General Questions Related to the RESA - Green Local … Questions Related to the RESA ... The Ohio...

General Questions Related to the RESA

Q: What is the Resident Educator Summative Assessment (RESA)?

A: The RESA is a performance assessment that requires candidates to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in real time. Over the past 25 years, performance assessments have become an increasingly valued and integral part of teacher preparation and growth. They allow teachers to show what they know by demonstrating their teaching skills in action. Performance assessments provide direct evidence of what teachers do in the classroom, supported by required written commentary, evidence, and artifacts. The RESA calls for candidates to demonstrate their ability to design and implement instruction that engages students in complex thinking and in using formative and summative assessments to inform their teaching practices.

Q: Who determines whether I am ready to take the RESA? A: Employers (districts/schools) determine Resident Educators’ readiness to prepare for

and take the RESA in Year 3 or Year 4. For more information, see the Planning and Implementation Guide for Years 3 and 4 of the Ohio Resident Educator Program on the Ohio Department of Education website.

Q: How can I prepare for the RESA? A: Resident Educators begin preparing for the RESA on the first day of their teaching

experience. This preparation continues throughout Years 1, 2, and 3. Focused review and practice should take place during the weeks prior to beginning the RESA.

The RESA Participant Handbook will guide candidates through the RESA process by providing detailed directions on how to complete each task and the rubrics that will be used to score each task. Candidates should thoroughly read the RESA Participant Handbook, which can be downloaded at www.OhioRESA.com. State-trained RESA facilitators will provide further support to candidates. Additional guidance on completing the RESA can be found on the Ohio RESA Candidate Resources webpage.

Q: What is my performance goal in taking the RESA? A: Candidates should focus their performance goal on level 4 of the rubric.

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Q: What does it cost to take the RESA? A: There is no cost to the RESA candidate. The Ohio Department of Education is

supporting the following costs of implementing the RESA: use of software platform, site licenses, assessors, facilitation training, and other related resources.

Q: What is the time frame for completing the RESA? (Revised 10/20/14)

A: The 2014–2015 RESA submission cycle will run from October 30, 2014, through May 15, 2015. The individual task submissions have staggered deadlines within this time frame.

Q: If I will be on leave or am otherwise unable to complete one or more tasks during the submission windows, how can I complete the RESA?

A: If for any reason a RESA candidate is unable to complete a task by its due date, that candidate may continue submitting the other tasks with later deadlines during the 2014–2015 school year. For example, if a candidate does not submit Task 1 by December 15, that candidate may still submit Tasks 2–5 if he or she meets each task’s respective submission deadline. Any task not submitted during the 2014–2015 school year will be considered “incomplete” and will need to be submitted during the submission window for candidates retaking the RESA in the following school year. Candidates will not be eligible to receive their professional educator license until they complete and pass all five tasks of the RESA and complete the four-year Resident Educator Program.


If you have additional questions regarding your ability to complete the RESA during the submission windows, please contact the Ohio Department of Education at [email protected].

Q: If my teaching assignment makes it impossible to complete the RESA as described, what should I do?

A: The RESA is composed of five required performance tasks. The RESA Participant Handbook provides detailed descriptions of the requirements for the completion of each task. It is understood that particular conditions may exist (special circumstances) that will not allow you to complete Tasks 1, 2, and 3 as they are outlined in the RESA Participant Handbook.

The Ohio Department of Education currently recognizes the following special circumstances:

• Learning institutions that guarantee individual client confidentiality and privacy,afforded by law, and therefore prohibit the use of any media that records animage or voice of a client or client family (e.g., youth correctional facilities,residential facilities).

• A class that is composed of fewer than three students who are studying acommon lesson and taking a common assessment.

If you believe that either of the above special circumstances applies to your teaching assignment and make it impossible to complete the RESA task(s) as outlined in the RESA Participant Handbook, see the task modification process below.

Task Modification Process and Timeline In order to make a RESA task modification request, you will need to work with your Program Coordinator to complete the Special Circumstances Form (available on the Ohio RESA Candidate Resources webpage). On the Special Circumstances Form, you must describe why your teaching circumstances make it impossible for you to complete the task as described and propose a plan for the task modification required.

