Teacher effectiveness and teacher growth from student ratings: An action research of school-based teacher evaluation

Teacher effectiveness evaluations are considered an effective mechanism for promoting teacher growth. We implemented teacher effectiveness evaluations in three Chinese secondary schools over two years and (a) developed an action research framework for school-based teacher evaluations composed of five links, i.e., purpose and consensus, data collection and analysis, data interpretation and feedback, data use, and evaluation of the actions and (b) found that “school-based” instruments of student ratings have valid statistical properties, and teacher effectiveness can be regarded as a single-factor holistic concept in different schools. We also (c) analysed 2-year longitudinal data and identified changing trajectories of teacher effectiveness as an example for data feedback and use. Teacher effectiveness presents changing trajectories for different subgroups, representing different ecologies in three schools and provides insights for teacher growth. A (d) meta-evaluation of the actions shows that most teachers are positive about this evaluation, although differences are observed between schools.     

Missing children in educational research: investigating school-based versus household-based assessments in India

Including all children in large-scale educational studies is a pressing concern. Omitting certain types of children from studies can lead to skewed findings that promote inaccuracies about learning levels or educational quality. Increasingly, assessments are a method for investigating the quality of education systems, but national assessments are typically conducted in classrooms and may fail to accurately represent a country’s full range of children. Alternatively, households can be a site for testing or collecting data on children’s learning. Analysing the quantitative data from two studies in India that use both household-based and school-based methods alongside data from Government of India sources, the issues with child representation in school-based assessments are examined, and the benefits of household-based research as an alternative are explored.     

Sampling issues in international assessments

Sampling poses interesting challenges in international comparative assessments. Past studies have been often criticised over sampling matters. Samples may not be representative, significant exclusions of low achievers are suspected, samples may not be random, low participation rates have biassed the results, and so on. Notwithstanding these attacks, one major issue in sampling remains the acceptance, application and reporting of strict criteria that would quantify the quality of the samples. Sampling also raises issues in defining target populations. Often, debate over target population definitions gets obscured by the desire to use simpler data collection procedures, potentially jeopardizing the quality of the resulting samples. Of equal concern in an international context is the need for more rigorous sampling methods and procedures.     

What can teachers do to raise pupil achievement?

Improving weak teaching may be one of the most effective means of raising pupil achievement. However, teachers’ classroom practices and the teaching ‘process’ may matter more to student learning than teachers’ observed résumé characteristics (such as certification and experience). There may also be important differences in teacher characteristics across government and private schools which may help explain the large documented public-private achievement differences often found in studies. This paper delves into the black-box representing ‘teaching’ to uncover the teacher characteristics and teaching practices that matter most to pupil achievement. This is done using unique school-based data, collected in 2002-2003 from government and private schools from one district in Punjab province in Pakistan. The data allow exploitation of an identification strategy that permits the matching of students’ test scores in language and mathematics to the characteristics of teachers that teach those subjects. Within pupil (across subject rather than across time) variation is used to examine whether the characteristics of different subject teachers are related to a students’ mark across subjects. The data are also unique in asking all subject teachers questions pertaining to their teaching practices and these, often unobserved, ‘process’ variables are included in achievement function estimates. Our pupil fixed-effects findings reveal that the standard résumé characteristics of teachers do not significantly matter to pupil achievement. Perversely, however, teachers are found to be rewarded with higher pay for possessing these characteristics, highlighting the highly inefficient nature of teacher pay schedules. Our findings also show that teaching ‘process’ variables matter significantly to student achievement. There are important differences across school-types.     

