Experts have suggested that the primary purposes of teacher evaluation systems are to promote the professional development of teachers and to provide information on their strengths and weaknesses so that appropriate training might be planned. It is important for teachers to have ownership in such planning and to be provided options for their professional development. The primary focus of this study is a professional growth plan which includes options that are designed to provide opportunities for teachers' continuous growth; assist teachers with instructional planning; empower teachers to be responsible for analyzing their performance; and empower teachers to facilitate learning for themselves. The purpose of this study is to examine the differences in the views of teachers under the four different options of the Henrico County Professional Growth Plan (structured, individual, collegial, and peer observation). A survey was the primary instrument for data collection. The sample for this study consisted of 58 schools (39 elementary schools, 9 middle schools, and 10 high schools). For each of the primary options, a proportionate sample of teachers was drawn from each level, i.e., elementary (kindergarten through grade five), middle (grades six through eight), and secondary (grades nine through twelve), with the sample proportion being equal to the proportion of the total group. From this group, teachers were randomly selected for participation. The actual sample consisted of 574 teachers who returned the completed survey instrument used in the analyses. This number represented a response rate of 80.6 percent. Major findings revealed that teachers on the collegial and structured growth options indicated the greatest satisfaction with regard to continuous growth. With regard to instructional planning, an important factor to be considered in the professional development of teachers, elementary teachers who participated in the collegial option indicated the greatest satisfaction. Specific staff development activities offered by the school division were viewed as creating the greatest satisfaction among the many professional growth factors examined. These factors, developed through exploratory factor analysis process, included satisfaction with opportunities for growth in instructional planning, the role of and interaction with the principal, commitment to the profession, increase in knowledge base, peer support and interaction, and educational conferences. Other findings indicated that teachers valued the advice from and work with their peers and principal as a form of professional development more than other factors. Teachers who participated in the collegial and structured options, in particular, responded positively in this regard. On the whole, elementary teachers expressed higher satisfaction with professional development activities as related to their professional growth plans than did middle or high school teachers, regardless of the plan option with which they were associated. Although a major objective of the professional growth plan was to empower teachers to facilitate their own learning, teachers indicated less satisfaction with this factor than with other factors examined. Teachers, in general, did indicate that they were empowered to analyze their own performance, with teachers participating in the structured option indicating the greatest satisfaction with opportunities to analyze their performance. / Ed. D.

This study explores the coaching component of the GPLMS over the past 3 years, how it has been implemented as well as the lessons learnt with the view to understanding the coaching conditions required to assist teachers in changing their instructional practices. The GPLMS intervention consists primarily of instructional coaching which has to mediate lesson plans to teachers. This research specifically looks at the teacher-coach relations, the nature of coaching support and monitoring and its impact on teachers. Research data were collected through interviews of teachers in one FP school and one Intersen school in the Johannesburg South district as well as from two coaches and their supervisors. A Peer Learning Group (PLG) meeting in one school and a School-Based Workshop (SBW) in the other school were observed. GPLMS documents which include lesson plans and teacher observation sheets were analysed. The data analysis reveals that instructional coaching combined with high quality lesson plans are promising interventions with potential to improve teachers’ instructional practices. Much progress, however, depends on the coaches’ interpretation of their role as well as their attributes and qualities as far as the level of their subject knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge and the respect and trust between themselves and their teachers are concerned.

