignments.
4. The teacher uses varied questioning strategies in the moment to check students' understanding of lesson content.

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Option D is correct because the teacher's use of questioning in the moment is an ongoing process. Students' responses are not graded but allow the teacher to provide additional information or correct misconceptions during instruction and identify content to reinforce or reteach going forward. Option A is incorrect because cumulative assessment of content knowledge on tests is more formal and summative in nature. Option B is incorrect because written tests to measure mastery are considered formal assessments. Option C is incorrect because feedback helps students improve their performance but is not directly connected to future instruction.

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6. A career and technical education teacher incorporates frequent formative assessment into instruction and makes anecdotal notes of students' participation in class and small groups. The teacher also assigns one project-based activity to cooperative groups and provides a rubric for evaluating the project. This multipronged approach is likely to be most effective in achieving which of the following goals?

1. determining the most appropriate instructional strategies for individual students
2. gaining a full picture of students' learning on which to base instructional decisions
3. providing students with a summary of their progress and learning
4. preparing students for the varied tasks they are likely to encounter in the workplace

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Option B is correct because the use of varied types of assessments and assignments gives students the opportunity to fully demonstrate their learning and helps the teacher form a more comprehensive picture of students' strengths and needs that should be addressed in the instructional process. Option A is incorrect because determining appropriate strategies for individual students involves formal assessments of mastery to identify specific skill needs as well as acknowledging the student's preferred learning modalities. Option C is incorrect because the assessments described are distinct from one another and do not provide a summary of progress or learning. Option D is incorrect because small-group and project-based activities in an educational setting do not necessarily reflect workplace expectations or experiences.

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Domain II—Knowledge of Students and Student Learning

Competency 004—(Learning Processes): Understand how learning occurs and how learners develop, construct meaning, and acquire knowledge and skills.

7. A culinary teacher who wishes to encourage students' need for self-actualization as defined in Maslow's hierarchy of needs should emphasize that students remain motivated because they:

1. are more likely to get a good, high-paying job if they succeed in school.
2. benefit from striving to realize their full potential and achieve a sense of accomplishment.
3. are part of a team along with their teachers and other students.
4. will find school less stressful if they follow the rules and expectations of others.

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Option B is correct because, according to Maslow's hierarchy of needs, human needs form a five-tier pyramid with the most basic need being physiological needs such as food and clothing. Higher up the pyramid are needs related to safety, love and belonging, esteem, and, at the top of the pyramid, self-actualization. In Maslow's hierarchy, self-actualization represents the highest level of human motivation, which encourages individuals to strive for the realization of their full potential. Individuals who are reaching the level of self-actualization feel a sense of accomplishment related to their goals. Option A is incorrect because this type of motivation is extrinsic or motivated by external rewards. Options C and D are incorrect because these reasons are not related to the development or potential of the individual.

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8. Career and technical education teachers can help adolescent students address the developmental challenge of forming a personal identity by implementing activities that are designed to:

1. promote students' awareness and understanding of their own interests and abilities.
2. provide students with opportunities for self-expression through the arts and social interaction.
3. broaden students' knowledge of a wide range of academic and work opportunities.
4. engage students in role-playing a variety of authentic social and academic situations.

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Option A is correct because forming a personal identity is the process of exploring questions related to appearance, career choices, relationships, goals, values, and beliefs. Adolescents who are engaged in this process of exploration need the foundation that is provided by an awareness of their own interests and abilities. Option B is incorrect because activities focused on self-expression help students represent their personal identity rather than form it. Option C is incorrect because activities related to academic and work opportunities are focused primarily on cognitive aspects of development. Option D is incorrect because role playing situations require students to apply learned skills of interpersonal interactions.

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Competency 005—(Student Learning): Apply principles for connecting learning, content, and expectations to students' prior knowledge, real-world experiences, and interests in meaningful contexts.

9. A career and technical education teacher's class includes a few students who are English learners with varying levels of English proficiency. The teacher has observed that these students sometimes have difficulty following large-group discussions. The teacher can most effectively support these students during class discussions by utilizing which of the following strategies?

1. summarizing critical concepts at regular intervals during discussions to check for understanding
2. providing a note-taking template to use after discussions
3. providing a list of vocabulary words to students related to discussions
4. limiting discussion comments to specific topics defined and distributed in advance

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Option A is correct because summarizing critical concepts helps make the content of the discussion more comprehensible for English learners and providing the summarization at regular intervals breaks the content into more manageable segments of information. Option B is incorrect because note taking after a discussion depends on the English learners' understanding of the discussion content. Option C is incorrect because English learners may recognize vocabulary but still have difficulty following the syntax of the discussion. Option D is incorrect because this strategy does not allow for a full and organic discussion of concepts.