Curriculum reform with a school-based approach: intellectual,structural and cultural challenges

Curriculum reform with a school-based approach is often assumed to offer schools and teachers autonomy at the site level, thus enabling them to develop a school-based curriculum and pedagogies to better fit the needs of students. Over the past decade, school-based curriculum development in Hong Kong has encountered issues that deserve worldwide attention and discussion. By reviewing the experiences of two schools in Hong Kong and drawing on international evidence, this study identifies key challenges and difficulties in school-based curriculum reform in three areas. Intellectually, there is a lack of a strong and broad shared knowledge base for curriculum development. As a result, most school-based curriculum initiatives have been piecemeal, fragmented and shallow. Structurally, many teachers have wasted time ‘re-inventing the wheel’ when developing school-based curricula. This effort has left them without sufficient time and energy to be effective in teaching. Culturally, reliance on school management to steer school-based reforms has prevented the development of a new culture in which teachers have the autonomy to make changes in their daily practices. Without cultural changes, curriculum reforms are not sustainable or effective. This study proposes a cooperative platform that integrates the strengths of central intelligence and school-based initiatives to maximise support for curriculum development at the teacher, school-site and system levels.     

Reflection ——A method for organisational and individual development

This paper presents how organisational development can be the results when politicians, managers, social workers and teaching staff take part in reflection. The results are based on a government-funded initiative in Sweden for lowering sick absenteeism. Three local governments introduced reflection as a strategy to combat work related stress and a method for employee development. The aim was to develop empowered workers who could learn a new approach in their work situation. Professional workers sometimes feel shame when management directives make them supply a lower standard in service than they perceive as a good enough standard. The results show that reflection as part of work can help individuals to cope with work related stress and stabilise staff retention figures and result in organisational changes in municipal services such as public elementary schools, homecare and social work. This paper is the result of a longitudinal qualitative study with an interactive approach. Basis for data collection are group and individual interviews, study visits and participation in seminars and conferences and joint paper productions.     

Engaging in the ‘course efficiency’ discussion: national drivers and local responses

Abstract

This article presents a method to evaluate undergraduate and postgraduate course teaching efficiency systematically, alongside measuring effectiveness of curriculum content and delivery. We argue that efficiency is aligned to cost and revenue while effectiveness is a quality-related construct. These potentially antagonistic elements – cost, revenue and quality – must be kept in balance if courses are to be attractive to students (high quality) and financially viable. Curriculum data collection and analysis spanned micro (unit), meso (course) and macro (faculty) level. Revenue data consisted of annual teaching student enrolment numbers by unit of study, aggregated to course level. Cost data included academic and administrative staff costs, and student professional experience placement expenditure. A teaching revenue to cost of delivery ratio metric and course quality score metric were developed to enable comparisons of units and course performance. Over time, these metrics, when utilised together, could be used to determine the impact of quality improvement interventions on teaching cost and revenue and vice versa. We argue that this approach supports strategic planning and actions to improve both efficiency and effectiveness of units and courses, without negatively affecting quality.     

“Why Can't We Just Have Sex?”: An Analysis of Anonymous Questions About Sex Asked by Ninth Graders

During the high school years, most young people in the United States receive school-based sexuality education, but there is little research on what they want to know about sex and sexuality but may be afraid to ask. This study is a content analysis of anonymous questions about sex (N = 645) asked by ninth-grade students from the greater Los Angeles area. A sample of predominantly lower-income and Latino/a students submitted anonymous questions before participating in sexuality education. Results show that young people are eager to understand how to use birth control and prevent pregnancy, have misinformation about sex and sexuality, and are misinformed on many topics. Results are discussed in light of what educators and others can do to help young people develop a safe, healthy sex life.     

The Implementation of Problem-Solving Consultation: An Analysis of Problem Conceptualization in a Multiracial Context

The purpose of this study was to analyze how school psychologists engage racial/cultural diversity when conceptualizing problems during consultation in a multiracial context. Four school psychologists were recruited to engage in computer-simulated problem-solving consultation. Each school psychologist was presented with three fictional consultation cases. The participants then used a computer-simulated school environment to interact with fictional teachers in a school-based setting to complete the consultation cases. Three themes emerged: (a) limited use of ecological approach, (b) lack of cultural responsiveness, and (c) divergent approaches to problem identification for African American versus European American referrals. Implications for using problem-solving consultation in a multiracial environment are discussed.     

