Sample records for teacher quality variables

  1. Novice Teachers' Perceptions of Support, Teacher Preparation Quality, and Student Teaching Experience Related to Teacher Efficacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Knobloch, Neil A.; Whittington, M. Susie

    2002-01-01

    This multiple regression study analyzed the percent of variance in teacher efficacy of 106 student teachers and novice teachers in agricultural education in Ohio explained by selected variables related to perceived support (utilizing a mentor, supportive principal behaviors, collective efficacy), teacher preparation quality, and student teaching…

  2. Teacher Quality and Teacher Mobility

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Feng, Li; Sass, Tim R.

    2017-01-01

    There is growing concern among policy makers over the quality of the teacher workforce in general, and the distribution of effective teachers across schools. The impact of teacher attrition on overall teacher quality will depend on the effectiveness of teachers who leave the profession. Likewise, teacher turnover may alleviate or worsen inequities…

  3. Teacher Quality Toolkit

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lauer, Patricia A.; Dean, Ceri B.

    2004-01-01

    This Teacher Quality Toolkit aims to support the continuum of teacher learning by providing tools that institutions of higher education, districts, and schools can use to improve both preservice and inservice teacher education. The toolkit incorporates McREL?s accumulated knowledge and experience related to teacher quality and standards-based…

  4. From Teacher Quality to Quality Teaching

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kennedy, Mary M.

    2006-01-01

    Proposals to improve teacher quality often focus on hiring teachers with the right combination of personality, values, and knowledge and skills. The author suggests that although these elements of teacher quality are important, schools also need to pay attention to the conditions of classroom life that can determine teaching quality. She…

  5. Using Value-Added Measures of Teacher Quality. Brief 9

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hanushek, Eric A.; Rivkin, Steven G.

    2010-01-01

    Extensive education research on the contribution of teachers to student achievement produces two generally accepted results. First, teacher quality varies substantially as measured by the value added to student achievement or future academic attainment or earnings. Second, variables often used to determine entry into the profession and…

  6. Teacher quality moderates the genetic effects on early reading.

    PubMed

    Taylor, J; Roehrig, A D; Soden Hensler, B; Connor, C M; Schatschneider, C

    2010-04-23

    Children's reading achievement is influenced by genetics as well as by family and school environments. The importance of teacher quality as a specific school environmental influence on reading achievement is unknown. We studied first- and second-grade students in Florida from schools representing diverse environments. Comparison of monozygotic and dizygotic twins, differentiating genetic similarities of 100% and 50%, provided an estimate of genetic variance in reading achievement. Teacher quality was measured by how much reading gain the non-twin classmates achieved. The magnitude of genetic variance associated with twins' oral reading fluency increased as the quality of their teacher increased. In circumstances where the teachers are all excellent, the variability in student reading achievement may appear to be largely due to genetics. However, poor teaching impedes the ability of children to reach their potential.

  7. Variables Affecting Preservice Teacher Candidate Identification of Teacher Sexual Misconduct

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Haverland, Jeffrey A.

    2017-01-01

    Using a quantitative research model, this study explored variables affecting pre-service teacher candidate identification of teacher sexual misconduct through a scenario-based survey instrument. Independent variables in this study were respondent gender, student gender, teacher gender, student age-related ambiguity (students depicted were 17),…

  8. Qualities of an effective teacher: what do medical teachers think?

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Effective teaching in medicine is essential to produce good quality doctors. A number of studies have attempted to identify the characteristics of an effective teacher. However, most of literature regarding an effective medical teacher includes student ratings or expert opinions. Furthermore, interdisciplinary studies for the same are even fewer. We did a cross-sectional study of the characteristics of effective teachers from their own perspective across medicine and dentistry disciplines. Methods A questionnaire comprising of 24 statements relating to perceived qualities of effective teachers was prepared and used. The study population included the faculty of medicine and dentistry at the institution. Respondents were asked to mark their response to each statement based on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree. These statements were grouped these into four main subgroups, viz. Class room behaviour/instructional delivery, interaction with students, personal qualities and professional development, and analysed with respect to discipline, cultural background, gender and teaching experience using SPSS v 13.0. For bivariate analysis, t-test and one way ANOVA were used. Multiple linear regression for multivariate analysis was used to control confounding variables. Results The top three desirable qualities of an effective teacher in our study were knowledge of subject, enthusiasm and communication skills. Faculty with longer teaching experienced ranked classroom behaviour/instructional delivery higher than their less experienced counterparts. There was no difference of perspectives based on cultural background, gender or discipline (medicine and dentistry). Conclusion This study found that the faculty perspectives were similar, regardless of the discipline, gender and cultural background. Furthermore, on review of literature similar findings are seen in studies done in allied medical and non-medical fields. These findings

  9. Teacher Quality and Teacher Mobility. Working Paper 57

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Feng, Li; Sass, Tim

    2011-01-01

    Using matched student-teacher panel data from the state of Florida, the authors study the determinants of teacher job change and the impact of such mobility on the distribution of teacher quality. The probability a teacher stays at a school increases the more productive they are in their current school. The quality of teachers who exit teaching…

  10. Variability in Preschool Teachers' Interactions with Children as a Predictor of Children's Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Curby, Timothy W.; Brock, Laura L.; Hamre, Bridget K.

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this proposal is to examine whether variability in the quality of teachers' interactions (Emotional Support, Classroom Organization, Instructional Support) with students is systematically related to the children's development. In other words, the authors examine whether the amount that teachers vary over the course of a day is a…

  11. A Project to Enhance Superintendents' Knowledge and Application of Characteristics of High Quality Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pummill, Bret L.; Edson, Jerry C.; Loftin, Michelle M.; Robinson, Matthew A.

    2011-01-01

    This report describes a problem based learning project focusing on superintendents' knowledge of the characteristics of high quality teachers. Current research findings offer evidence teacher quality is an important school variable related to student achievement. School district leaders are faced with the problem of identifying the characteristics…

  12. Longitudinal Effects of Teacher and Student Perceptions of Teacher-Student Relationship Qualities on Academic Adjustment

    PubMed Central

    Hughes, Jan N.

    2010-01-01

    The shared and unique effects of teacher and student reports of teacher student relationship quality (TSRQ) in second and third grade on academic self views, behavioral engagement, and achievement the following year were investigated in a sample of 714 academically at-risk students. Teacher and student reports of teacher-student support and conflict showed low correspondence. As a block, teacher and student reports of TSRQ predicted all outcomes, above prior performance on that outcome and background variables. Student reports uniquely predicted school belonging, perceived academic competence, and math achievement. Teacher reports uniquely predicted behavioral engagement and child perceived academic competence. Teacher and student reports of the teacher-student relationship assess largely different constructs that predict different outcomes. Implications of findings for practice and research are discussed. PMID:21984843

  13. Preservice Teachers' Understanding of Variable

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brown, Sue; Bergman, Judy

    2013-01-01

    This study examines the research on middle school students' understanding of variables and explores preservice elementary and middle school teachers' knowledge of variables. According to research studies, middle school students have limited understanding of variables. Many studies have examined the performance of middle school students and offered…

  14. Relationship between quality of life and occupational stress among teachers.

    PubMed

    Yang, X; Ge, C; Hu, B; Chi, T; Wang, L

    2009-11-01

    With major changes in the education system and limited resources supplied by the Government, Chinese teachers have been suffering from greater occupational stress in recent years, which is believed to affect their physical and mental health. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between quality of life and occupational stress in primary and middle school teachers. Originals. A cross-sectional study was conducted using cluster sampling. The study population was composed of 3570 school teachers working in 64 primary and middle schools in Heping District in Shenyang, China. A demographic questionnaire, the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) and the Occupational Stress Inventory Revised Edition were employed to collect demographic variables and assess quality of life and occupational stress. Multivariate stepwise linear regression analyses were performed to study the relationship between quality of life and occupational stress. The mean scores for both male and female teachers in this study were significantly lower than those for the Chinese general population for all dimensions of quality of life, except mental health and vitality (P<0.05). Male teachers scored significantly higher than female teachers for physical functioning, bodily pain, vitality and physical health (P<0.05). Age, role overload, role insufficiency, vocational strain, psychological strain, physical strain, recreation and rational coping were significantly associated with both the physical and mental component summaries of the SF-36 (P<0.05). Gender, physical environment and self-care appeared to be robust indicators of physical health (P<0.05), while role insufficiency, interpersonal strain and social support were strong indicators of mental health (P<0.05). In China, teachers have a lower health status than the general population. The quality of life of female teachers is worse than that of male teachers, and deteriorates with age. Occupational stress and strain induce

  15. The effect of teacher quality on the achievement of students in Integrated Physics and Chemistry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alexander, Rima

    For many years, researchers, policy makers, and the education community have explored various school variables and their impact on student achievement (Darling-Hammond, 2000; Ferguson and Womack 1993; Ferguson and Ladd 1996; Rice, 2003; Rockoff, 2003; Rowan, Chiang, and Miller 1997; Sanders and Horn, 1996; Wright Horn and Sanders, 1997). Invariably, the issue of teacher quality arises. Teacher quality is the single most influential factor under school control that affects student achievement (Darling-Hammond, 2000; Rice, 2003; Rockoff, 2003; Sanders and Horn, 1996; Wright Horn and Sanders, 1997). Generally, students taught by highly qualified teachers perform better on standardized tests than students with less qualified teachers (Ferguson and Womack 1993; Ferguson and Ladd 1996; Rowan, Chiang, and Miller 1997). Previous research indicates that teachers indeed matter for the improvement of student achievement, but getting good measures of what is meant by teacher quality is a continuing challenge (Goldhaber, 2002). The purpose of this study was to describe the effect of teacher quality on the achievement of students in Integrated Physics and Chemistry (IPC). In order to achieve this purpose, this study addressed the following research question: chemistry and physics teachers compare to the achievement of students taught by less-qualified IPC teachers? A causal-comparative methodology was employed to address this research question. The independent variable was teacher quality---highly-qualified or less qualified. The teacher attributes that were examined in this study are: (1) teachers' educational background; (2) content knowledge; (3) pedagogical knowledge; and (4) certification. The dependent variable was student achievement in integrated physics and chemistry, as measured by an end-of-course IPC District Assessment of Curriculum, IPC DAC. Descriptive statistics were computed for the independent variable in the study. A Chi Square was performed on the data

  16. Thai Elementary School Teachers' English Pronunciation and Effects of Teacher Variables: Professional Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kanoksilapatham, Budsaba

    2014-01-01

    The objectives of this study are to describe 147 Thai elementary school teachers' English pronunciation competence and to identify a teacher variable that has an impact on their pronunciation. The instrument used to collect data consisted of two parts: a questionnaire to elicit Thai teachers' personal information (i.e., seven variables in all),…

  17. Enhancing mathematics teachers' quality through Lesson Study.

    PubMed

    Lomibao, Laila S

    2016-01-01

    The efficiency and effectivity of the learning experience is dependent on the teacher quality, thus, enhancing teacher's quality is vital in improving the students learning outcome. Since, the usual top-down one-shot cascading model practice for teachers' professional development in Philippines has been observed to have much information dilution, and the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization demanded the need to develop mathematics teachers' quality standards through the Southeast Asia Regional Standards for Mathematics Teachers (SEARS-MT), thus, an intensive, ongoing professional development model should be provided to teachers. This study was undertaken to determine the impact of Lesson Study on Bulua National High School mathematics teachers' quality level in terms of SEARS-MT dimensions. A mixed method of quantitative-qualitative research design was employed. Results of the analysis revealed that Lesson Study effectively enhanced mathematics teachers' quality and promoted teachers professional development. Teachers positively perceived Lesson Study to be beneficial for them to become a better mathematics teacher.

  18. Teacher Quality Toolkit. 2nd Edition

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lauer, Patricia A.; Dean, Ceri B.; Martin-Glenn, Mya L.; Asensio, Margaret L.

    2005-01-01

    The Teacher Quality Toolkit addresses the continuum of teacher learning by providing tools that can be used to improve both preservice, and inservice teacher education. Each chapter provides self assessment tools that can guide progress toward improved teacher quality and describes resources for designing exemplary programs and practices. Chapters…

  19. The Economic Value of Higher Teacher Quality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hanushek, Eric A.

    2011-01-01

    Most analyses of teacher quality end without any assessment of the economic value of altered teacher quality. This paper combines information about teacher effectiveness with the economic impact of higher achievement. It begins with an overview of what is known about the relationship between teacher quality and student achievement. This provides…

  20. In Defense of Educators: The Problem of Idea Quality, Not "Teacher Quality"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hirsch, E. D., Jr.

    2017-01-01

    People who emphasize teaching quality and the central importance of teachers are right to do so. Where some go wrong is in thinking that teacher quality is an innate characteristic. The effectiveness of a teacher is not some inherent competence, as the phrase "teacher quality" suggests. Teacher effectiveness is contextual. Why has the…

  1. Teacher Quality: Equalizing Educational Opportunities and Outcomes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sunderman, Gail L.; Kim, Jimmy

    2005-01-01

    The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) teacher quality provisions recognize both the importance of teacher quality for improving student achievement and the unequal distribution of teachers across districts and schools. But the question of how to achieve the goal of a high quality teacher in every classroom is complicated because of the challenges of…

  2. Qualities of Early Childhood Teachers: Reflections from Teachers and Administrators.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Weitman, Catheryn J.; Humphries, Janie H.

    Data were collected from elementary school principals and kindergarten teachers in Texas and Louisiana in an effort to identify qualities that are thought to be important for kindergarten teachers. A questionnaire listing 462 qualities of early childhood teachers was compiled from literature reviews. Subjects were asked to check a maximum of 50…

  3. Preparing Quality Teachers: Making Learning Visible

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McArdle, Felicity

    2010-01-01

    Teacher quality is recognised as a lynchpin for education reforms internationally, and both Federal and State governments in Australia have turned their attention to teacher education institutions: the starting point for preparing quality teachers. Changes to policy and shifts in expectations impact on Faculties of Education, despite the fact that…

  4. Exploring Teacher Candidates' Attitudes towards Pedagogical Teacher Training Based on Different Variables

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Toraman, Cetin; Aydin, Hasan; Ulubey, Ozgur

    2016-01-01

    The raising of the life standards of individuals living within a society is only possible through the provision of quality education. Quality education can be realized only through the training of teachers with the necessary skills and positive attitudes towards the training provided at faculties of education and through teacher training programs.…

  5. Pay, working conditions, and teacher quality.

    PubMed

    Hanushek, Eric A; Rivkin, Steven G

    2007-01-01

    Eric Hanushek and Steven Rivkin examine how salary and working conditions affect the quality of instruction in the classroom. The wages of teachers relative to those of other college graduates have fallen steadily since 1940. Today, average wages differ little, however, between urban and suburban districts. In some metropolitan areas urban districts pay more, while in others, suburban districts pay more. But working conditions in urban and suburban districts differ substantially, with urban teachers reporting far less administrator and parental support, worse materials, and greater student problems. Difficult working conditions may drive much of the difference in turnover of teachers and the transfer of teachers across schools. Using rich data from Texas public schools, the authors describe in detail what happens when teachers move from school to school. They examine how salaries and student characteristics change when teachers move and also whether turnover affects teacher quality and student achievement. They note that both wages and student characteristics affect teachers' choices and result in a sorting of teachers across schools, but they find little evidence that teacher transitions are detrimental to student learning. The extent to which variations in salaries and working conditions translate into differences in the quality of instruction depends importantly on the effectiveness of school personnel policies in hiring and retaining the most effective teachers and on constraints on both entry into the profession and the firing of low performers. The authors conclude that overall salary increases for teachers would be both expensive and ineffective. The best way to improve the quality of instruction would be to lower barriers to becoming a teacher, such as certification, and to link compensation and career advancement more closely with teachers' ability to raise student performance.

  6. Balancing Teacher Quality and Quantity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bond, Helen

    The world is facing a shortage of trained teachers. According to the 2010 Global Monitoring Report approximately 10.3 million teachers will be needed globally to staff classrooms from Bangkok to Canada. The situation is worse in Sub-Saharan Africa. Estimates suggest that approximately 1.2 million new teachers will be needed in Sub-Saharan Africa alone to achieve universal primary education goals by 2015. Increases in primary school enrollments, drought, and HIV-AIDS have exacerbated the need for well trained teachers. Despite the need, the focus is on balancing quality with quantity. An effective teacher is deemed a critical element, although not the only one, in a student's success in the classroom. This paper focuses on the dilemma of meeting universal primary education goals in Sub-Saharan Africa, while maintaining teacher quality in fragile contexts.

  7. Quality Requirements for Teacher Educators

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koster, B.; Brekelmans, M.; Korthagen, F.; Wubbels, T.

    2005-01-01

    This study deals with the quality requirements that are needed for teacher educators. The tasks teacher educators have to do and the competencies they should possess (a professional profile), according to their fellow teacher educators, were identified. On the basis of a literature search on tasks and competencies of teacher educators, we made a…

  8. The Correlation between a Teacher Selection Instrument and Teacher Quality in Tennessee

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McWhirter, Amy Balthrop

    2014-01-01

    It is not known to what extent the pre-employment teacher selection instrument scores used by a Tennessee school district correlate to teachers' post-employment quality after their first year of service. Two research questions guided the study on the Correlation Between a Teacher Selection Instrument and Teacher Quality in Tennessee: (1) To what…

  9. Preparing Quality Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Green, Corinne; Eady, Michelle; Andersen, Peter

    2018-01-01

    There are many factors that impact student learning, with quality educators being one of the most important elements for student success. Accordingly, the promotion of quality teacher preparation programs has become a priority for tertiary institutions, researchers, policymakers, and practitioners. There is a known disparity between tertiary…

  10. Teacher's Assessment of the Quality of Their Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Davis, Voyia

    Thirty-eight teachers completed the Illinois Quality Schools Index Survey, which measured teachers' attitudes towards characteristics of quality schools. The majority of the teachers felt that the characteristics indicative of a quality school were often implemented in their school. Over half the teachers felt that their schools often or always…

  11. A Comparison of Teacher Quality in Math for Late Elementary and Middle School Students with and without Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gilmour, Allison F.; Henry, Gary T.

    2018-01-01

    Students with disabilities (SWDs) perform below their peers in math on national and state assessments. The quality of teachers who provide these students with math instruction is an unexamined variable that could influence this low achievement. We used data from more than 1 million students to compare the quality of teachers assigned to teach math…

  12. Teacher Turnover, Teacher Quality, and Student Achievement in DCPS

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adnot, Melinda; Dee, Thomas; Katz, Veronica; Wyckoff, James

    2017-01-01

    In practice, teacher turnover appears to have negative effects on school quality as measured by student performance. However, some simulations suggest that turnover can instead have large positive effects under a policy regime in which low-performing teachers can be accurately identified and replaced with more effective teachers. This study…

  13. Teacher's sleep quality: linked to social job characteristics?

    PubMed

    Kottwitz, Maria U; Gerhardt, Christin; Pereira, Diana; Iseli, Lionel; Elfering, Achim

    2018-02-07

    Besides dealing with high workload, being a teacher is challenging with respect to the social context. There is increasing evidence that adverse social job characteristics challenge sleep quality. The current study tests whether restraint sleep quality (defined as worse sleep quality before than during vacation) is related to time-related job stressors, job resources, and social job characteristics. Forty-eight elementary school teachers (42% women) participated both during the last week before and the first week after vacation. Before vacation, teachers were asked for demographics and working conditions with reference to the last 30 d, and sleep quality with reference to the last 7 d. After vacation sleep quality during vacation was assessed and used as reference for working time sleep quality. Results showed mean levels of sleep quality increased during vacation. In teachers with restrained working time sleep quality (38%), experiences of failure at work, social exclusion, and emotional dissonance were more frequent than in teachers with unrestrained working time sleep quality (Ps<0.05). Groups did not differ in time-related stressors, time control and social support from supervisors. Emotion work, social exclusion and individual experience of failure seem to challenge sleep quality in teachers.

  14. Testing Teacher Candidates: The Role of Licensure Tests in Improving Teacher Quality.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mitchell, Karen J., Ed.; Robinson, David Z., Ed.; Plake, Barbara S., Ed.; Knowles, Kaeli T., Ed.

    This book examines the appropriateness and technical quality of teacher licensure tests currently in use, evaluating teacher licensure tests and examining the use of tests to hold states and institutions of higher education accountable for the quality of teacher preparation and licensure. It also suggests alternatives for developing and assessing…

  15. The Hidden Factor in Early Field Experience: Teachers' Perception of the Quality of Life at Work.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Divins, Barbara; And Others

    This project identified work environment factors in eight schools where a teacher preparation program placed early field experience students and where the university students reported experiencing positive field placements. The purpose was to determine the impact of certain variables on teachers' perception of the quality of their own professional…

  16. When to trust our learners? Clinical teachers' perceptions of decision variables in the entrustment process.

    PubMed

    Duijn, Chantal C M A; Welink, Lisanne S; Bok, Harold G J; Ten Cate, Olle T J

    2018-06-01

    Clinical training programs increasingly use entrustable professional activities (EPAs) as focus of assessment. However, questions remain about which information should ground decisions to trust learners. This qualitative study aimed to identify decision variables in the workplace that clinical teachers find relevant in the elaboration of the entrustment decision processes. The findings can substantiate entrustment decision-making in the clinical workplace. Focus groups were conducted with medical and veterinary clinical teachers, using the structured consensus method of the Nominal Group Technique to generate decision variables. A ranking was made based on a relevance score assigned by the clinical teachers to the different decision variables. Field notes, audio recordings and flip chart lists were analyzed and subsequently translated and, as a form of axial coding, merged into one list, combining the decision variables that were similar in their meaning. A list of 11 and 17 decision variables were acknowledged as relevant by the medical and veterinary teacher groups, respectively. The focus groups yielded 21 unique decision variables that were considered relevant to inform readiness to perform a clinical task on a designated level of supervision. The decision variables consisted of skills, generic qualities, characteristics, previous performance or other information. We were able to group the decision variables into five categories: ability, humility, integrity, reliability and adequate exposure. To entrust a learner to perform a task at a specific level of supervision, a supervisor needs information to support such a judgement. This trust cannot be credited on a single case at a single moment of assessment, but requires different variables and multiple sources of information. This study provides an overview of decision variables giving evidence to justify the multifactorial process of making an entrustment decision.

  17. Qualities of Influential Literacy Teacher Educators

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wold, Linda S.; Young, Janet R.; Risko, Victoria J.

    2011-01-01

    An online survey of award-winning literacy teachers was conducted to determine the most influential qualities of literacy teacher educators in teacher preparation programs. Sixty-two recipients of literacy awards participated in the study, representing teachers of excellence from all U.S. geographic regions. Using a backward mapping process,…

  18. Teachers' and students' work-culture variables associated with positive school outcome.

    PubMed

    Goldwater, O D; Nutt, R L

    1999-01-01

    Little is known about the relationship between teachers' family-of-origin variables, impacting their work attitudes and interpersonal skills, and students' academic outcome. This study investigated whether goodness of fit between teachers' and students' backgrounds is associated with subjective grading and objective achievement at school. One hundred one seventh graders and twenty of their teachers completed the Self-Report Family Inventory. Similarity between teachers' and students' work-culture variables was associated with the subjective grading practices of teachers. The self-report data also revealed effective teacher and successful student profiles.

  19. Teacher Quality and Quality Teaching: Examining the Relationship of a Teacher Assessment to Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hill, Heather C.; Umland, Kristin; Litke, Erica; Kapitula, Laura R.

    2012-01-01

    Multiple-choice assessments are frequently used for gauging teacher quality. However, research seldom examines whether results from such assessments generalize to practice. To illuminate this issue, we compare teacher performance on a mathematics assessment, during mathematics instruction, and by student performance on a state assessment. Poor…

  20. Taking Teacher Quality Seriously: A Collaborative Approach to Teacher Evaluation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Karp, Stan

    2012-01-01

    If narrow, test-based evaluation of teachers is unfair, unreliable, and has negative effects on kids, classrooms, and curricula, what's a better approach? By demonizing teachers and unions, and sharply polarizing the education debate, the corporate reform movement has actually undermined serious efforts to improve teacher quality and evaluation.…

  1. Elevating Teacher Quality: Teacher Tenure Reform Applying Lessons from Other Fields

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martin, Kevin M.

    2016-01-01

    The increased pressure of changing how teacher evaluations are conducted and increasing the level of teacher quality are pushing schools to reform. Due to changes in state mandates and federal laws, schools are required to demonstrate teacher effectiveness and student growth in teacher evaluations to assure students are receiving top quality…

  2. Teacher Competence and Teacher Quality in Cambodia's Educational Context Linked to In-Service Teacher Training: An Examination Based on a Questionnaire Survey

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Phin, Chankea

    2014-01-01

    Competent teacher is an indispensable pillar for students' learning outcome and education quality improvement. This paper examines Cambodian teachers' perception regarding: (1) teacher competence and improving education quality and (2) ensuring teacher quality and in-service teacher training. This study used questionnaire that targeted a line of…

  3. Assessing the Productivity of Schools through Two "What Works" Inputs, "Teacher Quality" and "Teacher Effectiveness"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Skourdoumbis, Andrew

    2017-01-01

    This paper is a critique of the school education productivity evaluation and two research constructs germane to it, "teacher quality" and "teacher effectiveness." The paper will argue that policy inceptions of "teacher quality" and "teacher effectiveness" proxy for the productive capacity of schools and more…

  4. How to Improve the Supply of High-Quality Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hanushek, Eric Alan; Rivkin, Steven G.

    2004-01-01

    Virtually everybody interested in improving the performance of schools concentrates on the importance of teacher quality. Yet policy recommendations related to teacher quality frequently do not incorporate existing evidence about performance. This paper reviews the various strands of research related to teacher quality, including the role of…

  5. Education Quality and Teacher Salary.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Land, Arthur J.

    In view of the emphasis on money as a motivator mentioned in reports examining theoretical notions about teacher motivation, this paper focuses on the efficacy of using salary to attract quality teacher candidates. Although standarized testing and internship programs often supplement inadequate certification requirements, critics question the…

  6. On Teacher Quality in Independent Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Balossi, Matt; Hernandez, Natalia R.

    2016-01-01

    Independent schools pride themselves on providing a unique educational experience for students, one that is robust and mission-driven and capitalizes on lower student-to-teacher ratios that allow for more personalized learning and high-quality teachers. Numerous studies measure teacher effectiveness in public schools, yet there is little research…

  7. Handbook for Qualities of Effective Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stronge, James H.; Tucker, Pamela D.; Hindman, Jennifer L.

    2004-01-01

    This book makes it much easier to implement a staff development, teacher education, or self-help program to improve the six research-based teacher qualities that are most apt to raise student achievement. Use the dozens of assessments, observation guides, planning tools, and other resources to: (1) Strengthen teachers' verbal abilities, content…

  8. The Economic Value of Higher Teacher Quality. Working Paper 56

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hanushek, Eric A.

    2010-01-01

    Most analyses of teacher quality end without any assessment of the economic value of altered teacher quality. This paper combines information about teacher effectiveness with the economic impact of higher achievement. It begins with an overview of what is known about the relationship between teacher quality and student achievement, which provides…

  9. Teacher Quality, Job-Embedded Professional Development, and School-University Partnerships

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dana, Nancy Fichtman

    2010-01-01

    There are few conversations about teaching these days that do not include talk about teacher quality. Yet, within the conversations about improving teacher quality, the dialogue is often political--consumed with one-dimensional solutions for improving teacher quality, such as linking teacher pay to student performance. Absent from the pervasive…

  10. Teacher Quality. Education Policy White Paper

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wilson, Suzanne, Ed.

    2009-01-01

    Good teaching matters. There is persuasive evidence that students benefit from high quality instruction and that these benefits are cumulative for students who have good teachers for several years. Teacher effectiveness matters so much that low-income students lucky enough to have three very good teachers in a row in elementary school earn test…

  11. Effective Teacher Qualities from International Mathematics, Science, and Computer Teachers' Perspectives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sahin, Alpaslan; Adiguzel, Tufan

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to investigate how international teachers, who were from overseas but taught in the United States, rate effective teacher qualities in three domains; personal, professional, and classroom management skills. The study includes 130 international mathematics, science, and computer teachers who taught in a multi-school…

  12. Does Teacher Certification Program Lead to Better Quality Teachers? Evidence from Indonesia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kusumawardhani, Prita Nurmalia

    2017-01-01

    This paper examines the impact of the teacher certification program in Indonesia in 2007 and 2008 on student and teacher outcomes. I create a rule-based instrumental variable from discontinuities arising from the assignment mechanism of teachers into certification program. The thresholds are determined empirically. The study applies a two-sample…

  13. The Impact of Teacher Quality Grants on Long-Term Professional Development of Physical Science Teachers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Urquhart, Mary L.; Bober, Kendra M.

    2006-02-01

    The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Teacher Quality Grants, supported through No Child Left Behind, are intended to ensure that secondary teachers of specific subjects are "highly qualified". Now in their third year, these grants have done much to shape long-term professional development for teachers in the physical sciences at the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD). The grants have also created a suite of challenges and benefits for the UTD Science Education M.A.T. program. Teacher Quality Grants are based on the No Child Left Behind framework that requires teachers to be "highly qualified" as defined by the state. Recruitment is required to be targeted at teachers who are uncertified or teach one or more classes out of their content area and who work in high needs local school districts. Many of the students brought into our program through these grants have incoming content knowledge in physics similar to that typical of undergraduate non-majors, and a large percentage are uncomfortable with basic mathematics as well. How and what we teach has been dramatically impacted by the Teacher Quality Grants, as have our assessments and evaluations. An ongoing challenge has been to implement a Physics Education Research (PER)-based course design while meeting the specific requirements of the Teacher Quality Grant program. The Teacher Quality Grants have also provided a great deal of opportunity to new and existing teachers in our program. A barrier to our teachers, rising tuition costs, has been removed and as a result a mandate has become a doorway of opportunity for physical science teachers.

  14. Assessing the Quality of Teachers' Teaching Practices

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chen, Weiyun; Mason, Stephen; Staniszewski, Christina; Upton, Ashley; Valley, Megan

    2012-01-01

    This study assessed the extent to which nine elementary physical education teachers implemented the quality of teaching practices. Thirty physical education lessons taught by the nine teachers to their students in grades K-5 were videotaped. Four investigators coded the taped lessons using the Assessing Quality Teaching Rubric (AQTR) designed and…

  15. Out-of-Field Teaching: A Cross-National Study on Teacher Labor Market and Teacher Quality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zhou, Yisu

    2012-01-01

    In the past two decades, the issue of out-of-field teaching (OFT) has concerned policy makers and researchers alike who see raising teachers' subject matter knowledge as the main policy lever to improve teacher quality. The study of OFT has emerged as one of the important subfields of teacher quality and teacher labour market research.…

  16. Assessing Pre-Service Teachers' Quality Teaching Practices

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chen, Weiyun; Hendricks, Kristin; Archibald, Kelsi

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to design and validate the Assessing Quality Teaching Rubrics (AQTR) that assesses the pre-service teachers' quality teaching practices in a live lesson or a videotaped lesson. Twenty-one lessons taught by 13 Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) students were videotaped. The videotaped lessons were evaluated…

  17. Teachers' Burnout Levels in Terms of Some Variables

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koruklu, Nermin; Feyzioglu, Burak; Ozenoglu-kiremit, Hatice; Aladag, Elif

    2012-01-01

    The aim of this study is to examine burnout levels of secondary education teachers in terms of some variables. The study was conducted with descriptive survey model and 532 secondary education teachers working in Aydin in 2009-2010 academic year participated in the study. At the end of the study it was found that there was a significant difference…

  18. The Equitable Distribution of High-Quality Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bumgardner, Stan

    2010-01-01

    A new report by the National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality (TQ Center) highlights efforts across the nation to address a key point in the No Child Left Behind law and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)--the equitable distribution of high-quality teachers across all schools. Research consistently has pointed to effective…

  19. Examining Occupational Anxiety Level of Mathematics Teachers for Some Variables

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tasdemir, Cahit

    2015-01-01

    The research aims to examine the occupational anxiety level of Mathematics teacher candidates according to some variables. The research sample included a total of 132 prospective teachers studying in Mathematics Teaching at Siirt University, Faculty of Education in the spring term of 2104-2015 academic year. The "Teacher Concern…

  20. Profiles of Teacher-Child Interaction Quality in Preschool Classrooms and Teachers' Professional Competence Features

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hu, Bi Ying; Chen, Liang; Fan, Xitao

    2018-01-01

    This paper investigates early childhood education (ECE) teachers' self-reported and observed teacher-child interaction quality (TIQ) and the associated teachers' professional competence features using a latent profile analysis (LPA) approach to identify the variations in the quality of classroom experiences in Chinese preschools. A total of 164…

  1. Cultivating Effective Pedagogical Skills in In-Service Teachers: The Role of Some Teacher Variables

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Amusan, Mosunmola A.

    2016-01-01

    Researchers have opined that pedagogical skill of the teacher is a powerful force. This study investigated variables that are required to cultivate effective pedagogical skills for teaching basic science and technology (BST) in Ogun State Primary Schools in Nigeria. A survey research design was adopted. A total of 148 teachers across the state…

  2. State Teacher Policy Yearbook: Progress on Teacher Quality, 2007. Colorado State Summary

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Council on Teacher Quality, 2007

    2007-01-01

    The "State Teacher Policy Yearbook" examines what is arguably the single most powerful authority over the teaching profession: state government. This Colorado edition of the National Council on Teacher Quality's (NCTQ's) "State Teacher Policy Yearbook" is the first of what will be an annual look at the status of state policies…

  3. The Relationship between Internal Teacher Profiles and the Quality of Teacher-Child Interactions in Prekindergarten

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Decker-Woodrow, Lauren

    2018-01-01

    This study investigates the relationship between internal teacher profiles and pre-K teacher-child interaction quality in the pre-K classroom. Two questions were addressed: (1) What internal profiles exist for pre-kindergarten (pre-K) teachers? and (2) Do internal profiles relate to observed structural and process quality in the pre-K classroom?…

  4. Building Teacher Quality in the Kansas City, Missouri School District

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Corso, Aileen; Franck, Valerie; Kelliher, Kate; McCorry, Betsy

    2011-01-01

    This study looks at the policies and practices shaping teacher quality in the Kansas City, Missouri School District (KCMSD). It is part of a series of analyses by the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) in school districts across the nation. Framing this analysis are five policy goals for improving teacher quality: (1) Staffing. Teacher…

  5. Does Teacher Quality Affect Student Achievement? An Empirical Study in Indonesia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sirait, Swando

    2016-01-01

    The objective of this study is to examine the relationship between teacher qualities in relation to student achievement in Indonesia. Teacher quality in this study defines as teacher evaluation score, in the areas of professional and pedagogic competency. The result of this study consonant to previous study that teacher quality, in term of teacher…

  6. Variables Influencing Teacher Autonomy, Administrative Coordination, and Collaboration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Prichard, Caleb; Moore, Jana E.