Your completed Special Circumstances Form must be returned to the Ohio Department of Education at [email protected] no later than the following deadlines:

• November 15, 2014, for candidates who are taking the RESA for the first time• January 15, 2015, for candidates re-taking portions of the RESA

The Ohio Department of Education will review your request and inform you of its decision. If your request is approved, Educopia will contact your Program Coordinator and determine the appropriate modifications and accommodations for that particular task. If a live observation is granted for Tasks 1 and 3, you and your Program Coordinator must follow the Live Observation Policy and Protocols (which will be distributed after task modification approval).

Note: Submissions by candidates who are granted special circumstances approval will be separated from the general RESA scoring pool. These submissions will be scored by an assessor who understands both the task modifications and the unique context under which the candidate has been teaching. The RESA Special Circumstances Form does not exempt Resident Educators from a task, but, if approved, it may allow for modifications to be made for specific tasks by Educopia.


Q: How will I know how to submit each task? A: The RESA Participant Handbook, which can be downloaded at www.OhioRESA.com,

describes in detail each of the five tasks that RESA candidates must complete and includes:

• Specific directions on how to complete each task• A glossary of defined terms and reference materials to assist RESA candidates• Details on how each task will be scored and the rubrics that will be used to

evaluate candidates’ performance

Candidates also have access to a number of Ohio RESA Candidate Resources.

Q: Were changes made to the 2014–2015 RESA Participant Handbook?

A: Yes, candidates can review an outline of changes made to the 2014–2015 RESA Participant Handbook on the Ohio RESA Candidate Resources webpage.

Q: Where do I submit tasks? A: Candidates will submit tasks within the online Educopia RESA submission system,

which is accessible on www.OhioRESA.com. In October and November 2014, candidates will receive an account activation email from Educopia. They will need to click on the activation link in that email to create an online account and fill out a candidate Profile in order to access the RESA submission system. For more information on registering for the RESA, see the FAQ “How do I register with Educopia to complete the RESA?”

Q: Where can I get additional help? A: The RESA Help Desk is available Monday through Friday, 2 p.m.–10 p.m. EST, by

calling toll free 855-538-8634 or by emailing [email protected].

Questions about registering for the RESA with Educopia or submitting forms and evidence should be directed to the RESA Help Desk.

Questions about the Tripod Survey should be directed to the Tripod Help Desk, available at TripodProject.org/ODE.

Questions related to licensure, RESA eligibility, and the Resident Educator Program should be sent to the Ohio Department of Education at [email protected]. Candidates can also find information at the Ohio Department of Education RESA webpage.


Q: If I wait until Year 4 of the Resident Educator Program to submit a task, what happens if I fail the task?

A: Candidates who submit tasks during Year 4 of the Resident Educator Program and do not pass the RESA may apply for a one-year extension of their Resident Educator license to allow them to re-take deficient portions of the RESA.

Q: Will the same assessor score all five tasks for one candidate? A: No. A different assessor will score each task that a candidate submits. Assessors will be

trained on modules specific to each task and will be assigned to score submissions according to the grade level and subject area of their teaching experience.

Q: Will I receive feedback on tasks? (Revised 10/20/14) A: Unlike the first two years of the Resident Educator Program where formative feedback is

given, the RESA is a summative assessment. Therefore, candidates will not receive formative feedback during the administration of the RESA.

Q: Do I need to keep a record of my submitted tasks?A: Candidates are not required to keep a copy of their completed tasks. However,

candidates are strongly encouraged to keep a copy of all video, photo, and other evidence in addition to any draft responses to RESA prompts. Candidates retaking the RESA will not be able to view or otherwise access their submissions in the submission system from the prior year.

Q: Will Educopia or the Ohio Department of Education publish or otherwise use videos submitted for the RESA for any other purposes?

