Can Teacher Evaluation Systems Produce High-Quality Feedback? An Administrator Training Field Experiment

A core motivation for the widespread teacher evaluation reforms of the past decade was the belief that these new systems would promote teacher development through high-quality feedback. We examine this theory by studying teachers’ perceptions of evaluation feedback in Boston Public Schools and evaluating the district's efforts to improve feedback through an administrator training program. Teachers generally reported that evaluators were trustworthy, fair, and accurate but that they struggled to provide high-quality feedback. We find little evidence that the training program improved perceived feedback quality, classroom instruction, teacher self-efficacy, or student achievement. Our results illustrate the challenges of using evaluation systems as engines for professional growth when administrators lack the time and skill necessary to provide frequent, high-quality feedback.

Effectiveness of web-based problem-based school administrator training program and its effect on participants' attitudes towards web-based learning

The aim of this study is to determine the effectiveness of a web-based problem-based school administrator training program (WB-PBSAT) in practice and the effect of training on participants' attitudes towards web based learning. Mixed method approach was used in this study. While the quantitative dimension of the study was conducted within the framework of one group pre-test post-test experimental design, focus group interviews was performed in the qualitative dimension. Participants of the experimental and the control groups were determined by purposive sampling. Attitudes Toward Web-Based Learning (ATWBL) Scale was used to determine the participants' attitudes towards web-based learning, and the Program Assessment Scale was used to evaluate the training process. According to the findings it was concluded that the training process positively affected the attitudes of the participants towards web-based learning and training process has also provided significant contributions to participants' establishing the link between theory and practice and self-directed learning. Based on these results, some suggestions for educational policy makers and practitioners were developed for the use of a web-based problem-based learning in school administrators' pre-service and in-service training programs.

PENERAPAN TEKNOLOGI WEB SEKOLAH BAGI SMP DAN SMA MUHAMMADIYAH KARTASURA

Observation and interview with headmasters, teachers and administrative employees results showed that one of main problems faced by SMP Muhammadiyah 1 Kartasura and SMA Muhammadiyah 4 Kartasura is the do not have a representative school website. Based on this observation, after making discussion with headmasters, the community services team proposed an implementation of school website and train one of chosen teacher to manage implemented website. The outcomes of the community service activities are involving a school website for SMP Muhammadiyah 1 Kartasura and SMA Muhammadiyah 4 Kartasura and scientific publication draft. The contribution of each school is including providing information which will be uploaded to the website, providing fee for domain and hosting cost, and providing facilities for administrator training. The duration of this commuity services is three months. The results of the community services is both SMP Muhammadiyah 1 Kartasura dan SMA Muhammadiyah 4 Kartasura are now have representative website for their promotion and administative activities.

One Head – Many Hats: Expectations of a Rural Superintendent

Although urban and suburban school superintendents serve the largest group of students in terms of sheer numbers of schoolchildren, there are actually more superintendents serving in rural school districts in the United States. I examined the expected roles or “hats” of the rural superintendent by collecting data from several districts located in NE Colorado. Interviews of school board members and superintendents provided data, which suggested that the expected roles of a rural superintendent are multiple and varied. Five major themes or “hats” emerged that rural communities expected their superintendent to wear. These themes or hats included those of manager, planner, listener, communicator, and community involvement. Included in each of these major themes were many subcategories of hats that are forced on the heads of rural superintendents by their communities and by events that occur daily. This study suggests that there are differences in the expectations of rural superintendents from those serving urban or suburban districts. Administrator training programs at colleges and universities might better serve those students aspiring to rural superintendent positions by offering a specialization in rural school administration or at least offering a separate course designed to cover these unique expectations.

Keeping Our Nation's Mathematics Teachers

Teacher retention has been an issue that has influenced education for many years. The purpose of this research was to uncover the factors that influence a mathematics teacher’s decision to leave the teaching profession. This study compared teachers’ responses by regions of the country, as well as responses between middle school and high school mathematics teachers. Findings from the study indicate an alarmingly high rate of teachers who will be leaving the teaching field for reasons other than retirement. The role of administrators in teacher retention is significant, and implications from the research suggest that an increase in administrator training could play a major role in keeping our nation’s mathematics teachers in the classroom.