A Study of the Influence of Collaborative Learning in Arts and Humanities on the Professional Growth of Arts and Humanities Teachers ¡V with NanTz Primary School as an Example Chen Ying-Ming Graduate Institute of Education National Sun Yat-Sen University Abstract The purpose of this research is to examine the influence of the collaborative learning practice in arts and humanities curriculum in elementary school on the professional growth on the teachers of the subjects. The research employs action research as the methodology, with Nan Tz Primary School, Kaoshiung as the objects and the Head of the school as the researcher. In the observation of the collaborative learning in classes, the difficulties and problems arisen in the collaborative learning are located for further research. With the current situations concerning the teachers and students in collaborative learning and related materials, analysis is conducted. Further, interviews are also employed for profound understanding. In this research, a 5-scale questionnaire is employed. Concerning scores, positive marking is adopted; 4 is given to a perfect match, 3 for a majority match, 2 to a part match, and 1 for a minority match. The answers that do not match don¡¦t count. The average is 2. The questions with an average over 2 are inclined to be regarded as positive identification. Meanwhile, for those with an average lower than 2 are inclined to be regarded as negative identification. There are 10 valid questionnaires. The testing is conducted with a self-compiled questionnaire. A pretest is undertaken with the teachers as testees before the beginning collaborative learning curriculum. When the class collaborative learning ends, the post-test is conducted. In this research, the findings of the pretest and posttest concerning the collaborative learning in arts and humanities curriculum are as follows: (1) The research discovers that the teaching plan and course design concerning the arts and humanities curriculum, the professional ¡§teaching knowledge¡¨, including the understanding and applications of the nature and implications concerning the terrain of arts and humanities, the teachers possess are unclear. (2) The research discovers that concerning the issue of collaborative learning, the teachers show to have difficulties and lack motivations in the aspects of the operation of teaching media, the arrangement of multidimensional evaluation, and the employment of multidimensional evaluations, the employment of teaching resources to assist instruction, and the professional capability¡X¡§teaching abilities¡¨ the teacher faces, including soft and hardware equipment, especially in the use of media and the creation of learning situations, etc. (3) To review the profession as problems, as a reflection in teaching, the input of time in class preparation and ¡§teaching attitude,¡¨ including the teachers that stick to the traditional teaching method, the teachers that are not willing to spend time and energy in using the new teaching method, etc. These problems will lead to the lessening of enthusiasm in teaching. (4) According to the research findings, it is discovered that collaborative teaching in arts and humanities curriculum can allow the teachers to understand the meanings, essence, and importance concerning professional growth. (5) After employing collaborative learning in arts and humanities, teachers in elementary schools can follow the circulatory process of ¡§plan>teaching>observation>reflection>amendment¡¨. Following this process, they can keep improving; and the teachers team can work in teams habitually, as part of the teaching goals, design of syllabus, and sharing their concepts. They can also keep cooperation in teaching activities to elevate the teaching knowledge, teaching abilities, teaching attitudes, to promote the teachers¡¦ growth. Eventually, according to the research results suggestions future development is given to education units, school executives, and future researchers concerning the professional growth. Keywords: arts and humanities, collaborative learning, teaching professionalism, professional growth

The Relationships between Belief Change and its Influential Factors for Student Teachers in Junior High Schools Yuan-yu Chu Abstract The main purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between belief change and its influential factors for student teachers in junior high schools. The participants included 163 student teachers and 163 corresponding mentors in public junior high schools of South Taiwan. The employed instruments were Teacher Belief Appraisal, Professional Growth Scale for Junior High School Teachers, Intrapersonal Intelligence Appraisal, and The Questionnaire of Perceiving Teaching Environment. The employed analysis methods were descriptive statistics, Hotelling¡¦s T2, multivariate analysis of variance, repeat measure analysis, discriminant analysis, multivariate analysis of covariance, and multiple stepwise regression. The findings of this study revealed that (a) the student teachers¡¦ beliefs were toward open orientation on the whole, but their degree of openness varied in the four aspects of teacher beliefs; (b) gender did not have significant effects on the student teachers¡¦ beliefs at the beginning of their practice teaching; (c) teacher preparation systems, teaching areas, size of schools had significant effects on the student teachers¡¦ beliefs at the beginning of their practice teaching; (d) overall speaking, the student teachers¡¦ beliefs were quite stable through their practice teaching period; (e) the mentors¡¦ beliefs had positive effects on their student teachers¡¦ belief change; (f) the student teachers¡¦ professional growth motivation and teaching environment had positive effects on their beliefs at the beginning of practice teaching; (g) the student teachers¡¦ professional growth motivation and their mentors¡¦ beliefs had positive effects on their beliefs at the end of practice teaching. Finally, some suggestions were proposed for teacher preparation institutions, schools of practice teaching, student teachers, and future studies.

