This research analyzed the effects of the Marzano Teacher Observation training on the self-efficacy of teacher observers. In this study, seventy-four teacher observers reported their self-efficacy in the areas of evaluating student engagement, evaluating classroom management, and evaluating instructional strategies in pre and post surveys. The results of the surveys were analyzed with a paired samples t-test. This study found that the Marzano Teacher Observation system increases the self-efficacy of teacher observers. This study was delimited to participants of a Marzano Teacher Observation training conducted in the fall of 2014. The findings of this study will inform executive school leaders of the impact Marzano Teacher Observation training has on the self-efficacy of teacher observers.

Master of Arts / Department of Modern Languages / Mary T. Copple / Though the subject of recent national attention and various in-depth investigations, the most effective approach to teacher evaluation in the United States is still an issue of debate. The latest research focuses on evaluation of teachers of core content areas like math, science and reading, but evaluation of foreign language teachers and programs receives comparatively little attention in the literature. This study examines issues related to observational feedback particular to the foreign language teaching context using data collected from teachers and administrators in large public school districts in Kansas. Survey data reveals that while public school foreign language teachers are generally satisfied with observational feedback concerning classroom behaviors, such as teacher-student interaction and behavior management, they often report receiving no feedback in the areas of curriculum planning or instructional techniques particular to their content area. Administrators report focusing on preparedness and classroom management during observations. Gaps identified in observational feedback are discussed and changes to observation practices are suggested.

Generally in today’s classrooms educators have the responsibility to develop teaching practices that are best suited for a particular group of learners. Since the early days of 1-room schools, various teaching styles have been developed to accommodate a changing world. As the curriculum has broadened through the years, individual student needs have remained the focus as teachers have become more and more accountable for student learning. The purpose of this qualitative study is to investigate or identify how successful teachers manage their classrooms. It defines key student behavior issues that most teachers experience daily. The study further investigates the hypothesis that lesson planning and productive teaching with overall good student behavior is not a product of good luck or chance; it results from efforts made by caring teachers who aid learning for their student. I attempt to determine what the typical teacher does in efforts to reach the goal of effectively educating students and managing various issues that arise within the classroom setting simultaneously. The study was conducted in a rural community within middle school grade levels. All teachers were interviewed and asked open-ended questions during the 2013-14 school year. Also, the teachers were observed in their actual classrooms. I examined the practices that enable them to teach. The teacher responses offered valuable information about perceptions pertaining to excellent teaching, classroom management, and the relevance of teaching factors that enhance student learning. Exerting extra effort toward minimizing classroom disruptions, while consistently providing a learning environment, requires an assertive approach in planning before the students enter the classroom. This research can provide all educators insight to such of an educational environment that has proven to be productive in today’s complex world. These teaching attributes would better assure students upon their arrival to the classroom each day, a routinely excited, enthused, and caring educator.

While the Seminaries and Institutes of Religion (S&I) of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints expect supervisors of teachers to observe teachers regularly and provide feedback, they have not provided those supervisors with adequate training materials, or explained how these supervisors are expected to accomplish this. For this study, three administrators and three teachers were interviewed about their experiences with observation and feedback in S&I. Their responses provided clarification on the purposes of observation and feedback, revealed that a lack of supervisor training has resulted in teachers’ experiences with observation and feedback being different from administrator’s expectations in key ways, and identified some elements of observation and feedback that teachers and administrators agree are effective. Those elements include teachers’ autonomy, collaboration between supervisors, frequent observations designed to help teachers improve (rather than to judge teachers’ abilities), and providing feedback in a kind and constructive way, limiting suggestions for improve to one or two things that are based on principles for teaching that are widely-accepted throughout S&I. This study also reports how teachers and administrators might feel about the use of a standard observation form for teacher observation and feedback.