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: Schools often vary in how they balance teacher autonomy (TA) and administrative control, and research suggests that there may be several context-specific variables which may be influential. The purpose of this paper is to determine the influence of program variables on the level of TA, administrative coordination, and administration-staff…

  7. Comparisons of Selected Student and Teacher Variables in All-Girls and Coeducational Physical Education Environments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Derry, Julie A.; Phillips, D. Allen

    2004-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate selected student and teacher variables and compare the differences between these variables for female students and female teachers in coeducation and single-sex physical education classes. Eighteen female teachers and intact classes were selected; 9 teachers from coeducation and 9 teachers from…

  8. Raising the Bar: Ethics Education for Quality Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boon, Helen

    2011-01-01

    Since the 1970s an "ethics boom" has occurred to counter the disappearance of ethics education from tertiary institutions. This "boom" appears to be absent from teacher education programs in Australia and the United States. Given persistent calls to enhance teacher quality this is problematic because quality teaching is…

  9. The Student-Teacher Relationship Quality of Abused Children

    PubMed Central

    Haskett, Mary E.; Hawkins, Amy L.

    2016-01-01

    Considering the association between children’s quality of relationships with teachers and their academic adjustment, information pertaining to how abused children are functioning in their relationships with teachers could be useful in promoting their academic success— yet there has been limited research in this area. The purpose of this study was to use cluster analyses to explore within-group differences in relational schemas and quality of student-teacher relationships for 70 abused children. Two clusters of abused children emerged, and as hypothesized, there were significant differences in student-teacher relationships for the two clusters. The cluster with more positive relational schemas had less conflict and less dependency reported by their teachers compared to the cluster with negative relational schemas. However, there were no differences between the clusters in terms of closeness with teachers. Implications for practice in schools is discussed. PMID:28713179

  10. Teachers' and Students' Work-Culture Variables Associated with Positive School Outcome.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goldwater, Orna D.; Nutt, Roberta L.

    1999-01-01

    Investigates whether goodness of fit between teachers' and students' backgrounds is associated with subjective grading and objective achievement at school. One hundred one seventh graders and twenty of their teachers completed the Self-Report Family Inventory. Similarity between teachers' and students' work-culture variables was associated with…

  11. Raising Teacher Quality around the World

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stewart, Vivien

    2011-01-01

    Contrary to what many people assume, writes Stewart, a high-quality teacher workforce is not the simple result of some traditional cultural respect for teachers that exists in some countries. Rather, it requires deliberate policy choices. In a tour of seven countries that traditionally score high on international tests of student performance…

  12. Teacher-Child Relationship Quality: The Roles of Child Temperament and Teacher-Child Interactions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rudasill, Kathleen Moritz; Rimm-Kaufman, Sara E.

    2009-01-01

    Young children's relationships with teachers predict social and academic success. This study examines contributions of child temperament (shyness, effortful control) and gender to teacher-child relationship quality both directly and indirectly through the frequency of teacher-child interactions in the classroom. Using an NICHD SECCYD sample of 819…

  13. Teacher Quality Indicators as Predictors of Instructional Assessment Practices in Science Classrooms in Secondary Schools in Barbados

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ogunkola, Babalola J.; Archer-Bradshaw, Ramona E.

    2013-02-01

    This study investigated the self-reported instructional assessment practices of a selected sample of secondary school science teachers in Barbados. The study sought to determine if there were statistically significant differences in the instructional assessment practices of teachers based on their sex and teacher quality (teaching experience, professional qualification and teacher academic qualification). It also sought to determine the extent to which each of these four selected variables individually and jointly affected the teachers' report of their instructional assessment practices. A sample of 55 science teachers from nine secondary schools in Barbados was randomly selected to participate in this study. Data was collected by means of a survey and was analyzed using the means and standard deviations of the instructional assessment practices scores and linear, multiple and binary logistic regression. The results of the study were such that the majority of the sample reported good overall instructional assessment practices while only a few participants reported moderate assessment practices. The instructional assessment practices in the area of student knowledge were mostly moderate as indicated by the sample. There were no statistically significant differences between or among the mean scores of the teachers' reported instructional assessment practices based on sex ( t = 0.10; df = 53; p = 0.992), teaching experience ( F[4,50] = 1.766; p = 0.150), the level of professional qualification (F[3,45] = 0.2117; p = 0.111) or the level of academic qualification (F[2,52] = 0.504; p = 0.607). The independent variables (teacher sex, teaching experience, teacher professional qualification or teacher academic qualification) were not significant predictors of the instructional assessment practices scores. However, teacher sex was a significant predictor of the teachers' report of good instructional assessment practices. The study also found that the joint effect of the

  14. Contemporary Technologies to Improve the Quality of Education When Training Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sibgatullina, Alfiya

    2015-01-01

    The article considers contemporary technologies to improve the quality of teachers' education (as exemplified by the training of foreign language teachers). The author presents analysis of the "quality of education" concept, proposes and analyzes the criteria for assessing the quality of education of future foreign language teachers.…

  15. State Teacher Policy Yearbook: Progress on Teacher Quality, 2007. New Jersey State Summary

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Council on Teacher Quality, 2007

    2007-01-01

    The "State Teacher Policy Yearbook" examines what is arguably the single most powerful authority over the teaching profession: state government. This New Jersey edition of the National Council on Teacher Quality's (NCTQ's) "State Teacher Policy Yearbook" is the first of what will be an annual look at the status of state…

  16. State Teacher Policy Yearbook: Progress on Teacher Quality, 2007. New Mexico State Summary

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Council on Teacher Quality, 2007

    2007-01-01

    The "State Teacher Policy Yearbook" examines what is arguably the single most powerful authority over the teaching profession: state government. This New Mexico edition of the National Council on Teacher Quality's (NCTQ's) "State Teacher Policy Yearbook" is the first of what will be an annual look at the status of state…

  17. State Teacher Policy Yearbook: Progress on Teacher Quality, 2007. New Hampshire State Summary

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Council on Teacher Quality, 2007

    2007-01-01

    The "State Teacher Policy Yearbook" examines what is arguably the single most powerful authority over the teaching profession: state government. This New Hampshire edition of the National Council on Teacher Quality's (NCTQ's) "State Teacher Policy Yearbook" is the first of what will be an annual look at the status of state…

  18. Globalization and the Preparation of Quality Teachers: Rethinking Knowledge Domains for Teaching

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goodwin, A. Lin

    2010-01-01

    Preparing quality teachers has become a global concern as all nations strive for excellence at all levels. Yet, there is little consensus around what constitutes quality and how quality teachers might best be attained. This article takes up the issue of quality teacher preparation by exploring several pivotal questions: What might quality teaching…

  19. Quality in Preschool Education: The Views of Teachers and Assistant Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Karademir, Abdulhamit; Cingi, Mehmet Akif; Dereli, Fatih; Akman, Berrin

    2017-01-01

    As the importance attached to preschool education has increased in recent years, researchers have begun to discuss the quality of educational and care services. This study aims to show the views of assistant teachers working at preschool educational institutions concerning quality, investigate their influence on quality, and reveal the effect of…

  20. Does Teacher Testing Raise Teacher Quality? Evidence from State Certification Requirements

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Angrist, Joshua D.; Guryan, Jonathan

    2008-01-01

    The education reform movement includes efforts to raise teacher quality through stricter certification and licensing provisions. Most US states now require public school teachers to pass a standardized test such as the Praxis. Although any barrier to entry is likely to raise wages in the affected occupation, the theoretical effects of such…

  1. The Elusiveness of Teacher Quality: A Comparative Analysis of Teacher Certification and Student Achievement in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Countries

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wiseman, Alexander W.; Al-bakr, Fawziah

    2013-01-01

    In national education systems worldwide, teacher quality has become synonymous with education reform efforts, but a more elusive goal is empirically measuring teacher quality. One proposed measure of teacher quality, teacher licensing, also known as certification, is an increasingly ubiquitous component of national education systems and…

  2. Developing Evidence & Gathering Data about Teacher Education Program Quality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    American Association of State Colleges and Universities, 2007

    2007-01-01

    Linking teacher practice to pupil outcomes has proven challenging for teacher educators. Methodological problems occur when linking individual teacher actions with subsequent pupil performance, including substantial intervening variables, questions about appropriate measures of student learning, issues regarding the lack of test standardization…

  3. Teacher Quality 2.0: Toward a New Era in Education Reform

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hess, Frederick M., Ed.; McShane, Michael Q., Ed.

    2014-01-01

    In "Teacher Quality 2.0," American Enterprise Institute (AEI) education experts Frederick M. Hess and Michael Q. McShane convene a diverse array of contributors to examine fruitful innovations that promise to improve teacher quality in a more strategic way. Much of the cutting-edge work in teacher quality is happening in nontraditional…

  4. Teaching Quality and Performance among Experienced Teachers in Malaysia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Abd Hamid, Siti Rafiah; Syed Hassan, Sharifah Sariah; Ismail, Nik Ahmad Hisham

    2012-01-01

    The role of teachers has evolved from merely being teacher-centered to one that is student centered and the skills required for a quality teacher are changing too. Assessing teacher's effectiveness will not be a straight forward attempt by solely examining students' achievements or students' perceptions of their teachers' attributes. A careful…

  5. Teacher Quality: What You Need to Know

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Joyce Foundation, 2010

    2010-01-01

    Once kids walk in the school door, the most important factor for how well they learn is the quality of their teachers. Having good teachers is important for all kids. But it's especially important for kids who are falling behind. Research shows that students who are taught by a really good teacher can make as much as a year and a half's worth of…

  6. The Quality of Vocational Teachers: Teacher Education, Institutional Roles and Professional Reality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Grollmann, Philipp

    2008-01-01

    What are quality vocational teachers? This article analyzes the different factors exerting an influence on the professional knowledge, practices and performance of teaching staff involved in technical and vocational education and training (TVET). The international variety of vocational teacher education patterns, profiles and recruitment practices…

  7. Teacher and Student Variables Affecting Special Education Evaluation and Referral

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Woodson, Lorenzo Adrian

    2017-01-01

    Past research has revealed that African American/Black boys are referred for special education evaluation at disproportionately higher rates than boys of other racial/ethnic groups. This correlational study used survey methodology to examine whether student and teacher demographic variables predicted how likely a teacher would refer boy students…

  8. State Teacher Policy Yearbook: Progress on Teacher Quality, 2007. National Summary

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Council on Teacher Quality, 2007

    2007-01-01

    Countless reports have analyzed the impact of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 on teacher quality and student achievement. What many of these reports truly leave behind, however, is the reality that state governments--not the federal government--have the strongest impact on the work of America's 3.1 million teachers. With that in mind, three…

  9. Improving Teacher Quality 2007 Grant Awards. Commission Report 07-23

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    California Postsecondary Education Commission, 2007

    2007-01-01

    The Improving Teacher Quality Program recently concluded its 2007 competition to select grantees who will provide high-quality teacher professional development over the next several years. Teachers in grades K-2 were the focus of this year's Request for Proposals (RFP). As required in the last two rounds of competition, the selected projects must…

  10. Are middle school mathematics teachers able to solve word problems without using variable?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gökkurt Özdemir, Burçin; Erdem, Emrullah; Örnek, Tuğba; Soylu, Yasin

    2018-01-01

    Many people consider problem solving as a complex process in which variables such as x, y are used. Problems may not be solved by only using 'variable.' Problem solving can be rationalized and made easier using practical strategies. When especially the development of children at younger ages is considered, it is obvious that mathematics teachers should solve problems through concrete processes. In this context, middle school mathematics teachers' skills to solve word problems without using variables were examined in the current study. Through the case study method, this study was conducted with 60 middle school mathematics teachers who have different professional experiences in five provinces in Turkey. A test consisting of five open-ended word problems was used as the data collection tool. The content analysis technique was used to analyze the data. As a result of the analysis, it was seen that the most of the teachers used trial-and-error strategy or area model as the solution strategy. On the other hand, the teachers who solved the problems using variables such as x, a, n or symbols such as Δ, □, ○, * and who also felt into error by considering these solutions as without variable were also seen in the study.

  11. Parental stress, family quality of life, and family-teacher partnerships: Families of children with autism spectrum disorder.

    PubMed

    Hsiao, Yun-Ju; Higgins, Kyle; Pierce, Tom; Whitby, Peggy J Schaefer; Tandy, Richard D

    2017-11-01

    Reducing parental stress and improving family quality of Life (FQOL) are continuing concerns for families of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Family-teacher partnerships have been identified as a positive factor to help parents reduce their stress and improve their FQOL. However, the interrelations among parental stress, FQOL, and family-teacher partnerships need to be further examined so as to identify the possible paths to help parents reduce their stress and improve their FQOL. The purpose of this study was to examine the interrelations among these three variables. A total of 236 parents of school children with ASD completed questionnaires, which included three measures: (a) the Beach Center Family Quality of Life Scale, (b) the Parental Stress Scale, and (c) the Beach Center Family-Professional Partnerships Scale. The structural equation modeling was used to analyze the interrelations among these three variables. Perceived parental stress had a direct effect on parental satisfaction concerning FQOL and vice versa. Perceived family-teacher partnerships had a direct effect on FQOL, but did not have a direct effect on parental stress. However, family-teacher partnerships had an indirect effect on parental stress through FQOL. Reducing parental stress could improve FQOL for families of children with ASD and vice versa. Strong family-teacher partnerships could help parents of children with ASD improve their FQOL and indirectly reduce their stress. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. The Concept of Quality in Cambodian Teacher Training: A Philosophical Ethnography

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stanfill, Enoch M.

    2016-01-01

    Research shows that quality teachers are the single most significant influence on the quality of education available to students. This recognition of the importance of quality teachers on quality education is reflected in goal 6 of the EFA: Quality Education. EFA proxies for quality, however, are dubious measures of the concept......What does the…

  13. Teachers' Voices: Work Environment Conditions That Impact Teacher Practice and Program Quality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Whitebook, Marcy; King, Elizabeth; Philipp, George; Sakai, Laura

    2016-01-01

    Early childhood teachers routinely face insufficient teaching supports and inadequate rewards for their education and commitment (e.g., low pay, lack of professional supports, and lack of benefits). These shortcomings contribute to poor program quality and fuel high levels of teacher turnover, preventing program improvement and making it…

  14. The Relationship between Quality of Discourse during Teacher Induction Classes and Beginning Teachers' Beliefs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Decker, Anna-Theresia; Kunter, Mareike; Voss, Thamar

    2015-01-01

    This study investigates whether the quality of discourse during teacher induction classes predicts beginning teachers' reflection and beliefs about teaching and learning mathematics. In a study with repeated measurements (interval 10 months), transmissive and constructivist beliefs of 536 German teacher candidates in their 2-year induction phase…

  15. The Distribution of Teacher Quality and Implications for Policy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hanushek, Eric A.; Rivkin, Steven G.

    2012-01-01

    It has become commonplace to measure teacher quality in terms of teacher value-added. Operationally, this means evaluating teachers according to the learning gains of students on various achievement tests. Existing research consistently shows large variations in teacher effectiveness, much of which is within schools as opposed to between schools.…

  16. Building Teacher Quality in Baltimore City Public Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Council on Teacher Quality, 2010

    2010-01-01

    At the request of the Education Reform Project of the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland, the National Council on Teacher Quality undertook an analysis of the teacher policies in the Baltimore City Public Schools. Its analysis looks at the teachers' contract, school board rules and state laws. It also collected personnel data from the…

  17. Quality professional development for secondary science teachers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mchazlett, Dwight Henry, Jr.

    This record of study (ROS) explores the perceptions of three high school biology teachers who implemented a form of the Japanese originated Lesson Study Professional Development (LS PD) model. Additionally, this ROS reports on the perceptions of the internal stakeholders with regard to the model's viability as a potential solution to a proposed problem of practice where there was a lack of quality professional development for secondary biology teachers. The audience of internal stakeholders includes district administrators, high school teachers, and science teachers from the elementary and middle school grade levels. Participants of this study collaboratively explored the problem of practice in the fall semester of 2015, then implemented the LS PD model in the spring semester. The participants completed three cycles of LS that focused on collaboratively designing research-based lessons, teaching the lessons with peer observations, revising and re-teaching the lessons with peer observations, and reflecting on the participants' growth experiences. Four research questions were addressed: (a) What are the perceptions of the participants in regard to their own professional growth as a result of participating in the LS initiative? (b) What improvements to the LS PD model might facilitate future implementation? and (c) What are the perceptions of the LS dissemination audience toward LS as a viable solution to a lack of quality PD for secondary biology teachers? Results of the study suggested that LS PD may be a viable solution to the proposed problem of practice where there is a lack of quality professional development for secondary biology teachers. Long-term implications posit that LS PD can be adapted and scaled up to benefit all content areas and grade levels.

  18. Austin, Texas: An Educator/Business Collaboration in Support of Teacher Compensation Reform. Teacher Compensation and Teacher Quality: Policy Brief

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Committee for Economic Development, 2013

    2013-01-01

    In its 2009 report "Teacher Compensation and Teacher Quality," the Committee for Economic Development urged business leaders to be active participants in school district deliberations about teacher compensation policies. The Committee for Economic Development (CED) noted that "business leaders can make the case to the public that…

  19. In Pursuit of Teacher Quality: Three Models of Success.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dandy, Evelyn; O'Dell, Sandra; McKinney, Marilyn; Perkins, Peggy G.; Miller, Susan Peterson; Reiman, Alan; Peace, Sandra DeAngelis; Williams, Doris Terry; Duncan, JoAnn Hines

    This document is comprised of three papers by various authors, summarizing three different models of programs that successfully promote teacher quality that were introduced at the National Conference on Teacher Quality in January 2000, hosted by the U.S. Department of Education. The first program described, the Pathways to Teaching Program of…

  20. Teacher organizational citizenship behaviours and job efficacy: Implications for student quality of school life.

    PubMed

    Jimmieson, Nerina L; Hannam, Rachel L; Yeo, Gillian B

    2010-08-01

    The present study investigated the impact of teachers' organizational citizenship behaviours (OCBs) on student quality of school life (SQSL) via the indirect effect of job efficacy. A measure of teacher OCBs was developed, tapping one dimension of individual-focused OCB (OCBI - student-directed behaviour) and two dimensions of organization-focused OCB (OCBO - civic virtue and professional development). In line with previous research suggesting that OCBs may enhance job efficacy, as well as studies demonstrating the positive effects of teacher efficacy on student outcomes, we expected an indirect relationship between teachers OCBs and SQSL via teachers' job efficacy. Hypotheses were tested in a multi-level design in which 170 teachers and their students (N=3,057) completed questionnaires. A significant proportion of variance in SQSL was attributable to classroom factors. Analyses revealed that the civic virtue and professional development behaviours of teachers were positively related to their job efficacy. The job efficacy of teachers also had a positive impact on all five indicators of SQSL. In regards to professional development, job efficacy acted as an indirect variable in the prediction of four student outcomes (i.e., general satisfaction, student-teacher relations, achievement, and opportunity) and fully mediated the direct negative effect on psychological distress.

  1. Teacher Quality, Professionalism and Professional Development: Findings from a European Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hilton, Gillian; Flores, Maria Assunção; Niklasson, Laila

    2013-01-01

    This paper presents and discusses findings from a European project concerning strengthening the teacher's voice in defining professional quality. In the project tools were developed and evaluated to help teachers reflect on their professional quality. Twelve countries participated and twelve tools were tested with help of student teachers,…

  2. How Teachers' Self-Efficacy Is Related to Instructional Quality: A Longitudinal Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Holzberger, Doris; Philipp, Anja; Kunter, Mareike

    2013-01-01

    This study extends previous research on teachers' self-efficacy by exploring reciprocal effects of teachers' self-efficacy and instructional quality in a longitudinal panel study. The study design combined a self-report measure of teacher self-efficacy with teacher and student ratings of instructional quality (assessing cognitive activation,…

  3. Variables Associated with First Year Teacher Morale Which Can Be Identified in a Teacher Education Program.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thomson, James R., Jr.; Schuck, Robert F.

    This paper presents a study of the personal variables associated with first-year teacher morale that can be identified early in the training programs of novice teachers. This study is based on data derived from 96 (76.6 percent) of the graduates teaching in Mississippi. Data were collected through the use of five special instruments: (1)…

  4. Teacher Salaries and the Shortage of High-Quality Teachers in China's Rural Primary and Secondary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Xuehui, An

    2018-01-01

    Teacher salary level and structure are not only important factors affecting the supply of primary and secondary school teachers, but they are also crucial to attracting, training, and retaining high-quality teachers, thereby impacting the overall quality of education and teaching in schools. The reform of China's basic education management system…

  5. Teacher Career Paths, Teacher Quality, and Persistence in the Classroom: Are Schools Keeping Their Best? Working Paper 29

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goldhaber, Dan; Gross, Betheny; Player, Daniel

    2009-01-01

    Most studies that have fueled alarm over the attrition and mobility rates of teachers have relied on proxy indicators of teacher quality, even though these proxies correlate only weakly with student performance. This paper examines the attrition and mobility of early-career teachers of varying quality using value-added measures of teacher…

  6. Examining Preservice Science Teachers' Skills of Formulating Hypotheses and Identifying Variables

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aydogdu, Bülent

    2015-01-01

    The aim of this study is to examine preservice science teachers' skills of formulating hypotheses and identifying variables. The research has a phenomenological research design. The data was gathered qualitatively. In this study, preservice science teachers were first given two scenarios (Scenario-1 & Scenario-2) containing two different…

  7. Hiring Quality Teachers: The Devil Is in the Details

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Whitworth, Jerry; Deering, Thomas; Jones, Steve; Hardy, Sam

    2016-01-01

    Persistent and consistent criticism of our nation's educational system has increased pressure on school districts and teacher education programs to improve the quality of teachers in our public schools. While there is research regarding the characteristics of effective teachers, the difficulty is often in identifying and hiring those teacher…

  8. Teacher Turnover, Teacher Quality, and Student Achievement in DCPS. CEPA Working Paper No. 16-03

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adnot, Melinda; Dee, Thomas; Katz, Veronica; Wyckoff, James

    2016-01-01

    In practice, teacher turnover appears to have negative effects on school quality as measured by student performance. However, some simulations suggest that turnover can instead have large, positive effects under a policy regime in which low-performing teachers can be accurately identified and replaced with more effective teachers. This study…

  9. New Pathways for Teachers, New Promises for Students: A Vision for Developing Excellent Teachers. Teacher Quality 2.0. Special Report 3

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Knowles, Timothy

    2013-01-01

    This paper outlines a set of ideas for improving teacher quality in America's schools. In it, the author proposes a combination of incremental steps and ambitious ones, designed to stimulate policymakers, practitioners, and the public to accelerate efforts to develop high-quality teachers. The paper has four main sections. First, the author…

  10. The influence of fidelity of implementation on teacher-student interaction quality in the context of a randomized controlled trial of the Responsive Classroom approach.

    PubMed

    Abry, Tashia; Rimm-Kaufman, Sara E; Larsen, Ross A; Brewer, Alexis J

    2013-08-01

    This study examined the direct and indirect effects between training in the Responsive Classroom® (RC) approach, teachers' uptake of RC practices, and teacher-student interaction quality, using a structural equation modeling framework. A total of 24 schools were randomly assigned to experimental or control conditions. Third- and fourth-grade teachers in treatment schools (n=132) received training in the RC approach, whereas teachers in control schools (n=107) continued "business as usual." Observers rated teachers' fidelity of implementation (FOI) of RC practices 5 times throughout the year using the Classroom Practices Observation Measure. In addition, teachers completed self-report measures of FOI, the Classroom Practices Teacher Survey and Classroom Practices Frequency Survey, at the end of the school year. Teacher-student interactions were rated during classroom observations using the Classroom Assessment Scoring System. Controlling for teachers' grade level and teacher-student interaction quality at pretest, RC training was expected to predict posttest teacher-student interaction quality directly and indirectly through FOI. Results supported only a significant indirect effect, β=0.85, p=.002. Specifically, RC teachers had higher levels of FOI of RC practices, β=1.62, p<.001, R2=.69. In turn, FOI related to greater improvement in teacher-student interaction quality, β=0.52, p=.001, R2=.32. Discussion highlights factors contributing to variability in FOI and school administrators roles in supporting FOI. Copyright © 2013 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Quality of Work Life: Perceptions of Jordanian Special Education Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Al-Zboon, Eman K.; Al_Dababneh, Khuloud A. H.; Ahmad, Jamal

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of the current study was to investigate the level of quality of work life QOWL of Jordanian special education teachers. Participants of the study were 133 special education teachers. Results showed that special education teachers cited average level of QOWL. Furthermore, teachers rated administrators' and colleagues' respect as the…

  12. Characteristics of High-Quality Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jones, Jason E.; Gulek, James C.

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the characteristics of high-quality teachers who used a structured mathematics program for teaching, namely the Math Achievement Program (MAP[superscript 2]D), which demonstrated significant gains on student achievement as measured by California's Standards Test (CST) in mathematics. Specifically, the…

  13. Teacher Quality, Appraisal and Development: The Flaws in the IQMS

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    De Clerq, Francine

    2008-01-01

    This article addresses the issue of how to monitor and develop the quality of teaching in schools by identifying the international lessons of teacher appraisal, monitoring and support systems and by interrogating the recently introduced South African Integrated Quality Management System (IQMS). The aim is to show why teacher monitoring and…

  14. Parents' and Teachers' Perceptions of Quality in Portuguese Childcare Classrooms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barros, Sílvia; Leal, Teresa B.

    2015-01-01

    The main goal of this study was to examine parents' and teachers' perceptions of quality in early childhood education for toddlers in Portugal. A total of 110 parents and 110 teachers participated in the study, rating the importance of specific quality criteria and assessing childcare classrooms, based on the Infant/Toddler Environment Rating…

  15. Access to High Quality Teachers for All Students. Information Brief

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mid-Atlantic Equity Center, 2009

    2009-01-01

    One of the most important factors in a high quality education is the knowledge, experience, and capability of the classroom teacher. There is strong evidence that having a high-quality teacher affects learning and is an important factor in explaining student test score gains (Clotfelter, Ladd, & Vigdor, 2007; Darling-Hammond, 2000;…

  16. The Indicators of the Quality and Changes of Teachers' Work

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fuzi, Beatrix; Suplicz, Sándor

    2016-01-01

    We present the indicators chosen for the determination of the quality of teacher's work: their popularity, effectiveness and disposition. As part of an empirical research project, their suitability as indicators was examined. It was discussed if a significant change can occur in the teachers' quality spontaneously or as a result of mentoring. To…

  17. Teacher Resilience in High-Poverty Schools: How Do High-Quality Teachers Become Resilient?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Merrill, Kate Mansi

    2013-01-01

    The primary purpose of this study was to understand how high-quality teachers who began their career through Teach For America (TFA) became resilient while teaching in challenging, high-poverty schools. A secondary purpose of this study was to ascertain how, if at all, the teaching experiences of TFA teachers who stayed in the profession differed…

  18. The Student-Teacher Relationship Quality of Abused Children

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Armstrong, Jenna Montgomery; Haskett, Mary E.; Hawkins, Amy L.

    2017-01-01

    Considering the association between children's quality of relationships with teachers and their academic adjustment, information pertaining to how abused children are functioning in their relationships with teachers could be useful in promoting their academic success--yet there has been limited research in this area. The purpose of this study was…

  19. Texas Water Quality Board Teachers Workshop Program.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Texas Water Quality Board, Austin.

    These materials are designed for teachers participating in an inservice workshop on water quality. Included in the materials are a workshop agenda, a water awareness pretest, and the various parameters and tests that are used to determine and measure water quality. The parameters are discussed from the standpoint of their potential impact to…

  20. 34 CFR 611.1 - What definitions apply to the Teacher Quality Enhancement Grants Program?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 34 Education 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false What definitions apply to the Teacher Quality... Education (Continued) OFFICE OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TEACHER QUALITY ENHANCEMENT GRANTS PROGRAM General Provisions § 611.1 What definitions apply to the Teacher Quality Enhancement...

  1. 34 CFR 611.1 - What definitions apply to the Teacher Quality Enhancement Grants Program?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 34 Education 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false What definitions apply to the Teacher Quality... Education (Continued) OFFICE OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TEACHER QUALITY ENHANCEMENT GRANTS PROGRAM General Provisions § 611.1 What definitions apply to the Teacher Quality Enhancement...

  2. 34 CFR 611.1 - What definitions apply to the Teacher Quality Enhancement Grants Program?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 34 Education 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false What definitions apply to the Teacher Quality... Education (Continued) OFFICE OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TEACHER QUALITY ENHANCEMENT GRANTS PROGRAM General Provisions § 611.1 What definitions apply to the Teacher Quality Enhancement...

  3. Exploring the Relationship between Teacher Retention and Selected Educational Variables in Title I High Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Garza, Brandon

    2011-01-01

    Teacher retention is the ability of schools to retain teachers on a yearly basis. Research is available addressing the importance of schools retaining teachers. Teachers leave schools for a variety of reasons, some of which can be affected by educational variables. While studies have provided data that indicate the number of teachers who leave,…

  4. Principals' Hiring of Teachers in Philadelphia Schools: A Research Report on Improving Teacher Quality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ramirez, Heidi A.; Schofield, Lynne Steuerle; Black, Melissa

    2009-01-01

    The School District of Philadelphia (SDP), like many other urban school districts, struggles to increase its hiring and retention of experienced and highly qualified teachers in its low-performing/high-need schools. Toward the goal of improving teacher quality and the experience balance, particularly in hard-to-staff schools, the Philadelphia…

  5. Dynamic Variables of Science Classroom Discourse in Relation to Teachers' Instructional Beliefs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kaya, Sibel

    2014-01-01

    The current study examines if the occurrence of dynamic variables namely, authentic questions, uptake, high-level evaluation and student questions in primary science classrooms vary by teachers' instructional beliefs. Twelve 4th grade teachers from two different schools volunteered to participate in the study. Data was collected through…

  6. Teacher and child predictors of achieving IEP goals of children with autism.

    PubMed

    Ruble, Lisa; McGrew, John H

    2013-12-01

    It is encouraging that children with autism show a strong response to early intervention, yet more research is needed for understanding the variability in responsiveness to specialized programs. Treatment predictor variables from 47 teachers and children who were randomized to receive the COMPASS intervention (Ruble et al. in The collaborative model for promoting competence and success for students with ASD. Springer, New York, 2012a) were analyzed. Predictors evaluated against child IEP goal attainment included child, teacher, intervention practice, and implementation practice variables based on an implementation science framework (Dunst and Trivette in J Soc Sci 8:143-148, 2012). Findings revealed one child (engagement), one teacher (exhaustion), two intervention quality (IEP quality for targeted and not targeted elements), and no implementation quality variables accounted for variance in child outcomes when analyzed separately. When the four significant variables were compared against each other in a single regression analysis, IEP quality accounted for one quarter of the variance in child outcomes.

  7. Teacher and Child Predictors of Achieving IEP Goals of Children with Autism

    PubMed Central

    Ruble, Lisa; McGrew, John H.

    2013-01-01

    It is encouraging that children with autism show a strong response to early intervention, yet more research is needed for understanding the variability in responsiveness to specialized programs. Treatment predictor variables from 47 teachers and children who were randomized to receive the COMPASS intervention (Ruble et al. in The collaborative model for promoting competence and success for students with ASD. Springer, New York, 2012a) were analyzed. Predictors evaluated against child IEP goal attainment included child, teacher, intervention practice, and implementation practice variables based on an implementation science framework (Dunst and Trivette in J Soc Sci 8:143–148, 2012). Findings revealed one child (engagement), one teacher (exhaustion), two intervention quality (IEP quality for targeted and not targeted elements), and no implementation quality variables accounted for variance in child outcomes when analyzed separately. When the four significant variables were compared against each other in a single regression analysis, IEP quality accounted for one quarter of the variance in child outcomes. PMID:23838728

  8. The Influence of the Antecedent Variable on the Teachers' Performance through Achievement Motivation in Senior High School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dewi, Erni R.; Bundu, Patta; Tahmir, Suradi

    2016-01-01

    This study aims at analysing whether the antecedent variable directly affects the performance of the high school teachers or not. In addition, this research strives to find out whether the antecedent variable indirectly affects the teachers' performance through the achievement motivation of the high school teachers. It was a quantitative research…

  9. The association between organizational behavior factors and health-related quality of life among college teachers: a cross-sectional study.

    PubMed

    Liu, Chuan; Wang, Shu; Shen, Xue; Li, Mengyao; Wang, Lie

    2015-06-20

    College teachers in China are confronted with a lot of pressure from teaching, researching and living. They are suffering from impaired physical and mental health. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between organizational behavior factors and college teachers' health related quality of life (HRQOL), and to confirm whether they are positive resources for improving teachers' HRQOL. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Shenyang, China, from January to April 2014. Participants were composed of 965 teachers randomly selected from five representative colleges in Shenyang. Self-administrated questionnaires containing the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), the Chinese version Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PCQ), and scales assessing group identification, POS, and psychological empowerment were used to measure HRQOL and organizational behavior variables of college teachers. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis (HMR) was performed to explore the effects of organizational behavior variables on college teachers' HRQOL. The mean (SD) scores of physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) among college teachers were 71.43 (14.70) and 65.46 (16.55) respectively in the study population. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed that group identification (β = 0.121, P < 0.001) and PsyCap (β = 0.336, P < 0.001) were significant predictors of PCS, while group identification (β = 0.107, P < 0.001), POS (β = 0.124, P = 0.003), psychological empowerment (β = 0.093, P = 0.017) and PsyCap (β = 0.421, P < 0.001) were significant predictors of MCS. Chinese college teachers experienced relatively low level of HRQOL and their mental quality of life (QOL) were impaired more seriously than physical QOL. Organizational behavior factors (PsyCap, group identification, POS and psychological empowerment) were strong predictors of college teachers' HRQOL and are

  10. Is Teacher Knowledge Associated with Performance? On the Relationship between Teachers' General Pedagogical Knowledge and Instructional Quality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    König, Johannes; Pflanzl, Barbara

    2016-01-01

    Researchers have identified general pedagogical knowledge (GPK) as a relevant category of teacher knowledge. However, hardly any study has examined the relationship between GPK of teachers and the instructional quality delivered to their students. This article therefore investigates the relationship between teachers' GPK assessed via a…

  11. QUALITY CONTROL - VARIABILITY IN PROTOCOLS

    EPA Science Inventory

    The EPA Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory’s Quality Assurance Office, which published the popular pocket guide Preparing Perfect Project Plans, is now introducing another quality assurance reference aid. The document Variability in Protocols (VIP) was initially designed as a ...