The master thesis deals with the issue of the careers of the preschool principals after twenty years in the office. The theoretical section describes the needs of principals, their responsibilities, adult education and motivation for their job. It works on the assumption that the determining factor for the very good principal is his/her personal potential which leads to the fulfillment of the competencies which are necessary for his/her office. The research section search answers to the question of how preschool principals after twenty years in the office look at their own career. The qualitative research was used in which the unstructured interviews with preschool principals were conducted. The findings such as needs of principals after twenty years in the office, their abilities to continue to manage school in the changing society, their plans for further professional growth and their motivation for further work after twenty years in the office are described in the conclusion of the master thesis. Keywords preschool principals, career, professional growth

The master thesis deals with the issue of the careers of the preschool principals after twenty years in the office. The theoretical section describes the needs of principals, their responsibilities, adult education and motivation for their job. It works on the assumption that the determining factor for the very good principal is his/her personal potential which leads to the fulfillment of the competencies which are necessary for his/her office. In my research, I used as a default method, analysis method of documentation and followed by in-depth interviews. The research section search answers to the question of how preschool principals after twenty years in the office look at their own career. The qualitative research was used in which the unstructured interviews with preschool principals were conducted. The findings such as needs of principals after twenty years in the office, their abilities to continue to manage school in the changing society, their plans for further professional growth and their motivation for further work after twenty years in the office are described in the conclusion of the master thesis. Keywords preschool principals, career, professional growth

Entry in the teaching profession is often dependent on a number of steps or phases involving standardized assessments and performance assessments. The relationships between and among the variables incorporated in such instruments are typically assumed, but not necessarily substantiated. Furthermore, the relationships between the variables assessed and factors involved in teacher preparation have not been investigated. This study was designed to investigate the nature of such relationships in one particular case. In the spring of 1997, the Louisiana legislature changed the Louisiana Teacher Assessment Program to create the Louisiana Teacher Assistance and Assessment Program (LaTAAP). LaTAAP is a uniform statewide program for new teachers entering service for the first time in a Louisiana Public School System. Through LaTAAP, each new teacher is assigned a mentor teacher who helps him or her transition into the career of education as successfully and effectively as possible (Louisiana Department of Education, Professional Development Manual, 2002-2003). The Praxis is a series of tests developed by Educational Testing Service (ETS) that provides tests and other services for states to use as a part of their teacher licensing and certification process. The Praxis Series is currently required for teacher licensure in Louisiana and 43 other states and U.S. jurisdictions (Educational Testing Service [ETS], 2005-2006). The purpose of this study was intended to address relationships by investigating the factors identified by novice teachers as influencing their performance on Praxis and LaTAAP. Additionally, this study addressed whether the mentoring component increased teachers' sense of their capacity to teach effectively. The central research question was: What factors or issues are identified by novice teachers as influences on their performance in standardized assessments and classroom teaching effectiveness? This qualitative study utilized a phenomenological approach employing data collection techniques consisting of personal questionnaires, interviews, and focus groups. Data were collected exclusively from ten participants who completed LaTAAP over the past four years and passed Praxis. An analysis of the data revealed several commonalities of the participants' Praxis and LaTAAP experiences which have had an effect on their professional practice. The issues in common included professional growth, mentoring, and testing.

Orientador: osé Carlos Paes de Almeida Filho / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Estudos da Linguagem / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-05T10:47:40Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Sandei_MariadeLourdesdaRocha_M.pdf: 7818659 bytes, checksum: e5a0871c09a00733a9f73cf24f96adb9 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2005 / Resumo: Esta pesquisa, de natureza etnográfica, tem por objetivo investigar qual a abordagem subjaz o ensinar de um professor de Língua Estrangeira (LE) de Ensino Médio da rede pública estadual e evidenciar se ocorreram ou não mudanças no seu sentido de plausibilidade (Prabhu, 1990) e na sua prática docente após a sua participação no estudo. Para isso, investigamos as ações e procedimentos metodológicos do professor-participante e os comparamos com o seu dizer, procurando evidências de coerência e incongruência entre a abordagem declarada e a que realmente emerge da sua prática. Os dados foram coletados através de observação, notas de campo, aulas gravadas em áudio e transcritas, entrevistas, questionários e discussão posterior à obtenção dos dados. O referencial teórico que orientou a análise advém das posições elaboradas por Almeida Filho em várias publicações (1993, 1997b, 1999, 2005). Os resultados revelaram, em determinados momentos, coerência entre o dizer e o fazer; em outros, entretanto, houve discordância. O seu discurso mostrou-se, na maioria das vezes, de acordo com os pressupostos da abordagem comunicacional, mas muitos aspectos da sua prática aproximaram-se dos procedimentos da abordagem tradicional de ensino, pois o professor-participante privilegiou, em suas aulas, a leitura em coro, tradução, aprendizagem de vocabulário, memorização e revisão gramatical. Quanto às possíveis mudanças iniciadas na sua prática, constatou-se, a partir das suas verbalizações, uma menor preocupação com o vestibular, o reconhecimento de ser necessário criar momentos para os alunos se comunicarem efetivamente na Língua-alvo, a importância de ele fazer menor uso da língua materna nas aulas, dentre outras. Notou-se também que a pesquisa fez o sentido de plausibilidade do professor observado entrar em conflito com as suas velhas percepções, levando-o a refletir criticamente sobre a sua prática de ensino e a buscar uma explicação para ela / Abstract: The purpose of this ethnographic research is to investigate what approach underlies the teaching of a Foreign Language teacher of a public state school and to evidence if changes had or not occurred in his sense of plausibility and his teaching practice after his participation in this study. To achieve this, we investigated the actions and the methodological procedures of the participant teacher and we compared them with his statements, searching convergence and contradiction between his declared approach and the one that emerges from his practice. The data were collected through class observation, which was audio recorded, field notes, interviews, questionnaires and discussions after the obtained data. The theorical framework that oriented the analysis was based on the work of Almeida Filho (1993, 1997b, 1999, 2005). The data revealed that, in several moments, there was coherence between his speech and his practice; in others contradiction between them. His oral communication was coherent with the assumptions of the communicative approach, but some aspects of his practice with the traditional approach, because the teacher emphasized, in his classes, group reading, translation, learning of vocabulary, memorization and grammatical revision. The results showed a lesser preoccupation with the vestibular, the necessity of creating moments for the students to communicate in the target language, the importance of using less Portuguese by the teacher in his classes, among others. We also noted that the research made the teacher' s sense of plausibility get into conflict with his old perceptions, making him reflect critically over his teaching practice and to look for an explanation for it / Mestrado / Lingua Estrangeira / Linguistica Aplicada