For more than a decade, teacher accountability and teacher effectiveness as defined by student achievement have been the focus of the teacher evaluation process (Close et al., 2018; Danielson, 2007; Virginia Department of Education, [VDOE], 2011, 2015, 2021). Throughout the teacher evaluation process, principals observe teaching skills and gather instructional and assessment data to provide feedback and follow-up to teachers to improve instructional strategies that increase student achievement (VDOE, 2021). Specific and meaningful feedback can positively impact teacher confidence, reflection, and improved instructional practices (Blase and Blase, 2000). Uncertainty remains, however, in knowing precisely what feedback and follow-up motivates a teacher to adjust or change instruction for improved student learning (Hattie and Timperley, 2007; Khachatryan, 2015; Shute, 2008). The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe teacher perceptions regarding the usefulness of principal feedback and subsequent follow-up through the teacher evaluation process that resulted in implementing instructional changes in the classroom and increasing student achievement. Qualitative data were collected through one-to-one interviews conducted with eight teachers, four from each of two rural south central Virginia school districts. The data were coded using constant comparison analysis to determine common categories and themes related to principal observation feedback and teachers' perceptions of its usefulness to change instructional habits and increase student achievement. An analysis of the data collected revealed that teachers perceived principal feedback as it related to teacher evaluation to be useful when the feedback was timely, specific, and supportive; however, the usefulness did not necessarily extend to instructional changes resulting in changes in student achievement. Teachers also perceived that principal feedback addressed teacher strengths more often than teacher weaknesses. The data further revealed that teachers perceived that collaboration with colleagues was key to making changes in instructional practices that led to student achievement gains. While principal feedback is an important component of the teacher evaluation process, the data suggest that teacher collaboration also plays a vital role in a teacher's professional growth and students' success. / Doctor of Education / For more than a decade, there has been an increased focus on teacher accountability and effectiveness related to the teacher evaluation process and student achievement. School principals oversee the teacher evaluation process in the school and are responsible for providing feedback to teachers to improve instructional skills, student learning, and professional growth. This study explored teacher perceptions of principal feedback and subsequent follow-up teachers received through the evaluation process that resulted in changes to classroom instruction, leading to increases in student learning and achievement. Eight teachers, four from each of two rural south central Virginia school districts, were interviewed. The teacher interviews revealed that principal feedback through the evaluation process was useful to the teacher when the feedback was timely, specific, and supportive. The teacher interviews also revealed that principals provided feedback on teacher strengths more often than on teacher weaknesses. Additionally, teacher interviews revealed that collaboration with colleagues was beneficial to increasing teacher effectiveness in the classroom leading to student achievement gains. In order to have a greater impact on teacher effectiveness and student learning, it is vital that teachers receive high-quality feedback from principals as well as encouragement and support for teacher collaboration.

A suburban school district in northwest Washington State has invested in a teacher-led, school-based model of instructional rounds to improve collaborative relationships among teachers and further teacher understanding of an instructional framework, but there is little formal evidence that instructional rounds is meeting its goals. The purpose of this study was to determine if instructional rounds is impacting teacher learning. The conceptual framework that grounded this study was Wenger's construct of communities of practice, a social theory of learning. The key research questions were focused on how participation in instructional rounds impacts teacher collaboration and learning of the instructional framework. To address the research questions, a qualitative evaluative case study was conducted. Data were used collected by using individual, face-to-face interviews with 6 different teachers and reviewing program document. Teachers selected for interviews had participated in instructional rounds during the past 3 consecutive years, participated as an observer and as a host, and at least 2 participants had experience as a facilitator. Transcribed interviews and documents were coded, followed by a search for patterns and themes throughout the data. Results showed improvement in personal and professional relationships among teachers as well as improvement of teacher learning. Results also showed that the quality of teacher learning was dependent upon contextual factors. The findings of the study were used to develop a program evaluation report for the school district. This report helped school district administrators, principals and teachers determine whether to stop, start, expand, or refine the instructional rounds model in their schools. This professional learning model has the potential to change the way teachers learn to positively impact student improvement.

The focus of this study is to determine how closely self-report perceptions of technology integration skills align with the observations of an external evaluator. Participants were elementary and secondary teachers in a north Texas school district. The district is in the process of implementing a one-to-one initiative using a major vendor’s tablet devices. The study utilized both quantitative survey methodology, and a qualitative observational tool to record learning activities in the K-12 classroom. For the quantitative phase, three validated single-item self-report instruments were administered to the teachers via an online survey; the instruments utilized were the Concerns-Based Adoption Model—Levels of Use (CBAM-LoU); Stages of Adoption of Technology; and the Apple Classroom of Tomorrow (ACOT). In the qualitative portion of the study, classroom teachers involved in the one-to-one innovation were observed and rated by the Technology Integration Matrix, an instrument specifically designed to observe technology integration skills and practices in K-12 instructional settings. Kendall’s tau correlations between the various self-report instruments and the external observer rating are: CBAM, r = .51 (p is not significant); Stages, r = .58 (p < .05); ACOT, r = .82 (p < .01). Additionally, regression models were run using all three self-reports as predictors of the observation score, and using only the ACOT as a predictor. The regression model for the three-predictor model is TIM = .68; Stages - .82; CBAM + 1.61; ACOT - 1.23 (R2 = .94, p < .05), while the model for the ACOT-only predictor is TIM = 1.1; ACOT - 1.1 (R2 = .80, p < .01). These results demonstrate a strong correlation between the ratings reported by the teachers and the ratings given by the external observer, indicating that these self-report measures show a strong propensity for indicating actual technology skills.

The strategic goal of the research presented in this diploma thesis is to contribute to the improvement of the quality of physics teaching at secondary schools. During the research, we focused on the following two questions: Which quality parameters are typical for teaching led by physics teachers whose students continue their studies at MFF UK? How do teachers affect students gifted in physics and motivated for it? A case study was chosen as the research plan. Specifically, we focused on teaching of three teachers, whose students continue to study physics at university to an increased extent. The quantitative part, in which the pedagogical observation of teaching took place, was led as ex-post-facto research. This was followed by a qualitative part, in which semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. Thanks to them the obtained information was put in a broader context. The research results showed that fulfillment of several parameters is common for the teaching of all the teachers (e.g. physics expertise, mathematics model, abstraction, students' expressing), in other parameters their teaching differs (e.g. teaching aids, lecturing, students' interest, use of assessment) and some parameters are almost non-existent in teaching (e.g. work with text, heuristic method). Several research...