  12. Elusive Search for Quality Education: The Case of Quality Assurance and Teacher Accountability

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Odhiambo, George

    2008-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine issues of quality and quality assurance in Kenyan schools, identify reasons why Kenya government has difficulties in achieving its well documented search for quality education and to trace the process for ensuring the accountability of teachers in Kenya. This focus is done under conditions of…

  13. Teacher Compensation and School Quality: New Findings from National and International Data

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zhang, Zhijuan; Verstegen, Deborah A.; Kim, Hoe Ryoung

    2008-01-01

    Are teacher salaries related to school quality in terms of student academic achievement and teacher retention? Are teacher salaries important factors influencing teacher job satisfaction? Is teacher job satisfaction related to retention? This research addressed these questions using international and national data. First, the literature will be…

  14. Teacher's Conceptions of Quality in Dance Education Expressed through Grade Conferences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Andersson, Ninnie

    2016-01-01

    The aim of the study is to illuminate a teacher's conceptions of quality expressed through verbal and non-verbal actions in relation to summative assessments of dance knowledge. The following research questions are considered in the study: What conceptions of quality emerge during grade conferences? In what ways do teacher's conceptions of quality…

  15. Raising Standards in American Schools? Problems with Improving Teacher Quality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Emma

    2008-01-01

    The quality of the teacher workforce is a subject of perennial concern in many developed countries. In the United States, through the "No Child Left Behind" (NCLB) Act, the federal government has a mandate for reform of teacher education that is unprecedented in its scale. Essentially the Act demands that every teacher of core academic…

  16. Teacher Quality Roadmap: Improving Policies and Practices in the Miami-Dade County Public Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Council on Teacher Quality, 2012

    2012-01-01

    In partnership with the Urban League of Greater Miami, the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) released "Teacher Quality Roadmap: Improving Policies and Practices in Miami," an in-depth study of the work rules Miami-Dade teachers. This look at the state of teacher policies in Miami-Dade County Public Schools explores the…

  17. Qualities of the Professional English Language Teacher Educator: Implications for Achieving Quality and Accountability

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Al-Issa, Ali S. M.

    2017-01-01

    There is a growing body of literature about the qualities of professional teacher educators (TEs) and their impact on preparing professional teachers. However, English Language Teaching (ELT) research has fallen behind in this regard, despite the fact that different programs worldwide suffer from different limitations, due to certain aspects…

  18. An Analysis of Preschool Teachers' Sense of Efficacy: A Case of TRNC

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Toran, Mehmet

    2017-01-01

    Determining the factors that affect teachers' competences has a decisive role in revealing the quality of teaching process. In this context, it is important to identify professional variables affecting the self-efficacy of preschool teachers. For this reason, it is aimed to investigate which professional variables influence preschool teachers'…

  19. Rates of Beginning Teachers: Examining One Indicator of School Quality in an Equity Context

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gagnon, Douglas J.; Mattingly, Marybeth J.

    2015-01-01

    The authors use national data to examine variation in the proportion of beginning teachers in school districts across the United States by poverty, race, and urbanicity. In addition to being a proxy for teacher quality, the proportion of beginning teachers in a district also speaks to teacher turnover and therefore broader school quality issues.…

  20. Teacher Quality Roadmap: Improving Policies and Practices in Pittsburgh Public Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gonzalez, Angel; Kumar, Sudipti; Waymack, Nancy

    2014-01-01

    The Pittsburgh Public Schools study is the 12th district study since the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) began studying districts in-depth in 2009. The intent of these studies is to give select communities a comprehensive look at what is happening in their local school districts that may be either helping or hurting teacher quality, and…

  1. The effects and interactions of student, teacher, and setting variables on reading outcomes for kindergartners receiving supplemental reading intervention.

    PubMed

    Hagan-Burke, Shanna; Coyne, Michael D; Kwok, Oi-Man; Simmons, Deborah C; Kim, Minjung; Simmons, Leslie E; Skidmore, Susan T; Hernandez, Caitlin L; McSparran Ruby, Maureen

    2013-01-01

    This exploratory study examined the influences of student, teacher, and setting characteristics on kindergarteners' early reading outcomes and investigated whether those relations were moderated by type of intervention. Participants included 206 kindergarteners identified as at risk for reading difficulties and randomly assigned to one of two supplemental interventions: (a) an experimental explicit, systematic, code-based program or (b) their schools' typical kindergarten reading intervention. Results from separate multilevel structural equation models indicated that among student variables, entry-level alphabet knowledge was positively associated with phonemic and decoding outcomes in both conditions. Entry-level rapid automatized naming also positively influenced decoding outcomes in both conditions. However, its effect on phonemic outcomes was statistically significant only among children in the typical practice comparison condition. Regarding teacher variables, the quality of instruction was associated with significantly higher decoding outcomes in the typical reading intervention condition but had no statistically significant influence on phonemic outcomes in either condition. Among setting variables, instruction in smaller group sizes was associated with better phonemic outcomes in the comparison condition but had no statistically significant influence on outcomes of children in the intervention group. Mode of delivery (i.e., pullout vs. in class) had no statistically significant influence on either outcome variable.

  2. Practices of Cooperating Teachers Contributing to a High Quality Field Experience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lafferty, Karen Elizabeth

    2015-01-01

    This mixed methods study framed in cognitive apprenticeship theory involved cooperating and preservice teachers from 10 university-based credentialing programs in California. It examined the connection between cooperating teacher practices and preservice teachers' perceptions of a high quality field experience. Survey responses from 146…

  3. Examination of the Attitudes of Preschool Teacher Candidates and Teacher Candidates in Other Branches towards Scientific Research in Terms of Some Variables

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ekici, Fatma Yasar

    2017-01-01

    The main objective of this study is to examine the attitudes of preschool teacher candidates and teacher candidates in other branches towards scientific research in terms of some variables. Survey method was used. The study group consists of 547 teacher candidates studying in education faculty of a private university in the spring term of…

  4. Pay, Working Conditions, and Teacher Quality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hanushek, Eric A.; Rivkin, Steven G.

    2007-01-01

    Eric Hanushek and Steven Rivkin examine how salary and working conditions affect the quality of instruction in the classroom. The wages of teachers relative to those of other college graduates have fallen steadily since 1940. Today, average wages differ little, however, between urban and suburban districts. In some metropolitan areas urban…

  5. Links Among Italian Preschoolers' Socio-Emotional Competence, Teacher-Child Relationship Quality and Peer Acceptance.

    PubMed

    Sette, Stefania; Spinrad, Tracy; Baumgartner, Emma

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of the present study was to examine the relations of teacher-child relationship quality (close, conflictive, and dependent), children's social behavior, and peer likability in a sample of Italian preschool-aged children (46 boys; 42 girls). Preschool teachers evaluated the quality of the teacher-child relationship and children's social behaviors (i.e., social competence, anger-aggression, and anxiety-withdrawal). Peer-rated likability was measured using a sociometric procedure. Results indicated that conflictual teacher-child relationships were related to high aggressive behavior, and dependent teacher-child relationships were positively associated with children's anxiety-withdrawal. Moreover, we found an indirect association between close teacher-child relationship quality and peer likability through children's social competence. The findings provide evidence that the teacher-child relationship is critical for children's social behaviors, and that social competence was uniquely related to peer likability.

  6. The Politics of Quality Teacher Discourses: Implications for Pre-Service Teachers in High Poverty Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Scholes, Laura; Lampert, Jo; Burnett, Bruce; Comber, Barbara M.; Hoff, Lutz; Ferguson, Angela

    2017-01-01

    Improving the quality of education for young people growing up in high poverty and culturally diverse communities is an escalating problem in affluent nations with increasing gaps between the wealthy and the poor. Improving the quality of teachers and improving the quality of teaching are amongst the prominent solutions offered to redress the…

  7. The Secretary's Seventh Annual Report on Teacher Quality: A Highly Qualified Teacher in Every Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Office of Postsecondary Education, US Department of Education, 2010

    2010-01-01

    This seventh report on the quality of America's teacher preparation programs and novice teachers presents data reported to the U.S. Department of Education (the Department) in October 2007 by all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the outlying areas, which include American Samoa, the Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, the…

  8. Quality Science Teacher Professional Development and Student Achievement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dubner, J.

    2007-12-01

    Studies show that socio-economic background and parental education accounts for 50-60 percent of a child's achievement in school. School, and other influences, account for the remaining 40-50 percent. In contrast to most other professions, schools require no real apprenticeship training of science teachers. Overall, only 38 percent of United States teachers have had any on-the-job training in their first teaching position, and in some cases this consisted of a few meetings over the course of a year between the beginning teacher and the assigned mentor or master teacher. Since individual teachers determine the bulk of a student's school experiences, interventions focused on teachers have the greatest likelihood of affecting students. To address this deficiency, partnerships between scientists and K-12 teachers are increasingly recognized as an excellent method for improving teacher preparedness and the quality of science education. Columbia University's Summer Research Program for Science Teachers' (founded in 1990) basic premise is simple: teachers cannot effectively teach science if they have no firsthand experience doing science, hence the Program's motto, "Practice what you teach." Columbia University's Summer Research Program for Science Teachers provides strong evidence that a teacher research program is a very effective form of professional development for secondary school science teachers and has a direct correlation to increased student achievement in science. The author will present the methodology of the program's evaluation citing statistically significant data. The author will also show the economic benefits of teacher participation in this form of professional development.

  9. Teacher Quality Roadmap: Improving Policies and Practices in LAUSD

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Council on Teacher Quality, 2011

    2011-01-01

    At the request of the United Way of Greater Los Angeles, the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) undertook this analysis of the teacher policies in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). A coalition of civil rights groups were also involved in this project, including Parent Organization Network, Families in Schools, Alliance for a…

  10. Assessing Quality of Pre-Service Physics Teachers' Written Arguments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aydeniz, Mehmet; Gürçay, Deniz

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the quality of scientific arguments developed by pre-service physics teachers. Sample: The participants were 171 pre-service physics teachers recruited from two universities: 86 from University A and 85 from University B. Design and method: Participants were prompted to develop a written argument to…

  11. User-Oriented Quality for OER: Understanding Teachers' Views on Re-Use, Quality, and Trust

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clements, K. I.; Pawlowski, J. M.

    2012-01-01

    We analysed how teachers as users of open educational resources (OER) repositories act in the re-use process and how they perceive quality. Based on a quantitative empirical study, we also surveyed which quality requirements users have and how they would contribute to the quality process. Trust in resources, organizations, and technologies seem to…

  12. Teachers' dispositional mindfulness and the quality of their relationships with children in Head Start classrooms.

    PubMed

    Becker, Brandon D; Gallagher, Kathleen C; Whitaker, Robert C

    2017-12-01

    The quality of teachers' relationships with children is a key predictor of children's later social emotional competence and academic achievement. Interventions to increase mindfulness among teachers have focused primarily on the impacts on teachers' subjective well-being, but not on the quality of their relationships with children. Furthermore, none of these interventions have involved preschool teachers. To consider the potential of mindfulness-based interventions to improve the quality of teachers' relationships with preschool-aged children, we examined data from an online survey of 1001 classroom teachers in 37 Pennsylvania Head Start Programs. Using path analysis we investigated the association between teachers' dispositional mindfulness and the quality of their relationships with children (conflict and closeness). We further examined whether this association was mediated by teacher depressive symptoms and moderated by perceived workplace stress. Higher levels of dispositional mindfulness among teachers were associated with higher quality relationships with children (less conflict and greater closeness). The association between greater dispositional mindfulness and less conflict was partially mediated by lower depressive symptoms, and the conditional direct effect of mindfulness on conflict was stronger when perceived workplace stress was lower. These findings suggest that preschool teachers who have higher levels of dispositional mindfulness may experience higher quality relationships with children in their classrooms. Interventions to increase levels of dispositional mindfulness among early childhood educators may improve their well-being along with the quality of their relationships with children, potentially impacting children's educational outcomes. The potential impacts of such interventions may be even stronger if structural and systemic changes are also made to reduce workplace stress. Copyright © 2017 Society for the Study of School Psychology

  13. The Evaluation of Teachers' Job Performance Based on Total Quality Management (TQM)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shahmohammadi, Nayereh

    2017-01-01

    This study aimed to evaluate teachers' job performance based on total quality management (TQM) model. This was a descriptive survey study. The target population consisted of all primary school teachers in Karaj (N = 2917). Using Cochran formula and simple random sampling, 340 participants were selected as sample. A total quality management…

  14. Links Among Italian Preschoolers’ Socio-Emotional Competence, Teacher-Child Relationship Quality and Peer Acceptance

    PubMed Central

    Sette, Stefania; Spinrad, Tracy; Baumgartner, Emma

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of the present study was to examine the relations of teacher-child relationship quality (close, conflictive, and dependent), children’s social behavior, and peer likability in a sample of Italian preschool-aged children (46 boys; 42 girls). Preschool teachers evaluated the quality of the teacher-child relationship and children’s social behaviors (i.e., social competence, anger-aggression, and anxiety-withdrawal). Peer-rated likability was measured using a sociometric procedure. Results indicated that conflictual teacher-child relationships were related to high aggressive behavior, and dependent teacher-child relationships were positively associated with children’s anxiety-withdrawal. Moreover, we found an indirect association between close teacher-child relationship quality and peer likability through children’s social competence. The findings provide evidence that the teacher-child relationship is critical for children’s social behaviors, and that social competence was uniquely related to peer likability. PMID:24039375

  15. Shaky Methods, Shaky Motives: A Critique of the National Council of Teacher Quality's Review of Teacher Preparation Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fuller, Edward J.

    2014-01-01

    The National Council on Teacher Quality's (NCTQ) recent review of university-based teacher preparation programs concluded the vast majority of such programs were inadequately preparing the nation's teachers. The study, however, has a number of serious flaws that include narrow focus on inputs, lack of a strong research base, missing standards,…

  16. Preschool Teachers' Understanding of Quality in Preschool: A Comparative Study in Three European Countries

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brodin, J.; Hollerer, L.; Renblad, K.; Stancheva-Popkostadinova, V.

    2015-01-01

    The aim of this article is to highlight the concept "quality" with a special focus on preschool teachers' understanding and compare what preschool teachers in Austria, Bulgaria and Sweden regard as quality. Although quality is at high degree a subjective concept, some aspects are regarded decisive for good quality. A questionnaire was…

  17. A Comparison of Urban and Rural Kindergarten Teachers' Perceptions of School Safety for Young Children: Implications for Quality Teacher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wong, Yau-ho Paul

    2017-01-01

    Although a quality preschool supports young children's health and safety, "quality" has been defined diversely enough that its delivery has been varied among kindergarten teachers. The current study was the first to examine and compare perceptions of school safety between urban and rural kindergarten teachers. Sixty-seven Hong Kong…

  18. The Perceived Association of Merit Pay and Teacher Qualities in Two Middle Schools in a Southeastern State

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Balls, John Daniel

    2013-01-01

    This dissertation determined the perceived association of merit pay and teacher qualities in the sample schools. The research focused on the association of merit pay and levels of teacher qualities and if a relationship exists between teacher performance-based compensation and teacher qualities/performance. The indications and suggestions of this…

  19. The Quality of Teacher Educators in the European Policy Debate: Actions and Measures to Improve the Professionalism of Teacher Educators

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Snoek, Marco; Swennen, Anja; van der Klink, Marcel

    2011-01-01

    This study examines how the contemporary European policy debate addresses the further development of the quality of teacher educators. A classification framework based on the literature on professionalism was used to compare European and Member State policy actions and measures on the quality of teacher educators through an analysis of seven…

  20. Quality Teacher Educators = Quality Teachers? Conceptualizing Essential Domains of Knowledge for Those Who Teach Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goodwin, A. Lin; Kosnik, Clare

    2013-01-01

    Becoming a teacher educator involves more than a job title. One becomes a teacher educator as soon as one does teacher education, but one's professional identity as a teacher educator is constructed over time. Developing an identity and practices in teacher education is best understood as a process of becoming. Though the work of teaching…

  1. Investigation of Primary School Teachers' Conflict Resolution Skills in Terms of Different Variable

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bayraktar, Hatice Vatansever; Yilmaz, Kamile Özge

    2016-01-01

    In this study, it is aimed to determine the level of conflict resolution skills of primary school teachers and whether they vary by different variables. The study was organised in accordance with the scanning model. The universe of the study consists of primary school teachers working at 14 primary schools, two from each of the seven geographical…

  2. Predicting the Quality of Elementary Mathematics Teachers Utilizing Pre-Graduation Data Collected from Teacher Preparation Programs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Robertson, Mary Amos

    2016-01-01

    In order to change the direction of mathematics education, the training of elementary teachers in the United States needs to be of equal or higher quality than top preforming countries. However, pre-service elementary teachers in the United States fall behind their peers in other countries in mathematical content knowledge and mathematical…

  3. The Measurement of Teacher's Personality Competence and Performance Using Embedded Model

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wardoyo, Cipto

    2015-01-01

    The Act of the Republic of Indonesia No. 14/2005 on Teachers and Lecturers call for 4 teacher competencies, They are: pedagogical, personality, social, and professional. Those four components of the professional competences for teachers; simultaneously, competence variable determines the quality of teacher performance. These will be critical…

  4. The Investigation of Elementary Mathematics Teacher Candidates' Problem Solving Skills According to Various Variables

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kaya, Deniz; Izgiol, Dilek; Kesan, Cenk

    2014-01-01

    The aim was to determine elementary mathematics teacher candidates' problem solving skills and analyze problem solving skills according to various variables. The data were obtained from total 306 different grade teacher candidates receiving education in Department of Elementary Mathematics Education, Buca Faculty of Education, Dokuz Eylul…

  5. Teacher Stress: Perceived and Objective Sources, and Quality of Life.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mykletun, Reidar J.

    1984-01-01

    A study of 912 Norwegian comprehensive school teachers, using a 74-item job stress rating scale to identify stressors in teachers' work and the General Health Questionnaire as an index of quality of life, identified nine stress factors, including work overload, pupils' misbehavior, change, organizational climate/staff relations. (MH)

  6. Emotional Experience, Expression, and Regulation of High-Quality Japanese Elementary School Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hosotani, Rika; Imai-Matsumura, Kyoko

    2011-01-01

    The present study investigates the emotional experience, expression, and regulation processes of high-quality Japanese elementary school teachers while they interact with children, in terms of teachers' emotional competence. Qualitative analysis of interview data demonstrated that teachers had various emotional experiences including self-elicited…

  7. Pinpointing Chinese Early Childhood Teachers' Professional Development Needs through Self-Evaluation and External Observation of Classroom Quality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hu, Bi Ying; Zhou, Yisu; Li, Kejian

    2014-01-01

    This study compared Chinese kindergarten teachers' values and perceptions of program quality with trained raters' assessments of quality in order to gain insights into effective professional development for improving teacher quality. A total of 284 Chinese kindergarten teachers self-assessed the quality of their classroom teaching and rated their…

  8. Variables Predicting Prospective Biology Teachers' Acceptance Perceptions Regarding Gene Technology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yilmaz, Mirac; Demirhan, Haydar

    2014-01-01

    The different opinions on products and applications of gene technology (GT) draw attention to the training and education activities related to GT. The purpose of this study is to review some variables predicting the acceptance perception regarding GT, and to investigate their changes at levels. The prospective teachers' subjective knowledge and…

  9. Using AMLO to Improve the Quality of Teacher Education Outcomes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Al-Shammari, Zaid

    2012-01-01

    This study aims to find ways to improve learning outcomes in teacher education courses by using an Analysis Model for Learning Outcomes (AMLO). It addresses the improvement of the quality of teacher education by analyzing learning outcomes and implementing curriculum modifications related to specific learning objectives and their effects on…

  10. Hiring and Retaining High-Quality Teachers: What Principals Can Do

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Williby, Roseanne L.

    2004-01-01

    Many Catholic school principals have limited assistance from their respective central offices in the recruitment and selection of teachers, especially if their objective is to recruit candidates of color or candidates for a particular subject area. Aware that teacher quality is related to student achievement, Catholic school principals must employ…

  11. Mentoring: Findings from a Title II Teacher Quality Enhancement Grant.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Suters, Leslie A.; Kershaw, Cheryl

    Urban Impact is a Title II Teacher Quality Enhancement Act partnership grant supporting the development of new strategies and structures to strengthen the preparation and development of beginning teachers in urban settings in Tennessee. This study evaluated the success of Urban Impact in establishing professional and social supports for the first…

  12. Science Teacher Education in Australia: Initiatives and Challenges to Improve the Quality of Teaching

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Treagust, David F.; Won, Mihye; Petersen, Jacinta; Wynne, Georgie

    2015-02-01

    In this article, we describe how teachers in the Australian school system are educated to teach science and the different qualifications that teachers need to enter the profession. The latest comparisons of Australian students in international science assessments have brought about various accountability measures to improve the quality of science teachers at all levels. We discuss the issues and implications of government initiatives in preservice and early career teacher education programs, such as the implementation of national science curriculum, the stricter entry requirements to teacher education programs, an alternative pathway to teaching and the measure of effectiveness of teacher education programs. The politicized discussion and initiatives to improve the quality of science teacher education in Australia are still unfolding as we write in 2014.

  13. Preschool Teachers' Professional Background, Process Quality, and Job Attitudes: A Person-Centered Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jeon, Lieny; Buettner, Cynthia K.; Hur, Eunhye

    2016-01-01

    Research Findings: This exploratory study identified preschool teacher quality profiles in early childhood education settings using 9 indicators across teachers' professional background, observed process quality, and job attitudes toward teaching (e.g., job-related stress, satisfaction, and intention to leave the job). The sample consisted of 96…

  14. Improving Teacher Quality: Lessons from America's "No Child Left Behind"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Emma; Gorard, Stephen

    2007-01-01

    How developed countries train, recruit and retain their schoolteachers is an area of considerable interest in education today. In this paper we consider how the US is addressing the issue of teacher quality by holding schools and school districts accountable for ensuring that all teachers of core subjects are "highly qualified" by the…

  15. Mentoring for Quality Improvement: A Case Study of a Mentor Teacher in the Reform Process

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ryan, Sharon; Hornbeck, Amy

    2004-01-01

    As qualified teachers are central to children receiving a high-quality preschool education, many policy initiatives aimed at improving program quality are thwarted when insufficient attention is paid to the professional development of the workforce. One response to this issue has been to create teacher leadership roles so that teachers mentor…

  16. Perception on mathematics teachers' quality of teaching between all boys secondary schools and all girls secondary schools

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Arbin, Norazman; Kamarudin, Norsyazana; Abu, Mohd Syafarudy; Hamzah, Firdaus Mohamad; Ghani, Sazelli Abdul

    2015-05-01

    This survey research was designed to identify the secondary mathematics teachers' quality of teaching. Specifically, this study focused on students' perception, based on genders on the quality of teaching of their secondary mathematics teachers and, its relationship with the former's mathematics achievement. This research was carried in four different schools: two all boys' secondary schools and two all girls' secondary schools. Thus, a comparison between these two types of schools was made. The sample of the study involved 100 form four students from those schools. The result showed that the students from those schools had positive perception on their teachers' quality of teaching. Statistically, there was no difference between the boys' and girls' perceptions. There was a significant relationship between the boys' perception on the quality of their teachers' teaching and the boys' achievement. However, there was no significant relationship between the girls' perceptions on the quality of their teachers' teaching and the girls' achievement. The findings of this research could be used as a useful guideline for mathematics teachers and future mathematics teachers in enhancing the quality of their teaching and learning.

  17. Observed Classroom Quality in First Grade: Associations with Teacher, Classroom, and School Characteristics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cadima, Joana; Peixoto, Carla; Leal, Teresa

    2014-01-01

    The observation and assessment of quality of teacher--child interactions in elementary school settings are increasingly recognized as important; however, research is still very limited in European countries. In this study, we examined the quality of the interactions between teacher and children in first-grade classrooms in Portugal and the extent…

  18. Evaluation of Metacognitive Competence of Pre-Service Music Teachers in Terms of Some Variables

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hakan, Okay

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of the present research is to define pre-service music teachers' competence in using metacognitive activities in relation to academic achievement, gender, and class grade variables. The work-group consists of 131 pre-service music teachers, who study at Balikesir University Necatibey Faculty of Education, Programme of Music Teaching.…

  19. Misdiagnosing the Teacher Quality Problem. CPRE Policy Briefs. RB-49

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ingersoll, Richard M.

    2007-01-01

    This issue of CPRE Policy Briefs summarizes the findings on issues related to teacher quality in the chapter by the author in the book, "The State of Education Policy Research" (Cohen, Fuhrman, Mosher, Eds., 2007). This report also draws on discussions that took place during a summer, 2006, policy briefing on teacher labor-market issues…

  20. Recruiting and Retaining High-Quality Teachers. SPeNSE Summary Sheet.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Westat, Inc., Rockville, MD.

    This report summarizes the data from the Study of Special Needs in Special Education (SPeNSE), a national study of personnel in special education. It focuses on data related to recruiting and retaining high-quality special education teachers. Findings indicate: (1) in 1999-2000, more than 12,000 openings for special education teachers were left…

  1. Preparing and Licensing High Quality Teachers in Pacific Region Jurisdictions. Issues & Answers. REL 2007-No. 031

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Heine, Hilda C.; Emesiochl, Masa Akii

    2007-01-01

    The provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 for teacher quality direct that all students in U.S. public schools be taught by highly qualified teachers. Although the Pacific Region entities are trying to meet this teacher-quality mandate, most are still far from fulfilling the minimum education requirements for their teachers. By…

  2. The Investigation of Science Process Skills of Science Teachers in Terms of Some Variables

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aydogdu, Bülent

    2015-01-01

    This study aimed to investigate basic process skills, integrated process skills and overall science process skills of science teachers in terms of some variables. This study had a survey design. The study population consisted of 170 science teachers from a province located in the Central Anatolia Region of Turkey. The study data were obtained from…

  3. Identification of the Predicator Variables of Candidate Teacher Teaching Motivations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bozpolat, Ebru

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine whether the internal and external teaching motivations of 3rd and 4th year students of the Faculty of Education of Cumhuriyet University are predicted by the variables of gender, department, year level, conscious preference of department they are studying in, whether there is a teacher in their family,…

  4. Teacher Education for Rural-Regional Sustainability: Changing Agendas, Challenging Futures, Chasing Chimeras?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Green, Bill; Reid, Jo-Anne

    2004-01-01

    Rural schooling has remained a concern for policy-makers, employers, teacher education providers and schools throughout our recent history. In particular, the allegedly variable quality of teaching and learning in rural Australia is a major concern for teacher educators and educational leaders alike, with the provision of quality services for…

  5. Teacher Preparation Practices in Kenya and the 21st Century Learning: A Moral Obligation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kafwa, Nabwire Opata; Gaudience, Obondo; Kisaka, Sella Terrie

    2015-01-01

    Teacher preparation practices are indices used to measure quality teacher besides other variables. Whereas the current teacher preparation is test scores based inclining to cognitive knowledge, a good teacher preparation practices is a holistic development in nature oriented towards character, skills and knowledge. To embed teacher preparation in…

  6. Predicting Teacher Value-Added Results in Non-Tested Subjects Based on Confounding Variables: A Multinomial Logistic Regression

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Street, Nathan Lee

    2017-01-01

    Teacher value-added measures (VAM) are designed to provide information regarding teachers' causal impact on the academic growth of students while controlling for exogenous variables. While some researchers contend VAMs successfully and authentically measure teacher causality on learning, others suggest VAMs cannot adequately control for exogenous…

  7. Promoting High Quality Teacher-Child Interactions: Examining the Role of Teachers' Depression, Perceptions of Children's Peer Relationships, and Contextual Factors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Granger, Kristen

    2017-01-01

    The overall goal of this dissertation was to examine teacher characteristics, teachers' beliefs, and contextual factors that may motivate teachers' decisions to engage in high quality teacher-child interactions. I use two complementary studies to meet this goal. These two studies provide insight into several aspects of early childhood teachers'…

  8. Quality Teaching Rounds in Mathematics Teacher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Prieto, Elena; Howley, Peter; Holmes, Kathryn; Osborn, Judy-anne; Roberts, Malcolm; Kepert, Andrew

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of the study reported in this paper is to evaluate the effectiveness of an implementation of teaching rounds as a practice-based approach to pre-service teacher education in mathematics. The teaching rounds implemented in the study utilised the NSW Quality Teaching model pedagogical framework as a tool for learning about and reflecting…

  9. Educational Quality in Music Teacher Education: A Modern Project within a Condition of Late Modernity?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johansen, Geir

    2008-01-01

    Educational quality is a central issue in higher education and music teacher education. In this article, the author discusses problems concerning the development of and research into quality in music teacher education in Western societies' contemporary socio-cultural dynamics. He begins with a presentation of the concept of educational quality,…

  10. Perceptions of Pre-Service Teachers on Student Burnout, Occupational Anxiety and Faculty Life Quality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Türkoglu, Muhammet Emin; Cansoy, Ramazan

    2017-01-01

    Perceptions of pre-service teachers on burnout, occupational anxiety and faculty life quality were investigated in this research. The research group consisted of 461 pre-service teachers in total studying at Afyon Kocatepe University faculty of education. "Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Form," "Faculty Life Quality Scale"…

  11. 34 CFR 611.1 - What definitions apply to the Teacher Quality Enhancement Grants Program?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 34 Education 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What definitions apply to the Teacher Quality Enhancement Grants Program? 611.1 Section 611.1 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education (Continued) OFFICE OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TEACHER QUALITY ENHANCEMENT...

  12. Preservice and Inservice Mathematics Teachers' Perspectives of High-Quality Mathematics Instruction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clooney, Sarah; Cunningham, Robert F.

    2017-01-01

    This study examined the perspectives of what high-quality mathematics instruction looks like. Written responses from preservice (n = 20) and inservice (n = 16) mathematics teachers were collected and categorized according to the Ten Principles developed by Anthony & Walshaw (2009). The responses of preservice teachers more often than inservice…

  13. Beginning EFL Teachers' Beliefs about Quality Questions and Their Questioning Practices

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pham, Ly Ngoc Khanh; Hamid, M. Obaidul

    2013-01-01

    Motivated by the scarcity of research that examines the impact of teacher beliefs on their actual practices in Vietnam, this study investigated the relationship between teachers' beliefs about quality questions and their questioning behaviours in terms of questioning purposes, content focus, students' cognitive level, wording and syntax. Thirteen…

  14. Relationships between Teacher Organizational Commitment, Psychological Hardiness and Some Demographic Variables in Turkish Primary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sezgin, Ferudun

    2009-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationships between teachers' organizational commitment perceptions and both their psychological hardiness and some demographic variables in a sample of Turkish primary schools. Design/methodology/approach: A total of 405 randomly selected teachers working at primary schools in Ankara…

  15. Quality Assurance in the Presence of Variability

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lauenroth, Kim; Metzger, Andreas; Pohl, Klaus

    Software Product Line Engineering (SPLE) is a reuse-driven development paradigm that has been applied successfully in information system engineering and other domains. Quality assurance of the reusable artifacts of the product line (e.g. requirements, design, and code artifacts) is essential for successful product line engineering. As those artifacts are reused in several products, a defect in a reusable artifact can affect several products of the product line. A central challenge for quality assurance in product line engineering is how to consider product line variability. Since the reusable artifacts contain variability, quality assurance techniques from single-system engineering cannot directly be applied to those artifacts. Therefore, different strategies and techniques have been developed for quality assurance in the presence of variability. In this chapter, we describe those strategies and discuss in more detail one of those strategies, the so called comprehensive strategy. The comprehensive strategy aims at checking the quality of all possible products of the product line and thus offers the highest benefits, since it is able to uncover defects in all possible products of the product line. However, the central challenge for applying the comprehensive strategy is the complexity that results from the product line variability and the large number of potential products of a product line. In this chapter, we present one concrete technique that we have developed to implement the comprehensive strategy that addresses this challenge. The technique is based on model checking technology and allows for a comprehensive verification of domain artifacts against temporal logic properties.

  16. Teacher Quality, Teacher Effectiveness and the Diminishing Returns of Current Education Policy Expressions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Skourdoumbis, Andrew

    2017-01-01

    This paper engages with an overt policy storyline, namely that the effective classroom teaching practice(s) of quality teachers not only corrects for but overcomes post-Fordist capital insecurities. Increasingly considered the sole and only solid foundations needed to enhance student achievement as preparation for twenty-first century economic…

  17. Select Novice Elementary Teachers' Perceived Knowledge and Implementation of High-Quality Reading Instruction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bumstead, Stacey

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this mixed methods study was to examine select novice teachers' perceived knowledge of high-quality reading instruction, explore the extent that select novice teachers implemented high-quality reading instruction into their own classrooms, and to investigate any factors that explain the similarities and differences between…

  18. Quality of Teacher-Child Relationship and Preschoolers' Pro-Social Behaviour in German Kindergartens

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Glüer, Michael; Gregoriadis, Athanasios

    2017-01-01

    Teacher-child relationships in early childhood are a crucial prerequisite for children's emotional, social and academic development. Therefore, it is important to be able to measure accurately the quality of interactions among them. The Student-Teacher Relationship Scale (STRS) is a widely accepted instrument in measuring the quality of…

  19. How Do Self-Efficacy, Contextual Variables and Stressors Affect Teacher Burnout in an EFL Context?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Khani, Reza; Mirzaee, Alireza

    2015-01-01

    This study was an attempt to investigate the relationships among stressors, contextual variables, self-efficacy and teacher burnout in Iran as an EFL (English as a Foreign Language) context. A battery of questionnaires was administered to 216 English language teachers of private language institutes. Using Amos version 20, structural equation…

  20. Teacher Loyalty of Elementary Schools in Taiwan: The Contribution of Gratitude and Relationship Quality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ting, Shueh-Chin; Yeh, Liang-Yin

    2014-01-01

    Gratitude was an important missing factor in the extant relationship quality and relationship loyalty model. We introduced gratitude into the model of relationship quality and relationship loyalty. Two hundred and eighteen teachers from elementary schools in Taiwan were used to conduct an empirical research. The results show that teachers'…

  1. A Qualitative Case Study on the Qualities of Effective Teacher Research in Teacher Screening and Interviewing Processes in Four Central Pennsylvania Public School Districts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Treese, Matthew Paul

    2012-01-01

    Public school districts in Pennsylvania use varying teacher screening and interviewing processes for hiring teachers. In order to hire the best teacher candidates for vacancies, the qualities of effective teachers such as those cited by the Council of Chief State School Officers Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC) Model…

  2. Primary Physical Education (PE): School Leader Perceptions about Classroom Teacher Quality Implementation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lynch, Timothy; Soukup, Gregory J., Sr.

