Principals are the main evaluators of beginning teachers. This study examines principals' perceptions of the policies, procedures, processes and instruments they employ in evaluating the competencies of first-year teachers. The study is based on data collected from interviews with 11 high school principals in two Canadian prairie urban school divisions. Results indicate that the principals in the sample are satisfied with the overall efficacy of the evaluation process, as well as the detailed evaluation instruments and timelines for evaluation used in their school divisions. One of the two divisions provides a mentoring program for new teachers, and the principals in that division view the program very favorably. On the other hand, the principals in this study also expressed concerns about several aspects of evaluation. Principals' concerns focused primarily on having too little time to spend observing and subsequently meeting with new teachers as part of the evaluation process. / x, 103 leaves ; 29 cm

Beginning school teachers in Indiana in school years 1986-87 and 1987-88 who graduated from Ball State University, Indiana State University, Indiana University, and Purdue University (D=1,607) were studied to determine the relationship of NTE Core Battery subtest scores, Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores, and undergraduate grade point average (GPA) to beginning teaching effectiveness as measured by the Beginning Teacher Assessment Inventory (BTAI). The BTAI is an inventory listing eight criteria for which a beginning teacher must demonstrate minimal competence in order to complete the Indiana internship requirement. Findings were based on an analysis of data obtained from 663 beginning teachers in 163 Indiana school corporations. No empirical evidence indicated that NTE Core Battery subtest scores provide useful information for predicting beginning teaching effectiveness. Undergraduate grade point average (GPA) provided more accurate predictions of beginning teaching effectiveness than did the NTE Core Batter subtests. The ability of Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores to possess a statistically significant relationship with values on the Beginning TeacherAssessment Inventory (BTAI) was not substantiated. Females systematically scored higher than males on the BTAI assessment areas. Results were consistent for graduates from all four major state universities in the study. / Department of Educational Leadership

The focus of the present study was to determine the most effective assessment method to demonstrate beginning teacher competency as perceived by school administrators, teacher education faculty, and practicing teachers in Indiana. Earlier studies examined the compelling reasons why traditional assessments (such as Praxis I and II) were developed and the arguments that supported or negated their continued use. Research relating to nontraditional or alternative assessment (Assessment Portfolio) uncovered a different perspective toward teacher evaluation. The literature produced examples of portfolios used at a variety of levels to instruct and assess. Finally, several studies focused on the competencies needed by beginning teachers. The present study sought to investigate the perceptions of three categories of education experts as demonstrated by their selection of the assessment method(s) for each INTASC disposition competency. In addition, each participants' years of experience were included to allow a comparison between the method selected and the level of experience.Participants from 25 colleges and universities plus 119 school corporations (N=372) responded to the Beginning Teacher Competency Assessment Survey. The survey consisted of thirty-seven disposition competencies from the newly adopted INTASC Standards and a choice of one of the following assessment methods: Praxis, Indiana Beginning Teacher Internship Program, Assessment Portfolio, or None. Respondents were asked to select the best assessment method to provide evidence of each competency.The assessment method selected most frequently was the Indiana Beginning Internship Program (66%). Next, the Assessment Portfolio was selected by an overall 27%. Praxis was selected least by the participants (7%). Results revealed teacher education faculty were more likely to select the portfolio than either school administrators or practicing teachers for specific disposition competencies. No empirical evidence indicated that the level of experience influenced the assessment selection. Finally, differences within each category in relation to assessment method selection could not be computed through an interactive nominal logistical regression due to the low number of Praxis responses. However, a simple cross tabulated analysis suggested several within group differences. The meaningful differences within each category were between the Indiana Beginning Teacher Internship Program and the Assessment Portfolio based on four or more years of experience. / Department of Special Education

This study focused on the peer observation of teaching [POT] on the pedagogical content knowledge [PCK] of mathematics novice teachers in the teaching of grade 11 statistics. A case study research method was conducted on this qualitative study. Two mathematics novice teachers were purposively selected from a population of five novice teachers from a circuit in Mpumalanga Province. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews, classroom observations and document analysis. Pre-lesson and post-lesson semi-structured interviews were conducted to obtain information about each teacher’s views. The POT process began with pre-observation meeting with the two novice teachers to discuss the modalities of the POT process and ended with the post-observation feedback meeting in which general evaluation and reflection of the process took place. Results show that the two mathematics novice teachers’ classroom management skills improved. Furthermore, findings reveal that the two novice teachers improved in the use of instructional strategies as they moved from using teacher-centred strategies like the lecture method to using learner-centred instructional strategies such as oral probing and group work, among others, in which they interacted more with learners. The novice teachers also improved in identifying learners’ misconceptions and learning difficulties. At the end of the study, the two novice teachers openly expressed that the POT process gave them the opportunity to improve in studying and teaching statistical content in depth. / Mathematics Education / M. Ed. (Mathematics Education)