臺灣在2014年生育率為全球第二低國家，部份私立中學也因少子化的嚴重衝擊，近二、三年來造成招生不足，教師面臨超額、資遣、流浪教師等壓力。因此，私立中學教師更應以主動積極的態度，參與各種學習活動，來促進知識管理及專業成長的智能，增進教師及學校競爭力。 　　本研究旨在瞭解中學教師的知識管理與教師專業成長之間的關係；研究者以私立景文高中的教師為例，透過教育現場的觀察、訪談、質性資料之蒐集和分析，探討中學教師對知識管理與專業成長的知覺與實施現況。 　　本研究發現：在知識管理方面，1.中學教師知識的取得包括教師個人的自我成長、學校計畫性的規劃學習及資訊科技平台的運用。2.知識儲存可以透過教師專業發展平台、電子資料庫等資訊設備，並規劃教師專業社群。3.知識的分享有大小規模之分，宜透過更多獎勵機制擴散。4.在知識應用方面，依照學生的素質、能力實施不同的教學方法與教學知識；透過觀課及議課活動，給予回饋。5.知識的創新則是引進資訊工具、參加專業社群，開創學校的教學特色等。 　　在專業成長方面: 1.學校如能規劃「校本教師專業成長計畫」，可以有效提升教師專業成長。2.課程設計與教學的知能包括教師能運用己身優質的教學專業知識和技能，設計活潑的新課程；積極使用各項資訊設備，並運用腦力激盪及團隊工作來創新課程。3.班級經營與輔導包括教師用心培養學生建立優質的常規、學習文化、和諧氣氛及帶著走的基本能力；透過師生互動，了解學生個性、性向、興趣與專長，發揮其潛能、發現其問題，並能予以適當的協助與指導。 　　知識管理是促進教師專業成長的重要方法，教師如能運用知識管理的方法，有系統地管理知識，充實專業知識內涵，增進教學經驗與智慧，將有助於促進教師專業成長。教師專業成長有助於知識管理的持續推動，一位高度專業成長的教師，對於知識的取得及應用，通常也較為嫻熟且得心應手。因此，知識管理與教師專業成長成為動態的循環關係。 　　最後建議： 1.建置工作小組以協助所有學校推動知識管理及教師專業成長工作；2.提供教師多元的進修及研習機會，滿足教師專業成長需求；3.透過獎勵或競賽的方式，培養樂於分享的份為氛圍。4.擴大圖書館成為「知識管理資料庫」及「教師專業成長教學資源中心」；5.中學教師應努力提昇個人的知識管理和教師專業成長之知能；運用知識管理的技能，來提昇教師專業成長的素養。 / Taiwan’s birth rate became the second lowest of all countries in the world in 2014. Due to the serious impact on such low birth rate, some private high schools have been facing the number shortage of recruit in the past three years. And thus, the private high school teachers have also suffered the jobless pressure. Therefore, the private high school teachers should more aggressively participate in various learning events to enhance the ability to knowledge management and professional growth, and furthermore to improve the competitiveness of teachers and schools. The purpose of this study is to understand the relationship between the teacher knowledge management and the teacher professional growth in high schools. Cooperating with the teachers in Taipei Jinwen High School, the author explores the current situation of the high school teachers’ ability to knowledge management and professional growth via the observation and interviews in classes and the analyzation of qualitative data. In the aspect of knowledge management, this study observes that (1) the knowledge acquiring of high school teachers includes teachers’ self-growth, schools’ organized learning plan, and the application of informative technology platform; (2) the knowledge storing can be through informative facilities like teacher professional growth platform, electronic database and teacher professional community; (3) the knowledge sharing has different scales, it’s better to have more award systems to diffuse knowledge; (4) as the aspect of knowledge applying, teachers should use different teaching methods and knowledge according to students different learning quality, and give feedback during class; (5) as the aspect of knowledge innovating, schools can be introduced to informative tools and teachers can participate in professional community to develop great characteristics of schools. In the aspect of professional growth, this study observes that (1) the teacher professional growth can be highly improved if schools can organize “teacher professional growth plan”; (2) course design and teaching ability include design interesting courses by teachers’ professional expertise and skills and innovate courses by brainstorming and teamwork; (3) class management and counseling include developing students’ learning routine, culture, and environment. Through interactive between teacher and students, teachers should understand each student’s characteristics, interests, and expertise and try to help students do their best. Teachers should also properly guide students when they need help. The knowledge management is an important method to enhance teacher professional growth. If teachers can apply the knowledge management method, manage their knowledge systematically, increase their professional knowledge, and accumulate teaching experience, their professional growth can be highly enhanced. The teacher professional growth contributes to continuous implementation of knowledge management. Teachers with highly professional growth usually can acquire and apply knowledge more efficiently. Therefore, knowledge management and teacher professional growth are the dynamically interactive circular cycle. Final suggestions of this study: (1) set work team to assist al schools to implement knowledge management and teacher professional growth; (2) provide teachers multiple various learning opportunities to satisfy the require of teacher professional growth; (3) via encouragement or competitions, create the friendly-sharing environment; (4) expand the school library function as a “knowledge management database” and as a “teacher professional growth resource center”; (5) high school teachers should improve the ability to personal knowledge management and teacher professional growth, and teachers should apply the ability to knowledge management to enhance the level of teacher professional growth.