    2017-01-01

    Quality physical education (QPE) in primary school optimises children's well-being. However, international research indicates that the preparation of classroom teachers is impeded by systemic barriers, resulting in low-classroom teacher confidence, competence and subsequent interest. This empirical research investigates school principal…

  3. The Influence of Principal Gender, Teachers' Years of Experience, and Retention on Teacher Perceptions of Principal Leadership Style, Qualities, and Job Satisfaction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eddins, Gregg M.

    2012-01-01

    One main challenge for many school districts in these tough economic times is teacher retention and all the costs associated. This study looks the influence of principal gender, teacher years of experience, and teacher retention based on teachers' perceptions of their principal's leadership style, transformational leadership qualities,…

  4. Coaching: Impacting Teacher Behavior to Improve the Quality of Classroom Instruction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Black, Melanie R.

    2012-01-01

    This study addressed the extent to which coaching, as a specific type of professional development, impacted teacher behavior and instructional quality. Specifically, this study sought to determine the extent to which teachers understood and used Marzano's nine high-yield strategies as a result of their participation in six weeks of on-site…

  5. Does glycemic variability impact mood and quality of life?

    PubMed

    Penckofer, Sue; Quinn, Lauretta; Byrn, Mary; Ferrans, Carol; Miller, Michael; Strange, Poul

    2012-04-01

    Diabetes is a chronic condition that significantly impacts quality of life. Poor glycemic control is associated with more diabetes complications, depression, and worse quality of life. The impact of glycemic variability on mood and quality of life has not been studied. A descriptive exploratory design was used. Twenty-three women with type 2 diabetes wore a continuous glucose monitoring system for 72 h and completed a series of questionnaires. Measurements included (1) glycemic control shown by glycated hemoglobin and 24-h mean glucose, (2) glycemic variability shown by 24-h SD of the glucose readings, continuous overall net glycemic action (CONGA), and Fourier statistical models to generate smoothed curves to assess rate of change defined as "energy," and (3) mood (depression, anxiety, anger) and quality of life by questionnaires. Women with diabetes and co-morbid depression had higher anxiety, more anger, and lower quality of life than those without depression. Certain glycemic variability measures were associated with mood and quality of life. The 24-h SD of the glucose readings and the CONGA measures were significantly associated with health-related quality of life after adjusting for age and weight. Fourier models indicated that certain energy components were significantly associated with depression, trait anxiety, and overall quality of life. Finally, subjects with higher trait anxiety tended to have steeper glucose excursions. Data suggest that greater glycemic variability may be associated with lower quality of life and negative moods. Implications include replication of the study in a larger sample for the assessment of blood glucose fluctuations as they impact mood and quality of life.

  6. Colonised by Quality? Teacher Identities in a Research-Led Institution

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Skelton, Alan

    2012-01-01

    This article explores the impact of quality assurance and enhancement initiatives on teacher identities in higher education. Data from an interview-based study of a research-led institution in the United Kingdom are drawn upon to consider the implications of quality--for example, whether it has captured the inner assumptive worlds of higher…

  7. Motivation and Quality of Work Life among Secondary School EFL Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baleghizadeh, Sasan; Gordani, Yahya

    2012-01-01

    This study set out to investigate the relationship between quality of work life and teacher motivation among 160 secondary school English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers in Tehran, Iran. In addition, 30 of the participants were randomly selected to take part in follow-up interviews which asked why they felt the way they reported. The results…

  8. Analysis of the Primary School Teachers' Perception of Organizational Health in Terms of Different Variables

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cemaloglu, Necati

    2006-01-01

    The aim of this study is to analyse the primary school teachers' perception of organizational health in terms of different variables. The sampling of the study is comprised of 385 primary school teachers who attended a course in Aksaray and Esenkoy in-service training centers. The Organizational Health Inventory (OHI-S), which was developed by Hoy…

  9. Sustaining High Quality Teaching and Evidence-based Curricula: Follow-up Assessment of Teachers in the REDI Project

    PubMed Central

    Bierman, Karen L; DeRousie, Rebecca M. Sanford; Heinrichs, Brenda; Domitrovich, Celene E.; Greenberg, Mark T.; Gill, Sukhdeep

    2013-01-01

    Recent research has validated the power of evidence-based preschool interventions to improve teaching quality and promote child school readiness when implemented in the context of research trials. However, very rarely are follow-up assessments conducted with teachers in order to evaluate the maintenance of improved teaching quality or sustained use of evidence-based curriculum components after the intervention trial. In the current study, we collected follow-up assessments of teachers one year after their involvement in the REDI research trial to evaluate the extent to which intervention teachers continued to implement the REDI curriculum components with high-quality, and to explore possible pre-intervention predictors of sustained implementation. In addition, we conducted classroom observations to determine whether general improvements in the teaching quality of intervention teachers (relative to control group teachers) were sustained. Results indicated sustained high-quality implementation of some curriculum components (the PATHS curriculum), but decreased implementation of other components (the language-literacy components). Sustained intervention effects were evident on most aspects of general teaching quality targeted by the intervention. Implications for practice and policy are discussed. PMID:24204101

  10. Humanistic Qualities of the Teacher as Perceived by Undergraduate Students in Bahrain and Kuwait

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Al-Musawi, Nu'man; Karam, Ebraheem M.

    2011-01-01

    The objective of this study was to identify the main qualities of the teacher as a person as perceived by university students in Bahrain and Kuwait. A 25-item questionnaire, which reflected the basic humanistic qualities of the teacher as related to effective teaching, was designed and then administered to a random sample of 520 students enrolled…

  11. Progress Revisited: The Quality of (Work)Life of Women Teachers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Canadian Teachers' Federation, Ottawa (Ontario).

    This study explores the elusive concept of "Quality of Life" of women teachers in Canada. It is clear that both gender and profession mediate quality of life and overlap in ways researchers are just beginning to understand. The experiences of men have been the yardstick against which women's progress in the teaching profession has been…

  12. Special Education Teacher Quality and Preparation: Exposing Foundations, Constructing a New Model

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brownell, Mary T.; Sindelar, Paul T.; Kiely, Mary Theresa; Danielson, Louis C.

    2010-01-01

    The authors trace changes in conceptions of special education teacher quality and preparation in response to developments in special education research, policy, and practice. This developmental arc is a backdrop for understanding contemporary special education practice and charting future directions for preparing special education teachers.…

  13. In Search of Teaching Quality of EFL Student Teachers through Teaching Practicum: Lessons from a Teacher Education Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Azkiyah, Siti Nurul; Mukminin, Amirul

    2017-01-01

    This study was intended to investigate the teaching quality of student teachers when they conducted their teaching practicum. Teaching quality is conceptualised based on eight classroom factors (orientation, structuring, modelling, application, questioning, building classroom as a learning environment, assessment, and time management) of the…

  14. Voices in Education: Accountability in Teacher Education and the National Council on Teacher Quality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Paulson, Sharon; Marchant, Greg

    2011-01-01

    Personally, the authors have seen the evolution of teacher education for over 30 years. From "diagnostic/prescriptive teaching" through "reflective practice," the quality of the programs and students has improved greatly. Turning that subjective appraisal into a quantifiable evaluation is a tricky enterprise in education. However, the demand for…

  15. The Influence of Mentoring Relationship Quality and Satisfaction on Novice Teachers' Self-Efficacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alessa, Matar Ahmed

    2017-01-01

    This study examined the influence of mentoring relationship quality, mentoring satisfaction, and mentor matches on novice teachers' self-efficacy. Additionally, the study continued to explore a Midwestern State's mentoring program features, novice teachers' needs, and challenges of working conditions. The study surveyed 340 novice teachers, with a…

  16. Does Glycemic Variability Impact Mood and Quality of Life?

    PubMed Central

    Quinn, Lauretta; Byrn, Mary; Ferrans, Carol; Miller, Michael; Strange, Poul

    2012-01-01

    Abstract Background Diabetes is a chronic condition that significantly impacts quality of life. Poor glycemic control is associated with more diabetes complications, depression, and worse quality of life. The impact of glycemic variability on mood and quality of life has not been studied. Methods A descriptive exploratory design was used. Twenty-three women with type 2 diabetes wore a continuous glucose monitoring system for 72 h and completed a series of questionnaires. Measurements included (1) glycemic control shown by glycated hemoglobin and 24-h mean glucose, (2) glycemic variability shown by 24-h SD of the glucose readings, continuous overall net glycemic action (CONGA), and Fourier statistical models to generate smoothed curves to assess rate of change defined as “energy,” and (3) mood (depression, anxiety, anger) and quality of life by questionnaires. Results Women with diabetes and co-morbid depression had higher anxiety, more anger, and lower quality of life than those without depression. Certain glycemic variability measures were associated with mood and quality of life. The 24-h SD of the glucose readings and the CONGA measures were significantly associated with health-related quality of life after adjusting for age and weight. Fourier models indicated that certain energy components were significantly associated with depression, trait anxiety, and overall quality of life. Finally, subjects with higher trait anxiety tended to have steeper glucose excursions. Conclusions Data suggest that greater glycemic variability may be associated with lower quality of life and negative moods. Implications include replication of the study in a larger sample for the assessment of blood glucose fluctuations as they impact mood and quality of life. PMID:22324383

  17. Quality Assurance in Teacher Education and Outcomes: A Study of 17 Countries

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ingvarson, Lawrence; Rowley, Glenn

    2017-01-01

    This study investigated the relationship between policies related to the recruitment, selection, preparation, and certification of new teachers and (a) the quality of future teachers as measured by their mathematics content and pedagogy content knowledge and (b) student achievement in mathematics at the national level. The study used data…

  18. Deconstructing Teacher Quality in Urban Early Childhood Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Young, Jemimah L.; Butler, Bettie Ray; Dolzhenko, Inna N.; Ardrey, Tameka N.

    2018-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to deconstruct the extant scholarship on quality in early childhood education and to emphasize the importance of extending the literature to explore the potential influence that a teachers' educational background may have on kindergarten readiness for African American children in urban early learning settings.…

  19. Teacher Quality: Sustained Coordination among Key Federal Education Programs Could Enhance State Efforts to Improve Teacher Quality. Report to the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness, Committee on Education and Labor, House of Representatives. GAO-09-593

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    US Government Accountability Office, 2009

    2009-01-01

    Policymakers and researchers have focused on improving the quality of our nation's 3 million teachers to raise the achievement of students in key academic areas, such as reading and mathematics. Given the importance of teacher quality to student achievement and the key role federal and state governments play in supporting teacher quality, GAO's…

  20. University Teachers' Perceptions of Appropriate Emotion Display and High-Quality Teacher-Student Relationship: Similarities and Differences across Cultural-Educational Contexts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hagenauer, Gerda; Gläser-Zikuda, Michaela; Volet, Simone E.

    2016-01-01

    Research on teachers' emotion display and the quality of the teacher-student relationship in higher education is increasingly significant in the context of rapidly developing internationalization in higher education, with scholars (and students) moving across countries for research and teaching. However, there is little theoretically grounded…

  1. Identifying Demographic Variables Influencing the Nature of Science (NOS) Conceptions of Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Karaman, Ayhan

    2017-01-01

    In this survey research study, the views of practicing teachers in select aspects of NOS were investigated in connection with the effects of several variables (teaching discipline, gender, education level, teaching experience and regional work location). The instrument used to collect data was an adapted version of "Scientific Epistemological…

  2. Retaining Quality Teachers for Alaska.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McDiarmid, G. Williamson; Larson, Eric; Hill, Alexandra

    This report examines the demand for teachers, teacher turnover, and teacher education in Alaska. Surveys were conducted with school district personnel directors, directors of Alaska teacher education programs, teachers who exited Alaska schools in 2001, and rural and urban instructional aides. Alaska is facing teacher shortages, but these are…

  3. Quality Parameterization of Educational Resources from the Perspective of a Teacher

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Karolcík, Štefan; Cipková, Elena; Veselský, Milan; Hrubišková, Helena; Matulcíková, Mária

    2017-01-01

    Objective assessment of the quality of available educational resources presupposes the existence of specific quality standards and specific evaluation tools which consider the specificities of digital products with educational ambitions. The study presents the results of research conducted on a representative sample of teachers who commented on…

  4. Leadership Qualities Found in Administrators Performing Simultaneous Duties Identified by Teacher Experiences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Berry, Bennie S.

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this basic qualitative research study was to explore the experiences of teachers in small rural school districts with an administrator that served as superintendent and principal simultaneously and reflect on what they identified as leadership qualities and characteristics. The participants were all teachers who worked in School…

  5. Changes in student teachers' agency beliefs during a teacher education year, and relationships with observed classroom quality, and day-to-day experiences.

    PubMed

    Malmberg, Lars-Erik; Hagger, Hazel

    2009-12-01

    Conceptualizations of teachers' agency beliefs converge around domains of support and instruction. We investigated changes in student teachers' agency beliefs during a 1 year teacher education course, and related these to observed classroom quality and day-to-day experiences in partnership schools during the practicum. Out of a sample of 66 student teachers who had responded to at least two out of four times to a questionnaire (18 men 48 women; mean age 26.4 years), 30 were observed during teaching, and 20 completed a 4-day short form diary. Confirmatory factor analysis validated two agency belief constructs. Multi-level models for change investigated individual differences in change over time. Multi-level path models related observation and diary responses to agency beliefs. Supportive agency belief was high and stable across time. Instructional agency belief increased over time, suggesting a beneficial effect of teacher education. This increase was predicted by observed classroom quality (emotional support and student engagement) and daily positive affect and agency beliefs. Teacher education is successful in creating a context in which student teachers' supportive agency beliefs can be maintained and instructional agency beliefs can increase during the course.

  6. Examining Preservice Science Teacher Understanding of Nature of Science: Discriminating Variables on the Aspects of Nature of Science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jones, William I.

    This study examined the understanding of nature of science among participants in their final year of a 4-year undergraduate teacher education program at a Midwest liberal arts university. The Logic Model Process was used as an integrative framework to focus the collection, organization, analysis, and interpretation of the data for the purpose of (1) describing participant understanding of NOS and (2) to identify participant characteristics and teacher education program features related to those understandings. The Views of Nature of Science Questionnaire form C (VNOS-C) was used to survey participant understanding of 7 target aspects of Nature of Science (NOS). A rubric was developed from a review of the literature to categorize and score participant understanding of the target aspects of NOS. Participants' high school and college transcripts, planning guides for their respective teacher education program majors, and science content and science teaching methods course syllabi were examined to identify and categorize participant characteristics and teacher education program features. The R software (R Project for Statistical Computing, 2010) was used to conduct an exploratory analysis to determine correlations of the antecedent and transaction predictor variables with participants' scores on the 7 target aspects of NOS. Fourteen participant characteristics and teacher education program features were moderately and significantly ( p < .01) correlated with participant scores on the target aspects of NOS. The 6 antecedent predictor variables were entered into multiple regression analyses to determine the best-fit model of antecedent predictor variables for each target NOS aspect. The transaction predictor variables were entered into separate multiple regression analyses to determine the best-fit model of transaction predictor variables for each target NOS aspect. Variables from the best-fit antecedent and best-fit transaction models for each target aspect of NOS were

  7. The Quality of School Life: Teacher-Student Trust Relationships and the Organizational School Context

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Van Maele, Dimitri; Van Houtte, Mieke

    2011-01-01

    In exploring the quality of schools' social system, this study provides insight into in which types of schools students may encounter barriers in developing supportive teacher-student relationships because of teachers exposing low levels of trust in students. Student culture and teachability perceptions are assessed as incentives for teachers'…

  8. The Level of Psychological Burnout at the Teachers of Students with Autism Disorders in Light of a Number of Variables in Al-Riyadh Area

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Atiyat, Omar Khalil

    2017-01-01

    This study aimed at measuring the level of the psychological burnout in the teachers of students that have autism symptoms in Al-Riyadh area--kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In light of variables. These variables are the gender, the teaching place, the academic qualification of the teachers, the experience of the teachers, the age of the teachers, and…

  9. Still Motivated to Teach? A Study of School Context Variables, Stress and Job Satisfaction among Teachers in Senior High School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Skaalvik, Einar M.; Skaalvik, Sidsel

    2017-01-01

    This study explored how teachers' working conditions or school context variables (job demands and job resources) were related to their teaching self-concept, teacher burnout, job satisfaction, and motivation to leave the teaching profession among teachers in Norwegian senior high school. Participants were 546 teachers in three counties in central…

  10. Preparing and Credentialing the Nation's Teachers: The Secretary's Ninth Report on Teacher Quality, 2013

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Office of Postsecondary Education, US Department of Education, 2013

    2013-01-01

    This ninth report on teacher quality presents information states reported to the U.S. Department of Education (Department) in October 2011. Title II of the "Higher Education Act of 1965" (HEA), as amended in 2008 by the "Higher Education Opportunity Act" (HEOA), requires states to report annually on key elements of their…

  11. Raising the Bar of Teacher Quality: Accountability, Collaboration, and Social Justice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ganley, DeLacy Derin; Quintanar, Anita P.; Loop, Lisa S.

    2007-01-01

    Historically, reform efforts to address poor student achievement have focused on a variety of issues other than teacher quality. Movements such as TQM (Total Quality Management), class size reduction (CSR), school leadership, parental involvement, and multicultural curriculum have not directly addressed the power or influence of the individual…

  12. Educational Quality in Music Teacher Education: Components of a Foundation for Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johansen, Geir

    2007-01-01

    Increasing demands for educational quality in higher education affect both higher music education and music teacher education. A theoretical framework is needed if we are to question what is meant by "educational quality" in the latter. To establish programs for quality development and assessment requires basic subject-specific research on the…

  13. Relationship between Quality of Work Life and Work Alienation: Research on Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Çetinkanat, Ayse Canan; Kösterelioglu, Meltem Akin

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of the study is examined primary school teachers' quality of work life and work alienation perceptions. The sample of the study was composed of teachers (N = 426) employed in Bolu province central and district state primary schools in 2010-2011 academic year. For data collection purposes, "Personal Information Form" was used…

  14. Connecting the Continuum: A University-Based Induction Program to Improve Teacher Quality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Van Zandt Allen, Laura

    2014-01-01

    The Summer Curriculum Writing Institute (SCWI) supports graduates of a university-based teacher education program during the induction years and beyond with the aim of impacting teacher quality. The purpose of this article is to describe the development, goals, research, and lessons learned during SCWI from 2005-12. The week focuses around the…

  15. An Examination of Teacher's Occupational Burnout Levels in Terms of Organizational Confidence and Some Other Variables

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Caglar, Caglar

    2011-01-01

    An effort is made in this research to determine the correlations between primary school teachers' levels of confidence in their organization and their burnout levels and other variables. The research population is composed of teachers teaching in the primary schools located in the city center of Adiyaman in 2009-2010 academic year whereas the…

  16. Dimensions of Quality in Teacher Education: Perception and Practices of Teacher Educators in the Universities of Sindh, Pakistan

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sahito, Zafarullah; Vaisanen, Pertti

    2017-01-01

    This study was conducted to explore the dimensions of quality education in teacher education departments at universities of Sindh province of Pakistan. The qualitative research approach was employed for data collection and then analysed through thematic-narrative analysis technique. The total eight dimensions of quality were found, as two were…

  17. Determination of Self-Efficacy and Burnout State of Teachers Working in the Special Education Field in Terms of Different Variables

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nuri, Cahit; Demirok, Mukaddes Sakalli; Direktör, Cemaliye

    2017-01-01

    The aim of the study is to analyse the self-efficacy and burnout of special education teachers in terms of different variables such as gender, teachers' educational levels, teachers' daily working hours, and teachers' daily student numbers. 7 special education schools, affiliated to Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Ministry of Education…

  18. Psychological Needs as the Working-Life Quality Predictor of Special Education Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bozgeyikli, Hasan

    2018-01-01

    The purpose of this research is to determine whether psychological needs that the special education teachers have, significantly predict the professional quality of life. Descriptive survey design was used in the research. The data of the research were obtained from 238 special education teachers (45% males and 55.5% females) who were working as a…

  19. The Social Reconstructionist Approach to Teacher Education: A Necessary Component to Achieving Excellence and Quality Education for All

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mayne, Hope

    2014-01-01

    Improving all aspects of the quality of education is dependent on preparing teachers to become critical citizens. The social reconstructionist approach to teacher education is essential to transforming an education system defined by inequity, issues of quality, and issues of access. How do pre-service teachers perceive the mission of quality…

  20. The effect of certification and preparation on teacher quality.

    PubMed

    Boyd, Donald; Goldhaber, Daniel; Lankford, Hamilton; Wyckoff, James

    2007-01-01

    To improve the quality of the teacher workforce, some states have tightened teacher preparation and certification requirements while others have eased requirements and introduced "alternative" ways of being certified to attract more people to teaching. Donald Boyd, Daniel Goldhaber, Hamilton Lankford, and James Wyckoff evaluate these seemingly contradictory strategies by examining how preparation and certification requirements affect student achivement. If strong requirements improve student outcomes and deter relatively few potential teachers, the authors say, then they may well be good policy. But if they have little effect on student achievement, if they seriously deter potential teachers, or if schools are able to identify applicants who will produce good student outcomes, then easing requirements becomes a more attractive policy. In reviewing research on these issues, the authors find that evidence is often insufficient to draw conclusions. They do find that highly selective alternative route programs can produce effective teachers who perform about the same as teachers from traditional routes after two years on the job. And they find that teachers who score well on certification exams can improve student outcomes somewhat. Limited evidence suggests that certification requirements can diminish the pool of applicants, but there is no evidence on how they affect student outcomes. And the authors find that schools have a limited ability to identify attributes in prospective teachers that allow them to improve student achievement. The authors conclude that the research evidence is simply too thin to have serious implications for policy. Given the enormous investment in teacher preparation and certification and given the possibility that these requirements may worsen student outcomes, the lack of convincing evidence is disturbing. The authors urge researchers and policymakers to work together to move to a more informed position where good resource decisions can be

  1. Investigating Pre-Service Science Teachers' Critical Thinking Dispositions and Problem Solving Skills in Terms of Different Variables

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yenice, Nilgun

    2011-01-01

    This study was conducted to examine pre-service science teachers' critical thinking dispositions and problem solving skills based on gender, grade level and graduated high school variables. Also relationship between pre-service science teachers' critical thinking dispositions and problem solving skills was examined based on gender, grade level and…

  2. Models of Pre-Service Teachers' Academic Achievement: The Influence of Cognitive Motivational Variables

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Castro-Villarreal, Felicia; Guerra, Norma; Sass, Daniel; Hseih, Pei-Hsuan

    2014-01-01

    Theoretical models were tested using structural equation modeling to evaluate the interrelations among cognitive motivational variables and academic achievement using a sample of 128 predominately Hispanic pre-service teachers enrolled in two undergraduate educational psychology classes. Data were gathered using: (1) a quantitative questionnaire…

  3. Beyond ABCs and 123s: Enhancing Teacher-Child Relationship Quality to Promote Children's Behavioral Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vick Whittaker, Jessica E.; Jones Harden, Brenda

    2010-01-01

    Results from a study of 100 Head Start children and their teachers suggested that teacher-child relationship quality was associated with children's classroom behaviors. Specifically, teacher-child conflict was strongly related to children's externalizing behaviors. Based on these findings, we present recommendations for the development of policies…

  4. Are All Program Elements Created Equal? Relations Between Specific Social and Emotional Learning Components and Teacher-Student Classroom Interaction Quality.

    PubMed

    Abry, Tashia; Rimm-Kaufman, Sara E; Curby, Timothy W

    2017-02-01

    School-based social and emotional learning (SEL) programs are presented to educators with little understanding of the program components that have the greatest leverage for improving targeted outcomes. Conducted in the context of a randomized controlled trial, the present study used variation in treatment teachers' (N = 143) implementation of four core components of the Responsive Classroom approach to examine relations between each component and the quality of teachers' emotional, organizational, and instructional interactions in third, fourth, and fifth grade classrooms (controlling for pre-intervention interaction quality and other covariates). We also examined the extent to which these relations varied as a function of teachers' baseline levels of interaction quality. Indices of teachers' implementation of Morning Meeting, Rule Creation, Interactive Modeling, and Academic Choice were derived from a combination of teacher-reported surveys and classroom observations. Ratings of teacher-student classroom interactions were aggregated across five observations conducted throughout the school year. Structural path models indicated that teachers' use of Morning Meeting and Academic Choice related to higher levels of emotionally supportive interactions; Academic Choice also related to higher levels of instructional interactions. In addition, teachers' baseline interaction quality moderated several associations such that the strongest relations between RC component use and interaction quality emerged for teachers with the lowest baseline interaction quality. Results highlight the value of examining individual program components toward the identification of program active ingredients that can inform intervention optimization and teacher professional development.

  5. 34 CFR 200.57 - Plans to increase teacher quality.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 34 Education 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Plans to increase teacher quality. 200.57 Section 200.57 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education OFFICE OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TITLE I-IMPROVING THE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF THE DISADVANTAGED...

  6. 34 CFR 200.57 - Plans to increase teacher quality.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 34 Education 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Plans to increase teacher quality. 200.57 Section 200.57 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education OFFICE OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TITLE I-IMPROVING THE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF THE DISADVANTAGED...

  7. Relationship quality and student engagement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Culver, Jennifer

    The purpose of this study was to examine the qualities of support, relatedness, and negative interaction within parent-child and teacher-student relationships and their association with cognitive, psychological, and behavioral engagement. Additionally, this study explored the contributions of cognitive and psychological engagement on behavioral engagement. The role of gender, grade, and ethnicity on relationship quality and engagement was also considered. Participants (n=311) were students in grades three through five from a suburban school district in southeastern Michigan. Perceptions of teacher-student relationship quality varied by grade level. In general, younger students reported greater teacher support and relatedness in comparison to older students. Conversely, older students perceived greater conflict within the teacher-student relationship. Student engagement also varied by grade level, with younger students reporting greater engagement than older students. Ethnicity also contributed to variance in student engagement, with African American students reporting significantly more engagement than Caucasian or Multiracial students. Teacher-student relationship quality was a significant predictor of student engagement, even after controlling for student characteristics and parent-child relationship variables. Results of path analysis revealed that cognitive and psychological engagement contributed significantly to behavioral engagement.

  8. A Study Examining the Dimensionality of Core Competencies Measure in Teacher Preparation Programs: Challenges and Lessons

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kizil, Ruhan Circi; Briggs, Derek; Seidel, Kent; Green, Kathy

    2014-01-01

    The evidence that teacher preparation programs have an impact on teacher quality is often limited. Progress in research on this topic will remain rather limited in its influence on practice until more proximal measures of teacher education outcomes can be established. The dearth of variables to measure the impact of teacher preparation programs on…

  9. Investigating Teachers' Professional Life Quality Levels in Terms of the Positive Psychological Capital

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yalçin, Sinan; Isgör, Isa Y.

    2017-01-01

    This study, which investigated the relationship between teachers' professional life qualities and positive psychological capital, was designed in a relational screening pattern in the quantitative research method. Teachers, who worked in primary, secondary and high school in Erzincan city centre of Turkey in 2014-2015 academic year, participated…

  10. An Integrative View of School Functioning: Transactions between Self-Regulation, School Engagement, and Teacher-Child Relationship Quality

    PubMed Central

    Portilla, Ximena A.; Ballard, Parissa J.; Adler, Nancy E.; Boyce, W. Thomas; Obradović, Jelena

    2014-01-01

    This study investigates the dynamic interplay between teacher-child relationship quality and children’s behaviors across kindergarten and first grade to predict academic competence in first grade. Using a sample of 338 ethnically diverse 5-year-old children, nested path analytic models were conducted to examine bidirectional pathways between children’s behaviors and teacher-child relationship quality. Low self-regulation in kindergarten fall, as indexed by inattention and impulsive behaviors, predicted more conflict with teachers in kindergarten spring and this effect persisted into first grade. Conflict and low self-regulation jointly predicted decreases in school engagement which in turn predicted first grade academic competence. Findings illustrate the importance of considering transactions between self-regulation, teacher-child relationship quality, and school engagement in predicting academic competence. PMID:24916608

  11. Using a Standardized Task to Assess the Quality of Teacher-Child Dyadic Interactions in Preschool

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Whittaker, Jessica E. V.; Williford, Amanda P.; Carter, Lauren M.; Vitiello, Virginia E.; Hatfield, Bridget E.

    2018-01-01

    Research Findings: This study explored the quality of teacher-child interactions within the context of a newly developed standardized task, Teacher-Child Structured Play Task (TC-SPT). A sample of 146 teachers and 345 children participated. Children who displayed the highest disruptive behaviors within each classroom were selected to participate.…

  12. Enacting a Social Justice Leadership Framework: The 3 C's of Urban Teacher Quality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Khalil, Deena; Brown, Elizabeth

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to conceptualize a social justice leadership framework that identifies essential urban teacher qualities. This framework serves to benefit education leaders seeking teachers best suited for urban schools and urban educators seeking to improve their praxis. The study used a critical approach to analyze data collected…

  13. Investigating Variables Predicting Turkish Pre-service Teachers' Integration of ICT into Teaching Practices

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aslan, Aydin; Zhu, Chang

    2017-01-01

    Pre-service teachers need to acquire information and communications technology (ICT) competency in order to integrate ICT into their teaching practices. This research was conducted to investigate to what extent ICT-related variables--such as perceived ICT competence, perceived competence in ICT integration, attitudes toward ICT, anxiety around ICT…

  14. Recruiting and retaining high-quality teachers in rural areas.

    PubMed

    Monk, David H

    2007-01-01

    In examining recruitment and retention of teachers in rural areas, David Monk begins by noting the numerous possible characteristics of rural communities--small size, sparse settlement, distance from population concentrations, and an economic reliance on agricultural industries that are increasingly using seasonal and immigrant workers to minimize labor costs. Many, though not all, rural areas, he says, are seriously impoverished. Classes in rural schools are relatively small, and teachers tend to report satisfaction with their work environments and relatively few problems with discipline. But teacher turnover is often high, and hiring can be difficult. Monk observes that rural schools have a below-average share of highly trained teachers. Compensation in rural schools tends to be low, perhaps because of a lower fiscal capacity in rural areas, thus complicating efforts to attract and retain teachers. Several student characteristics, including relatively large shares of students with special needs and with limited English skills and lower shares of students attending college, can also make it difficult to recruit and retain high-quality teachers. Other challenges include meeting the needs of highly mobile children of low-income migrant farm workers. With respect to public policy, Monk asserts a need to focus on a subcategory of what might be called hard-to-staff rural schools rather than to develop a blanket set of policies for all rural schools. In particular, he recommends a focus on such indicators as low teacher qualifications, teaching in fields far removed from the area of training, difficulty in hiring, high turnover, a lack of diversity among teachers in the school, and the presence of migrant farm workers' children. Successful efforts to stimulate economic growth in these areas would be highly beneficial. He also calls attention to the potential for modern telecommunication and computing technologies to offset some of the drawbacks associated with teaching

  15. The Effect of Wage Compression and Alternative Labor Market Opportunities on Teacher Quality in Venezuela

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ortega, Daniel E.

    2010-01-01

    This paper examines the effect of teacher relative wages and teacher wage dispersion on high school graduates' preferences for teaching majors in College. This approximation to teacher quality is appropriate in a country like Venezuela as opposed to the US since the rigidity of the tertiary school system significantly limits mobility between…

  16. Quality Assurance and Teacher Education: International Challenges and Expectations. Rethinking Education. Volume 6

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harford, Judith, Ed.; Hudson, Brian, Ed.; Niemi, Hannele, Ed.

    2012-01-01

    Ensuring quality in and through teaching and learning has become a fundamental global concern. Emanating from a colloquium on "Quality Assurance and Teacher Education" hosted by University College Dublin in 2010 and funded by the European Educational Research Association, this book interrogates how quality cultures can be fostered in the…

  17. Determination of Pre-Service Science Teachers' Level of Awareness of Environmental Ethics in Relation to Different Variables

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Keles, Özgül; Özer, Nilgün

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of the current study is to determine the pre-service science teachers' awareness levels of environmental ethics in relation to different variables. The sampling of the present study is comprised of 1,023 third and fourth year pre-service science teachers selected from 12 different universities in the spring term of 2013-2014 academic…

  18. Perceptions of Critical Factors Related to Teacher Quality: Teacher Inputs, System Inputs, and Comprehensive Hiring Practices

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pippen, Rebecca Gintz

    2016-01-01

    For decades, accountability for student results has been at the forefront of school reform. While many school-based factors have influence, teacher quality has consistently been identified as the most important school-based factor related to student achievement (Rivkin, Hanushek, & Kain, 2000; Stronge, 2007). Research also suggests that a…

  19. An Experiment to Test the Feasibility and Quality of a Web-Based Questionnaire of Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jacob, Robin Tepper

    2011-01-01

    The use of web-based surveys to gather information from teachers has become increasingly common primarily based on the premise that they can reduce costs. Yet, relatively, little is known about the quality or cost effectiveness of web-based versus mail surveys for teachers. To study the efficacy of web-based teacher surveys, the author randomly…

  20. Quality and Quantity of Applicants for Teacher Education Rapidly Diminishing.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Starr, Nina K.

    1983-01-01

    Identifies two societal factors contributing to the decrease in quantity/quality of applicants for teacher education programs: range of career options now available for females and the "tunnel vision" mind set of schools, departments, and colleges of education. Suggests generic pedagogy as a solution. (MH)

  1. Effect of aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) on recovered stormwater quality variability.

    PubMed

    Page, D W; Peeters, L; Vanderzalm, J; Barry, K; Gonzalez, D

    2017-06-15

    Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) is increasingly being considered as a means of reusing urban stormwater to supplement available urban water resources. Storage of stormwater in an aquifer has been shown to affect water quality but it has also been claimed that storage will also decrease the stormwater quality variability making for improved predictability and management. This study is the first to document the changes in stormwater quality variability as a result of subsurface storage at four full scale ASR sites using advanced statistical techniques. New methods to examine water quality are required as data is often highly left censored and so traditional measures of variability such as the coefficient of variation are inappropriate. It was observed that for some water quality parameters (most notably E. coli) there was a marked improvement of water quality and a significant decrease in variability at all sites. This means that aquifer storage prior to engineered treatment systems may be advantageous in terms of system design to avoid over engineering. For other parameters such as metal(loids)s and nutrients the trend was less clear due to the numerous processes occurring during storage leading to an increase in variability, especially for geogenic metals and metalloids such as iron and arsenic. Depending upon the specific water quality parameters and end use, use of ASR may not have a dampening effect on stormwater quality variability. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Teacher-Reported Quality of Schooling Indicators in Botswana Primary Schools: An Exploratory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ntinda, Kayi; Ntinda, Magdalene Nakalowa; Mpofu, Elias

    2015-01-01

    This study examined teacher self-reported views on quality indicators in Botswana primary schools. A purposively selected sample of primary school teachers in the city of Gaborone, Botswana (N = 72, females = 56; males = 16; mean age = 39 years, SD = 7.17 years; mean years of service = 15.6; SD= 8 years; public schools = 65%; private schools =…

  3. Effects of Background Variables of Early Childhood Teachers on Their Concerns about Inclusion: The Mediation Role of Confidence in Teaching

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Park, Mi-Hwa; Dimitrov, Dimiter M.; Park, Do-Yong

    2018-01-01

    This study examines concerns of early childhood teachers about inclusive education (IE) in infant through 3rd-grade classrooms in the United States and the associated role of teachers' background variables. The data consisted of the responses of 679 early childhood teachers on a survey about their concerns. The data analysis supported the presence…

  4. Do Demographic Factors, School Functioning, and Quality of Student-Teacher Relationships as Rated by Teachers Predict Internalising and Externalising Problems among Norwegian Schoolchildren?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Drugli, May Britt; Klokner, Christian; Larsson, Bo

    2011-01-01

    The present study explored the association between child internalising and externalising problems in schools and demographic factors (sex and age), school functioning (academic performance and adaptive functioning) and teacher-reported student-teacher relationship quality in a cross-sectional study using structural equation modelling. The study…

  5. Institutional Responses to the Quality/Quantity Issue in Teacher Training.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schlechty, Phillip C.; Vance, Victor S.