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10. A career and technical education teacher has a diverse class of learners. The teacher is planning a lesson on the following Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS):

The student is expected to evaluate forms of financial exchange, including cash, credit, debit, and electronic funds transfer.

The teacher wants to design instruction that encourages students to draw on their backgrounds to facilitate content learning. The teacher can best achieve this goal by:

1. focusing instruction on the forms of financial exchange in which students show the greatest interest.
2. determining the prevalence of a form of financial exchange within students' respective knowledge before including it in activities.
3. incorporating assignments in which students interview family members about their preferred forms of financial exchange.
4. incorporating students' languages, experiences, and culturally familiar examples in instruction about forms of financial exchange.

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Option D is correct because incorporating these elements into instruction helps students make connections between the content and their lives outside of school. This approach also helps students understand and internalize new content. Option A is incorrect because interest in a topic is not the same as relevance. Students' interest in a topic does not necessarily provide the framework for understanding that they need for content learning. Option B is incorrect because focusing on what students already know during activities does not expand the scope of their understanding or facilitate critical thinking about the content. Option C is incorrect because a family's preference provides limited information about the broader options of financial exchange.

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11. Which of the following teacher behaviors would contribute most significantly to creating an environment of respect?

1. maintaining strict guidelines for interpersonal interactions across various educational settings
2. building relationships by acknowledging the unique abilities and perspectives that each student brings to the learning process
3. spending time with students at school-related events outside of class to learn about their personal interests
4. integrating self-deprecating humor into the learning process to establish a relaxed atmosphere

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Option B is correct because acknowledging each student's unique abilities and perspectives provides a strong foundation for positive teacher-student and student-student relationships. This behavior also conveys to students that their contributions are valued and welcomed. Option A is incorrect because maintaining strict guidelines for interactions is a limiting approach that can hinder open communication by focusing on guidelines rather than messages. Option C is incorrect because learning about students' personal interests through informal interactions helps teachers gain insights about students but does not directly contribute to the learning environment. Option D is incorrect because this type of humor tends to minimize students' view of the teacher and the goal is a respectful environment, not a relaxed atmosphere.

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Domain III—The Learning Environment

Competency 006—(Organized, Productive Learning Environment): Understand the development and implementation of strategies for creating a well-organized and productive learning environment.

12. A middle school teacher of a career and technical education class consistently runs out of time and students often do not have adequate time to practice new skills. With appropriate permissions from the school district and students' parents/guardians, the teacher decides to make a video recording of the class for a one-week period. This approach is likely to improve the teacher's instructional efficiency primarily by:

1. facilitating the teacher's ability to analyze how time is being used during the class period.
2. supporting the teacher in identifying students who are contributing to classroom distractions.
3. assisting the teacher in evaluating the developmental appropriateness of class activities.
4. enabling the teacher to recognize content and skills that are particularly challenging for students.

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Option A is correct because the teacher will be able to observe various interactions and activities in the video that may not be apparent in the moment. This approach helps the teacher identify how time is being spent and specific aspects of instruction that are less than efficient. Option B is incorrect because the teacher should be focused on instructional practice rather than specific students as the source of the problem. Options C and D are incorrect because the developmental appropriateness of instruction and whether content is challenging for students is best determined through various forms of ongoing assessment. 

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13. Students in a construction management class are having difficulty making smooth transitions from one activity to the next. Some students quickly put away materials and prepare for the next activity, while others are reluctant to stop what they are doing. This often results in minor misbehavior and lost instructional time. The teacher can best address this problem by taking which of the following actions?

1. praising students who change activities in a timely manner
2. beginning the next activity as planned to urge students' promptness
3. implementing visual prompts periodically to indicate how much time is left before the next activity
4. reviewing planned activities with students at the beginning of each class period

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Option C is correct because alerting students about the time remaining for an activity helps guide them to bring their tasks to a close. Using visual prompts for this purpose is more concrete than a simple verbal reminder. Option A is incorrect because students who are reluctant to conclude one activity are not likely to be motivated by praise for others. This approach is more appropriate for motivating students in lower grade levels. Option B is incorrect because beginning the next activity before all students are ready will result in greater disarray as students who did not conclude the previous activity promptly try to catch up with the class. Option D is incorrect because reviewing planned activities with students provides an overview of class but does not directly address students' ability to move from one activity to another smoothly.