abstract: The purpose of the study is to examine how professional growth is sustained over time through exploring a teacher’s narrative of personal and professional growth. The central question of this dissertation is: What creates sustainable and continuous positive professional change and growth in a teacher’s professional life? In this study, I discuss my journey towards understanding my practice while teaching a collegiate course and the implications of my journey for continual professional and personal growth. I used self-study methods to interrogate the personal, professional, and contextual experiences that shaped my thinking about teaching, learning, and my practice. The process of reflection was prompted by various data sources, including journal entries, storytelling, memory work, an experience matrix, concept-mapping, and education-related life histories. This self-study also includes action research projects that I conducted while teaching a college course over seven semesters. Data for action research projects included student reflective writing, observations of their learning, video recordings of group project meetings, and student value-creation stories. Through reflection on how my personal, professional, and contextual knowledge of teaching developed, I examine how the values I held, the inquiries I undertook, and the communities in which I engaged affected my learning about teaching and shaped both my continuing professional development and who I am becoming as a teacher. Values that emerged in my teaching practice included: creating a student-friendly learning atmosphere, building a learning community, and being a reflective learner. Change agency functioned as a teacher lens and impacted student learning. I also analyzed patterns between my instructional plans, actions, and learning experiences in multiple professional communities. Professional and personal development relied not only on formal learning but was also promoted by informal learning opportunities and a personal learning process. Findings suggest that teachers’ attempts to engage with external resources and awareness of their personal orientations as internal resources appear essential for sustainable change in teaching practice. Teacher professional growth requires exercising positive personal qualities, such as confidence, compassion, and courage, as well as resilience as an educator and a lifelong learner. Teacher reflection and self-study play a pivotal role in enabling teachers to sustain professional growth. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Music Education 2020