    1983-01-01

    This North Carolina-based study argues that a reexamination is needed of the competitive position of teaching in the larger occupational structure of society and that the quality of the teaching force will not be raised merely by raising entrance or exit standards in teacher education. (JBM)

  6. The Teachers Level of Emotional Intelligence Some of the Demographic Variables for Investigation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adilogullari, Ilhan

    2011-01-01

    The study aims to examine the level of emotional intelligence of some of the demographic variables of the teachers working in the province of Gaziantep. Acar (2002) adapted to Turkish by Bar-On Emotional Intelligence Ability Scale 5-item scale used in grading and answered 87. The study evaluated data; descriptive statistical methods (frequency,…

  7. Teacher Preparation: Ensuring a Quality Teacher in Every Classroom. Hearing of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, United States Senate, One Hundred Thirteenth Congress, Second Session on Examining Teacher Preparation, Focusing on Ensuring a Quality Teacher in Every Classroom (March 25, 2014). Senate Hearing 113-828

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    US Senate, 2016

    2016-01-01

    This is the seventh in a series of hearings to inform this committee's reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. The focus of this hearing, teacher preparation, is profoundly important for all students, from the very youngest to adult students. Study after study shows that teacher quality is the decisive in-school factor in boosting student…

  8. Prevalence and factors associated with poor sleep quality among secondary school teachers in a developing country.

    PubMed

    Musa, Nor Asma; Moy, Foong Ming; Wong, Li Ping

    2018-05-31

    This study aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with poor sleep quality among secondary school teachers in the state of Selangor, Malaysia. This was a cross sectional study, conducted in two phases. Phase I tested the reliability of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index in the Malay language (M-PSQI), whereas Phase II determined the prevalence and factors associated with poor sleep quality where a total of 1871 secondary school teachers were studied. Participants were recruited using multistage sampling. Self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data on socio-demographic and teaching characteristics, comorbidities and characteristics of sleep. The M-PSQI was used to measure sleep quality. The Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 was used to measure mental health status. Results showed that the M-PSQI had a good internal consistency and moderate reliability. The prevalence of poor sleep quality was 61 (95% CI: 54-67) %. Total teaching hours/day, depression and stress were significantly associated with poor sleep quality in the univariate analysis, while only stress (OR 1.04; 95% CI 1.02-1.05%) remained significant in the multivariate analyses. In conclusion, stress level of the secondary school teachers should be reduced to improve sleep quality.

  9. Teacher-Child Relationships Make All the Difference: Constructing Quality Interactions in Early Childhood Settings

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McNally, Shelley; Slutsky, Ruslan

    2018-01-01

    High-quality teacher-child relationships provide protective and supportive environments that provide social support for children to engage in curriculum and take risks that result in overall school success (Buyse, Verschueren, & Doumen, 2011; Pianta & Stuhlman, 2004). Teachers have the potential to use their relationship as a tool for…

  10. Teacher and School Variables That Impact Special Education Preschool Teacher-Family Involvement Behaviors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marchini, Louise

    2011-01-01

    The present study examined teacher attitudes, teacher preparation/training, teacher experience, and school support and their relationship to reported family involvement behaviors, using the Epstein framework as a six part definition for family involvement. Participants included 283 teachers in 20 different special education preschool programs…

  11. The Contribution of Teachers' Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Program to Quality of Education and Its Teacher-Related Challenging Factors at Chagni Primary Schools, Awi Zone, Ethiopia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Belay, Sintayehu

    2016-01-01

    This study examined the contribution of teachers' Continuous Professional Development (CPD) to quality of education and its challenging factors related with teachers. For this purpose, the study employed descriptive survey method. 76 or 40.86% participant teachers were selected using simple random sampling technique. Close-ended questionnaire was…

  12. Unsatisfactory Performance: How California's K-12 Education System Protects Mediocrity and How Teacher Quality Can Be Improved.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dawson, Thomas C.; Billingsley, K. Lloyd

    This study examines the quality of California's K-12 education, discussing how the system protects mediocrity and how to improve educational quality in the state. It explains that what most ails the teaching force is that excellent teachers are not rewarded for superior work, and failing teachers are rarely held accountable for poor performance.…

  13. Analysis of environmental factors affecting the quality of teacher's life of public schools from Umuarama.

    PubMed

    Costa, Bruna Evellyn; Silva, Nicéia Luzia Selete

    2012-01-01

    In this study valued 100 public school teachers statewide Umuarama-Pr, through Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and also a socio-demographic questionnaire with objective factors to analyze the work environment that affect the quality of life for teachers public schools in Umuarama. The results indicated that teachers age between 20 and 30 years show high index of emotional exhaustion. Between 30 and 40 years have a low average emotional exhaustion and depersonalization and an average professional achievement. Teachers between 40 and 50 years of aged had resulted in the average within the fields Burnout Inventory with a group that's worrying, because it is the limit in all items that characterize the burnout syndrome. Already in the professionals aged between 50 and 60 years have seen high levels of emotional exhaustion, low depersonalization and low professional achievement, this group, which probably already had some of these symptoms are only now been identified. This shows how is the quality of life of the group of teachers surveyed, and indicates the need for action to change this situation and find solutions. A suggestion of this work is to build a center for psychological support for teachers to learn to handle everyday situations.

  14. Science Teacher Education in Australia: Initiatives and Challenges to Improve the Quality of Teaching

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Treagust, David F.; Won, Mihye; Petersen, Jacinta; Wynne, Georgie

    2015-01-01

    In this article, we describe how teachers in the Australian school system are educated to teach science and the different qualifications that teachers need to enter the profession. The latest comparisons of Australian students in international science assessments have brought about various accountability measures to improve the quality of science…

  15. School Based Accountability and the Distribution of Teacher Quality among Grades in Elementary Schools. Working Paper 75

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fuller, Sarah C.; Ladd, Helen F.

    2012-01-01

    We use North Carolina data to explore the extent to which teachers in the lower grades (K-2) of elementary school are lower quality than in the upper grades (3-5) and to examine the hypothesis that accountability contributes to a shortfall in teacher quality in the lower grades. Our concern with early elementary grades arises from recent studies…

  16. A Comparative Study of Iranian Female Primary School Teachers' Quality of Life With and Without Voice Complaints.

    PubMed

    Aghadoost, Ozra; Moradi, Negin; Aghadoost, Alireza; Montazeri, Ali; Soltani, Majid; Saffari, Ali

    2016-11-01

    As the largest group of professional voice users, teachers are more likely to face voice disorders because of their specific job conditions. This study aimed to compare the quality of life in female teachers with and without voice complaints. This is a cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study. This was a cross-sectional study of samples of primary school female teachers with (n = 60) and without (n = 60) voice disorders. All teachers were serving in Tehran, Iran. Professional background information was obtained through interviews, and quality of life was measured using the 36-item Short Form Health Survey questionnaire. A comparison was made between the study groups to analyze the data. The mean age of teachers was 44 (standard deviation = 3.95) years. There were no significant differences between the two groups regarding their professional background. However, significant differences were observed between the two groups in all subscales of the 36-item Short Form Health Survey, including physical and social functioning, role limitations because of either physical or emotional problems, bodily pain, general health, vitality, and mental health (P < 0.05). Findings of this study point to the effect of voice complaint on quality of life and showed that teachers with voice complaints suffer from poor health-related quality of life. Therefore, both voice-specific and unspecific assessment methods are required for clinical diagnostics. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  17. Low Wages = Low Quality: Solving the Real Preschool Teacher Crisis. NIEER Preschool Policy Matters, Issue 3.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barnett, W. Steven

    Recruiting and retaining good teachers ranks as one of the most significant roadblocks to solving the preschool quality crises facing the country. Evidence points to the low wages and benefits offered to preschool teachers as the single most important factor in hiring and keeping good teachers. This policy brief examines what is known about the…

  18. Re-Examining the Role of Teacher Quality in the Educational Production Function. Working Paper 2007-03

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koedel, Cory; Betts, Julian R.

    2007-01-01

    This study uses administrative data linking students and teachers at the classroom level to estimate teacher value-added to student test scores. We find that variation in teacher quality is an important contributor to student achievement--more important than has been implied by previous work. This result is attributable, at least in part, to the…

  19. Analyzing the Classroom Teachers' Levels of Creating a Constructivist Learning Environments in Terms of Various Variables: A Mersin Case

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Üredi, Lütfi

    2014-01-01

    In this research, it was aimed to analyze the classroom teachers' level of creating a constructivist learning environment in terms of various variables. For that purpose, relational screening model was used in the research. Classroom teachers' level of creating a constructivist learning environment was determined using the "constructivist…

  20. 34 CFR 611.2 - What management plan must be included in a Teacher Quality Enhancement Grants Program application?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... TEACHER QUALITY ENHANCEMENT GRANTS PROGRAM General Provisions § 611.2 What management plan must be... 34 Education 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What management plan must be included in a Teacher Quality Enhancement Grants Program application? 611.2 Section 611.2 Education Regulations of the Offices...

  1. Teacher beliefs, teacher characteristics, and school contextual factors: what are the relationships?

    PubMed

    Rubie-Davies, Christine M; Flint, Annaline; McDonald, Lyn G

    2012-06-01

    There is a plethora of research around student beliefs and their contribution to student outcomes. However, there is less research in relation to teacher beliefs. Teacher factors are important to consider since beliefs mould thoughts and resultant instructional behaviours that, in turn, can contribute to student outcomes. The purpose of this research was to explore relationships between the teacher characteristics of gender and teaching experience, school contextual variables (socio-economic level of school and class level), and three teacher socio-psychological variables: class level teacher expectations, teacher efficacy, and teacher goal orientation. The participants were 68 male and female teachers with varying experience, from schools in a variety of socio-economic areas and from rural and urban locations within New Zealand. Teachers completed a questionnaire containing items related to teacher efficacy and goal orientation in reading. They also completed a teacher expectation survey. Reading achievement data were collected on students. Interrelationships were explored between teacher socio-psychological beliefs and the teacher and school factors included in the study. Mastery-oriented beliefs predicted teacher efficacy for student engagement and classroom management. The socio-economic level of the school and teacher gender predicted teacher efficacy for engagement, classroom management, instructional strategies, and a mastery goal orientation. Being male predicted a performance goal orientation. Teacher beliefs, teacher characteristics, and school contextual variables can result in differences in teacher instructional practices and differing classroom climates. Further investigation of these variables is important since differences in teachers contribute to differences in student outcomes. ©2011 The British Psychological Society.

  2. Dynamic Effects of Teacher Turnover on the Quality of Instruction. Working Paper 170

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hanushek, Eric A.; Rivkin, Steven G.; Schiman, Jeffrey C.

    2016-01-01

    It is widely believed that teacher turnover adversely affects the quality of instruction in urban schools serving predominantly disadvantaged children, and a growing body of research investigates various components of turnover effects. The evidence at first seems contradictory, as the quality of instruction appears to decline following turnover…

  3. Student-teacher relationship quality and academic adjustment in upper elementary school: the role of student personality.

    PubMed

    Zee, Marjolein; Koomen, Helma M Y; Van der Veen, Ineke

    2013-08-01

    This study tested a theoretical model considering students' personality traits as predictors of student-teacher relationship quality (closeness, conflict, and dependency), the effects of student-teacher relationship quality on students' math and reading achievement, and the mediating role of students' motivational beliefs on the association between student-teacher relationship quality and achievement in upper elementary school. Surveys and tests were conducted among a nationally representative Dutch sample of 8545 sixth-grade students and their teachers in 395 schools. Structural equation models were used to test direct and indirect effects. Support was found for a model that identified conscientiousness and agreeableness as predictors of close, nonconflictual relationships, and neuroticism as a predictor of dependent and conflictual relationships. Extraversion was associated with higher levels of closeness and conflict, and autonomy was only associated with lower levels of dependency. Students' motivational beliefs mediated the effects of dependency and student-reported closeness on reading and math achievement. Copyright © 2013 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Quality Assurance: Adapting SERVQUAL to Measure the Perceived Quality of Pre-Service Teachers' Teaching Practice Experience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Oliver, Henry; Koeberg, Jeremy

    2013-01-01

    This article describes a work in progress study which extends traditional quality assurance mechanisms through the application of the SERVQUAL instrument. It assesses the difference between pre-service teacher expectations and actual experience during a Teaching Practice period. Anecdotal evidence points to students being the recipients of poor…

  5. The Value of Reliable Data: Interactive Data Tools from the National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality. Policy-to-Practice Brief. Number 1

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality, 2008

    2008-01-01

    The National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality (TQ Center) designed the Interactive Data Tools to provide users with access to state and national data that can be helpful in assessing the qualifications of teachers in the states and the extent to which a state's teacher policy climate generally supports teacher quality. The Interactive Data…

  6. Profile of South African Secondary-School Teachers' Teaching Quality: Evaluation of Teaching Practices Using an Observation Instrument

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    de Jager, Thelma; Coetzee, Mattheus Jacobus; Maulana, Ridwan; Helms-Lorenz, Michelle; van de Grift, Wim

    2017-01-01

    The need for quality teaching is reflected in the poor performance of students in international tests. Teachers' practices and contextual factors could contribute to substandard quality of teaching in South Africa. Several studies indicate that successful learning is largely dependent on the teachers' practices in class. The focus of the present…

  7. Teacher Quality Indicators as Predictors of Instructional Assessment Practices in Science Classrooms in Secondary Schools in Barbados

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ogunkola, Babalola J.; Archer-Bradshaw, Ramona E.

    2013-01-01

    This study investigated the self-reported instructional assessment practices of a selected sample of secondary school science teachers in Barbados. The study sought to determine if there were statistically significant differences in the instructional assessment practices of teachers based on their sex and teacher quality (teaching experience,…

  8. The Relation between School Leadership from a Distributed Perspective and Teachers' Organizational Commitment: Examining the Source of the Leadership Function

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hulpia, Hester; Devos, Geert; Van Keer, Hilde

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: In this study the relationship between school leadership and teachers' organizational commitment is examined by taking into account a distributed leadership perspective. The relation between teachers' organizational commitment and contextual variables of teachers' perceptions of the quality and the source of the supportive and supervisory…

  9. Supporting High Quality Teacher-Child Interactions in Pre-K Mathematics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McGuire, Patrick

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this three-paper manuscript dissertation is to add value to the limited knowledge base of research surrounding the quality of teacher-child interactions in pre-k mathematics contexts. The first paper, based on an extensive review of literature, presents a theoretical basis for using five-frames to support children's development of…

  10. Getting from Here to There: The Roles of Policy Makers and Principals in Increasing Science Teacher Quality

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shen, Ji; Gerard, Libby; Bowyer, Jane

    2010-04-01

    In this study we investigate how federal and state policy makers, and school principals are working to improve science teacher quality. Interviews, focused discussions, and policy documents serve as the primary data source. Findings suggest that both policy makers and principals prioritize increasing incentives for teachers entering the science teaching profession, providing professional development for new teachers, and using students’ data to evaluate and improve instruction. Differences between the two leadership groups emerged in terms of the grain size and practicality of their concerns. Our findings indicate that the complexity of educational challenges to improve science teacher quality call for the co-construction of policy by multiple constituent groups including school principals, federal and state policy makers, and science education researchers.

  11. Quality Assurance in Teacher Education. Proceedings of the 1981 Summer Workshop of the Association of Teacher Educators (East Lansing, MI, August 2-5, 1981).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Association of Teacher Educators, Reston, VA.

    Participants in the Association of Teacher Educators (ATE)/Institute for Research on Teaching (IRT) Summer Workshop on "Quality Assurance in Teacher Education: Research Into Practice," attended sessions on higher education and took part in workshops focusing on research on teaching. The ATE presented 32 sessions reviewing current developments in…

  12. Teacher Pay and Teacher Aptitude

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Leigh, Andrew

    2012-01-01

    Can changes in teacher pay encourage more able individuals to enter the teaching profession? So far, studies of the impact of pay on the aptitude distribution of teachers have provided mixed evidence on the extent to which altering teacher salaries represents a feasible solution to the teacher quality problem. One possible reason is that these…

  13. The Development of a Teacher Salary Parcel Tax: The Quality Teacher and Education Act in San Francisco

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hough, Heather J.; Loeb, Susanna

    2009-01-01

    This case study will serve primarily as an historical account detailing the development of Quality Teacher and Education Act (QTEA). QTEA and the most salient details that led to its eventual passage, serving as an information source for San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) and other districts when they take on potentially controversial…

  14. Examining the Relationship among High-School Teachers' Technology Self-Efficacy, Attitudes towards Technology Integration, and Quality of Technology Integration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gonzales, Stacey

    2013-01-01

    This quantitative study explored the relationships among high-school teachers' (n = 74) technology self-efficacy, teachers' attitudes towards technology integration, and quality of teachers' technology integration into instruction. This study offered the unique perspectives of in-service high-school teachers as they have first-hand experience…

  15. Contribution of a Professional Development Programme to the Quality and Retention of Teachers in an Urban Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gaikhorst, Lisa; Beishuizen, Jos J.; Zijlstra, Bonne J. H.; Volman, Monique L. L.

    2015-01-01

    This study examined the effects of a professional development programme aimed at equipping teachers for the challenges of teaching in urban schools. The contribution of the programme to teacher quality and teacher retention was evaluated using a mixed research design in which both quantitative (N?=?133) and qualitative (N?=?42) approaches were…

  16. The Association between Externalizing Behavior Problems, Teacher-Student Relationship Quality, and Academic Performance in Young Urban Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sanchez Fowler, Laura T.; Banks, Tachelle I.; Anhalt, Karla; Der, Heidi Hinrichs; Kalis, Tara

    2008-01-01

    The present study examined the relation between teacher ratings of student social functioning and academic performance and teacher-student relationship quality. Data were collected from 230 students and 20 teachers in two high-poverty, low-performing schools in a large urban school district in the Midwest. Students were 93% African American.…

  17. Teaching quality: High school students' autonomy and competence.

    PubMed

    León, Jaime; Medina-Garrido, Elena; Ortega, Miriam

    2018-05-01

    How teachers manage class learning and interact with students affects students’ motivation and engagement. However, it could be that the effect of students’ representation of teaching quality on the students’ motivation varies between classes. Students from 90 classes participated in the study. We used multilevel random structural equation modeling to analyze whether the relationship of the students’ perception of teaching quality (as an indicator of the students’ mental representation) and students’ motivation varies between classes, and if this variability depends on the class assessment of teaching quality (as an indicator of teaching quality). The effect of teachers’ structure on the regression slope of student perception of student competence was .127. The effect of teachers’ autonomy support on the regression slope of student perception of student autonomy was .066. With this study we contribute a more detailed description of the relationship between teaching quality, competence and autonomy.

  18. Professional Development in Teacher Digital Competence and Improving School Quality from the Teachers' Perspective: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cervera, Mercè Gisbert; Cantabrana, José L. Lázaro

    2015-01-01

    Professional development in ICT for teachers, in addition to being necessary given the dynamic nature of technology, also improves the institutional quality of schools. This work, based on action research, provides evidence that the school itself is capable of organising and designing a training plan as part of a broader process to improve quality…

  19. Assessing Teacher Quality: Understanding Teacher Effects on Instruction and Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kelly, Sean, Ed.

    2011-01-01

    Recent educational reforms have promoted accountability systems which attempt to identify "teacher effects" on student outcomes and hold teachers accountable for producing learning gains. But in the complex world of classrooms, it may be difficult to attribute "success" or "failure" to teachers. In this timely…

  20. Urban Teachers' Perceptions of Critical Variables in Measuring Teacher Effectiveness

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Flores, JuanPablo

    2013-01-01

    This quantitative and qualitative study sought to examine the factors that teachers in a poor socio-economic, high-minority, urban, inner-city school district determined were important when gauging their effectiveness in the classroom. The study focused on the selection of specific factors by approximately seventy-five teachers from seven of eight…

  1. To What Extent Do Teacher-Student Interaction Quality and Student Gender Contribute to Fifth Graders' Engagement in Mathematics Learning?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rimm-Kaufman, Sara E.; Baroody, Alison E.; Larsen, Ross A. A.; Curby, Timothy W.; Abry, Tashia

    2015-01-01

    This study examines concurrent teacher-student interaction quality and 5th graders' (n = 387) engagement in mathematics classrooms (n = 63) and considers how teacher-student interaction quality relates to engagement differently for boys and girls. Three approaches were used to measure student engagement in mathematics: Research assistants observed…

  2. Strengthening Mathematics And Science Education (SMASE) For Improving The Quality Of Teachers in Nigeria

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shuaibu, Zainab Muhammad

    2016-04-01

    The education system in Nigeria, especially at the basic education level, teachers who teach mathematics and science need to be confident with what they are teaching, they need to have appropriate techniques and strategies of motivating the pupils. If these subjects are not taught well at the basic education level its extraordinarily hard to get them (pupils/students) back to track, no matter what will be done in the secondary and tertiary level. Teachers as the driving force behind improvements in the education system are in the best position to understand and propose solutions to problems faced by students. Teachers must have access to sustainable, high quality professional development in order to improve teaching and student learning. Teachers' professional development in Nigeria, however, has long been criticized for its lack of sustainability and ability to produce effective change in teaching and students achievement. Education theorists today believe that a critical component of educational reform lies in providing teachers with various opportunities and supports structures that encourage ongoing improvement in teachers' pedagogy and discipline-specific content knowledge. However, the ongoing reforms in education sector and the need to refocus the Nigeria education system towards the goal of the National Economical Empowerment and Development Strategies (NEEDS) demand that the existing In-service and Education Training (INSET) in Nigeria be refocused. It is against this premise that an INSET programme aimed at Strengthening Mathematics And Science Education (SMASE) for primary and secondary school teachers was conceived. The relevance of the SMASE INSET according to the Project Design Matrix (PDM) was derived from an In-service aimed at enhancing the quality of teachers in terms of positive attitude, teaching methodology, mastery of content, resource mobilization and utilization of locally available teaching and learning materials. The intervention of

  3. Teacher Self-Efficacy as a Long-Term Predictor of Instructional Quality in the Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Künsting, Josef; Neuber, Victoria; Lipowsky, Frank

    2016-01-01

    In this longitudinal study, we examined teachers' self-efficacy as a long-term predictor of their mastery goal orientation and three dimensions of instructional quality: supportive classroom climate, effective classroom management, and cognitive activation. Mastery goal orientation was also analyzed as a predictor of instructional quality.…

  4. The Quality Teacher and Education Act in San Francisco: Lessons Learned. Policy Brief 09-2

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hough, Heather J.

    2009-01-01

    This policy brief reviews the recent experience of the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) with the development and approval of Proposition A. Proposition A (also known as the Quality Teacher and Education Act, or QTEA) included a parcel tax mainly dedicated to increasing teachers' salaries, along with a variety of measures introducing…

  5. Teacher-Student Relationship Quality Type in Elementary Grades: Effects on Trajectories for Achievement and Engagement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wu, Jiun-Yu; Hughes, Jan N.; Kwok, Oi-Man

    2010-01-01

    Teacher, peer, and student reports of the quality of the teacher-student relationship were obtained for an ethnically diverse and academically at-risk sample of 706 second- and third-grade students. Cluster analysis identified four types of relationships based on the consistency of child reports of support and conflict in the relationship with…

  6. Young Children's Perceptions of the Quality of Teacher-Child Interactions and School Engagement in Greek Kindergartens

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Papadopoulou, Elena; Gregoriadis, Athanasios

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine young children's perceptions about the quality of their interactions with their teachers and the possible association of teacher-child relationships with children's school engagement. Additionally, gender and ethnicity differences were investigated regarding both teachers' and children's perceptions. Young…

  7. An Examination of the Impact of Teacher Quality and "Opportunity Gap" on Student Science Achievement in China

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zhang, Danhui; Campbell, Todd

    2015-01-01

    This study aims to better understand questions related to the impact of teacher quality and access to qualified teachers in China. A large-scale data set collected in 2010 in China was used along with concurrently collected teacher questionnaires. In total, surveys from 9,943 8th grade students from 343 middle schools in 6 provinces were used,…

  8. Importance of Quality of Life Issues: A Pilot Comparison of Teachers and Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ivey-Hatz, Julie; Frederick, Karen

    2014-01-01

    Quality of life (QoL) issues for parents and teachers of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are important to investigate. Independence, social functioning, school functioning and participating in leisure activities are some of the quality of life indicators that parents and teachers must agree upon to ensure effective communication and…

  9. Examining Science Teachers' Argumentation in a Teacher Workshop on Earthquake Engineering

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cavlazoglu, Baki; Stuessy, Carol

    2018-02-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine changes in the quality of science teachers' argumentation as a result of their engagement in a teacher workshop on earthquake engineering emphasizing distributed learning approaches, which included concept mapping, collaborative game playing, and group lesson planning. The participants were ten high school science teachers from US high schools who elected to attend the workshop. To begin and end the teacher workshop, teachers in small groups engaged in concept mapping exercises with other teachers. Researchers audio-recorded individual teachers' argumentative statements about the inclusion of earthquake engineering concepts in their concept maps, which were then analyzed to reveal the quality of teachers' argumentation. Toulmin's argumentation model formed the framework for designing a classification schema to analyze the quality of participants' argumentative statements. While the analysis of differences in pre- and post-workshop concept mapping exercises revealed that the number of argumentative statements did not change significantly, the quality of participants' argumentation did increase significantly. As these differences occurred concurrently with distributed learning approaches used throughout the workshop, these results provide evidence to support distributed learning approaches in professional development workshop activities to increase the quality of science teachers' argumentation. Additionally, these results support the use of concept mapping as a cognitive scaffold to organize participants' knowledge, facilitate the presentation of argumentation, and as a research tool for providing evidence of teachers' argumentation skills.

  10. Impact on quality of life in teachers after educational actions for prevention of voice disorders: a longitudinal study.

    PubMed

    Pizolato, Raquel Aparecida; Rehder, Maria Inês Beltrati Cornacchioni; Meneghim, Marcelo de Castro; Ambrosano, Glaucia Maria Bovi; Mialhe, Fábio Luiz; Pereira, Antonio Carlos

    2013-02-27

    Voice problems are more common in teachers due to intensive voice use during routine at work. There is evidence that occupational disphonia prevention programs are important in improving the quality voice and consequently the quality of subjects' lives. To investigate the impact of educational voice interventions for teachers on quality of life and voice. A longitudinal interventional study involving 70 teachers randomly selected from 11 public schools, 30 to receive educational intervention with vocal training exercises and vocal hygiene habits (experimental group) and 40 to receive guidance on vocal hygiene habits (control group control). Before the process of educational activities, the Voice-Related Quality of Life instrument (V-RQOL) was applied, and 3 months after conclusion of the activities, the subjects were interviewed again, using the same instrument. For data analysis, Prox MIXED were applied, with a level of significance α < 0.05. Teachers showed significantly higher domain and overall V-RQOL scores after preventive intervention, in both control and experimental groups. Nevertheless, there was no statistical difference in scores between the groups. Educational actions for vocal health had a positive impact on the quality of life of the participants, and the incorporation of permanent educational actions at institutional level is suggested.

  11. Impact on quality of life in teachers after educational actions for prevention of voice disorders: a longitudinal study

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Voice problems are more common in teachers due to intensive voice use during routine at work. There is evidence that occupational disphonia prevention programs are important in improving the quality voice and consequently the quality of subjects’ lives. Aim To investigate the impact of educational voice interventions for teachers on quality of life and voice. Methods A longitudinal interventional study involving 70 teachers randomly selected from 11 public schools, 30 to receive educational intervention with vocal training exercises and vocal hygiene habits (experimental group) and 40 to receive guidance on vocal hygiene habits (control group control). Before the process of educational activities, the Voice-Related Quality of Life instrument (V-RQOL) was applied, and 3 months after conclusion of the activities, the subjects were interviewed again, using the same instrument. For data analysis, Prox MIXED were applied, with a level of significance α < 0.05. Results: Teachers showed significantly higher domain and overall V-RQOL scores after preventive intervention, in both control and experimental groups. Nevertheless, there was no statistical difference in scores between the groups. Conclusion Educational actions for vocal health had a positive impact on the quality of life of the participants, and the incorporation of permanent educational actions at institutional level is suggested. PMID:23445566

  12. Quality of life as a cancer nursing outcome variable.

    PubMed

    Padilla, G V; Grant, M M

    1985-10-01

    A reliable and valid multidimensional instrument for measuring quality of life in cancer patients has been developed. Furthermore, a model has been offered that describes how quality of life works as an outcome variable. Using this model, predictions were made of how nursing interventions may directly or indirectly impact on quality of life. Initial testing of the model using data from 135 colostomy patients showed how satisfaction with nursing care and personal control act as cognitive mediators of self-worth, which then impacts on dimensions of quality of life.

  13. Energy density and variability in abundance of pigeon guillemot prey: Support for the quality-variability trade-off hypothesis

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Litzow, Michael A.; Piatt, John F.; Abookire, Alisa A.; Robards, Martin D.

    2004-01-01

    1. The quality-variability trade-off hypothesis predicts that (i) energy density (kJ g-1) and spatial-temporal variability in abundance are positively correlated in nearshore marine fishes; and (ii) prey selection by a nearshore piscivore, the pigeon guillemot (Cepphus columba Pallas), is negatively affected by variability in abundance. 2. We tested these predictions with data from a 4-year study that measured fish abundance with beach seines and pigeon guillemot prey utilization with visual identification of chick meals. 3. The first prediction was supported. Pearson's correlation showed that fishes with higher energy density were more variable on seasonal (r = 0.71) and annual (r = 0.66) time scales. Higher energy density fishes were also more abundant overall (r = 0.85) and more patchy at a scale of 10s of km (r = 0.77). 4. Prey utilization by pigeon guillemots was strongly non-random. Relative preference, defined as the difference between log-ratio transformed proportions of individual prey taxa in chick diets and beach seine catches, was significantly different from zero for seven of the eight main prey categories. 5. The second prediction was also supported. We used principal component analysis (PCA) to summarize variability in correlated prey characteristics (energy density, availability and variability in abundance). Two PCA scores explained 32% of observed variability in pigeon guillemot prey utilization. Seasonal variability in abundance was negatively weighted by these PCA scores, providing evidence of risk-averse selection. Prey availability, energy density and km-scale variability in abundance were positively weighted. 6. Trophic interactions are known to create variability in resource distribution in other systems. We propose that links between resource quality and the strength of trophic interactions may produce resource quality-variability trade-offs.

  14. Preparing and Credentialing the Nation's Teachers: The Secretary's 10th Report on Teacher Quality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Office of Postsecondary Education, US Department of Education, 2016

    2016-01-01

    This 10th report on teacher quality presents information states reported to the U.S. Department of Education (Department) in October 2012, October 2013, and October 2014. "Title II" of the "Higher Education Act of 1965" ("HEA"), as amended in 2008 by the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA), requires states to…

  15. E-Learning Quality Assurance: A Perspective of Business Teacher Educators and Distance Learning Coordinators

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chapman, Betty F.; Henderson, Ronda G.

    2010-01-01

    Background: Business teacher educators and distance learning coordinators have the responsibility to deliver quality online courses and programs. Therefore, they must make sure that quality assurance benchmarks are present in online business education courses and programs. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which…

  16. Influence of Student–Teacher and Parent–Teacher Relationships on Lower Achieving Readers’ Engagement and Achievement in the Primary Grades

    PubMed Central

    Hughes, Jan; Kwok, Oi-man

    2007-01-01

    Participants were 443 (52.6% male, 47.4% female) ethnically diverse, 1st-grade, lower achieving readers attending 1 of 3 school districts in Texas. Using latent variable structural equation modeling, the authors tested a theoretical model positing that (a) the quality of teachers’ relationships with students and their parents mediates the associations between children’s background characteristics and teacher-rated classroom engagement and that (b) child classroom engagement, in turn, mediates the associations between student–teacher and parent–teacher relatedness and child achievement the following year. The hypothesized model provided a good fit to the data. African American children and their parents, relative to Hispanic and Caucasian children and their parents, had less supportive relationships with teachers. These differences in relatedness may be implicated in African American children’s lower achievement trajectories in the early grades. Implications of these findings for teacher preparation are discussed. PMID:18084625

  17. Preservice Teachers' Understandings of Caring.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goldstein, Lisa S.; Lake, Vickie E.

    This study examined preservice elementary teachers' understandings of the role of caring in educational contexts. Rather than attending to process variables (the teachers' emergent practices), the study focused on presage variables (the teachers' beliefs and understandings) and the teachers' reflections on their classroom experiences. Participants…

  18. Caring Teacher Qualities that Affect School Participation and Attendance: Student Portraits

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Grimm, Helen M.

    2009-01-01

    This study explores the perspectives of four high school students focusing on the identification of caring teacher qualities and the influence those characteristics have on school participation and attendance. Data was collected using interviews rather than survey in order to hear the often-unheard voices of students. Portraits of each student…

  19. Algebraic Reasoning: Professor Arbegla Introduces Variables and Functions. GEMS Teacher's Guide for Grades 3-5.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kopp, Jaine; Bergman, Lincoln

    This teacher guide helps build a solid foundation in algebra for students in grades 3-5 in which students gain essential understanding of properties of numbers, variables, functions, equations, and formulas. Throughout the problem solving activities, students use computational skills and gain a deeper understanding of the number system. Students…

  20. The Relationship between Attitudes, Knowledge, and Demographic Variables of High School Teachers Regarding Food Irradiation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thompson, B. M.; Ribera, K. P.; Wingenbach, G. J.; Vestal, T. A.