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Competency 007—(Safe, Supportive Learning Environment): Understand principles and strategies for maintaining a physically and emotionally safe, supportive learning environment that maximizes student learning.

14. A forensic science teacher's classroom is organized into six laboratory tables equipped with a standard set of equipment. Recently the teacher observed that the equipment students need is often found at another table and that students have to spend time locating what they need before beginning the laboratory assignment. Which of the following teacher strategies would best ensure that students have ready access to the equipment they need?

1. stopping activities 30 minutes earlier to allow ample time for students to store equipment appropriately
2. marking each piece of equipment with a color code or number that corresponds to the table where it should be stored
3. asking for student volunteers at each table to organize equipment at the end of the class period
4. teaching a lesson on the appropriate storage of each piece of equipment and the importance of organization

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Option B is correct because color- or number-coding equipment provides scaffolding that helps all students take responsibility for storing and organizing equipment appropriately and efficiently. Option A is incorrect because stopping class 30 minutes early would result in a significant loss of instructional time. Option C is incorrect because using student volunteers places the responsibility for organizing equipment on a few students rather than promoting all students' responsibility for the classroom. Option D is incorrect because one lesson on the topic of equipment storage and organization is not likely to result in application of the desired practices by students.

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15. A high school manufacturing classroom includes four stations, each with basic equipment needed for laboratory activities. During a class activity, a piece of equipment at one station malfunctions and a student narrowly avoids an injury. Which of the following actions should the teacher take immediately in this situation?

1. inspecting the equipment to determine whether the problem can be remedied by the teacher
2. completing an incident report of the situation to accompany a repair request for the equipment
3. implementing safety procedures to remove students' access to the equipment until it has been repaired
4. discontinuing the activity to review operating procedures for the equipment with the class

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Option C is correct because student safety is the primary consideration in the career and technical education classroom. The teacher's action to remove students' access to the equipment is the most immediate and critical step to take. Most career and technical educational classrooms utilize a "tag-out" procedure to lock down equipment that has malfunctioned until its safety can be verified as one method of restricting students' access to unsafe equipment. Option A is incorrect because the teacher is not responsible for repairing laboratory equipment. Repairs should be done by an appropriate professional. Option B is incorrect because incident reports are documentation and do not address the primary concern of student safety. Option D is incorrect because a review of operating procedures does not correct the malfunction of the equipment.

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Domain IV—Professional Practices and Responsibilities

Competency 008—(Ethics and Integrity): Understand the importance of maintaining the highest standards of ethics and integrity in personal and professional behavior.

16. While in the teachers' lounge, a new teacher hears another teacher complaining about a particular student's low grades and behavioral issues. The new teacher feels uncomfortable with this conversation, ignores it, and stops going to the teachers' lounge. However, after hearing from like-minded colleagues about too much negative gossip related to students in the teachers' lounge, the new teacher decides to enlist them in a plan for solving the problem and restoring the lounge to a professional and collegial space. The new teacher's effort to fix this problem best illustrates the intent of which of the following professional standards?

1. reflecting on practices to improve instructional effectiveness and engaging in continuous professional learning to gain knowledge and skills
2. maintaining self-awareness in interpersonal interactions and being open to feedback from peers and administrators
3. seeking out opportunities to lead other educators within and beyond their classrooms
4. modeling respectful behavior and interpersonal interactions and demonstrating integrity in all situations

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Option C is correct because the teacher decides to act on an issue that the teacher believes needs to be addressed. The teacher's effort demonstrates leadership by engaging others in addressing the problem collaboratively. Option A is incorrect because the situation described does not focus on instruction or new knowledge and skills. Option B is incorrect because the teacher moves beyond self-awareness to actions with others. Option D is incorrect because the teacher's actions are focused on problem-solving rather than modeling.

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17. Which of the following scenarios most clearly represents an ethical concern as articulated in the Code of Ethics and Standard Practices for Texas Educators?

1. A high school automotive teacher uses school resources and materials in the teacher's fee-based oil change workshops for community members.
2. A middle school career education teacher shares classroom performance data with members of a student's Individualized Education Program (IEP) committee.
3. A high school political science teacher accepts a personalized pen and pencil set from a student in appreciation for the teacher providing the student with after-school study support.
4. A middle school financial literacy teacher provides a guest speaker with general background information about students prior to the speaker's presentation.