A: Candidate submissions are confidential and will only be viewed by assessors, master coders, Educopia staff, and contractors and other individuals necessary to score the RESA tasks. Any individual, including all master coders and assessors, who views candidate video submissions must sign a non-disclosure agreement that ensures the privacy of candidates, students, and parents. Videos from RESA submissions will be used in assessor training as exemplars that have been edited to illustrate particular rubrics. The Ohio Resident Educator Program may identify exemplary submissions to promote excellence in teaching. If an educator’s submission is selected, the Resident Educator Program would contact that educator and request permission to use that submission for professional development purposes.

Q: How does the RESA make accommodations for candidates with disabilities?

A: Accommodations are available for RESA Candidates who meet the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA) disability requirements. If you would like to


request any of the following accommodations – a Braille or large print Participant Handbook, or require special assistance with the online submission system for the visually impaired – please submit your request to mailto:[email protected]. (Candidates who are deaf or hard of hearing whose video submissions feature American Sign Language (ASL) will be matched with an assessor who understands ASL.)

If you have a health-related need, and unforeseen circumstances cause you to be out of your teaching environment in the middle of the RESA administration, please complete the Special Circumstances Form as soon as possible and return to [email protected].

If you believe that other special circumstances apply to your teaching assignment and make it impossible to complete the RESA task(s) as outlined in the RESA Handbook, there is the task modification process outlined in the RESA Participant Handbook. The deadlines for task modification requests and approval were November 15th for first time RESA candidates and January 15th for candidates retaking the RESA.

Score Reports and Year 4 Resident Educator Program (updated 12/18/2014)

Q: What are the requirements for Year 4 Resident Educators?

A: Please see the Ohio Department of Education RESA webpage for information on Resident Educator Year 4 requirements.

Q: What is the training process for assessors? A: RESA assessors, predominantly teachers from the state of Ohio with at least 5 years of

teaching experience, undergo 30+ hours of training for each RESA task they score. Educopia assigns assessors to train on one or more RESA tasks, depending on their skills and background. In order to begin scoring RESA submissions, assessors were required to complete the following:

• Online training modules—during training, assessors were taught principles of“reliability” and how to avoid “scoring bias.” Assessors were required to do an in-depth review of the scoring rationales for every performance level of each rubricused in the task for which they trained.

• Scoring Practice—assessors practiced scoring RESA submissions to help refinetheir understanding of the task rubrics and improve their scoring accuracy.

• Certification Assessment—assessors were required to pass a certification test inwhich they scored a set of sample tasks. Assessors were required to meet aminimum accuracy standard in order to pass certification. Accuracy, in this case,


is defined as the degree to which an assessor’s scores match the correct scores assigned by a group of expert assessors. Assessors who failed to pass certification were denied employment.

Q. How does Educopia ensure the quality and consistency of its scoring?

A: RESA assessors receive extensive training on each RESA task (see Q: What is the training process for assessors?). Once assessors pass the certification test, they are assigned appropriate RESA tasks to score, consistent with each individual assessor’s relevant subject area and grade-level expertise. Assessors are prohibited from scoring submissions of candidates they might know, and are asked to defer submissions of candidates whom they recognize. For quality assurance purposes, assessors are required to pass ongoing calibration assessments. Assessors who do not meet a minimum accuracy standard are not allowed to continue scoring. In addition, assessors are randomly assigned submissions, throughout scoring, that have been pre-scored by master coders. These submissions are checked for accuracy, and assessors who do not meet accuracy standards during scoring are removed from the scoring system.

Q: What is the “Scorable Report”? A: Each 2013–2014 RESA candidate was sent a “Scorable Report” in October 2014. This

report informed the candidate on which task submissions were submitted and scored during the RESA scoring process. If a task was deemed “unscorable,” a rationale was included to further explain why the task could not be scored. Candidates will be eligible to retake those tasks not completed or not scored in the 2014–2015 school year. For more information on the scorability of tasks, please see Appendix H in the 2014–2015 Participant Handbook or page 88 of the 2013–2014 RESA Participant Handbook.

Q: How is submission scorability determined, and is there an appeal process for tasks deemed unscorable?

A: More information can be found on the “Determination of Scorability and the Appeal Process” document posted on the Candidate Resources Page.