    2007-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to use a validated instrument to determine the attitudes and knowledge of high school teachers regarding food irradiation, and to determine the correlations among their knowledge and attitudes and certain demographic variables. Knowledge and attitudes about food irradiation were measured in selected high school family…

  1. Depression among Migrant and Left-Behind Children in China in Relation to the Quality of Parent-Child and Teacher-Child Relationships.

    PubMed

    Guo, Jing; Ren, Xuezhu; Wang, Xiaohua; Qu, Zhiyong; Zhou, Qianyun; Ran, Chun; Wang, Xia; Hu, Juan

    2015-01-01

    The objective of this study was to examine rates of depression among migrant children (MC) and left-behind children (LBC) as compared to non-left-behind children (NLBC) and also to examine the relationship between depression among these children and the quality of their parent-child and teacher-child relationships. This study collected data from a large sample of 3,759 children aged from 8 to 17 years, including 824 who had been left behind by one parent (LBCO), 423 who had been left behind by both parents (LBCB), 568 MC and 1944 NLBC. Children's Depression Inventory-Short Form was used to measure child depression. Parent-Child Relationship Scale (PCRS) and Teacher-Child Relationship Scale (TCRS) were used to measure the quality of parent-child and teacher-child relationships, respectively. The results showed that the prevalence of depression was 10.5% among NLBC, 13.1% among LBCO, 16.1% among LBCB, and 20.1% among MC. Depression was related to parent-child relationship quality and teacher-child relationship quality. Negative parent-child relationship was more relevant to depression than negative teacher-child relationship among LBCB, while negative teacher-child relationship was the most correlated with depression among MC.

  2. Qualities of an Ideal English Language Teacher: A Gender-Based Investigation in a Saudi Context

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Al-Khairi, Muhammad

    2015-01-01

    Identification of the attributes that are associated with an ideal English language teacher has been a major area of interest worldwide but there seems a scarcity of relevant studies in the Arab world. The present study is an attempt to fill this existing gap by identifying the qualities of an ideal English language teacher as perceived by Taif…

  3. The Quality of School Life and Burnout as Predictors of Subjective Well-Being among Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cenkseven-Onder, Fulya; Sari, Mediha

    2009-01-01

    The main purpose of this study is to determine the rate of how teachers' subjective wellbeing is predicted by their perceptions about the quality of school life and burnout levels. The participants of the study consisted of 161 teachers (93 females, 68 males) who were working in elementary schools in Adana central districts. The Positive-Negative…

  4. Predictors of Study Success from a Teacher's Perspective of the Quality of the Built Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kok, Herman; Mobach, Mark; Omta, Onno

    2015-01-01

    The article aims to find predictors of study success from a teacher's perspective that relate to the built environment. The research is based on a national online survey among 1752 teachers at 18 Dutch Universities of Applied Sciences. Multivariate data analyses were used to test the hypothesis that the quality of spatial and functional aspects at…

  5. Teacher student relationship quality type in elementary grades: Effects on trajectories for achievement and engagement

    PubMed Central

    Wu, Jiun-yu; Hughes, Jan N.; Kwok, Oi-man

    2010-01-01

    Teacher, peer, and student reports of the quality of the teacher-student relationship were obtained for an ethnically diverse and academically at-risk sample of 706 second and third grade students. Cluster analysis identified four types of relationships based on the consistency of child reports of support and conflict in the relationship with reports of others: Congruent positive, Congruent Negative, Incongruent Child Negative and Incongruent Child Positive. The cluster solution evidenced good internal consistency and construct validity. Cluster membership predicted growth trajectories for teacher-rated engagement and standardized achievement scores over the following three years, above prior performance. The predictive associations between child reports of teacher support and conflict and outcomes depended on whether child reports were consistent or inconsistent with reports of others. Study findings have implications for theory development, assessment of teacher-student relationships, and teacher professional development. PMID:20728688

  6. High-Quality Music Teacher Professional Development: A Review of the Literature

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bautista, Alfredo; Yau, Xenia; Wong, Joanne

    2017-01-01

    Most published journal articles describing professional development (PD) initiatives for K-12 music teachers have not explicitly alluded to the "features of high-quality PD", a solid theoretical framework arisen in content areas with more tradition in PD research (e.g. mathematics and science education). The goal of this review was to…

  7. TEDS-M 2008 User Guide for the International Database. Supplement 3: Variables Derived from the Educator and Future Teacher Data

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brese, Falk, Ed.

    2012-01-01

    This supplement contains documentation on all the derived variables contained in the TEDS-M educator and future teacher data files. These derived variables were used to report data in the TEDS-M international reports. The variables that constitute the scales and indices are made available as part of the TEDS-M International Database to be used in…

  8. Physical Education Teacher Training in Fundamental Movement Skills Makes a Difference to Instruction and Assessment Practices

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lander, Natalie Jayne; Barnett, Lisa M.; Brown, Helen; Telford, Amanda

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate instruction and assessment of fundamental movement skills (FMSs) by Physical Education (PE) teachers of Year 7 girls. Of 168 secondary school PE teachers, many had received little FMSs professional development, and although most assessed student FMSs proficiency, the quality of assessment was variable.…

  9. Beliefs of teachers versus non-teachers about people who stutter.

    PubMed

    Arnold, Hayley S; Li, Jian; Goltl, Kathryn

    2015-03-01

    Although prior research has investigated teachers' beliefs about people who stutter (PWS), this work has not indicated how these beliefs compare with those of the general public or taken into account key demographic variables that may be related to these beliefs. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate whether beliefs about PWS in teachers are different from those in the general public. The second purpose of this study was to examine whether gender is related to beliefs about PWS for teachers, who are more frequently women. Analyses were based on questionnaire responses regarding beliefs about PWS from 269 teachers and 1388 non-teachers in the United States. Due to their potential link to beliefs about PWS, familiarity with PWS and sociodemographic variables were included in the statistical model for this study. Teachers' beliefs about PWS are no different than those of people in non-teaching professions. Findings also indicated that, regardless of whether respondents were teachers, women had more accurate beliefs about PWS than men. The statistical model tested indicated that beliefs about PWS were more accurate when the respondents were older, had more education, and had familiarity with a PWS. In the first study to compare teachers' beliefs about PWS to the general public, findings indicated that teachers are no more accurate than the public in their beliefs about PWS. Associations found between these beliefs and several variables may indicate some promising mechanisms for improving beliefs, such as increased familiarity with individuals who stutter. Readers should be able to: (a) describe stuttering's potential effects on children's participation in the school setting; (b) identify actions teachers can take to improve the school experience of their students who stutter; (c) summarize findings regarding teachers' beliefs about people who stutter (PWS); (d) identify key variables that are associated with beliefs about PWS. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc

  10. Educating the Next Generation: Improving Teacher Quality in Cambodia. Directions in Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tandon, Prateek; Fukao, Tsuyoshi

    2015-01-01

    This book diagnoses Cambodian teaching quality and presents policy options for reform. Through classroom observation, assessments of mathematics and pedagogical content knowledge, and surveys of teachers and school directors, it sheds light on content and instruction, interactions with school directors, instructional support systems, and the…

  11. Examination of the Job Satisfaction of Teachers Working with Individuals in Need of Special Education with Regard to Certain Variables*

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yavuz, Mehmet

    2018-01-01

    In this study, the job satisfaction levels of teachers working with individuals in need of special education were examined with regard to certain variables. General survey model was used in the study and the study group of this research was comprised of teachers from all over Turkey who work at special education schools, integration and special…

  12. Exploring Relationships between Personal Variables, Programmatic Variables, and Self-Efficacy in School-Based Agricultural Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McKim, Aaron J.; Velez, Jonathan J.; Clement, Haley Q.

    2017-01-01

    The educational importance of teacher self-efficacy necessitates research into variables presumed to significantly influence teacher self-efficacy. In the current study, the role of personal and programmatic variables on the self-efficacy of school-based agriculture teachers was explored. Self-efficacy was measured in five aspects of the…

  13. Variables that Predict Serve Efficacy in Elite Men’s Volleyball with Different Quality of Opposition Sets

    PubMed Central

    Valhondo, Álvaro; Fernández-Echeverría, Carmen; González-Silva, Jara; Claver, Fernando; Moreno, M. Perla

    2018-01-01

    Abstract The objective of this study was to determine the variables that predicted serve efficacy in elite men’s volleyball, in sets with different quality of opposition. 3292 serve actions were analysed, of which 2254 were carried out in high quality of opposition sets and 1038 actions were in low quality of opposition sets, corresponding to a total of 24 matches played during the Men’s European Volleyball Championships held in 2011. The independent variables considered in this study were the serve zone, serve type, serving player, serve direction, reception zone, receiving player and reception type; the dependent variable was serve efficacy and the situational variable was quality of opposition sets. The variables that acted as predictors in both high and low quality of opposition sets were the serving player, reception zone and reception type. The serve type variable only acted as a predictor in high quality of opposition sets, while the serve zone variable only acted as a predictor in low quality of opposition sets. These results may provide important guidance in men’s volleyball training processes. PMID:29599869

  14. Evaluation of Burnout Levels in Teachers Regarding Socio-Demographic Variables, Job Satisfaction and General Self-Efficacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Capri, Burhan; Guler, Mustafa

    2018-01-01

    Purpose: This study aims to examine the occupational burnout levels of teachers working in special education and rehabilitation centers affiliated with the Ministry of National Education regarding socio-demographic variables, job satisfaction, and general self-efficacy levels. Research Methods: The descriptive method and relational scanning model…

  15. Does Teachers' Pedagogical Content Knowledge Affect Their Fluency Instruction?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Van den Hurk, H. T. G.; Houtveen, A. A. M.; Van de Grift, W. J. C. M.

    2017-01-01

    The relation is studied between teachers' pedagogical content knowledge of reading and the quality of their subsequent classroom behaviour in teaching fluent reading. A confirmatory factor analysis model with two latent variables is tested and shows adequate goodness-of-fit indices. Contrary to our expectations, the results of structural equation…

  16. Teacher Efficacy in Student Engagement, Instructional Management, Student Stressors, and Burnout: A Theoretical Model Using In-Class Variables to Predict Teachers' Intent-to-Leave

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martin, Nancy K.; Sass, Daniel A.; Schmitt, Thomas A.

    2012-01-01

    The models presented here posit a complex relationship between efficacy in student engagement and intent-to-leave that is mediated by in-class variables of instructional management, student behavior stressors, aspects of burnout, and job satisfaction. Using data collected from 631 teachers, analyses provided support for the two models that…

  17. Defining Teacher Quality: Teacher Efficacy among First-Year Teachers Involved in an Induction Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Scott-Coleman, Renette S.

    2017-01-01

    Studies have shown school districts across the United States strive to meet the needs of first-year teachers by adding various components within a beginning teacher induction program. The purpose of this study was to determine if a relationship existed between beginning teacher induction programming and the overall TEAM observation scores of…

  18. Assessing Elearning Teaching Quality of Faculty Members in Teachers' College at King Saud University: Students Perspectives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hussein, Hisham Barakat

    2012-01-01

    This paper examines students' perspectives about assessing Elearning teaching quality for faculty members in teachers' college at King Saud University. The sample of the study includes all enrolled students in Teachers' College during the academic year of 2009-2010, which they were (2282) students. Two questions are stated to be answered: (a) what…

  19. Children with Communication Impairments: Caregivers' and Teachers' Shared Book-Reading Quality and Children's Level of Engagement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kaderavek, Joan N.; Pentimonti, Jill M.; Justice, Laura M.

    2014-01-01

    This study addressed two aims: First, to examine the quality of adult shared book-reading behaviors for teachers and caregivers of children with communication impairments (CI) and, second, to compare the level of child literacy engagement during the teacher-led (group) and caregiver-led (one-on-one) shared book-reading sessions. Sixteen children…

  20. The Role of Research in the Policy and Practice of Quality Teacher Education: An International Review

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tatto, Maria Teresa

    2015-01-01

    The stated goal of current education reform is the redesign of education systems in pursuit of quality. Systems that consistently "come out on top" have excited much interest in uncovering the features that have contributed to their success; notably among these is the preparation of future teachers. Research on teacher education quality…

  1. State Teacher Evaluation and Teacher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marchant, Gregory J.; David, Kristine A.; Rodgers, Deborah; German, Rachel L.

    2015-01-01

    Current accountability trends suggest an increasing role in state mandates regarding teacher evaluation. With various evaluation models and components serving as the basis for quality teaching, teacher education programs need to recognize the role teacher evaluation plays and incorporate aspects where appropriate. This article makes that case and…

  2. Depression among Migrant and Left-Behind Children in China in Relation to the Quality of Parent-Child and Teacher-Child Relationships

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Xiaohua; Qu, Zhiyong; Zhou, Qianyun; Ran, Chun; Wang, Xia; Hu, Juan

    2015-01-01

    The objective of this study was to examine rates of depression among migrant children (MC) and left-behind children (LBC) as compared to non-left-behind children (NLBC) and also to examine the relationship between depression among these children and the quality of their parent-child and teacher-child relationships. This study collected data from a large sample of 3,759 children aged from 8 to 17 years, including 824 who had been left behind by one parent (LBCO), 423 who had been left behind by both parents (LBCB), 568 MC and 1944 NLBC. Children’s Depression Inventory–Short Form was used to measure child depression. Parent-Child Relationship Scale (PCRS) and Teacher-Child Relationship Scale (TCRS) were used to measure the quality of parent-child and teacher-child relationships, respectively. The results showed that the prevalence of depression was 10.5% among NLBC, 13.1% among LBCO, 16.1% among LBCB, and 20.1% among MC. Depression was related to parent-child relationship quality and teacher-child relationship quality. Negative parent-child relationship was more relevant to depression than negative teacher-child relationship among LBCB, while negative teacher-child relationship was the most correlated with depression among MC. PMID:26719895

  3. Investigation of Social Studies Teachers' Intended Uses of Social Networks in Terms of Various Variables

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Akgün, Ismail Hakan

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this research is to determine Social Studies teacher candidates' intended uses of social networks in terms of various variables. The research was carried out by using screening model of quantitative research methods. In the study, "The Social Network Intended Use Scale" was used as a data collection tool. As a result of the…

  4. Quality Characteristics of a Graduate Teacher Education Program in Graphic Communications: Results from a Delphi Research Study.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clark, Aaron C.; Scales, Alice Y.

    2000-01-01

    Investigates characteristics of a quality program in graphic communications teacher education with involvement of professionals in the field. Uses the Delphi technique to achieve consensus on the characteristics that they felt compromised a good educational program for future graphics teachers. (Contains 27 references.) (Author/YDS)

  5. An Analysis of Pre-Service Teachers' Attitudes towards Environmental Issues in Terms of Various Variables

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sarikaya, Rabia; Saraç, Esra

    2018-01-01

    In this study, the attitudes of the pre-service teachers towards environmental issues are analysed by such variables as gender, the department of education, year, department, taking or not taking environmental education course, participating in any environmental activity, being a member of any environmental organization, and the longest duration…

  6. Leadership styles in secondary school science teachers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lawson, Michael A.

    A comparison of United States secondary school science teachers who mentor high quality student research and teachers who do not mentor research was conducted using a demographic survey and the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire-Form 5X. The major demographic difference between the two groups was a significantly greater number of years of teaching experience in the research group, a factor that correlated significantly with Extra Effort in students. Research group teachers self-reported higher mean scores than non-research group teachers on the five transformational leadership scales plus the transactional scale of Contingent Reward; however, a Multivariate Analysis of Variance found no significant difference between the groups. Independent t-tests found no significant difference between the groups based upon the remaining transactional scales. The research group was found to be significantly higher on the outcome variable of Extra Effort generated by students while the non-research group rated themselves significantly higher on Satisfaction of students. Transformational leadership in teachers should be addressed by future studies as a possible method of identifying motivational teachers.

  7. Investigation of the Attitudes of Physical Education Teacher Candidates toward Teaching Profession and Sense of Competence in Terms of Some Variables

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Murathan, Talha; Özdemir, Kübra

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the attitudes of physical education teacher candidates toward the teaching profession and the perceptions of professional competence according to some variables. A total of 351 teacher candidates, studying in the last class of Physical Education and Sport Teaching Department in the Faculty of Sports…

  8. Identifying Discriminating Variables between Teachers Who Fully Integrate Computers and Teachers with Limited Integration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mueller, Julie; Wood, Eileen; Willoughby, Teena; Ross, Craig; Specht, Jacqueline

    2008-01-01

    Given the prevalence of computers in education today, it is critical to understand teachers' perspectives regarding computer integration in their classrooms. The current study surveyed a random sample of a heterogeneous group of 185 elementary and 204 secondary teachers in order to provide a comprehensive summary of teacher characteristics and…

  9. Why and How Teachers Transform Their Instruction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Light, Barbara J.

    In his 2011 book The highly qualified teacher: What is teacher quality and how do we measure it? Strong argues that as a profession, education has struggled to measure teacher quality and therefore cannot provide a proven system to consistently develop high-quality teachers. In order to move toward an operational definition of teacher quality, Kennedy, in her 2008 journal article entitled "Contributions of qualitative research to research on teacher qualifications" suggests that the causal mechanisms of the development of teachers who are identified as high-quality teachers must be researched, documented, and then used in teacher preparation and development. Instructional ability is a key component of teacher effectiveness. This case study examines instructional transformations made by four teachers to explore why and how teachers make transformations in their teaching. The overarching conclusion of the study is the importance of student-centeredness as a component of teacher effectiveness.

  10. The Influence of Vocal Qualities and Confirmation of Nonnative English-Speaking Teachers on Student Receiver Apprehension, Affective Learning, and Cognitive Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hsu, Chia-Fang

    2012-01-01

    This study investigated the influence of teacher vocal qualities and confirmation behaviors on student learning. Students (N = 197) enrolled in nonnative English-speaking teachers' classes completed a battery of instruments. Results indicated that both vocal qualities and confirmation behaviors were negatively related to receiver apprehension,…

  11. Principals' and Cooperating Teachers' Expectations of Teacher Candidates

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bigham, Sarah G.; Hively, Dorothy E.; Toole, Georgiann H.

    2014-01-01

    This study examined public school partners' expectations of teacher candidates and beginning teachers and the qualities that principals consider most important when hiring new teachers. Teachers in Maryland, West Virginia and Virginia (N = 130) responded to 37 Likert-style survey questions based upon the 100 school principals' interview questions…

  12. Finding Exemplary Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O'Donovan, Eamonn

    2010-01-01

    Teacher quality is the most crucial component in promoting student learning. For all the controversy about No Child Left Behind, one underlying emphasis of the federal law that is irrefutable is the importance placed on teacher quality. Therefore, a school organization committed to excellence must recruit and select outstanding teachers. The Obama…

  13. Observed Classroom Quality during Teacher Education and Two Years of Professional Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Malmberg, Lars-Erik; Hagger, Hazel; Burn, Katharine; Mutton, Trevor; Colls, Helen

    2010-01-01

    The aims of the present study are to investigate whether and how teachers change in their observed classroom quality (emotional and instructional support, classroom organization, and students' engagement; measured with the Classroom Assessment Scoring System observation measure for secondary school [CLASS-S]; Pianta, La Paro, & Hamre, 2006)…

  14. Exploring the Quality of Teacher-Child Interactions: The Soka Discourse in Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ikegami, Kiiko; Rivalland, Corine

    2016-01-01

    Numerous research has shown that quality of interactions between early childhood teachers and children contribute significantly to children's holistic development. Most literature on this topic comes from developed/Western countries and little is known about the kind of interactions occurring within the Soka kindergarten model. This article, based…

  15. The Interaction of Principal and Teacher Instructional Influence as a Measure of Leadership as an Organizational Quality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jackson, Karen M.; Marriott, Christine

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: This article presents the design and test of a measure of school leadership as an organizational quality through the interaction of principal and teacher instructional influence. The Organizational Leadership Model hypothesizes four distinct conditions of school leadership, and the analysis investigates the relationship between teacher,…

  16. Assessment of Educational Neuromyths among Teachers and Teacher Candidates

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Canbulat, Tuncay; Kiriktas, Halit

    2017-01-01

    The aim of study is to determine the neuromyth level of teachers and pre-teachers and reveal if there is significant difference in terms of some variables (gender, class, etc.). Research was designed in survey model. The research sample was formed with 241 teachers and 511 teacher candidates. In the collection of data, "Educational neuromyths…

  17. Variability in ADHD care in community-based pediatrics.

    PubMed

    Epstein, Jeffery N; Kelleher, Kelly J; Baum, Rebecca; Brinkman, William B; Peugh, James; Gardner, William; Lichtenstein, Phil; Langberg, Joshua

    2014-12-01

    Although many efforts have been made to improve the quality of care delivered to children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in community-based pediatric settings, little is known about typical ADHD care in these settings other than rates garnered through pediatrician self-report. Rates of evidence-based ADHD care and sources of variability (practice-level, pediatrician-level, patient-level) were determined by chart reviews of a random sample of 1594 patient charts across 188 pediatricians at 50 different practices. In addition, the associations of Medicaid-status and practice setting (ie, urban, suburban, and rural) with the quality of ADHD care were examined. Parent- and teacher-rating scales were used during ADHD assessment with approximately half of patients. The use of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders criteria was documented in 70.4% of patients. The vast majority (93.4%) of patients with ADHD were receiving medication and only 13.0% were receiving psychosocial treatment. Parent- and teacher-ratings were rarely collected to monitor treatment response or side effects. Further, fewer than half (47.4%) of children prescribed medication had contact with their pediatrician within the first month of prescribing. Most variability in pediatrician-delivered ADHD care was accounted for at the patient level; however, pediatricians and practices also accounted for significant variability on specific ADHD care behaviors. There is great need to improve the quality of ADHD care received by children in community-based pediatric settings. Improvements will likely require systematic interventions at the practice and policy levels to promote change. Copyright © 2014 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

  18. Unpacking the Black Box of the CSRP Intervention: The Mediating Roles of Teacher-child Relationship Quality and Self-regulation

    PubMed Central

    Jones, Stephanie M.; Bub, Kristen L.; Raver, C. Cybele

    2014-01-01

    This study examines the theory of change of the Chicago School Readiness Project (CSRP), testing a sequence of theory-derived mediating mechanisms including the quality of teacher-child relationships and children’s self-regulation. The CSRP is a multi-component teacher- and classroom-focused intervention, and its cluster-randomized efficacy trial was conducted in 35 Head Start-funded classrooms. A series of increasingly complex and conservative structural equation models indicate that the CSRP carries its effects on children’s academic and behavioral outcomes through changes in teacher-child relationship quality and children’s self-regulation. PMID:24729666

  19. Supporting Quality Teachers with Recognition

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Andrews, Hans A.

    2011-01-01

    Value has been found in providing recognition and awards programs for excellent teachers. Research has also found a major lack of these programs in both the USA and in Australia. Teachers receiving recognition and awards for their teaching have praised recognition programs as providing motivation for them to continue high-level instruction.…

  20. The Cost-Effectiveness of Raising Teacher Quality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yeh, Stuart S.

    2009-01-01

    Econometric studies suggest that student achievement may be improved if high-performing teachers are substituted for low-performing teachers. Drawing upon a recent study linking teacher performance on licensure exams with gains in student achievement, an analysis was conducted to determine the cost-effectiveness of requiring teacher applicants to…

  1. Comparing Two Methods for Reducing Variability in Voice Quality Measurements

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kreiman, Jody; Gerratt, Bruce R.

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: Interrater disagreements in ratings of quality plague the study of voice. This study compared 2 methods for handling this variability. Method: Listeners provided multiple breathiness ratings for 2 sets of pathological voices, one including 20 male and 20 female voices unselected for quality and one including 20 breathy female voices.…

  2. The Effect of Training with TQM on the Perceptions of Teachers about the Quality of Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Altunay, Esen

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this research is to explore the effect of training with total quality management (TQM) on the perceptions of teachers. In this research was used experimental model. The study group of the research consisted of teachers working in the schools of Education Ministry. The questionnaire was used as a data collection tool. Finally, it was…

  3. A Day in Third Grade: A Large-Scale Study of Classroom Quality and Teacher and Student Behavior

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Elementary School Journal, 2005

    2005-01-01

    Observations of 780 third-grade classrooms described classroom activities, child-teacher interactions, and dimensions of the global classroom environment, which were examined in relation to structural aspects of the classroom and child behavior. 1 child per classroom was targeted for observation in relation to classroom quality and teacher and…

  4. Discovering Quality in Teacher Education: Perceptions Concerning What Makes an Effective Cooperating Teacher

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stewart, Josh; Lambert, Misty D.; Ulmer, Jonathan D.; Witt, Phillip A.; Carraway, Candis L.

    2017-01-01

    With a continuous shortage of qualified agricultural science teachers (Foster, Lawver, Smith, 2014; Kantrovich, 2010), it is imperative teacher preparation programs identify and utilize effective cooperating teachers, as well as develop training for in-service teachers that will assist in preparing more effective cooperating teachers. The purpose…

  5. Water Quality: Water Education for Teachers. A 4-H School Enrichment Program.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Powell, G. Morgan; Kling, Emily B.

    This looseleaf notebook is a teacher resource package that is designed for enrichment program use. It contains five units dealing with water quality: (1) The Water Cycle; (2) Our Water Supply; (3) Waste/Water Treatment; (4) Water Conservation; (5) Water Pollution. The units provide background information, experiments, stories, poems, plays, and…

  6. Quality of School Work Life of Public School Teachers: Cases from Turkey and Pakistan

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Akram, Muhammad; Ilgan, Abdurrahman; Ozu, Oyku; Shah, Ashfaque Ahmad

    2017-01-01

    The Quality of Work life (QWL) is the employees' feeling or perception of being comfortable with their work. The objective of the present study was to compare Quality of School Work Life (QSWL) of public school teachers from Turkey and Pakistan. A QSWL scale developed by Ilgan, Ata, Zepeda and Ozu-Cengiz (2014) having 30 items was used as the…

  7. Measuring Teacher Quality: Continuing the Search for Policy-Relevant Predictors of Student Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Knoeppel, Robert C.; Logan, Joyce P.; Keiser, Clare M.

    2005-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential viability of the variable certification by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) as a policy-relevant predictor of student achievement. Because research has identified the teacher as the most important school-related predictor of student achievement, more research…

  8. An Analysis of Major Determinants of Teacher Salaries and Their Implications for Educational Expenditures.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sharples, Brian

    The purposes of this study were to compare the responsiveness of educational expenditures per pupil in Ontario, first, to changes in instructional expenditures per pupil during 1971-77, and, second, to changes in proxy measures of educational quality and price levels of teacher services for 1974-77. Variables used to represent quality and price…

  9. Investigating the Quality of Teacher-Produced Tests for EFL Students and the Effects of Training in Test Development Principles and Practices on Improving Test Quality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Coniam, David

    2009-01-01

    This paper examines the quality of tests that Hong Kong teachers of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) produce for their own EFL students. The paper examines the effects on graduate teachers of a language testing programme where participants produced objective tests, proceeding through the stages of test specification, moderation, and item…

  10. Quality Assurance in Teachers' Assessment.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gipps, Caroline V.

    The teacher assessment that is the subject of this paper is an essentially informal activity. The teacher assesses the student by posing questions, observing activities, and evaluating work in a planned or ad hoc way. The information obtained may be partial or fragmented, but repeating such assessments over time will allow the buildup of a solid…

  11. Reviewing Personality Compliance Level of Trainee Music Teachers in Terms of Music Genres, and Some Variables

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pirgon, Yuksel

    2014-01-01

    In this study, personality compliance levels are examined according to tonality and tempo variables, which are acquired in consequence of analysis of music genres and pieces to which fine arts faculty, trainee music teachers mostly listen. A total of 31 students participated in the study. Data acquired from Hacettepe Personality Inventory (HPI)…

  12. Quality Teaching in Addressing Student Achievement: A Comparative Study between National Board Certified Teachers and Other Teachers on the Kentucky Core Content Test Results

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Buecker, Harrie Lynne

    2010-01-01

    This dissertation focused on the link between quality teaching and its potential impact on student achievement. National Board Certification is used to represent quality teaching and student achievement is measured by the Kentucky Core Content Test. Data were gathered on the reading and mathematics scores of students of National Board Teachers who…

  13. The Role of Teachers, Schools, and Communities in Quality Education: A Review of the Literature

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Leu, Elizabeth

    2005-01-01

    The paper reviews a select body of literature that focuses on the role of teachers, schools, and communities at the local level in creating quality education in less-developed countries. The review asserts that understanding what is happening in schools and classrooms is a precondition for shaping more effective quality improvement strategies.…

  14. Quality Teaching Practices as Reported by Aboriginal Parents, Students and Their Teachers: Comparisons and Contrasts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lewthwaite, Brian Ellis; Boon, Helen; Webber, Tammi; Laffin, Gail

    2017-01-01

    This paper summarizes the findings from the first phase of a three-part project which, overall, investigates what Aboriginal students perceive as the qualities and actions of effective teachers and subsequently seeks to determine the impact of the enactment of these identified qualities on educational outcomes. This first phase of the research was…

  15. Quality of Life: Domains for Understanding Maths Anxiety in First Year Pre-Service Teachers through Identity Work

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wilson, Sue

    2016-01-01

    Mathematics anxiety in primary pre-service teachers' affects their future teaching of mathematics and achievement of students. Data collected via Critical Incident Technique were used to investigate this anxiety as perceived and identified by first year pre-service teachers. This paper proposes the application of the Quality of Life conceptual…

  16. The Mid-Career Malaise of Teachers: An Examination of Job Attitudes and the Factors Influencing Job Satisfaction in the Middle Years. Final Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lowther, Malcolm A.; And Others

    This study examined the quality of teachers' work lives, teachers' job satisfaction, and the relationship between teachers' work experiences and their wider network of life experiences. Age was used as a key explanatory variable in each phase of this analysis. Data analyzed were from three sets of national surveys: (1) the 1969 Survey of Working…

  17. Perceived Quality of Teacher Education Programs in Turkey: Basic Issues and Their Application to Turkish Public Higher Education Institutions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gok, Enes

    2013-01-01

    The Turkish education system has confronted radical changes over the last few years, as well as problems associated with it. In this context, the Turkish teacher education system attracts a lot of attention due to its role as the main teacher provider. Specifically, the quality of the teachers and the programs used to train them are being…

  18. Teacher Attrition Variables That Influence Retention and Job Satisfaction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Butler, Leslie Garmon

    2014-01-01

    Teacher attrition is a major problem. According to researchers at North Carolina State University, more teachers are leaving the profession than staying or entering. Accordingly, school systems in the United States find themselves in the predicament where they must hire teachers who have little teaching experience or who have not been adequately…

  19. Drivers of Water Quality Variability in Northern Coastal Ecuador

    PubMed Central

    Hubbard, Alan E.; Nelson, Kara L.; Eisenberg, Joseph N.S.

    2012-01-01

    The microbiological safety of water is commonly measured using indicator organisms, but the spatiotemporal variability of these indicators can make interpretation of data difficult. Here we systematically explore variability in E.coli concentrations in surface source and household drinking water in a rural Ecuadorian village over one year. We observed more variability in water quality on an hourly basis (up to 2.4-log difference) than on a daily (2.2-log difference) or weekly basis (up to 1.8-log difference). E.coli counts were higher in the wet season than in the dry season for both source (0.42-log difference; p<0.0001) and household (0.11-log difference; p=0.077) samples. In the wet season, a one-cm increase in weekly rainfall was associated with a 3% decrease (p=0.006) in E.coli counts in source samples and a 6% decrease (p=0.012) in household samples. Each additional person in the river when source samples were collected was associated with a 4% increase (p=0.026) in E.coli counts in the wet season. Factors affecting household water quality included rainfall, water source, and covering the container. The variability can be understood as a combination of environmental (e.g., seasonal and soil processes) and other drivers (e.g., human river use, water practices and sanitation), each working at different timescales. PMID:19368173

  20. Motivational Qualities of Hands-on Science Activities for Turkish Preservice Kindergarten Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bulunuz, Mizrap

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this research, conducted in a science methods course in Turkey, was to explore the qualities of hands-on science activities which might motivate preservice kindergarten teachers to use these activities in their own classrooms. Two similar classes totaling 47 students and taught by the same instructor were used in this study. On…

  1. Predicting Preservice Music Teachers' Performance Success in Instrumental Courses Using Self-Regulated Study Strategies and Predictor Variables

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ersozlu, Zehra N.; Nietfeld, John L.; Huseynova, Lale

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which self-regulated study strategies and predictor variables predict performance success in instrumental performance college courses. Preservice music teachers (N = 123) from a music education department in two state universities in Turkey completed the Music Self-Regulated Studying…

  2. Teachers' Perceptions of School Organizational Climate as Predictors of Dosage and Quality of Implementation of a Social-Emotional and Character Development Program.

    PubMed

    Malloy, Margaret; Acock, Alan; DuBois, David L; Vuchinich, Samuel; Silverthorn, Naida; Ji, Peter; Flay, Brian R

    2015-11-01

    Organizational climate has been proposed as a factor that might influence a school's readiness to successfully implement school-wide prevention programs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of teachers' perceptions of three dimensions of school organizational climate on the dosage and quality of teacher implementation of Positive Action, a social-emotional and character development (SECD) program. The dimensions measured were teachers' perceptions of (a) the school's openness to innovation, (b) the extent to which schools utilize participatory decision-making practices, and (c) the existence of supportive relationships among teachers (teacher-teacher affiliation). Data from 46 teachers in seven schools enrolled in the treatment arm of a longitudinal, cluster-randomized, controlled trial were analyzed. Teacher perceptions of a school's tendency to be innovative was associated with a greater number of lessons taught and self-reported quality of delivery, and teacher-teacher affiliation was associated with a higher use of supplementary activities. The findings suggest that perceptions of a school's organizational climate impact teachers' implementation of SECD programs and have implications for school administrators and technical assistance providers as they work to implement and sustain prevention programs in schools.

  3. "My Teacher Helps Me": Assessing Teacher-Child Relationships from the Child's Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    White, Kelley Mayer

    2016-01-01

    The current study is one of the first to investigate children's perceptions of quality in teacher-child relationships using a narrative measure. It is also one of the first studies to investigate how the child's report is associated with the teacher's report and with an observer's report of quality in teacher-child interactions. Participants…

  4. Strategies for Enhancing Quality Assurance in Business Teacher Education Programme in Nigerian Universities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Okoro, James

    2015-01-01

    This study investigated the strategies for enhancing quality assurance in business teacher education programme in Nigerian universities. Two research questions and four hypotheses guided the study. This study adopted a descriptive survey design. The population of the study comprised 129 Business Education lecturers in state and federal…

  5. The Role of Psychological and Developmental Science in Efforts to Improve Teacher Quality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rimm-Kaufman, Sara E.; Hamre, Bridget K.

