Assessing Performance-Based Outcomes of Multicultural Lesson Plans: A Component Within a Comprehensive Teacher Education Assessment Design

Lesson plans can serve as a rich means of evaluating multicultural/diversity (MCD) learning outcomes for student teachers. However, a structured evaluation procedure is needed to effectively elicit meaningful data for program feedback. This study examines the evolution of a lesson plan evaluation component and presents the lesson plan instrument, rubric, and evaluation data. The lesson plan assessment was one part of a comprehensive, university-wide evaluation project funded by the U.S. Department of Education to assess MCD outcomes. Results indicated only about 50% of teacher education candidates demonstrated at least minimal skills in creating an effective, meaningful MCD lesson plan. Implications for teacher training are discussed.