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Option A is correct because the teacher is using school resources for personal profit. The Code of Ethics and Standard Practices for Texas Educators states that an educator shall not knowingly use resources "committed to his or her charge for personal gain or advantage." Because the teacher is using school resources purchased with school monies in a profit-based endeavor, the teacher is committing a violation of the code of ethics. Option B is incorrect because the teacher is allowed to share performance data with a student's IEP committee. Option C is incorrect because teachers may accept small gifts or tokens from students and their families. Option D is incorrect because the information the teacher provides is general in nature and will facilitate an effective presentation by the speaker.

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18. A career and technical education teacher would most appropriately consult the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines for which of the following purposes?

1. understanding procedures for reporting classroom safety concerns to school district personnel
2. identifying relevant safety certifications needed for career and technical education teachers
3. understanding the elements of effective safety instruction in career and technical education
4. identifying practices for the safe use of field-specific equipment and materials in the classroom laboratory

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Option D is correct because Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines are federal rules that employers must follow to protect employees from hazards. The same rules apply to career and technical education laboratory settings. Option A is incorrect because reporting procedures are determined by the school district. Option B is incorrect because identifying requirements for teachers to acquire various safety certifications is the state's responsibility. Option C is incorrect because OSHA guidelines do not address safety instruction in the school setting.

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19. A high school student with a disability is participating in a work-based learning program. The student will be working as an unpaid intern in a floral design business. Which of the following strategies is most important for the teacher to implement when working with the business sponsor?

1. assisting the business sponsor in providing the appropriate supervision and supports as outlined in the student's individual training plan
2. conducting joint observations with the business sponsor of the student's performance in the work setting
3. recommending that the business sponsor become a member of the student's Individualized Education Program (IEP) committee
4. providing the business sponsor with an explanation of the student's legal rights within the work environment

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Option A is correct because the business sponsor is not expected to be knowledgeable about supports for students with disabilities, so the career and technical education teacher's most important strategy is to assist the sponsor in providing appropriate supports, and ensuring that this assistance adheres to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Option B is incorrect because the career and technical education teacher does not conduct workplace observations with business sponsors. Option C is incorrect because the business sponsor may provide information that will be communicated to the student's IEP committee by the career and technical education teacher, but the sponsor is not expected to participate as a member of the committee. Option D is incorrect because the business sponsor is expected to have a clear understanding of the rights of employees, whether paid or unpaid, within the work environment.

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Competency 009—(Professional Practice): Apply strategies for collaborating with other professionals, maintaining professional relationships, and fulfilling professional duties.

20. A high school career and technical education teacher has identified several professional development activities relevant to the teacher's goal of improving student learning outcomes. When selecting which opportunities to pursue, the teacher should give the most consideration to which of the following questions?

1. Is this activity focused on relevant, evidence-based practices in the field?
2. Does this activity include support materials at little or no cost to the district?
3. How much time away from campus will be required by this activity?
4. Will the information provided in this activity be useful to teachers on campus?

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Option A is correct because the best way for the teacher to improve student learning outcomes is to ensure that professional development activities are grounded in current research-based best practices in the field. Option B is incorrect because professional development activities generally do not provide free or no-cost materials. At times, materials may be purchased depending on the provider or topic of the activity. Option C is incorrect because the time commitment is not as important as the quality of the professional development and its eventual effect on student outcomes. Option D is incorrect because professional development activities should focus on the needs and goals of the specific teacher.

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21. Which of the following goals would be most appropriate for the advisory committee of a school district's career and technical education program to address?

1. reviewing planned instructional units in each of the program fields to determine alignment with current industry practices
2. participating in the performance evaluation for teachers in the program
3. analyzing labor market information to identify gaps between the current program and industry needs
4. identifying relevant professional development activities for group members

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Option C is correct because advisory committee members have a strong knowledge of various industry needs as they relate to current and emerging employment trends and have experience in analyzing labor market information. Option A is incorrect because members of the advisory committee do not possess the pedagogical expertise to evaluate instructional plans. Option B is incorrect because teachers' performance evaluations are conducted by school administrators and do not include stakeholders outside of the school community. Option D is incorrect because professional development is targeted to improve instructional practice, a topic that is outside the expertise of the advisory committee.

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Clustered Questions

Use the information below to answer the four questions that follow.

Competency 001—(Instruction): Apply knowledge of instructional development that builds coherently toward objectives based on state standards, course content, and expected student outcomes.

