Browsing by Author "Evans, Lyle Elton"

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    Perceptions of How Teacher Evaluations and Feedback Impact Teacher  Professional Growth in a Large Suburban School District in Virginia
    Nabors, Autumn Nicole (Virginia Tech, 2015-05-05)
    Teacher evaluation systems were developed and implemented to increase accountability but also to increase teacher effectiveness. A review of the research and findings of previous teacher evaluation studies demonstrated the need to further examine the feedback in evaluation systems and their role in teacher professional growth. The purpose of the study was to identify the perceptions of teachers and administrators regarding the feedback teachers receive from the teacher evaluation process, how they perceive the impact of feedback on teacher growth, and what professional development has been offered because of the feedback. This descriptive study used qualitative data and quantitative data derived from a modified version of the Teacher Evaluation Profile (TEP) survey. The findings from this study indicated that teachers perceive the quality of feedback they received to be lower than administrators perceived the quality of the feedback they gave, specifically in regards to the frequency of the feedback and quality of the information contained in the feedback. In addition, there was a significant difference in the perceptions of the quality of feedback between elementary teachers and administrators and secondary teachers and administrators. Though teachers and administrators both perceived the working relationships as positive, few teachers reported making adjustments to their teaching practices in response to the feedback received. Teachers did not perceive teacher professional growth from adjustments made in their teaching practice in response to the feedback. Teachers also noted few opportunities for professional development suggested in feedback. As suggested by the findings, professional development needs to be specific in regards to providing effective feedback. Finally, teachers, with the help of administrators, need to focus on creating goals and growth plans with specific professional opportunities to help teachers grow professionally and positively impact student outcomes.
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    Teacher Attitudes Toward The Henrico County Public Schools Professional Growth Plan for Licensed Professional Personnel
    Evans, Lyle Elton (Virginia Tech, 1998-11-23)
    Experts have suggested that the primary purposes of teacher evaluation systems are to promote the professional development of teachers and to provide information on their strengths and weaknesses so that appropriate training might be planned. It is important for teachers to have ownership in such planning and to be provided options for their professional development. The primary focus of this study is a professional growth plan which includes options that are designed to provide opportunities for teachers' continuous growth; assist teachers with instructional planning; empower teachers to be responsible for analyzing their performance; and empower teachers to facilitate learning for themselves. The purpose of this study is to examine the differences in the views of teachers under the four different options of the Henrico County Professional Growth Plan (structured, individual, collegial, and peer observation). A survey was the primary instrument for data collection. The sample for this study consisted of 58 schools (39 elementary schools, 9 middle schools, and 10 high schools). For each of the primary options, a proportionate sample of teachers was drawn from each level, i.e., elementary (kindergarten through grade five), middle (grades six through eight), and secondary (grades nine through twelve), with the sample proportion being equal to the proportion of the total group. From this group, teachers were randomly selected for participation. The actual sample consisted of 574 teachers who returned the completed survey instrument used in the analyses. This number represented a response rate of 80.6 percent. Major findings revealed that teachers on the collegial and structured growth options indicated the greatest satisfaction with regard to continuous growth. With regard to instructional planning, an important factor to be considered in the professional development of teachers, elementary teachers who participated in the collegial option indicated the greatest satisfaction. Specific staff development activities offered by the school division were viewed as creating the greatest satisfaction among the many professional growth factors examined. These factors, developed through exploratory factor analysis process, included satisfaction with opportunities for growth in instructional planning, the role of and interaction with the principal, commitment to the profession, increase in knowledge base, peer support and interaction, and educational conferences. Other findings indicated that teachers valued the advice from and work with their peers and principal as a form of professional development more than other factors. Teachers who participated in the collegial and structured options, in particular, responded positively in this regard. On the whole, elementary teachers expressed higher satisfaction with professional development activities as related to their professional growth plans than did middle or high school teachers, regardless of the plan option with which they were associated. Although a major objective of the professional growth plan was to empower teachers to facilitate their own learning, teachers indicated less satisfaction with this factor than with other factors examined. Teachers, in general, did indicate that they were empowered to analyze their own performance, with teachers participating in the structured option indicating the greatest satisfaction with opportunities to analyze their performance.