Q: When will I get the results from my RESA? A: 2013–2014 RESA score reports will be sent to candidates during the week of December

15, 2014. 2014–2015 RESA score reports will be sent to candidates in September 2015.

Q: How will I receive my RESA score report? A: Candidates will receive RESA score reports via a secure email link during the week of

December 15th. They will be able to view this report when they log in to the RESA submission system. If you took the RESA last year and do not receive your score report, please contact the help desk with your full name, your preferred email address, and your Ohio Educator State ID. (You may look up your Educator State ID here by entering your


name and birth date.). Because of the security of these reports, your request will be escalated and verified before the Ohio RESA sends a secure link to that email address.

Q: How do I read my RESA score report? A: The Scoring Breakdown table of your report provides more information on how you

performed against the passing standard set for each task. For Tasks 1–4, the overall task score is a summation of all rubric component scores. This sum, or total “raw” score, has been converted to a scaled score. The scaled score range for the Ohio RESA is 100–300. The passing score for Tasks 1–4 is 200. The lowest possible score is 100, and the highest possible score is 300. Please note that Task 5, Reflection on Teaching Practice Based on Feedback from Students and/or Colleagues, does not have a numerical score. This task was scored on a “completion standard.” Every candidate who successfully completes Task 5 in accordance with the task instructions will receive a passing score.

Q: Will I receive any more feedback on my performance? Why can’t I see how I performed against each rubric component?

A: Unlike the first two years of the Resident Educator Program where formative feedback is given, the RESA is a summative assessment. Therefore, candidates will not receive formative feedback during the administration of the RESA. The scores in the score report reflect the summations of rubric component scores across each task and then set on a scale of 100-300. Candidates are not sent their raw scores because raw scores are not comparable from year to year. Scaled scores, on the other hand, account for slight variations in the difficulty of different RESA administrations. As a result, a score of 200, for example, for the 2013-2014 RESA indicates the same level of performance as a score of 200 for subsequent administrations.

Q: Will there be a “curve” when scoring the RESA, i.e., a certain percentage of submissions that will not pass? What was the process by which passing standards were set for the 2013–2014 RESA?

A: No, there is no “curve” in the scoring of the RESA. It is possible for every candidate who completes RESA tasks to meet or exceed the standards set in this process. The Standard Setting Committee for the Ohio RESA determined the cut scores for each of Tasks 1–4 of the Ohio RESA. This committee includes educators representing diverse teaching environments across the state of Ohio. The Standard Setting Committee recommended a passing standard for each rubric associated with RESA Tasks 1–4. The sum of all rubric component passing scores determined the committee’s recommendation for an overall passing standard for that task. When necessary, the committee adjusted its recommendations, after reviewing the results for the 2013–2014 RESA candidates. The Standard Setting Committee then recommended the RESA passing standards to the Educator Standards Board of the State of Ohio, and this board recommended the passing standards for final consideration by the State Board of Education of Ohio. The State Board of Education of Ohio voted to adopt the passing standards on December 9, 2014.


Q: If I pass the RESA, can I apply for my professional educator license?

A: Upon successful completion of the RESA in Year 3, you must also complete Year 4 of the Ohio Resident Educator Program. Upon completion of all Year 4 requirements, you may apply for the five-year professional educator license.

Q: What happens if I do not receive a passing score on one or more tasks?

A: If you do not pass one or more tasks submitted in the 2013–2014 school year, you will be eligible to retake those tasks in the 2014-2015 school year. You will not be required to (or able to) retake tasks that receive passing scores. Likewise, if you are taking the RESA for the first time in the 2014-2015 school year, and you do not pass one or more tasks or complete one or more tasks submitted, you will be eligible to retake those tasks the following school year.

Q: What is the process for resubmitting tasks? A: Candidates who participated in the 2013–2014 RESA will be required to resubmit RESA

tasks if they: • Did not complete one or more RESA tasks during the 2013–2014 school year;• Received notification that a task was deemed “unscorable” by the RESA

assessors; or• Do not receive a passing score on a task submission.