    2010-01-01

    Background: Theory, methods, and knowledge gained from years of study in psychological science and human development apply to the understanding and improvement of teacher quality and, ultimately, student achievement and social and emotional outcomes. With these applications, educational research has stronger potential to make more effective and…

  6. Teacher Motivation: Definition, Research Development and Implications for Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Han, Jiying; Yin, Hongbiao

    2016-01-01

    The past decade has witnessed an increase in research on teacher motivation which has been proved a crucial factor closely related to a number of variables in education such as student motivation, educational reform, teaching practice and teachers' psychological fulfilment and well-being. To address the constant calls for teacher motivation…

  7. Which Variables Relate to the Attitudes of Teachers, Parents and Peers towards Students with Special Educational Needs in Regular Education?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    de Boer, Anke; Pijl, Sip Jan; Post, Wendy; Minnaert, Alexander

    2012-01-01

    While there is an increased interest in describing attitudes of teachers, parents and peers towards students with special educational needs in regular education, there is a lack of knowledge about various variables relating to the attitudes of these three groups. The aims of this study are: (1) to examine which variables relate to the attitudes of…

  8. Relational Agency and Teacher Development: A CHAT Analysis of a Collaborative Professional Inquiry Project with Biology Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McNicholl, Jane

    2013-01-01

    Teacher quality largely determines student outcomes and many argue for high quality teacher training and professional development (PD). Much PD has been heavily critiqued and what constitutes effective provision for teachers remains contested. Disenfranchisement of teachers, through neglect of prior expertise and failure to acknowledge teachers'…

  9. A study of mathematics and science achievement scores among African American students and the impact of teacher-oriented variables on them through the Educational Longitudinal Study, 2002 (ELS: 2002) data

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Walker, Valentine

    The purpose of this dissertation was to utilize the ELS: 2002 longitudinal data to highlight the achievement of African American students relative to other racial sub-groups in mathematics and science and to highlight teacher oriented variables that might influence their achievement. Various statistical tools, including descriptive statistics, ANOVA, Multiple Regression were used to analyze data that was derived from the students', teachers' and administrations' questionnaires compiled in the base year of the study (2002) as well as the first follow-up transcript study (2006). The major findings are as follows: African American students performed lower than all other major racial subgroups in mathematics and science; Parental variables including SES and parental education were strong correlates of achievement in mathematics and science: The amount and type of mathematics and science courses students took were strong predictors of achievement in mathematics and science; Teachers' race, experience, certification status, graduate courses completed and professional development influenced African American students' achievement in mathematics and science; Aspects of classroom climate including teacher-pupil relationship, classroom management, students' perception of quality instructions, praise and rewards system might influence African American students' achievement in mathematics and science; Teachers' beliefs pertaining to students' background and intellectual ability might influence their educational expectation of African American students and subsequently student achievement in mathematics and science; Teaching strategies such as reviewing, lecturing and using graphing calculators had a positive influence on mathematics achievement while using computers, discussion and using other books than mathematics textbooks had negative influences on mathematics achievement; Computer use in science had positive influence on science achievement while homework had a positive

  10. The Impact of Professional Development and Student and Teacher Characteristics on the Quality of Postsecondary Goals

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Doren, Bonnie; Flannery, K. Brigid; Lombardi, Allison R.; Kato, Mimi McGrath

    2013-01-01

    This study examined (a) the main effects of professional development on the quality of postsecondary goals in employment and postsecondary education/training, (b) the main effects of student and teacher characteristics on goal quality, and (c) whether professional development moderated the relationship between the impact of these characteristics…

  11. Early Student-Teacher Relationships of Children With and Without Intellectual Disability: Contributions of Behavioral, Social, and Self-Regulatory Competence

    PubMed Central

    Eisenhower, Abbey S.; Baker, Bruce L.; Blacher, Jan

    2011-01-01

    We investigated the student-teacher relationships (STRs) of 6-year-old children with (n=58) and without (n=82) intellectual disability (ID). We also examined early (age 3) and concurrent (age 6) child behavioral, self-regulatory, and social characteristics as predictors of age 6 STR quality. Children with ID experienced significantly poorer relationships with their teachers, marked by less closeness and more conflict and dependency, compared to typically-developing children. This group difference was not accounted for entirely by IQ differences. The relation between ID status and STR quality was fully mediated by four age 6 child variables: mother- and teacher-reported behavior problems and mother- and teacher-reported social skills. The quality of children’s relationships with teachers was also predicted by child characteristics as early as age 3, including early behavior problems, self-regulation, and behavior during parent-child interactions. The relation of ID status to STR quality at age 6 was fully mediated by children’s self-regulatory abilities at age 3. Our findings demonstrate the importance of child behavioral and social characteristics in predicting relationships with teachers for children with and without ID. PMID:21490876

  12. Relative Contributions of Selected Teachers' Variables and Students' Attitudes toward Academic Achievement in Biology among Senior Secondary School Students in Ondo State, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gbore, L. O.; Daramola, C. A.

    2013-01-01

    This study investigated the relative contributions of selected teachers' variables and students' attitude towards academic achievement in biology among senior secondary schools in Ondo State, Nigeria. It involved descriptive survey research and ex-post facto research designs. The sample, 360 respondents which consists of 180 biology teachers and…

  13. Re-Searching Secondary Teacher Trainees in Distance Education and Face-to-Face Mode: Study of Their Background Variables, Personal Characteristics and Academic Performance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Garg, Mamta; Gakhar, Sudesh

    2011-01-01

    The present investigation was conducted to describe and compare the background variables, personal characteristics and academic performance of secondary teacher trainees in distance education and face-to-face mode. The results indicated that teacher trainees in distance education differed from their counterparts in age, marital status, sex and…

  14. Principals' and Teachers' Perceptions of Quality Management in Hong Kong Primary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cheng, Alison Lai Fong; Yau, Hon Keung

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the perceptions of a sample of Hong Kong principals and teachers of the extent to which quality management (QM) has been effectively implemented in primary schools. The features of QM improvement implemented in Hong Kong primary schools include: values and duties, systems and teams(ST) resources and…

  15. Student-Teacher Relationships Matter: Moderating Influences between Temperament and Preschool Social Competence

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Griggs, Marissa Swaim; Gagnon, Sandra Glover; Huelsman, Timothy J.; Kidder-Ashley, Pamela; Ballard, Mary

    2009-01-01

    Ecological approaches to preschool assessment, which consider both within-child and environmental variables, are considered best practice for school psychologists. This study employs such a model to investigate the interactive influence of child temperament and student-teacher relationship quality on peer play behaviors. Parents of 44 preschool…

  16. Demonstrating a Situated Learning Approach for In-Service Teacher Education in Rural India: The Quality Education Programme in Rajasthan

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Saigal, Anju

    2012-01-01

    Recent educational policy in India has repositioned elementary school teachers as active, reflective practitioners, not just "deliverers" of syllabus material. This article examines innovations in teacher support in Rajasthan's government schools through the "Quality Education Program." Drawing on qualitative research of…

  17. In Search of Good Teachers: Patterns of Teacher Quality in Two Mexican States

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Luschei, Thomas F.

    2012-01-01

    This study uses longitudinal data from Mexico's Carrera Magisterial teacher incentive program to identify teacher attributes that are positively associated with student test scores and to describe how teachers with these attributes are distributed across schools in two diverse Mexican states, Aguascalientes and Sonora. I find that teachers' scores…

  18. Initial Teacher Training: South Asian Approaches. Quality in Basic Education: Professional Development of Teachers. Papers Prepared for a South Asian Colloquium on Teacher Training in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka (Colombo, Sri Lanka, April 1992).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Commonwealth Secretariat, London (England).

    This publication is one of two prepared for a South Asian Colloquium on issues related to teacher training in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. The papers in this volume focus on innovations and alternative strategies designed to improve quality in teacher education at preservice phase. The publication is in five sections. The first four…

  19. Level of Psychological Burnout of a Sample of Secondary Phase Teachers in Ma'an Governorate and Its Relationship with Some Other Variables

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alkhateeb, Omar; Kraishan, Osama M.; Salah, Raid Omar

    2015-01-01

    This study aimed at identifying the level of psychological burnout of a random sample of secondary phase teacher in Ma'an Governorate and its relationship with some other variables. The study sample consisted of 80 male and female Islamic education teachers in the schools of Ma'an Governorate in the southern part of Jordan. To this end, the…

  20. Has It Always Been This Way? Tracing the Evolution of Teacher Quality Gaps in U.S. Public Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goldhaber, Dan; Quince, Vanessa; Theobald, Roddy

    2018-01-01

    There is mounting evidence of substantial "teacher quality gaps" (TQGs) between advantaged and disadvantaged students but practically no empirical evidence about their history. We use longitudinal data on public school students, teachers, and schools from two states--North Carolina and Washington--to provide a descriptive history of the…

  1. Bio-Social Variables as Predictors of Teacher Union Leaders' Adherence to Democratic Principles in Ogun State, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fejoh, Johnson

    2016-01-01

    This study investigated the influence of bio-social variables - educational status, age and family socio-economic background on teacher union leaders' adherence to democratic principles in Ogun State of Nigeria. The study employed the ex-post-facto research design. Five hypotheses were generated and tested using an instrument titled "union…

  2. Preservice Teachers' Perceptions of Quality in Online Education Courses: A Mixed Methods Examination

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McCormick Myers, Myrell Denice

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this mixed methods study was to examine preservice teacher education candidates' perceptions of quality in online education courses within a regional comprehensive university located in Texas. The research questions also addressed students' perceived efficacy in their level of preparedness to: engage in field experiences;…

  3. A Study of the Quality of Practitioner Research in Secondary Education: Impact on Teacher and School Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Oolbekkink-Marchand, Helma W.; van der Steen, Janneke; Nijveldt, Mirjam

    2014-01-01

    This study provides insight into the quality of practitioner research and the impact of this on the professional development of the individual teacher and the school as a whole. We examined the quality of practitioner research in relation to the goals of the research. We operationalized the quality of the research in terms of the validities…

  4. When Is a School Environment Perceived as Supportive by Beginning Mathematics Teachers? Effects of Leadership, Trust, Autonomy and Appraisal on Teaching Quality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blömeke, Sigrid; Klein, Patricia

    2013-01-01

    This study examines the hypothesis that the more support beginning mathematics teachers perceive and the better they evaluate the management of their school, the higher their teaching quality is. Indicators of teaching quality were how the teachers, who were in their third year in the profession, regarded themselves able to cope with the…

  5. Quality Counts 2003. If I Can't Learn from You: Ensuring a Highly Qualified Teacher for Every Classroom.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Education Week, 2003

    2003-01-01

    This year's Quality Counts, Education Week's comprehensive overview on the quality of American education, focuses on the relationship between teacher quality and the growing academic achievement gap. It includes profiles of hard-to-staff schools, state alternative certification programs, and surveys of the 50 states on recruiting, supporting, and…

  6. The Quality of Mediational Teaching Practiced by Teachers in Special Education: An Observational Study in Norwegian Primary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nyborg, Geir

    2011-01-01

    In this case study the quality of mediational teaching was evaluated for interactions between teachers and pupils in special education in regular Norwegian primary schools. Mediational teaching is interpreted as a process by which a teacher mediates a given curriculum using certain categories in interactions with a pupil. The categories are…

  7. Towards a High Quality High School Workforce: A Longitudinal, Demographic Analysis of U.S. Public School Physics Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rushton, Gregory T.; Rosengrant, David; Dewar, Andrew; Shah, Lisa; Ray, Herman E.; Sheppard, Keith; Watanabe, Lynn

    2017-01-01

    Efforts to improve the number and quality of the high school physics teaching workforce have taken several forms, including those sponsored by professional organizations. Using a series of large-scale teacher demographic data sets from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), this study sought to investigate trends in teacher quality…

  8. Towards a high quality high school workforce: A longitudinal, demographic analysis of U.S. public school physics teachers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rushton, Gregory T.; Rosengrant, David; Dewar, Andrew; Shah, Lisa; Ray, Herman E.; Sheppard, Keith; Watanabe, Lynn

    2017-12-01

    Efforts to improve the number and quality of the high school physics teaching workforce have taken several forms, including those sponsored by professional organizations. Using a series of large-scale teacher demographic data sets from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), this study sought to investigate trends in teacher quality at the national level in the two and a half decades between 1987 and 2012. Specifically, we investigated (i) details about the degree backgrounds, main teaching assignments, and experience levels of those assigned to teach physics; (ii) whether the proportion of those with certifications in physics as a fraction of the entire physics teaching workforce had changed; and (iii) if workforce diversity (with respect to race and gender) had changed over time. Our data indicate that trends in these domains have generally been positive, but still fall short of having a highly qualified physics teacher in each classroom. Additionally, the population of physics teachers has more novices and fewer veterans than it did 10 years ago, although veteran physics teachers are not as rare as those in other branches of high school STEM fields. We also analyzed trends in physics teacher race and gender diversity and found them to lag behind other STEM and non-STEM teacher communities. High school physics is still mostly taught by white males with backgrounds from outside of physics. Implications for future policy decisions at the local and national levels are discussed, including attending to the specific needs of degree-holding and non-degree-holding physics teachers separately and localizing teacher recruitment and preparation efforts in regional centers.

  9. Teacher Beliefs and Practices of Kindergarten Teachers in Hong Kong

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Leung, Chi-hung

    2012-01-01

    A key educational reform proposal made in 2000 is to build a new culture for quality early childhood education through upgrading professional competence. Teachers are an important element of high-quality, developmentally appropriate early childhood programs. The Teacher Beliefs and Practices Survey (TBS) based on 2009 NAEYC Developmentally…

  10. Shortchanging Rural Teachers. Teaching Quality: RESEARCH MATTERS.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Southeast Center for Teaching Quality, Chapel Hill, NC.

    This brief examines problems staffing rural schools and discusses the importance of teacher education in producing effective reading teachers. Over 31 percent of public schools are in rural areas, comprising over 49 percent of public school systems. Rural districts have difficulty recruiting teachers because they generally have lower salaries,…

  11. The Compositional Effect of Rigorous Teacher Evaluation on Workforce Quality. Working Paper 168

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cullen, Julie Berry; Koedel, Cory; Parsons, Eric

    2016-01-01

    Improving public sector workforce quality is challenging in sectors such as education where worker productivity is difficult to assess and manager incentives are muted by political and bureaucratic constraints. In this paper, we study how providing information to principals about teacher effectiveness and encouraging them to use the information in…

  12. Generalizing from Observations of Mathematics Teachers' Instructional Practice Using the Instructional Quality Assessment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wilhelm, Anne Garrison; Kim, Sungyeun

    2015-01-01

    One crucial question for researchers who study teachers' classroom practice is how to maximize information about what is happening in classrooms while minimizing costs. This report extends prior studies of the reliability of the Instructional Quality Assessment (IQA), a widely used classroom observation toolkit, and offers insight into the often…

  13. The influence of a train-the-trainer professional development on teacher perceptions of science integration and inquiry-based instruction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Blythe, Jessica Marie

    The purpose of this study was to describe the influence of the train-the-trainer professional development form of professional development on participants' perceptions of agriscience integration and inquiry-based instruction (IBI). The independent variables considered were elements of high-quality professional development, such as duration, active participation, coherence, and school culture; teacher attitudes towards professional development; and teacher demographics. The dependent variables assessed were teachers' perceptions of agriscience integration and IBI. This study utilized a quasi-experimental design to assess the impacts of a teacher professional development program and experimental follow-up support on secondary teachers' perceptions of science integration and IBI. This study was a census of all teachers who attended a 2012 professional development workshop facilitated by a National Agriscience Teacher Ambassador at the FFA and/or NAAE National Convention. Participants completed four surveys over the subsequent year to assess their perceptions of agriscience integration and IBI. Descriptive methods were used to analyze teachers' perceptions of agriscience integration and IBI. Correlations and follow-up regression analysis were conducted to determine the relationships between the teachers' perceptions and the elements of high-quality teacher professional development. Results of the study revealed that respondents had favorable perceptions of science integration into agriculture programs and planned to increase the levels of science integration in their programs. Additionally, a majority of respondents reported utilizing IBI more than once a week. Because participants of the study did not utilize the experimental follow-up support system for the workshop, clear effects could not be determined. There was a positive correlation between science integration and IBI. A variation of positive and negative correlations was found between the dependent and

  14. Teacher Development Program: A Vehicle for Assisting Pre-Service Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wood, Frances B.

    2010-01-01

    In 1990 the Teacher Development Program was created by the Office of Professional Field Experiences at Southeastern Louisiana University to better the quality and improve the success rate of teacher candidates and student teachers. The fundamental principle behind the program was to provide assistance for pre-service teachers who need immediate…

  15. Teacher Perceptions of Professional Learning Communities Related to Teacher Retention

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Troutt, Amy

    2014-01-01

    Teacher retention continues to be of concern for schools across the United States. High teacher turnover results in a loss of teacher quality, loss of commitment, and a loss of funding to school districts. Research suggests that increased teacher retention is affected by induction, mentoring/coaching, engaging in action research, professional…

  16. Teacher Pension Systems, the Composition of the Teaching Workforce, and Teacher Quality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koedel, Cory; Podgursky, Michael; Shi, Shishan

    2013-01-01

    Teacher pension systems concentrate retirements within a narrow range of the career cycle by penalizing individuals who separate too soon or remain employed too long. The penalties result in the retention of some teachers who would otherwise choose to leave, and the premature exit of some teachers who would otherwise choose to stay. We examine the…

  17. Teacher Demoralization, Disempowerment and School Administration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tsang, Kwok Kuen; Liu, Dian

    2016-01-01

    Teacher demoralization is a concept describing the negative emotional experiences affecting teachers' well-being and quality of teaching. However, since the dominant discourse about teacher demoralization is influenced by psychological perspectives, especially the theory of burnout, most of effort to promote teachers' well-being and quality of…

  18. CESAME: Providing High Quality Professional Development in Science and Mathematics for K-12 Teachers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hickman, Paul

    2002-04-01

    It is appropriate that after almost half a century of Science and Mathematics education reform we take a look back and a peek forward to understand the present state of this wonderfully complex system. Each of the components of this system including teaching, professional development, assessment, content and the district K-12 curriculum all need to work together if we hope to provide quality science, mathematics and technology education for ALL students. How do the state and national standards drive the system? How do state policies on student testing and teacher licensure come into play? How do we improve the preparation, retention and job satisfaction of our K-12 teachers? What initiatives have made or are making a difference? What else needs to be done? What can the physics community do to support local efforts? This job is too big for any single organization or individual but we each can contribute to the effort. Our Center at Northeastern University, with support from the National Science Foundation, has a sharply defined focus: to get high quality, research-based instructional materials into the hands of K-12 classroom teachers and provide the support they need to use the materials effectively in their classrooms.

  19. Classroom Quality Rating Systems: How Do Teachers Prepare and What Do They Think about the Process?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Scott-Little, Catherine; Brown, E. Glyn; Hooks, Laura McDonald; Marshall, Betty Jo

    2008-01-01

    Working with the South Carolina Department of Education, the authors surveyed prekindergarten and kindergarten teachers whose schools participated in a quality rating system to see what they did to get ready for the observation and what they thought of the evaluation process. The authors also asked them what they thought about the quality of their…

  20. Linking Teacher Quality, Student Attendance, and Student Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gershenson, Seth

    2016-01-01

    Research on the effectiveness of educational inputs, particularly research on teacher effectiveness, typically overlooks teachers' potential impact on behavioral outcomes, such as student attendance. Using longitudinal data on teachers and students in North Carolina I estimate teacher effects on primary school student absences in a value-added…

  1. Teachers' Perceptions of the Integrated Quality Management System: Lessons from Mpumalanga, South Africa

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Queen-Mary, Thobela Nozidumo; Mtapuri, Oliver

    2014-01-01

    This article examines the attitudes and perceptions of teachers regarding the implementation of the Integrated Quality Management System (IQMS). In doing so, it aims to contribute to the global discourse of change management in education. The system is intended to develop educators by enhancing their capabilities to inculcate a culture of teaching…

  2. Groundwater Quality: Analysis of Its Temporal and Spatial Variability in a Karst Aquifer.

    PubMed

    Pacheco Castro, Roger; Pacheco Ávila, Julia; Ye, Ming; Cabrera Sansores, Armando

    2018-01-01

    This study develops an approach based on hierarchical cluster analysis for investigating the spatial and temporal variation of water quality governing processes. The water quality data used in this study were collected in the karst aquifer of Yucatan, Mexico, the only source of drinking water for a population of nearly two million people. Hierarchical cluster analysis was applied to the quality data of all the sampling periods lumped together. This was motivated by the observation that, if water quality does not vary significantly in time, two samples from the same sampling site will belong to the same cluster. The resulting distribution maps of clusters and box-plots of the major chemical components reveal the spatial and temporal variability of groundwater quality. Principal component analysis was used to verify the results of cluster analysis and to derive the variables that explained most of the variation of the groundwater quality data. Results of this work increase the knowledge about how precipitation and human contamination impact groundwater quality in Yucatan. Spatial variability of groundwater quality in the study area is caused by: a) seawater intrusion and groundwater rich in sulfates at the west and in the coast, b) water rock interactions and the average annual precipitation at the middle and east zones respectively, and c) human contamination present in two localized zones. Changes in the amount and distribution of precipitation cause temporal variation by diluting groundwater in the aquifer. This approach allows to analyze the variation of groundwater quality controlling processes efficiently and simultaneously. © 2017, National Ground Water Association.

  3. The Induction Mentor Voice: A Phenomenological Study of Effective Practices for High Quality K-12 Teacher Induction Mentoring

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Doering, Sagui Araceli

    2018-01-01

    In education, mentoring is pivotal in the early development and long-term success and self-directed efficacy of new teachers. With increasing acknowledgment of the importance of mentoring as the preferred means of induction support for new teachers, mentors can serve to positively impact the overall quality of teaching and learning. Yet, like the…

  4. The Impact of Biology/Geology School Teachers Masters Courses on the Improvement of Science Education Quality in Portugal

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pombo, Lucia; Costa, Nilza

    2009-01-01

    In this paper we report a large-scale study designed to evaluate the impact of masters courses on the professional development of science school teachers and, consequently, on the improvement of the quality of science education. The underlying assumption of this study is that masters teachers are widely recognized as assuming a relevant role to…

  5. Are Elementary Teacher Education Programs the Real Problem of Unqualified Teachers?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Weitman, Catheryn J.; Colbert, Ronald P.

    This paper describes 10 factors that impact misguided perceptions of teacher preparation and teacher quality, especially elementary teachers prepared in highly-structured, university-based teacher preparation programs: (1) the offshoot of P-12 preparation, prior to attending postsecondary programs; (2) alignment of certification tests to state…

  6. Exploring Relationships between Teaching Efficacy and Student Teacher-Cooperating Teacher Relationships

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Edgar, Don W.; Roberts, T. Grady; Murphy, Tim H.

    2011-01-01

    Teaching efficacy beliefs of agricultural science student teachers, and their relationship with their cooperating teachers during field experiences, are variables that may affect the number of student teachers entering the profession. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects implementing structured communication between student…

  7. Pre-Service Music Teachers Perceptions of Teaching and Teacher Training

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Legette, Roy M.; McCord, Dawn H.

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine perceptions of pre-service music teachers (n = 104) regarding school music teaching and the quality of their teacher training. Research questions were: 1) What are the perceptions of pre-service music teachers regarding skills and knowledge provided by their teacher training programs? 2) What aspects of the…

  8. Applying Invitational Theory by Teachers of the Gifted to Regular Classroom Teachers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Russell, Donald W.

    1984-01-01

    The teacher of gifted students (G/T teacher) can use Invitational Theory to improve relations with regular classroom teachers. Through introspection, planned strategies, and practice, the G/T teacher can develop qualities and characteristics to promote a congenial professional atmosphere. (MM)

  9. Water Quality Variable Estimation using Partial Least Squares Regression and Multi-Scale Remote Sensing.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Peterson, K. T.; Wulamu, A.

    2017-12-01

    Water, essential to all living organisms, is one of the Earth's most precious resources. Remote sensing offers an ideal approach to monitor water quality over traditional in-situ techniques that are highly time and resource consuming. Utilizing a multi-scale approach, incorporating data from handheld spectroscopy, UAS based hyperspectal, and satellite multispectral images were collected in coordination with in-situ water quality samples for the two midwestern watersheds. The remote sensing data was modeled and correlated to the in-situ water quality variables including chlorophyll content (Chl), turbidity, and total dissolved solids (TDS) using Normalized Difference Spectral Indices (NDSI) and Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR). The results of the study supported the original hypothesis that correlating water quality variables with remotely sensed data benefits greatly from the use of more complex modeling and regression techniques such as PLSR. The final results generated from the PLSR analysis resulted in much higher R2 values for all variables when compared to NDSI. The combination of NDSI and PLSR analysis also identified key wavelengths for identification that aligned with previous study's findings. This research displays the advantages and future for complex modeling and machine learning techniques to improve water quality variable estimation from spectral data.

  10. Connecting science and the musical arts in teaching tone quality: Integrating Helmholtz motion and master violin teachers' pedagogies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Collins, Cheri D.

    Is it possible for students to achieve better tone quality from even their factory-made violins? All violins, regardless of cost, have a common capacity for good tone in certain frequencies. These signature modes outline the first position range of a violin (196-600 hertz). To activate this basic capacity of all violins, the string must fully vibrate. To accomplish this the bow must be pulled across the string with enough pressure (relative to its speed and contact point) for the horsehairs to catch. This friction permits the string to vibrate in Helmholtz Motion, which produces a corner that travels along the edge of the string between the bridge and the nut. Creating this corner is the most fundamental technique for achieving good tone. The findings of celebrated scientists Ernest Chladni, Hermann von Helmholtz, and John Schelleng will be discussed and the tone-production pedagogy of master teachers Carl Flesch, Ivan Galamian, Robert Gerle, and Simon Fischer will be investigated. Important connections between the insights of these scientists and master teachers are evident. Integrating science and art can provide teachers with a better understanding of the characteristics of good tone. This can help their students achieve the best possible sound from their instruments. In the private studio the master teacher may not use the words "Helmholtz Motion." Yet through modeling and listening students are able to understand and create a quality tone. Music teachers without experience in string performance may be assigned to teach strings in classroom and ensembles settings. As a result modeling good tone is not always possible. However, all teachers and conductors can understand the fundamental behavior of string vibration and adapt their instruction strategies towards student success. Better tonal quality for any string instrument is ultimately achieved. Mastery and use of the Helmholtz Motion benefits teachers and students alike. Simple practice exercises for teaching

  11. Comparison between Primary Teacher Educators' and Primary School Teachers' Beliefs of Primary Geography Education Quality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bent, Gert Jan; Bakx, Anouke; den Brok, Perry

    2016-01-01

    In this study teacher educators' beliefs concerning primary geography education have been investigated and compared with primary school teachers' beliefs. In this study 45 teacher educators and 489 primary school teachers completed a questionnaire, and nine teacher educators have been interviewed as well. It has been found that teacher educators…

  12. Changing the Education Workforce? The Relationships between Teacher Quality, Motivation, and Performance Pay

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bowen, Daniel H.; Mills, Jonathan N.

    2017-01-01

    Background/Context: With a growing body of evidence to support the assertion that teacher quality is vital to producing better student outcomes, policymakers continue to seek solutions to attract and retain the best educators. Performance-based pay is a reform that has become popular in K-12 education over the last decade. This strategy…

  13. Mathematics Teachers' Support and Retention: Using Maslow's Hierarchy to Understand Teachers' Needs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fisher, Molly H.; Royster, David

    2016-01-01

    As part of a larger study, four mathematics teachers from diverse backgrounds and teaching situations report their ideas on teacher stress, mathematics teacher retention, and their feelings about the needs of mathematics teachers, as well as other information crucial to retaining quality teachers. The responses from the participants were used to…

  14. Examining Epistemological Beliefs of Teacher Candidates According to Various Variables

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aslan, Cengiz

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: Epistemological beliefs of teachers are important factors on their perceptions of subject area and their classroom practices. This research aims to define epistemological beliefs of teacher candidates and investigates whether or not epistemological beliefs change according to teacher candidates' gender, fields of study, year of study, and…

  15. Quality of Inclusion and Related Predictors: Teachers' Reports of Educational Provisions Offered to Students with Down Syndrome

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Engevik, L. I.; Naess, K. -A. B.; Berntsen, L.

    2018-01-01

    The aims of this study were to gain insight into the quality of inclusion in mainstream classrooms involving students with Down syndrome and to reveal underlying predictors. A total of 39 8-year-olds with Down syndrome and their teachers participated. Via a survey, the teachers were asked to rate key indicators of inclusion. Their average rating…

  16. Districts Abandon Grants Targeting Teacher Quality

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zubrzycki, Jaclyn

    2012-01-01

    Three big-city districts--Chicago, Milwaukee, and New York--have terminated federal grants aimed at promoting performance-based compensation plans and professional development for teachers and principals. Overall, the 2010 Teacher Incentive Fund (TIF) grants to the three districts would have provided an $88 million payout over five years--nearly 7…

  17. Do State Examinations Measure Teacher Quality?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harrell, Pamela Esprivalo

    2009-01-01

    This study investigates teacher content knowledge of candidates enrolled in an online graduate teacher certification programme. Descriptive data and linear regression were used to draw conclusions about the content area knowledge of individuals in the sample and the significance of the predictors examined. Descriptive data show 1/3 of the 8-12…

  18. Changes in teachers' voice quality during a working day with and without electric sound amplification.

    PubMed

    Jónsdottir, Valdis; Laukkanen, Anne-Maria; Siikki, Ilona

    2003-01-01

    The present study investigated changes in the voice quality of teachers during a working day (a). in ordinary conditions and (b). when using electrical sound amplification while teaching. Classroom speech of 5 teachers was recorded with a portable DAT recorder and a head-mounted microphone during the first and the last lesson of a hard working day first in ordinary conditions and the following week using amplification. Long-term average spectrum and sound pressure level (SPL) analyses were made. The subjects' comments were gathered by questionnaire. Voice quality was evaluated by 2 speech trainers. With amplification, SPL was lower and the spectrum more tilted. Voice quality was evaluated to be better. The subjects reported less fatigue in the vocal mechanism. Spectral tilt decreased and SPL increased during the day. There was a tendency for perceived asthenia to decrease. No significant changes were observed in ordinary conditions. The acoustic changes seem to reflect a positive adaptation to vocal loading. Their absence may be a sign of vocal fatigue. Copyright 2003 S. Karger AG, Basel

  19. A New Approach to Teacher Education and Teacher Certification.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Washington Office of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Olympia. Div. of Teacher Education and Certification.

    New certification standards adopted by the Washington State Board of Education in 1971 were designed to develop teacher education programs that ensure the highest quality of professional performance by teachers prepared within them. Teacher education programs under the new standards are approved by the State Board of Education only when three…

  20. Incompetent Teachers or Dysfunctional Systems?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Futernick, Ken

    2010-01-01

    Calls to fire the lowest-performing teachers are widespread, but such actions are not likely to improve teacher quality. Instead, educators should focus on improving the education system that can prevent even good teachers from providing high-quality teaching. To improve the teaching environment, educators and policy makers need to better…

  1. Measuring Teacher Dispositions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Singh, Delar K.; Stoloff, David L.

    2007-01-01

    Teacher quality has become a top priority of our national agenda. There is empirical evidence that suggests that teacher inputs have impact on student outcomes. It is also believed that teacher dispositions are as crucial for student achievement as a teacher's pedagogical and content knowledge/skills. The National Council for Accreditation of…

  2. Elementary Classroom Teachers and Physical Education: Change in Teacher-Related Factors during Pre-Service Teacher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fletcher, Tim; Mandigo, James; Kosnik, Clare

    2013-01-01

    Background: In many contexts, elementary physical education (PE) classes are taught by the classroom teacher rather than by a PE specialist. Elementary classroom teachers often cite negative attitudes resulting from experiences as school pupils and inadequate pre-service PE teacher education as barriers to teaching a quality PE programme. Purpose:…

  3. Associations of Preschool Type and Teacher-Child Relational Quality with Young Children's Social-Emotional Competence

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Garner, Pamela W.; Mahatmya, Duhita; Moses, Laurence Kimberly; Bolt, Elizabeth N.

    2014-01-01

    Research Findings: This study examined associations of preschool type (i.e., urban and suburban Head Start and university-affiliated center) and teacher-child variables with positive and negative child outcomes among 145 preschoolers (74 boys). Differences emerged across preschools, with urban Head Start children scoring lowest on the emotional…

  4. The Influences of LuxX in "Escherichia Coli" Biofilm Formation and Improving Teacher Quality through the Bio-Bus Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Robbins, Chandan Morris

    2012-01-01

    The objectives of this work are: (1) to agarose-stabilize fragile biofilms for quantitative structure analysis; (2) to understand the influences of LuxS on biofilm formation; (3) to improve teacher quality by preparing Georgia's middle school science teachers to integrate inquiry-based, hands-on research modules in the classroom. Quantitative…

  5. Science Teachers in Deaf Education: A National Survey of K-8 Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shaw, Cynthia

    2009-01-01

    A survey was conducted with 67 science teachers who taught deaf children at the elementary school level. Teacher background variables, information about teacher preparation and certification, preferred teaching methods, communication methodologies, curriculum, and the use of technology were gathered. A purposeful, convenience sampling technique…

  6. Input variable selection and calibration data selection for storm water quality regression models.

    PubMed

    Sun, Siao; Bertrand-Krajewski, Jean-Luc

    2013-01-01

    Storm water quality models are useful tools in storm water management. Interest has been growing in analyzing existing data for developing models for urban storm water quality evaluations. It is important to select appropriate model inputs when many candidate explanatory variables are available. Model calibration and verification are essential steps in any storm water quality modeling. This study investigates input variable selection and calibration data selection in storm water quality regression models. The two selection problems are mutually interacted. A procedure is developed in order to fulfil the two selection tasks in order. The procedure firstly selects model input variables using a cross validation method. An appropriate number of variables are identified as model inputs to ensure that a model is neither overfitted nor underfitted. Based on the model input selection results, calibration data selection is studied. Uncertainty of model performances due to calibration data selection is investigated with a random selection method. An approach using the cluster method is applied in order to enhance model calibration practice based on the principle of selecting representative data for calibration. The comparison between results from the cluster selection method and random selection shows that the former can significantly improve performances of calibrated models. It is found that the information content in calibration data is important in addition to the size of calibration data.

  7. Do student self-efficacy and teacher-student interaction quality contribute to emotional and social engagement in fifth grade math?