22. As part of the project's overview, the teacher can most effectively communicate high expectations for the project by:

1. creating a form for students to use when developing their research plans.
2. providing students with the rubric that will be used to evaluate the project and discussing the specific performance criteria during the second component.
3. breaking the project into small increments that will each receive a separate grade.
4. showing students a sample project that was created by a student during the previous school year during the fifth component.

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Option B is correct because a rubric is a scoring tool that explicitly describes performance expectations along with specific criteria for each component of an assignment or project. Providing students with a rubric enables them to see from the outset of the project the elements that are present in a high-quality product. Option A is incorrect because a form provides structure but does not directly relate to quality expectations. Option C is incorrect because breaking a project into small, graded increments is a strategy for helping students manage their time during a long-term project. Option D is incorrect because students may or may not identify the key elements in an exemplar without direct and explicit guidance from the teacher.

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Competency 002—(Resources, Technologies, and Materials): Understand how to select, adapt, and incorporate resources, technologies, and standards-aligned instructional materials to promote student success in meeting learning goals.

23. To ensure that students understand the ethical use of information from the resources they select, the teacher's most important priority should be to provide explicit instruction on which of the following topics?

1. methods for downloading information from the Internet
2. definitions and examples of different types of copyrighted information
3. steps for developing a bibliography of information sources
4. when and how to cite the source of information in various formats

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Option D is correct because instruction in source citation allows the teacher to address the topic of intellectual property as well as how and when others' work and ideas may be incorporated into the students' projects. The process of source citation follows specific formats such as the Modern Language Association (MLA) or American Psychological Association (APA). This is especially important when using online sources with easily downloadable images or text. Option A is incorrect because downloading information for reference is not necessarily unethical. Option B is incorrect because copyright guidelines are complex, and this strategy would require students to make judgments about what information is free to use without the required expertise. Option C is incorrect because a bibliography provides documentation of the sources consulted during a project, whether they are cited in an assignment or not. A bibliography does not provide credit for specific information used in an assignment.

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Competency 006—(Organized, Productive Learning Environment): Understand the development and implementation of strategies for creating a well-organized and productive learning environment.

24. The teacher is concerned about students waiting for resources during the information-gathering phase of the project. The teacher can best manage this concern by taking which of the following actions during the planning process?

1. developing and implementing an equitable system for organizing students' access to materials
2. assigning each student a specific amount of time to utilize classroom computers and other materials
3. establishing a limit on the number of print and online materials that students are allowed to use in their research
4. arranging for students to conduct research once or twice as a class in the school library media center

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Option A is correct because students' information needs will be dependent on their topics and on their access to various resources outside of school. Setting up a system for students' use of classroom resources that takes into consideration these factors would be the best way to manage students' information-gathering process. Option B is incorrect because not all students will need the same amount of time to use the computers, depending on their topics and the sources of information they are relying on. Option C is incorrect because, even with a limit on the number of materials students are allowed to use, some students may need more time with resources than others due to lack of access outside of school. Option D is incorrect because one or two short periods in the school library media center may not be enough time for students to gather the information they need.

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Competency 008—(Ethics and Integrity): Understand the importance of maintaining the highest standards of ethics and integrity in personal and professional behavior.

25. Which of the following actions by the teacher at the outset of the project is the best application of school district policies?

1. explaining to students how to select experts for interviews that the district will approve
2. reviewing with students the district's acceptable use of technology guidelines
3. providing students with access to the school district handbook for reference
4. inviting district curriculum consultants to answer questions from students

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Option B is correct because school districts establish guidelines for the acceptable use of technology as part of their policies and students are likely to make use of online resources in their projects. These guidelines apply to all staff and students within the district. Option A is incorrect because most school districts do not have specific policies for student assignments such as interviews. Option C is incorrect because, while the handbook provides the district's policies, the teacher has a responsibility to ensure that the students read and understand the acceptable use of technology guidelines. Option D is incorrect because inviting curriculum consultants to speak to students is not a practice that is addressed or required at the policy level. In the absence of a district policy, inviting curriculum consultants to speak does not represent an application of policy.

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Domain I—Instructional Planning, Delivery, and Assessment

Competency 001—(Instruction): Apply knowledge of instructional development that builds coherently toward objectives based on state standards, course content, and expected student outcomes.

26. A ninth-grade career and technical education teacher occasionally uses a call-and-response strategy to engage students in a lesson or activity. For example, the teacher may ask students to report the answer to a problem. For this strategy to be effective, the teacher should utilize which of the following techniques?