Final score reports for the 2013–2014 RESA will be available in mid-December. Candidates will receive an email with instructions on how to retrieve their final scores from a secure website. Candidates may begin working in the online submission system once their retake eligibility is confirmed with the Ohio Department of Education in late December. Candidates should review the 2014–2015 RESA Participant Handbook prior to working on tasks as some task instructions and forms have changed. Most candidates retaking the RESA will be granted a two-month extension for completing their candidate Profile and must update their Profile no later than February 15, 2015. However, if a candidate needs to complete or retake Task 5, the deadline for submitting the candidate Profile will be January 15, 2015, so that the candidate can administer the Tripod Survey (see Q: What is the process for retaking Task 5?).

If you have to resubmit a task for any reason, you must compile your submission data from students you are teaching during the 2014–2015 school year. You cannot use any data from students obtained during the 2013–2014 school year, nor can you resubmit evidence from last year’s RESA. Candidates will not be able to view or access their submissions from 2013–2014 in the submission system.

Q: When will I be able to get back into the submission system to begin retaking my tasks?

A: By the end of December, the Ohio Department of Education will issue an approved list of retake candidates for the 2014-2015 RESA. At that point, OhioRESA will send


candidates notification that their tasks have been unlocked and they may begin updating their candidate Profiles and completing the tasks that they will need to retake in 2015. If you cannot access the tasks that you believe you need to retake, please contact the help desk for assistance.

Q: What is the process for retaking Task 5? A: Candidates who took the RESA in 2013-2014 who need to complete or retake Task 5

must complete their candidate Profile by January 15, 2015, so that they can administer the Tripod Student Perception Survey or qualify to administer the alternate colleague observation. Candidates retaking Task 5 will need to complete the candidate Profile by January 15, 2015, even if they fall into one of the categories in Task 5 instructions that exempt them from administering the student survey (requiring them to reflect on colleague feedback instead). For candidates administering the student survey, printed or online surveys will arrive on February 23 and candidates will have until March 16 to administer and postmark their survey packets to Tripod. These candidates will receive their survey results by April 23, enough time for them to complete their Task 5 reflections by May 15, 2015, the deadline for retaking all tasks.

Q: I am retaking Task 5 and the entire Tripod Survey administration window conflicts with PARCC administration at my school. How can I administer the Tripod Survey if the computer lab is not available to me?

A: Most candidates who must retake Task 5 should be able to schedule 30 minutes of computer lab time during the Tripod Survey administration period (February 34 - March 13). If a candidate retaking Task 5 teaches at a school where the PARCC administration window covers the entire Tripod Survey administration period and every computer lab in the school is reserved for PARCC administration, the candidate should work with the local PARCC administrator to find somewhere on campus to administer the Tripod Survey. If the candidate is still unsuccessful in reserving a computer lab for 30 minutes, then he or she should contact the RESA Help Desk to discuss his or her options.

Q: What is the process for retaking RESA tasks? A: The RE must be registered in CORE by their PC as eligible for the RE Program and

Eligible for RESA. The RE candidate’s eligibility status will be verified with Educopia. An account activation email will be sent to the RE candidate to begin the RESA submission.

Q: How many times can I take the RESA? A: Three times.

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Q. If I do need to retake a RESA task in 2015, will I be able to advance to a five-year professional license for the 2015-2016 school year?

A: No. Holders of resident educator licenses or alternative resident educator licenses who took the RESA in 2013-2014, but who do not pass all five tasks of the assessment, are advised to obtain a ONE-YEAR license extension only. (The score reports for tasks they will retake will not be available until after their current resident educator licenses expire). To learn how to apply for a one-year extension, click here.

Registering for the RESA and Completing the Profile

Q: How do I register with Educopia to complete the RESA? (Revised 10/20/14)

A: Resident Educators completing the 2014–2015 RESA must first be registered by their Program Coordinator with the Ohio Department of Education CORE between September 1 and November 15. The ODE will send candidate information to Educopia in three phases beginning on October 15. Once Educopia receives the candidate registration confirmation from the Ohio Department of Education, Educopia will send activation emails directly to candidates that contain a unique link to a registration page.