Nonparametric Evidence of Validity,Reliability, and Fairness for Rater‐Mediated Assessments: An Illustration Using Mokken Scale Analysis

Numerous researchers have proposed methods for evaluating the quality of rater‐mediated assessments using nonparametric methods (e.g., kappa coefficients) and parametric methods (e.g., the many‐facet Rasch model). Generally speaking, popular nonparametric methods for evaluating rating quality are not based on a particular measurement theory. On the other hand, popular parametric methods for evaluating rating quality are often based on measurement theories such as invariant measurement. However, these methods are based on assumptions and transformations that may not be appropriate for ordinal ratings. In this study, I show how researchers can use Mokken scale analysis (MSA), which is a nonparametric approach to item response theory, to evaluate rating quality within the framework of invariant measurement without the use of potentially inappropriate parametric techniques. I use an illustrative analysis of data from a rater‐mediated writing assessment to demonstrate how one can use numeric and graphical indicators from MSA to gather evidence of validity, reliability, and fairness. The results from the analyses suggest that MSA provides a useful framework within which to evaluate rater‐mediated assessments for evidence of validity, reliability, and fairness that can supplement existing popular methods for evaluating ratings.     

Student Teachers' Perceptions of the Effectiveness of their Initial Preparation

What influences how well-prepared student teachers feel towards working in schools upon completion of their initial teacher preparation (ITP)? In order to investigate this question, we used a path analysis using data from a longitudinal study investigating the experiences of trainee and early career phase teachers in England. The data were generated via self-complete questionnaires and follow-up telephone interviews with 1,322 trainees. Those on undergraduate or school-based programmes felt better prepared to work as teachers than one-year postgraduate trainees, perhaps because the former give higher ratings of the quality of assessment of, and feedback received on, teaching practice, and because of the clarity of theory-practice links in programmes. Across different kinds of ITP programme, good relationships with school-based mentors significantly boosted trainees' confidence that their ITP had effectively prepared them for teaching. Trainees' motives for entering the profession and their initial concerns about and expectations of ITP also affected their perceptions of its effectiveness, by shaping the way they experienced aspects of their courses. Implications of these findings for policy and practice in teacher preparation are discussed.     

现金流量表电算化编制方法研究

现金流量表的编制一直是会计实务中的普遍难题,在会计实务中可直接利用会计系统中凭证库里的会计记录,按现金流量表的编表要求添加"识别码",实现自动编制现金流量表。     

Student–adult mentoring relationships: experiences from a Scottish school-based programme

Background:?This article reports on a mentoring programme which was implemented in selected Scottish secondary schools with the view to supporting students with school work, transition to further education/higher education, careers, and interpersonal skills. Mentoring students can enhance their academic, social, career and other outcomes. Mentoring relationships, when properly implemented, have been found also to yield positive results for mentors.

Purpose:?This paper is an investigation into a school-based mentoring programme which was implemented in 6 selected Scottish secondary schools. In so doing, we hope to contribute to an evolving framework for designing and implementing successful school-based mentoring.

Sample:?The sample for this study included 10 students aged between 16 and 17 years old in the second year of a broader 2-year business/education project, which aimed to promote student uptake of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers after secondary school. There were 11 mentors, who were drawn mainly from the science, health and the education sectors.

Design and method:?Methodologically, this study was qualitative interpretivist in nature. Data collection involved focus group discussion and individual semi-structured interviews.

Results:?The findings show mentee and mentor preparation, clarity of expectations, mentee–mentor matching, mentee motivation, appropriateness of meeting spaces and power relations, modes of communication including the use of social media, and the role of schools as essential conditions which influenced the quality of mentoring relationships.

Conclusion:?The findings suggest that mentoring programmes involving students in school and ‘external’ adult mentors need to consider a range of factors to achieve success when designing and implementing mentoring. This paper raises important issues for example, communication using social media, which have implications for practice in business sector and school partnerships involved in school-based mentoring.     