1. recognizing only students who raise their hands
2. using a verbal or nonverbal signal such as a countdown or hand gesture to cue students' response
3. acknowledging by name a few students who provide a correct response
4. implementing the strategy as a replacement for the guided practice portion of an instructional sequence

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option B is correct.

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27. A middle school career and technical education teacher who is planning instructional units for the upcoming school year has brainstormed several potential topics for the units. In selecting unit topics, the teacher should give the greatest consideration to which of the following questions?

1. Will the topic require acquisition or construction of new learning materials?
2. How will the topic support students' achievement of the targeted Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)?
3. Is the topic appropriate for independent, small-group, and whole class activities?
4. Are most students likely to have significant background knowledge about the topic?

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option B is correct.

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28. Students in a manufacturing class are learning how to operate a CNC milling machine to create custom parts for a machine. After several lessons on the use of the mill, students are ready to perform their first operation with feedback from the teacher. The teacher's feedback will be most useful to students if it focuses on:

1. frequent reminders to students to maintain focus during the milling process.
2. general praise for students' approach to the milling process.
3. ongoing descriptions of steps students should implement next in the milling process.
4. specific actions and safety measures students are taking during the milling process.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option D is correct.

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Competency 002—(Resources, Technologies, and Materials): Understand how to select, adapt, and incorporate resources, technologies, and standards-aligned instructional materials to promote student success in meeting learning goals.

29. A career and technical education teacher is discussing potential careers for students in a seventh-grade class. The teacher is using the online edition of the Occupational Outlook Handbook to demonstrate for students how to find job-related information for different careers. Which of the following additional details can students obtain by clicking on the occupation link for a career?

1. specific coursework needed to qualify for different jobs in the selected field
2. expected demand for jobs and earnings potential for entry-level jobs in the selected field
3. contact information for human resources managers for participating companies in the field
4. current available entry-level jobs posted by participating companies in the field

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option B is correct.

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30. A cosmetology teacher is teaching a unit on chemical safety. The teacher would most appropriately use safety data sheets (SDS) as a resource for a lesson based on which of the following Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)?

1. using ergonomically designed equipment to promote professional efficiency
2. employing safe and effective use of tools to enhance client services
3. applying universal precautions in disposal of hazardous materials
4. applying health and safety policies and procedures

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option C is correct.

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Competency 003—(Data-Driven Practices and Student Assessments): Understand how to collect, analyze, evaluate, and communicate data and how to design and implement appropriate and effective student assessments.

31. A cosmetology teacher is teaching a unit that includes the following Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) related to design and color theory:

The student is expected to recognize elements of hair design, such as line, form, space, texture, and color.

The teacher wants to monitor students' learning during the unit. Which of the following strategies would be most important to include for this purpose?

1. creating a summative unit assessment linked to each component of the learning objectives
2. using frequent questioning throughout the unit to check students' understanding of the content
3. utilizing a standard set of assessment questions at regular intervals throughout the unit
4. tracking students' specific errors and success points during walk-around observations

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option B is correct.

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32. A career and technical education teacher assigns students a task in which they are required to recommend strategies for responding to safety and health issues in a simulated work environment. Students will create their initial drafts and the teacher will provide feedback to guide students' development of their final product. Which of the following feedback statements from the teacher would be most effective in helping students refine their work?

1. "You've done an excellent job of identifying the key safety and health issues presented. Please present your recommended strategies in greater detail and depth."
2. "There are many health and safety issues in this work environment that you have not identified. Analyze the information presented again to form a more complete response."
3. "This is great work! You seem to have a real aptitude for this skill. I look forward to seeing your final product."
4. "I think you may need to rethink your approach to this product. Please reread the instructions and relevant class materials and try again."

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option A is correct.

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33. A high school career and technical education program offers internships in partnership with various businesses. The teachers want to evaluate the effectiveness of the internships in supporting student learning. Which of the following details would be most important to include in this process?

1. descriptions of students' workplace environments
2. records of students' overall grade point averages
3. demographic characteristics of students
4. industry-aligned assessment of students' skill gains

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option D is correct.

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Domain II—Knowledge of Students and Student Learning

Competency 004—(Learning Processes): Understand how learning occurs and how learners develop, construct meaning, and acquire knowledge and skills.

34. Students in a middle school career investigation class demonstrate varying levels of social development. Which of the following statements describes the most important implication of this variation regarding instruction?