After clicking on the registration link, you will be asked to create an online account with a username and password and supply an answer to a security question. You will also need your Educator State ID to complete registration. You can find your Educator State ID here: https://coreprodint.ode.state.oh.us/core2.3/ode.core.EducatorProfile.UI/EducatorSearch.aspx.

Candidates and Program Coordinators are encouraged to register well before the deadline if they are able. Candidates who are not registered in CORE before October 31 may not receive their activation email until November 24. However, please note that candidates will be able to begin working on the RESA outside of the submission system as soon as the RESA Participant Handbook is published on September 1.

Q: How can I ensure that I am receiving emails related to the RESA?

A: To ensure that you receive the activation email, you should confirm that your Program Coordinator uses your most current email address when registering with the Ohio Department of Education CORE. You should also add the following email domains to your Contacts or Safe Sender list:


• @educopia.com• @mailchimp.com• @cambridgeeducation.zendesk.com• @cambeducation.com

Q: If I do not receive an email to register with Educopia, what should I do?

A: If you do not receive an invitation to register with Educopia by November 7, you should first check all email folders to see if your email provider automatically sorted Teachscape’s email. Next, you should contact your Program Coordinator to confirm that you have been registered as a RESA candidate with the Ohio Department of Education CORE database and confirm that the correct email address was used. If you have not been registered in CORE by November 15, you will not be able to take the RESA in 2014–2015.

If you have confirmed that you have been accurately registered with the Ohio Department of Education and have still not received an activation email from Educopia, you should contact Teachscape’s RESA Help Desk by calling 855-538- 8634, Monday through Friday, 2 p.m.–10 p.m. EST.

Q: What is the candidate Profile? A: All RESA candidates must complete a Profile—a series of online forms within the

submission system detailing a candidate’s specific education, work, and professional association history—before they can submit any task. The Profile is also where candidates will identify the class they intend to use for the Tripod Student Perception Survey needed to complete Task 5.

The information submitted in the Profile is confidential and secure and will only be used to ensure fairness and anonymity in assigning assessors to tasks within the submission scoring system. For more information on the Profile, see Appendix C: Guide to Using the Online RESA Submission System in the 2014–2015 Handbook.

Q: What is the deadline to complete the Profile? A: Candidates can begin filling out their Profile as soon as they create their Educopia

account. The Profile must be completed and successfully submitted by December 15. Candidates will not be able to submit Task 1 until their Profile is submitted. Candidates who took the RESA in 2013–2014 but need to complete or retake one or more tasks in the RESA will need to update and submit their candidate Profiles by February 15, 2015.


Q: What do I do if I cannot find my school in the “Institution” drop-down menu on My Profile?

A: Many school districts in Ohio have identical or very similar names and may look like they appear more than once in the School Region drop-down menu. For example, there are three different districts named “Northwest Local SD” and two others named “Northwestern Local SD” in Ohio. While they may look like duplicates in the menu, each listing of the district name is actually a distinct district. Therefore, each district’s own schools will be listed in the Institution drop-down menu associated with the particular district. In other words, if a candidate’s school is in a district in which the name of the district appears more than once in the School Region menu, then the candidate should check for the school in the Institution lists associated with each of the districts with that name.

If a candidate still cannot locate the school in each of the Institution drop-down menus, then the candidate should contact the RESA Help Desk so that the school can be added to My Profile. The RESA Help Desk can be accessed via email at [email protected] or by calling toll free 1-855-538-8634, Monday through Friday, 2 p.m.–10 p.m. EST.

Q: What do I do if the “Save and Continue” button in My Profile is gray and will not allow me to continue?

A: If the Save and Continue button in My Profile is gray, candidates should check that they have answered all the questions by choosing “Yes” or “No” or entering the required information. If the answer is “Yes” to one or more of the questions, candidates must select the blue Add button at the end of any row where they entered information. Once the information has been added, the Save and Continue button will no longer be gray, and candidates will be able to save their My Profile information.

Note from the Help Desk: If the “Save and Continue” button is not working and all of the questions have been answered, this is an issue with the candidate’s browser. The candidate should clear the cache on their browser, reset the browser to default, and then log back in from OhioRESA.com to return proper functionality to the webpage.