Investigating the effect of school‐wide positive behavioral interventions and supports on student learning and behavioral problems in elementary and middle schools

Many states have scaled up School‐Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SW‐PBIS) with the goal of improving student behavior and academic outcomes. Although the effects of SW‐PBIS on behavioral and discipline outcomes have been promising, the findings for academic achievement have been inconclusive and are often limited to cross‐sectional data. This paper examined the longitudinal effect of SW‐PBIS on student behavioral problems and academic achievement growth in elementary and middle schools using propensity score matching. We found no statistically significant longitudinal effects of SW‐PBIS on either student behavior problems or academic achievement among elementary and middle schools in this quasi‐experimental design, even though the positive direction of longitudinal changes would be identified. The result raised questions about the efficacy of SW‐PBIS using a statewide achievement test when scaled up to a state level. Additional research is needed to better understand the impact of SW‐PBIS using rigorous scale‐up designs.     

论高职院校"双师型"教师培养的几种模式

高职院校教师培养必须突出职业性、技能性和适应性.应在政府的协调下,积极探索"双师型"教师培养机制,搭建培养平台,畅通培养路径,逐步完善院校与基地模式、校企合作模式、校本培训模式和自我生成模式,努力培养一支数量充足、质量合格、专业配套、结构合理的"双师型"教师队伍.     

Analyzing Longitudinal Data Using Natural Cubic Smoothing Splines

The analysis of longitudinal data has received widespread interest in the behavioral, educational, medical, and social sciences for many years. Many modeling techniques have been suggested for conducting such analyses, especially when the data exhibit complex nonlinear trajectory patterns. A major problem with many of these modeling techniques, however, is that they often either impose overly restrictive assumptions or can be computationally demanding. The purpose of this paper is to introduce a less known but highly effective modeling procedure that can be used to model complex nonlinear longitudinal data patterns. The procedure is illustrated using empirical data along with an easy to use computerized implementation.     

Unbalanced 3-Group Split-Ballot Multitrait–Multimethod Design?

A common way of estimating measurement quality is the split-ballot multitrait–multimethod (SB-MTMM) approach. However, this approach leads often to non-convergence or improper solutions when using a 2-group design, whereas the 3-group design performs better. Nevertheless, the 3-group design is rarely implemented because it makes it complicated for applied researchers to use the data. Therefore, we propose to draw groups of unequal sample sizes: two larger groups and one third group as small as possible. Using Monte Carlo simulations and real data analyses, we investigate how well such a design works and which size is needed for the third group. Our results suggest that a 3-group SB-MTMM design with smaller size for the third group (reducing till 5–10%) leads to similar levels of accuracy and no large changes in the model or quality estimates.     

Developing a tobacco survey for deaf youth

Formidable barriers hinder use of standard data collection methods among deaf youth. Culturally and linguistically sensitive data collection strategies are needed to identify the unmet health and programming needs of this population. Unfortunately, researchers often fail to describe the issues involved in developing such targeted methods. The authors describe development of a culturally appropriate data collection instrument for a study of tobacco-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices among deaf youth. The instrument uses interactive multimedia technology to administer a questionnaire translated into the primary languages used by the Deaf. The procedures taken to accommodate this technology to these languages and to Deaf culture are described. This process yielded useful insights with respect to data collection not only among the Deaf, but among other frequently overlooked and underserved populations as well.     

Conducting Rigorous Survey Research in the Study of School-Based Consultation

The evidence base for school-based consultation practice and training is limited by a small number of studies, possibly due to unique challenges in researching consultation. For example, there are myriad variables to measure and idiosyncratic cultural and contextual factors to account for when investigating what works, for whom, and in what circumstances. Survey methodology offers one means for conducting consultation research. This article proposes a process for rigorous survey research in school-based consultation training and practice, which addresses some potential concerns regarding survey research. Specifically, issues of survey development, survey validation, sampling, and data collection are addressed. These processes are illustrated through the design and administration of an online survey of 262 early career school psychologists; preliminary data analyses suggested strong scale reliability, minimal item response bias, and population representativeness. Recommendations for future consultation survey research are provided.