1. Students who are more socially advanced may be required to serve as role models.
2. The teacher may need to provide extra support and guidance to students during collaborative tasks.
3. Students may need frequent reminders about behavioral expectations in different classroom contexts.
4. The teacher may need to teach the class several lessons on how to interact socially with others.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option B is correct.

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Competency 005—(Student Learning): Apply principles for connecting learning, content, and expectations to students' prior knowledge, real-world experiences, and interests in meaningful contexts.

35. Students in a culinary class come from widely diverse socioeconomic circumstances. Some students live in economically disadvantaged areas of the community, while other students live in more affluent areas with access to a variety of resources and opportunities. The most significant implication of this socioeconomic diversity for student learning is that students are likely to:

1. experience difficulty participating effectively in collaborative tasks.
2. require explicit instruction in problem-solving strategies.
3. demonstrate wide variation in background knowledge and experiences.
4. prefer self-directed activities and independent assignments.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option C is correct.

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Domain III—The Learning Environment

Competency 006—(Organized, Productive Learning Environment): Understand the development and implementation of strategies for creating a well-organized and productive learning environment.

36. The teacher of a foreign service and diplomacy class is starting a unit that compares different diplomatic strategies in achieving a desired end. The teacher could best enhance students' interest and engagement in this topic by:

1. conducting an in-depth look at a successful diplomatic solution to a historical confrontation between countries.
2. organizing a debate between two teams of students focusing on two different diplomatic approaches to solving a current real-world problem.
3. outlining the major principles of diplomacy and how they might be applied in a variety of different situations requiring diplomatic intervention.
4. reviewing the history of diplomacy, including case studies of major diplomats in the past and their successes and failures.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option B is correct.

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37. At the beginning of the week, a teacher asks students to identify one or more academic or organizational goals that they want to accomplish. At the end of the week, students write a reflection in their journals about their goals and what they accomplished. Periodically the teacher meets with individual students to discuss their goals and reflections. This practice can be expected to have which of the following benefits for students?

1. helping students recognize their abilities and learning potential
2. fostering in students a sense of responsibility for their progress and learning
3. encouraging students to set consistently high expectations for their performance
4. supporting students in developing individualized organizational strategies

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option B is correct.

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Competency 007—(Safe, Supportive Learning Environment): Understand principles and strategies for maintaining a physically and emotionally safe, supportive learning environment that maximizes student learning.

38. During a problem review session on small-engine technology, a transportation, logistics, and distribution teacher notices that a student has just put his head on his desk and closed his eyes. How should the teacher adapt a strategy of least intrusive intervention to gain the student's compliance?

1. stopping the review and looking at the student intently until he lifts his head and sits up in his seat
2. calling out the student's name and politely requesting that he begin listening like the rest of the class
3. moving into the proximity of the student to get his attention and continuing to teach without disrupting the lesson
4. informing the student in a friendly and good-natured way that he needs to sleep at home and stay awake at school

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option C is correct.

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39. A career and technical education teacher utilizes large- and small-group discussions as a regular part of instruction. The teacher wants to promote student interactions that are respectful of individual opinions and perspectives. Which of the following approaches would provide the best foundation for achieving this goal?

1. requiring students to paraphrase the previous statement before stating their position or perspective
2. providing students with sentence frames as guidance on how to form relevant and useful comments
3. engaging students in the development of guidelines and norms for communication in different classroom contexts
4. implementing a system in which each student is allotted a specific amount of time to state a position or make a comment

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option C is correct.

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40. A middle school career and technical education teacher is reviewing a planned rearrangement of the classroom. Which of the following questions is most important for the teacher to consider prior to implementing the new arrangement?

1. Will this arrangement enable supervision of students working in different areas of the classroom?
2. Will this arrangement convey to students an expectation for their participation?
3. Will this arrangement group students by academic needs appropriately?
4. Will this arrangement support periodic breaks for student movement?

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option A is correct.

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41. Which of the following practices is most effective for identifying potential hazards in a machine shop?

1. requiring equipment operators to participate in regular training activities
2. maintaining a log where equipment operators can record safety concerns
3. keeping user manuals for equipment in an easily accessible location
4. performing routine inspections of equipment using industry-approved standards

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option D is correct.

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42. A career and technical education teacher can most effectively mitigate potential hazards in the classroom by adopting which of the following approaches?

1. providing students with a resource library of manuals for the operation of relevant equipment for the field
2. ensuring that students have access to and are trained in the appropriate use of industry-recommended protective gear
3. implementing a buddy system in which student partners monitor each other's adherence to established guidelines
4. displaying posters and other materials reminding students of their responsibility for personal safety

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option B is correct.