Q: What is the Tripod Student Perception Survey? A: The Tripod Student Perception Survey is the instrument by which candidates will receive

feedback on their teaching practice in order to complete RESA Task 5. A third-party vendor, Cambridge Education, will manage the survey. More information about the Tripod Survey can be found in the 2014–2015 RESA Participant Handbook (Task 5 instructions and Appendix C: Guide to Using the Online RESA Submission System) and at http://tripodproject.org/ode/.


Submitting Tasks for the RESA

Q: How can I administer the Tripod Survey for Task 5 if my school’s computer labs are being used for PARCC administration? (added 12/11/14)

A: For candidates taking the RESA for the first time, the Tripod Survey administration window is from February 2 through February 23. The PARCC administration does not begin until the week of February 16. If candidates will have limited access to their school’s computer lab during PARCC administration, then they must administer the Tripod Survey between February 2 and February 16. For more information on administering the Tripod Survey, review Task 5 of the 2014-2015 RESA Participant Handbook or the Tripod website – www.TripodProject.org/ODE.

Q: Are there specific technology requirements for RESA candidates who teach online classes? (added 10/20/14)

A: Yes, RESA candidates who teach online classes must capture video, audio and other evidence submitted in support of the RESA tasks on a high-resolution monitor with the resolution set as high as possible. Using a low-resolution monitor/settings may result in illegible evidence that is unscorable. Even if you have a high-resolution monitor, if the resolution settings are low, your evidence may be unreadable. For more information on evidence scorability, see Appendix H: Evidence Scorability in the 2014-2015 Ohio RESA Participant Handbook.

Educopia recommends that RESA candidates who teach online classes do a trial run to ensure that video and other evidence are legible, i.e. an assessor can read the text and understand the content, prior to capturing evidence intended for submission.

Educopia also recommends that online teachers capture and submit audio or written interaction during the class, i.e. chat box, as evidence of student engagement.

Q: What technology do I need to complete the RESA? A: RESA candidates will need access to a computer with broadband Internet connection

and a video recording device that captures digital files (such as a digital camcorder or mobile device with a high-quality video camera and microphone). Candidates may also need access to a scanner.

For more information on technology requirements, see the “Systems Requirements” document on the Ohio RESA Candidate Resources webpage.

Q: Can I submit evidence from previous years? A: No. RESA candidates must use lessons and evidence from the current school year. The

one exception is evidence in support of Task 4 regarding professional development activities candidates have engaged in over the past two academic years.


Q: Do I need to use the same students/class for each task submission?

A: No. It is not required that the evidence across the RESA tasks be collected from the same students/class. However, it is expected that the evidence provided within a task come from a single class. For example, all the student assessment samples in Task 2 should come from the same class of students. Note that, if a candidate uses different students for each task, the candidate must get the appropriate permissions from all students and parents recorded.

Q: I teach more than one subject, but I was only able to choose one subject area in my Profile. Do I have to use the subject area I choose in the Profile to complete all the RESA tasks?

A: No, candidates may submit materials from any class they feel best suits the task requirements. For content-specific tasks, candidates must complete the Teaching and Learning Context Form to provide information on the number of students, content area, and grade level for that specific task. Therefore, candidates who use different classes for content-specific tasks must also complete a new Teaching and Learning Context Form for each of those tasks. Educopia will use this information to ensure that the assessor assigned will be matched correctly for that grade level and content area.

Note that within each task, a candidate must submit materials from only one class. For example, a candidate who teaches third grade can use a math lesson for Task 1, a reading instruction cycle for Task 2, and a science lesson for Task 3. However, all Task 1 forms and evidence must be related to the math lesson; the Task 2 forms and evidence must be related to the reading instruction cycle; and the Task 3 forms and evidence must be related to the science lesson.

Q: What are some examples of instructional evidence? What does a page of instructional evidence (in Tasks 1 and 3) represent?

A: Detailed information related to instructional evidence can be found in Appendix G: RESA Instructional Evidence Reference Guide in the 2014–2015 RESA Participant Handbook.