    PubMed

    Martin, Daniel P; Rimm-Kaufman, Sara E

    2015-10-01

    This study examined (a) the contribution of math self-efficacy to students' perception of their emotional and social engagement in fifth grade math classes, and (b) the extent to which high quality teacher-student interactions compensated for students' low math self-efficacy in contributing to engagement. Teachers (n = 73) were observed three times during the year during math to measure the quality of teacher-student interactions (emotional, organizational, and instructional support). Fifth graders (n = 387) reported on their math self-efficacy at the beginning of the school year and then were surveyed about their feelings of engagement in math class three times during the year immediately after the lessons during which teachers were observed. Results of multi-level models indicated that students initially lower in math self-efficacy reported lower emotional and social engagement during math class than students with higher self-efficacy. However, in classrooms with high levels of teacher emotional support, students reported similar levels of both emotional and social engagement, regardless of their self-efficacy. No comparable findings emerged for organizational and instructional support. The discussion considers the significance of students' own feelings about math in relation to their engagement, as well as the ways in which teacher and classroom supports can compensate for students lack of agency. The work has implications for school psychologists and teachers eager to boost students' engagement in math class. Copyright © 2015 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Teacher-child relationship quality and academic achievement of Chinese American children in immigrant families.

    PubMed

    Ly, Jennifer; Zhou, Qing; Chu, Keira; Chen, Stephen H

    2012-08-01

    This study examined the cross-sectional relations between teacher-child relationship quality (TCRQ) and math and reading achievement in a socio-economically diverse sample of Chinese American first- and second-grade children in immigrant families (N=207). Teachers completed a questionnaire measuring TCRQ dimensions including closeness, conflict, and intimacy, and children completed a questionnaire measuring overall TCRQ. Standardized tests were used to assess children's math and reading skills. Analyses were conducted to (a) test the factor structure of measures assessing TCRQ among Chinese American children, (b) examine the associations between teacher- and child-rated TCRQ and children's academic achievement, controlling for demographic characteristics, and (c) examine the potential role of child gender as a moderator in the relations between TCRQ and achievement. Results indicated that teacher-rated TCRQ Warmth was positively associated with Chinese American children's reading achievement. Two child gender-by-TCRQ interactions were found: (a) teacher-rated TCRQ Conflict was negatively associated with girls' (but not boys') math achievement, and (b) child-rated Overall TCRQ was positively associated with boys' (but not girls') reading achievement. These findings highlight the valuable role of TCRQ in the academic success of school-aged children in immigrant families. Copyright © 2012 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Enacting Teacher Leadership: The Role of Teachers in Bringing about Change

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lai, Edith; Cheung, Derek

    2015-01-01

    This paper attempts to identify leadership practices and qualities of school teachers as they engaged in effecting change initiated by a curriculum reform in Hong Kong. Based on interview data of teachers from nine schools, this paper shows how teacher leadership manifested itself in schools. Three approaches to teacher leadership were identified,…

  10. What Does It Mean to Be Ranked a "High" or "Low" Value-Added Teacher? Observing Differences in Instructional Quality across Districts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blazar, David; Litke, Erica; Barmore, Johanna

    2016-01-01

    Education agencies are evaluating teachers using student achievement data. However, very little is known about the comparability of test-based or "value-added" metrics across districts and the extent to which they capture variability in classroom practices. Drawing on data from four urban districts, we found that teachers were…

  11. A Comparative Study of the VHI-10 and the V-RQOL for Quality of Life Among Chinese Teachers With and Without Voice Disorders.

    PubMed

    Lu, Dan; Wen, Bei; Yang, Hui; Chen, Fei; Liu, Jun; Xu, Yanan; Zheng, Yitao; Zhao, Yu; Zou, Jian; Wang, Haiyang

    2017-07-01

    To investigate the differences and correlation between the Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10) and the Voice-Related Quality of Life (V-RQOL) in teachers in China with and without voice disorders. This is a cross-sectional descriptive analytical study. The participants were 864 teachers (569 women, 295 men) whose vocal cords were examined using a flexible nasofibrolaryngoscope. Questionnaire results were obtained for both the VHI-10 and the V-RQOL. Of the 864 participants, 409 teachers had no voice disorders and 455 teachers had voice disorders. The most common voice complaint was hoarseness (n = 298) and the most common throat complaint was globus pharyngis (n = 79) in teachers with voice disorders. Chronic laryngitis (n = 218) and polyps and nodules (n = 182) were the most frequent diagnoses in teachers with voice disorders. Significant differences were seen on the VHI-10 between teachers with and those without voice disorders (P < 0.05) and in function between female and male teachers with voice disorders (P < 0.05) and between those with different voice disorders (P < 0.05). Moderate to strong correlations were observed between VHI-10 total score and those for the three domains of the VHI-10 and the V-RQOL (P < 0.0001). There is a high prevalence of voice disorders in teachers. Teachers with voice disorders have poor voice-related quality of life, with more impairment seen among female than male teachers. Different groups of voice disorders have different effects on voice-related quality of life. A moderate correlation was found between the results of the VHI-10 and the V-RQOL. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Teacher Knowledge and Instructional Quality of Beginning Teachers: Growth and Linkages

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Desimone, Laura; Hochberg, Eric D.; McMaken, Jennifer

    2016-01-01

    Background/Context: We lack strong and consistent information about which measures of knowledge matter most for good teaching and student learning, and what are trajectories of improvement for novice teachers. Research Questions: We explore the level, variation, and change in teacher knowledge and instruction in the first two years of teaching,…

  13. Total Quality Management Practices in Turkish Primary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Toremen, Fatih; Karakus, Mehmet; Yasan, Tezcan

    2009-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to determine the extent of total quality management (TQM) practices in primary schools based on teachers' perceptions, and how their perceptions are related to different variables. Design/methodology/approach: In this study, a survey based descriptive scanning model was used. This study was carried out in…

  14. Attracting and Retaining Quality Teachers through Incentives.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Engelking, Jeri L.

    1987-01-01

    Discusses problems in recruiting and retaining high-ability teachers and the need to provide motivation for teachers. Provides a listing of incentives to enhance and professionalize the teaching profession. (MD)

  15. Comparison of variability in pork carcass composition and quality between barrows and gilts.

    PubMed

    Overholt, M F; Arkfeld, E K; Mohrhauser, D A; King, D A; Wheeler, T L; Dilger, A C; Shackelford, S D; Boler, D D

    2016-10-01

    Pigs ( = 8,042) raised in 8 different barns representing 2 seasons (cold and hot) and 2 production focuses (lean growth and meat quality) were used to characterize variability of carcass composition and quality traits between barrows and gilts. Data were collected on 7,684 pigs at the abattoir. Carcass characteristics, subjective loin quality, and fresh ham face color (muscles) were measured on a targeted 100% of carcasses. Fresh belly characteristics, boneless loin weight, instrumental loin color, and ultimate loin pH measurements were collected from 50% of the carcasses each slaughter day. Adipose tissue iodine value (IV), 30-min loin pH, LM slice shear force, and fresh ham muscle characteristic measurements were recorded on 10% of carcasses each slaughter day. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS as a 1-way ANOVA in a randomized complete block design with 2 levels (barrows and gilts). Barn (block), marketing group, production focus, and season were random variables. A 2-variance model was fit using the REPEATED statement of the MIXED procedure, grouped by sex for analysis of least squares means. Homogeneity of variance was tested on raw data using Levene's test of the GLM procedure. Hot carcass weight of pigs (94.6 kg) in this study was similar to U.S. industry average HCW (93.1 kg). Therefore, these data are representative of typical U.S. pork carcasses. There was no difference ( ≥ 0.09) in variability of HCW or loin depth between barrow and gilt carcasses. Back fat depth and estimated carcass lean were more variable ( ≤ 0.0001) and IV was less variable ( = 0.05) in carcasses from barrows than in carcasses from gilts. Fresh belly weight and thickness were more variable ( ≤ 0.01) for bellies of barrows than bellies of gilts, but there was no difference in variability for belly length, width, or flop distance ( ≥ 0.06). Fresh loin subjective color was less variable ( < 0.01) and subjective marbling was more variable ( < 0.0001) in loins

  16. Teacher Certification Types and Teacher Effectiveness and Preparedness in Oklahoma

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Karch, Christopher G.

    2015-01-01

    Like a majority of other states, Oklahoma has provided for alternative methods to teacher certification. This study examines the perceptions of principals and teachers regarding the level of preparedness and ability to develop effectiveness qualities of novice teachers from the Alternative Placement Program and Oklahoma colleges of education. The…

  17. Teacher Participation in Decision Making and Its Impact on School and Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sarafidou, Jasmin-Olga; Chatziioannidis, Georgios

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine teacher involvement in different domains of decision making in Greek primary schools and explore associations with school and teacher variables. Design/methodology/approach: A survey employing self-administered questionnaires, with a Likert-type scale assessing teachers' actual and desired…

  18. Using Blackboard and Skype for Mentoring Beginning Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Suk Hwang, Young; Vrongistinos, Konstantinos

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this article is to examine the nature of the Blackboard and Skype-based electronic mentoring system for beginning teachers. The Quality Teachers for Quality Students project developed an electronic mentoring system between beginning teachers and experienced teachers to support beginning teachers' instructional and classroom…

  19. Watching television for more than two hours increases the likelihood of reporting poor sleep quality among Brazilian schoolteachers.

    PubMed

    de Souza, Sara Carolina Scremin; Campanini, Marcela Zambrim; de Andrade, Selma Maffei; González, Alberto Durán; de Melo, Juliana Moura; Mesas, Arthur Eumann

    2017-10-01

    Although time spent watching television and sleep problems have increased in the last few decades, it is unclear whether these conditions are associated in working adults after controlling for lifestyle, job characteristics and other individual aspects. The present study analyzed the association between time spent watching television and sleep quality among teachers from public schools in Londrina, Brazil. In this cross-sectional study, information from the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and about time spent watching television was obtained during personal interviews. Logistic regression models adjusted by the main confounders (sociodemographic, occupational and lifestyle variables) were used in the analyses. Among the 959 studied teachers (68.2% women, median age: 42years), teachers who watched >120min/day had a higher likelihood of reporting poor sleep quality (PSQI>5) (odds ratio=1.41; 95% confidence interval=1.01; 1.98) compared with those who watched television for up to 60min/day, regardless of gender, age, work hours, leisure time physical activity and other lifestyle variables. This association did not remain significant after the adjustment for health conditions, i.e., obesity, anxiety, depression and chronic pain, which may act as confounding variables in the relationship between watching television and poor sleep quality. Watching television for >120min/day was independently associated with poorer sleep quality, which should be considered in the prevention and treatment of sleep disturbances among working population. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Planning, Supervision and Quality of Instructional Leadership of Girls' Day Secondary Schools in Kaduna State, Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Duruh, Benjamin C.

    2018-01-01

    This study investigated the Planning, Supervision and Quality of Instructional Leadership of Girls' Day Secondary Schools in Kaduna State. The research design adopted was a survey design. The independent variables were the respondents which include principals, teachers, students, parents and government officials while dependent variable includes…

  1. Sleep Quality Estimation based on Chaos Analysis for Heart Rate Variability

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fukuda, Toshio; Wakuda, Yuki; Hasegawa, Yasuhisa; Arai, Fumihito; Kawaguchi, Mitsuo; Noda, Akiko

    In this paper, we propose an algorithm to estimate sleep quality based on a heart rate variability using chaos analysis. Polysomnography(PSG) is a conventional and reliable system to diagnose sleep disorder and to evaluate its severity and therapeatic effect, by estimating sleep quality based on multiple channels. However, a recording process requires a lot of time and a controlled environment for measurement and then an analyzing process of PSG data is hard work because the huge sensed data should be manually evaluated. On the other hand, it is focused that some people make a mistake or cause an accident due to lost of regular sleep and of homeostasis these days. Therefore a simple home system for checking own sleep is required and then the estimation algorithm for the system should be developed. Therefore we propose an algorithm to estimate sleep quality based only on a heart rate variability which can be measured by a simple sensor such as a pressure sensor and an infrared sensor in an uncontrolled environment, by experimentally finding the relationship between chaos indices and sleep quality. The system including the estimation algorithm can inform patterns and quality of own daily sleep to a user, and then the user can previously arranges his life schedule, pays more attention based on sleep results and consult with a doctor.

  2. Spatialised Metaphors of Practice: How Teacher Educators Engage with Professional Standards for Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ryan, Mary; Bourke, Terri

    2018-01-01

    Pre-service teacher educators, both nationally and internationally, must negotiate a plethora of expectations including using Professional Standards to enhance teacher quality. In Australia, the recent Teacher Education Ministerial Advisory Group (TEMAG) report highlighted weak application of Standards in Initial Teacher Education (ITE). However,…

  3. Raising the Bar of Teacher Quality: Accountability, Collaboration, and Social Justice. The Claremont Letter. Volume 1, Issue 4

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ganley, DeLacy Derin; Quintanar, Anita P.; Loop, Lisa S.

    2006-01-01

    Historically, reform efforts to address poor student achievement have focused on a variety of issues other than teacher quality. Movements such as TQM (Total Quality Management), class size reduction (CSR), school leadership, parental involvement, and multicultural curriculum have not directly addressed the power or influence of the individual…

  4. Teacher quality: a comparison of National Board-certified and non-Board-certified teachers of deaf students.

    PubMed

    Scheetz, Nanci A; Martin, David S

    2006-01-01

    THE STUDY was designed to identify specific components of teacher excellence, focusing initially on the characteristics of the small number of teachers of the deaf who are certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), then comparing those with the characteristics of other teachers identified as master teachers by university faculty in teacher preparation in deafness. Classroom observation, written lesson plans, teacher questionnaires on beliefs, and content analysis of interactive electronic focus groups were used to compare the two groups of teachers. Results indicated similarities between Board-certified and non-Board-certified master teachers in regard to teacher behaviors and commitment to well-founded pedagogical principles. Differences were found in classroom priorities and in the greater level of interconnectivity expressed by Board-certified teachers as the result of becoming Board certified. Recommendations are made for preparing teachers of deaf students.

  5. Monitoring Makes a Difference: Quality and Temporal Variation in Teacher Education Students' Collaborative Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Näykki, Piia; Järvenoja, Hanna; Järvelä, Sanna; Kirschner, Paul

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this process-oriented video-observation study is to explore how groups that perform differently differ in terms of the number, quality, and temporal variation of their content-level (knowledge co-construction) and meta-level (monitoring) activities. Five groups of teacher education students (n = 22) were observed throughout a 3-month…

  6. The Effect of the Adoption of the Quality Philosophy by Teachers on Student Achievement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sandifer, Cody Clark

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine if the adoption of the Deming philosophy by teachers and use of the LtoJ[R] process resulted in greater academic achievement. Results of internal consistency analysis indicated that the instrument, the "Commitment to Quality Inventory for Educators," was a reliable measure of the Deming…

  7. Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve Analysis of Beach Water Quality Indicator Variables

    PubMed Central

    Morrison, Ann Michelle; Coughlin, Kelly; Shine, James P.; Coull, Brent A.; Rex, Andrea C.

    2003-01-01

    Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis is a simple and effective means to compare the accuracies of indicator variables of bacterial beach water quality. The indicator variables examined in this study were previous day's Enterococcus density and antecedent rainfall at 24, 48, and 96 h. Daily Enterococcus densities and 15-min rainfall values were collected during a 5-year (1996 to 2000) study of four Boston Harbor beaches. The indicator variables were assessed for their ability to correctly classify water as suitable or unsuitable for swimming at a maximum threshold Enterococcus density of 104 CFU/100 ml. Sensitivity and specificity values were determined for each unique previous day's Enterococcus density and antecedent rainfall volume and used to construct ROC curves. The area under the ROC curve was used to compare the accuracies of the indicator variables. Twenty-four-hour antecedent rainfall classified elevated Enterococcus densities more accurately than previous day's Enterococcus density (P = 0.079). An empirically derived threshold for 48-h antecedent rainfall, corresponding to a sensitivity of 0.75, was determined from the 1996 to 2000 data and evaluated to ascertain if the threshold would produce a 0.75 sensitivity with independent water quality data collected in 2001 from the same beaches. PMID:14602593

  8. Assessing quality of pre-service physics teachers' written arguments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aydeniz, Mehmet; Gürçay, Deniz

    2013-11-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the quality of scientific arguments developed by pre-service physics teachers. Sample: The participants were 171 pre-service physics teachers recruited from two universities: 86 from University A and 85 from University B. Design and method: Participants were prompted to develop a written argument to either support or challenge the Turkish government's decision to invest in nuclear power plants. Data consist of written arguments developed by the participants and information on participants' knowledge of the topic, their confidence in their knowledge and the source of their knowledge related to the topic. Data were analyzed using the CER framework. Results: The results show that participants did not perform at the expected level. The majority of students failed to develop strong scientific arguments. While almost all of the participants provided evidence to justify their claims, they failed to effectively coordinate evidence, claim and theory to develop an argument. Students struggled the most in the warrant/reasoning category of the CER framework. We also identified several misconceptions that students held related to nuclear power plants. Conclusions: In our discussion we problematize college science teaching and advocate integration of instructional strategies such as argumentation that can effectively engage students in construction, evaluation and justification of knowledge.

  9. Peers and teachers as sources of relatedness perceptions, motivation, and affective responses in physical education.

    PubMed

    Cox, Anne; Duncheon, Nicole; McDavid, Lindley

    2009-12-01

    Research has demonstrated the importance of relatedness perceptions to self-determined motivation in physical education. Therefore, studies have begun to examine the social factors contributing to feelings of relatedness. The purpose of this study was to examine teacher (perceived emotional support) and peer (acceptance, friendship quality) relationship variables to feelings of relatedness, motivation, and affective responses in junior high physical education students (N = 411). Results revealed that perceived relatedness mediated the relationship between variables and self-determined motivation and related directly to the amount of enjoyment and worry students experienced. These findings demonstrate that relationships with both teachers and peers are important for students' relatedness perceptions, motivation, enjoyment, and worry in physical education.

  10. Quality of Work Life: Rural Teachers' Perceptions.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Haughey, Margaret L.; Murphy, Peter J.

    1983-01-01

    A questionnaire mailed to 528 teachers in rural British Columbia sought opinions on their conditions of work, professional autonomy, and interactions with students and administrators. Responses suggest policy changes to reduce high rate of teacher turnover. (JW)

  11. Teacher labor markets in developing countries.

    PubMed

    Vegas, Emiliana

    2007-01-01

    Emiliana Vegas surveys strategies used by the world's developing countries to fill their classrooms with qualified teachers. With their low quality of education and wide gaps in student outcomes, schools in developing countries strongly resemble hard-to-staff urban U.S. schools. Their experience with reform may thus provide insights for U.S. policymakers. Severe budget constraints and a lack of teacher training capacity have pushed developing nations to try a wide variety of reforms, including using part-time or assistant teachers, experimenting with pay incentives, and using school-based management. The strategy of hiring teachers with less than full credentials has had mixed results. One successful program in India hired young women who lacked teaching certificates to teach basic literacy and numeracy skills to children whose skills were seriously lagging. After two years, student learning increased, with the highest gains among the least able students. As in the United States, says Vegas, teaching quality and student achievement in the developing world are sensitive to teacher compensation. As average teacher salaries in Chile more than doubled over the past decade, higher-quality students entered teacher education programs. And when Brazil increased educational funding and distributed resources more equitably, school enrollment increased and the gap in student test scores narrowed. Experiments with performance-based pay have had mixed results. In Bolivia a bonus for teaching in rural areas failed to produce higher-quality teachers. And in Mexico a system to reward teachers for improved student outcomes failed to change teacher performance. But Vegas explains that the design of teacher incentives is critical. Effective incentive schemes must be tightly coupled with desired behaviors and generous enough to give teachers a reason to make the extra effort. School-based management reforms give decisionmaking authority to the schools. Such reforms in Central America

  12. Quality by Design approach for studying the impact of formulation and process variables on product quality of oral disintegrating films.

    PubMed

    Mazumder, Sonal; Pavurala, Naresh; Manda, Prashanth; Xu, Xiaoming; Cruz, Celia N; Krishnaiah, Yellela S R

    2017-07-15

    The present investigation was carried out to understand the impact of formulation and process variables on the quality of oral disintegrating films (ODF) using Quality by Design (QbD) approach. Lamotrigine (LMT) was used as a model drug. Formulation variable was plasticizer to film former ratio and process variables were drying temperature, air flow rate in the drying chamber, drying time and wet coat thickness of the film. A Definitive Screening Design of Experiments (DoE) was used to identify and classify the critical formulation and process variables impacting critical quality attributes (CQA). A total of 14 laboratory-scale DoE formulations were prepared and evaluated for mechanical properties (%elongation at break, yield stress, Young's modulus, folding endurance) and other CQA (dry thickness, disintegration time, dissolution rate, moisture content, moisture uptake, drug assay and drug content uniformity). The main factors affecting mechanical properties were plasticizer to film former ratio and drying temperature. Dissolution rate was found to be sensitive to air flow rate during drying and plasticizer to film former ratio. Data were analyzed for elucidating interactions between different variables, rank ordering the critical materials attributes (CMA) and critical process parameters (CPP), and for providing a predictive model for the process. Results suggested that plasticizer to film former ratio and process controls on drying are critical to manufacture LMT ODF with the desired CQA. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  13. Literacy Teacher Preparation: Ten Truths Teacher Educators Need to Know

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Davis Lenski, Susan, Ed.; Grisham, Dana L., Ed.; Wold, Linda S., Ed.

    2005-01-01

    The quality of teacher preparation is frequently under public scrutiny. In this collection, experts in literacy teacher preparation offer ten truths--based on evidence, not ideology-- that support the ongoing positive efforts of teacher educators. In this book, the reader will find: A review of the existing knowledge base; Evidence of the improved…

  14. Quality Talk and Dialogic Teaching--An Examination of a Professional Development Programme on Secondary Teachers' Facilitation of Student Talk

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Davies, Maree; Kiemer, Katharina; Meissel, Kane

    2017-01-01

    This study used the Quality Talk and dialogic teaching approach with a group of secondary school teachers (N = 7) to train their facilitation of dialogical discussions by small groups of students. The study used video and audio analysis to assess the teachers' observable behaviours during these discussions, before and after professional…

  15. The Changing Realities of Teacher Needs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lightfoot, Alfred

    1986-01-01

    The teaching profession is facing a dramatic crisis as it attempts to deal with both "quantity" (teacher shortages, rising student enrollments, teacher persistence) and "quality" (teacher competence, teacher certification, teacher testing) problems. (CB)

  16. Within-Teacher Variation of Causal Attributions of Low Achieving Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jager, Lieke; Denessen, Eddie

    2015-01-01

    In teacher research, causal attributions of low achievement have been proven to be predictive of teachers' efforts to provide optimal learning contexts for all students. In most studies, however, attributions have been studied as a between-teacher variable rather than a within-teacher variable assuming that teachers' responses to low achievement…

  17. Teacher Education in Finland: A Review of a National Effort for Preparing Teachers for the Future

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Malinen, Olli-Pekka; Vaisanen, Pertti; Savolainen, Hannu

    2012-01-01

    The quality of teachers is one of the most frequently cited factors explaining the quality of an education system. This article discusses the nature and role teacher education plays as a part of the Finnish education system. Teacher education in Finland is a highly competitive field of masters' degree university studies and is provided in…

  18. Social functioning in pediatric epilepsy reported by parents and teachers: Contributions of medically related variables, verbal skills, and parental anxiety.

    PubMed

    Carson, Audrey M; Chapieski, Lynn

    2016-09-01

    Children with epilepsy are at increased risk for deficits in social functioning, though the underlying causes are not well-understood. We examined multiple seizure-related, demographic, and cognitive variables in a group of 93 pediatric patients with intractable seizures who were at risk for social skills deficits and social problems at home and in the classroom. Verbal intelligence and parental anxiety about epilepsy were found to be the two primary predictors of social functioning in children with epilepsy as reported by parents and teachers. Though other social variables and secondarily generalized seizures were significantly correlated with certain aspects of parent-reported social functioning, the impact of these variables appeared to be mediated through verbal intelligence and/or parental anxiety about epilepsy. These findings emphasize the importance of family characteristics on social functioning in children with epilepsy and also suggest that parental anxiety about their child's epilepsy may be a specific risk factor for this population. The findings from this study suggest that the factors associated with social functioning in children with epilepsy are similar regardless of whether social functioning is assessed by the parent or the classroom teacher. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Research Says/Does Teacher Collaboration Promote Teacher Growth?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goodwin, Bryan

    2016-01-01

    A report from TNTP (formerly The New Teacher Project) raised eyebrows recently when it concluded that much of the professional development teachers receive does little to improve teaching quality. The report, provocatively titled "The Mirage: Confronting the Hard Truth About Our Quest for Professional Development," examined the…

  20. Relationship between Teacher ICT Competency and Teacher Acceptance and Use of School Management System (SMS)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wei, Leong Mei; Piaw, Chua Yan; Kannan, Sathiamoorthy; Moulod, Shafinaz A.

    2016-01-01

    This study aims at examining the relationship between teacher ICT competency and teacher acceptance and use of SMS in Negeri Sembilan secondary schools in Malaysia. This is a non-experimental quantitative research using survey technique through the administration of a set of questionnaire that comprised teacher demographic variables, teacher ICT…

  1. Improving Water Quality Assessments through a HierarchicalBayesian Analysis of Variability

    EPA Science Inventory

    Water quality measurement error and variability, while well-documented in laboratory-scale studies, is rarely acknowledged or explicitly resolved in most water body assessments, including those conducted in compliance with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)...

  2. Understanding Teacher Effectiveness: Providing Feedback to Teacher Preparation Programs. Data for Action 2014

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Data Quality Campaign, 2014

    2014-01-01

    State leaders are increasingly focused on improving college and university programs that prepare teachers as a route to a high-quality teacher workforce. This work requires significant data capacity to reliably and securely link teachers with their students' achievement and growth data with the state's teacher preparation programs. This fact sheet…

  3. Assessment of Teacher Dispositions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Singh, Delar K.; Stoloff, David

    2008-01-01

    In the recent years, teacher quality has become a top priority of our national education policy. There is empirical evidence that suggests that teacher inputs have impact on student outcomes. It is also believed that teacher dispositions are as crucial for student achievement as a teacher's pedagogical and content knowledge/skills. The National…

  4. An Investigation of the Relationship between Teachers' Expectations and Teachers' Perceptions of Student Attributes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Timmermans, Anneke C.; de Boer, Hester; van der Werf, Margaretha P. C.

    2016-01-01

    Little is known about factors other than students' abilities and background variables that shape teachers' achievement expectations. This study was aimed at investigating the role of teachers' perceptions of students attributes (working habits, popularity, self-confidence, student--teacher relationships, and classroom behavior) in shaping…

  5. Vocational Teacher Stress and the Educational System.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adams, Elaine; Heath-Camp, Betty; Camp, William G.

    1999-01-01

    A multiple regression analysis of data from 235 secondary vocational teachers in Virginia found that educational system-related variables explained most teacher stress. The most important explanatory variables were task stress and role overload. (SK)

  6. Observation and Teacher Quality: Critical Analysis of Observational Instruments in Preservice Teacher Performance Assessment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Caughlan, Samantha; Jiang, Heng

    2014-01-01

    Teacher preparation programs commonly use observational instruments to assess the progress and the exit performances of teacher candidates. However, while these instruments have been described and several have been studied for effectiveness, the field lacks a close examination of how they position participants: teacher candidates, K-12 pupils, and…

  7. A Study of the Perceptions of First-Year Teachers as Prepared Classroom Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ward, Vida Jane

    2015-01-01

    The quality of teacher education allows first-year teachers to meet mandates at federal and state levels (Darling-Hammond, 2010a). The teaching profession is complex and requires new and innovative quality preparation programs (Wei, Andree, & Darling-Hammond, 2009). This study involved examination of the perceptions of 17 building principals…

  8. Transition Services: An Investigation of the Knowledge, Confidence, and Practice of Special Education Teachers in District of Columbia Public Charter High Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Henry, Wallace R., III

    2015-01-01

    This study was intended to enhance the limited research on the knowledge and confidence of special education teachers in public education regarding transition services and the quality of transition plans they develop. The key variables examined in this study are knowledge, confidence, and the quality of student transition plans. The sample…

  9. Role of Clinical Practice in Teacher Preparation: Perceptions of Elementary Teacher Candidates

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Singh, Delar K.

    2017-01-01

    The Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education Programs (CAEP) has established five standards to measure the effectiveness of teacher preparation programs. Clinical partnerships and practice represent "Standard 2." The CAEP requires that teacher education programs design high quality clinical practice that is central to preparation…

  10. Can a District-Level Teacher Salary Incentive Policy Improve Teacher Recruitment and Retention? Policy Brief 13-4

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hough, Heather J.; Loeb, Susanna

    2013-01-01

    In this policy brief, Heather Hough and Susanna Loeb examine the effect of the Quality Teacher and Education Act of 2008 (QTEA) on teacher recruitment, retention, and overall teacher quality in the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD). They provide evidence that a salary increase can improve a school district's attractiveness within their…

  11. What Drives Teachers to Improve? The Role of Teacher Mindset in Professional Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gero, Greg Philip

    2013-01-01

    Teacher quality has received increasing focus over the past decade, yet, by some measures, teachers rarely improve after their first few years of teaching, and not all teachers seem driven to improve. Traditional models of professional learning have emphasized the processes that teachers take part in as a facilitator of their improvement. Research…

  12. Fostering Teacher Learning through Relationships and Dialogue: Principals' Perceptions of Implementing a Teacher Evaluation Plan

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Erickson, Andrea Bianca

    2014-01-01

    We cannot achieve quality learning for all, or nearly all, students until quality development is attained and sustained for all teachers. (Fullan, 1994, p. 246) When the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 was signed into law, the federal government made student achievement and teacher quality a national priority (U.S. Department of Education,…

  13. Level of structural quality and process quality in rural preschool classrooms

    PubMed Central

    Hartman, Suzanne C.; Warash, Barbara G.; Curtis, Reagan; Hirst, Jessica Day

    2017-01-01

    Preschool classrooms with varying levels of structural quality requirements across the state of West Virginia were investigated for differences in measured structural and process quality. Quality was measured using group size, child-to-teacher/staff ratio, teacher education, and the Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale-Revised (ECERS-R; Harms, T., Clifford, R. M., & Cryer, D. (2005). The early childhood environment rating scale-revised. New York, NY: Teachers College Press). Thirty-six classrooms with less structural quality requirements and 136 with more structural quality requirements were measured. There were significant differences between classroom type, with classrooms with more structural quality requirements having significantly higher teacher education levels and higher environmental rating scores on the ECERS-R subscales of Space and Furnishings, Activities, and Program Structure. Results support previous research that stricter structural state regulations are correlated with higher measured structural and process quality in preschool classrooms. Implications for preschool state quality standards are discussed. PMID:29056814

  14. Gender differences in sleep habits and quality and daytime sleepiness in elementary and high school teachers.

    PubMed

    de Souza, Jane Carla; Oliveira, Maria Luiza Cruz de; de Sousa, Ivanise Cortez; Azevedo, Carolina V M de

    2018-04-01

    The extensive workload of teachers inside and outside the classroom may contribute to sleep problems. Such problems may occur more frequently in women due to the combination of professional demands, domestic tasks, and their relatively greater sleep needs compared to men. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the influence of gender on sleep habits and quality, and daytime sleepiness in a sample of 243 teachers (77 men and 166 women) using questionnaires. Linear regression models were used to examine the effect of gender on sleep measures; the unadjusted model considered only gender and the adjusted model considered chronotype and work characteristics as potential confounders. Bedtimes of women were significantly earlier than men during the week, but not on weekends, in the unadjusted and adjusted models. Time in bed was longer for women throughout the week and weekend in the unadjusted model. However, in the adjusted model, this statistical significance disappeared, and longer time in bed during the week was associated with teaching in one shift and for both levels of education. In addition, the female gender was associated with higher sleepiness scores compared to males in both models, and worse sleep quality in the adjusted model. Also, sleep quality was worse in subjects working in three shifts and in both types of schools (public and private). The tendency to eveningness was associated with later bedtimes and wake up times during both week days and weekends, higher irregularity of bedtimes and wake up times, and higher sleepiness scores in the adjusted model. Therefore, we suggest that female teachers do not fulfill their sleep needs and show higher levels of diurnal sleepiness and poor sleep quality that can be modulated by chronotype and some work characteristics. More studies are needed to evaluate the role of double workload on this pattern.

  15. Has It Always Been This Way? Tracing the Evolution of Teacher Quality Gaps in U.S. Public Schools. Working Paper 171

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goldhaber, Dan; Quince, Vanessa; Theobald, Roddy

    2016-01-01

    There is mounting evidence of substantial "teacher quality gaps" (TQGs) between advantaged and disadvantaged students, but practically no empirical evidence about their history. We use longitudinal data on public school students, teachers, and schools from two states--North Carolina and Washington--to provide a descriptive history of the…

  16. PBS TeacherLine National Survey of Teacher Professional Development, 2005-2006

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hezel Associates (NJ1), 2007

    2007-01-01

    PBS TeacherLine, an initiative funded under the U.S. Department of Education's Ready To Teach program, is designed to provide high-quality online professional development for K-12 teachers. Through the first five-year grant cycle, ending in 2005, PBS TeacherLine produced approximately 100 online facilitated courses in reading, mathematics,…

  17. The Relationship between Teacher Leadership, Teacher Professionalism, and Perceived Stress

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kilinc, Ali Çagatay; Cemaloglu, Necati; Savas, Gökhan

    2015-01-01

    Problem Statement: Teacher leadership has recently attracted the attention of scholars and practitioners due to its promotion of student learning and school improvement. Thus, there is a need for investigating the construct of teacher leadership and its relationship with various organizational and personal variables. Considering the fact that…

  18. Teachers' Perceptions about the Types, Quality, and Impact of Their Job-Embedded Professional Development Experiences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mitchell, Delilah

    2013-01-01

    This study was designed to determine eighth grade teachers' perceptions of the impact, quality, and types of job-embedded professional development activities they have participated in and the relationship to student achievement in language arts, math, or science. The researcher identified school districts with 50% or more of their eighth grade…

  19. New Controls and Accountability for South African Teachers and Schools: The Integrated Quality Management System

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Weber, Everard

    2005-01-01

    This article analyses the Integrated Quality Management System (IQMS), an agreement reached in 2003 between the South African Education Department and the major teacher organisations in the country by using discourse analysis. The IQMS was scheduled to be implemented in public schools in 2004. Three discursive tensions are identified and…

  20. Teachers' Occupational Well-Being and Quality of Instruction: The Important Role of Self-Regulatory Patterns

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Klussman, Uta; Kunter, Mareike; Trautwein, Ulrich; Ludtke, Oliver; Baumert, Jurgen

    2008-01-01

    Teachers' occupational well-being (level of emotional exhaustion and job satisfaction) and quality of instruction are two key aspects of research on teaching that have rarely been studied together. The role of occupational engagement and resilience as two important work-related self-regulatory dimensions that predict occupational well-being and…