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Domain IV—Professional Practices and Responsibilities

Competency 008—(Ethics and Integrity): Understand the importance of maintaining the highest standards of ethics and integrity in personal and professional behavior.

43. Use the information below to answer the question that follows.

Student Formative Data

Weekly Class Averages	Homework Assignments	Lab Assignments	Small-Group Assignments	Classroom Multiple-Choice Assessments
Week 1	73	88	79	70
Week 2	70	87	78	69
Week 3	71	89	76	68
Week 4	70	91	77	70

An interior design teacher is reviewing formative data for the class in order to adjust instructional practices to help students achieve the identified Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills TEKS in a unit on basic design elements. Based on these data, the teacher should consider adjusting practices in which of the following ways?

1. discontinuing homework assignments in favor of in-class assignments
2. refraining from assigning students number grades on classroom assessments
3. increasing hands-on and performance-based assignments and assessments
4. assigning students to homogeneous small groups to target specific skill needs

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option C is correct.

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44. Parents/guardians have a legal right to remove their child temporarily from a school class or activity without penalty in which of the following situations?

1. The class or activity includes discussions of points of view that differ from the parents'/guardians' views.
2. The parents/guardians believe that their child has not been fully prepared to take an assessment.
3. The class or activity conflicts with the parents'/guardians' religious or moral beliefs.
4. The parents/guardians want their child to be exempt from a semester of instruction.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option C is correct.

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Competency 009—(Professional Practice): Apply strategies for collaborating with other professionals, maintaining professional relationships, and fulfilling professional duties.

45. A career and technical education program in a high school is associated with several career and technical student organizations, including the Technology Student Association (TSA), SkillsUSA, and Distributed Education Clubs of America (DECA). These student organizations all have which of the following primary goals in common?

1. providing opportunities for student members to develop leadership skills
2. connecting student members with local and regional educational leaders
3. expanding student members' acquisition of field-specific knowledge
4. facilitating the job application process for student members

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option A is correct.

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Clustered Questions

Use the information below to answer the five questions that follow.

Competency 001—(Instruction): Apply knowledge of instructional development that builds coherently toward objectives based on state standards, course content, and expected student outcomes.

46. The teacher can most effectively support students' understanding of lesson content by taking which of the following actions prior to instruction?

1. requiring students to copy the lesson objective at the top of the career exploration worksheet
2. ensuring that students have general background knowledge of each of the programs of study
3. pre-assessing students to determine whether they have the necessary technology skills
4. engaging students in brainstorming what they know about the Web site they will use

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option B is correct.

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Competency 004—(Learning Processes): Understand how learning occurs and how learners develop, construct meaning, and acquire knowledge and skills.

47. The career exploration worksheet supports students' independent completion of the lesson activity primarily by:

1. encouraging students to view relevant components of the Web site.
2. enabling students to gather information in an organized manner.
3. providing a guide to help students stay focused on the assigned task.
4. ensuring that the lesson is accessible to students with various needs.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option C is correct.

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48. The teacher wants to support students' emerging critical-thinking skills. Which of the following prompts, added to the career exploration worksheet, would best support this outcome?

1. Describe one part of this career that would be difficult for you.
2. Explain the educational requirements and certifications for this career.
3. List two other careers that require similar knowledge and skills.
4. Analyze why this career would or would not be the best match for you.

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option D is correct.

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Competency 005—(Student Learning): Apply principles for connecting learning, content, and expectations to students' prior knowledge, real-world experiences, and interests in meaningful contexts.

49. Given the diversity of students' characteristics and needs, the teacher should plan to incorporate which of the following strategies into the lesson?

1. pre-teaching relevant technical vocabulary and academic language
2. writing the instructions for the activity on the board for students' reference
3. identifying students who are technologically proficient to support their peers
4. offering an alternative online resource for completing the assigned task

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option A is correct.

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Competency 006—(Organized, Productive Learning Environment): Understand the development and implementation of strategies for creating a well-organized and productive learning environment.

50. Which of the following approaches by the teacher would best maximize the time students spend on productive learning during the lesson?

1. providing another assignment for students to work on while they are waiting their turn to use classroom computers
2. expanding the lesson across several days to enable all students to have computer time to complete the activity
3. setting a timer for each student to work at a classroom computer and assigning incomplete portions of the task as homework
4. arranging to teach the class in the school library media center or computer lab where all students have computer access at the same time

AnswerEnter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded

Option D is correct.

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