Q: Can I use copyrighted instructional material (i.e. sheet music, photocopies of books, art pieces) as evidence when submitting RESA tasks?

A: Yes, if a candidate has legal copies of copyrighted material to use in his or her class, then including it in a RESA submission does not violate copyright laws because it is considered “fair use.” The fair use doctrine allows for duplication of these materials for the purposes of non-profit educational use, such as the RESA.


Q: How do I upload evidence to the RESA submission system? A: Detailed information on uploading video, audio, and PDF evidence can be found in

Appendix F: Uploading, Segmenting, and Submitting Evidence Reference Guide (Video, Audio, and PDFs) in the 2014–2015 RESA Participant Handbook.

Q: How do I know if my evidence is scorable? A: Detailed information on how to ensure that your evidence is scorable can be found in

Appendix H: Evidence Scorability in the 2014–2015 RESA Participant Handbook.

Q: Can I use my students’ names when videotaping a lesson? A: Candidates should not refer to students by their full names while videotaping a lesson,

instead referring to students only by their first name. Candidates should also avoid writing students’ full names where they will be visible in the video. However, all student names must be removed from written evidence; otherwise, it will be deemed unscorable. For more information on how to ensure that evidence is scorable, please see Appendix H: Evidence Scorability in the 2014–2015 RESA Participant Handbook.

Q: How do I videotape my class in an online environment? A: Candidates who teach online should capture their online teaching event as a screen

recording with audio of the virtual classroom. Students’ names should be replaced with non-identifiers, such as Participant 1 or Student A.

Q: Can I save my work before submitting a task? A: Yes. Candidates may begin work on all tasks once they complete the initial registration

and receive a username and password, and they are able to save any work in progress prior to final submission of a task. Candidates may work on and save their tasks before they complete their RESA Profile, but they cannot submit any tasks until their Profile is complete.

Q: Will my submissions be scored lower because of grammar and/or punctuation errors?

A: Candidates will not specifically be graded on grammar and punctuation in their RESA submissions; however, assessors may have difficulty understanding submissions with poor grammar and punctuation. Candidates should treat the RESA as they would any professional communication by proofreading and submitting their best work.

Q: How do I know that my tasks have been successfully submitted? A: When a candidate successfully submits a task, a “locked and submitted” icon will appear

below the due date next to the task. The RESA submission system will not allow a


candidate to submit a task until all forms and the Profile are complete. If all forms are not complete and a candidate tries to submit the task, the submission system will indicate which form is incomplete. Candidates having trouble submitting a task should contact the RESA Help Desk at [email protected] or by calling toll free 1-855-538-8634, Monday through Friday, 2 p.m.–10 p.m. EST.

Once a task submission deadline has passed, the submission system will automatically lock that task and indicate that the task has been either “submitted” or “not submitted.” If a candidate has submitted a task and the submission system indicates “not submitted,” the candidate should contact the Help Desk.

If there is an issue with the contents of the task after it has been submitted (e.g., the video orientation is upside down), the Help Desk will contact the candidate and help fix the issue.

Questions Related to Facilitators

Q: Who selects and assigns facilitators? A: Employing districts and schools will select facilitators to support Resident Educators and

should give careful consideration to that selection. When selecting facilitators, districts and schools should consider the requirements as well as skills and characteristics explained below that are expected of facilitators. More information can be found in the Planning and Implementation Guide for Years 3 and 4 of the Ohio Resident Educator Program.

Q: Who can be a facilitator? A: A facilitator must:

• Hold a valid professional educator license, such as a senior or lead professionaleducator license

• Understand the Resident Educator Program• Demonstrate ability to use questioning strategies• Complete online Facilitation Training

Q: Can program coordinators and mentors serve as facilitators? A: Yes.

Q: Will training be provided for facilitators? A: Facilitators should take the online Facilitation Training.


Q: How long will facilitation training take? A: The facilitation training will take approximately two to three hours.

Q: How many Resident Educators may a facilitator support? A: A facilitator may support up to 10 Resident Educators.

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