From good to great: learners’ perceptions of the qualities of effective medical teachers and clinical supervisors in psychiatry

Background: The shift in postgraduate medical training towards a competency-based medical education framework has inspired research focused on medical educator competencies. This research has rarely considered the importance of the learning environment in terms of both setting and specialty-specific factors. The current study attempted to fill this gap by examining narrative comments from psychiatry faculty evaluations to understand learners’ perceptions of educator effectiveness. Methods: Data consisted of psychiatry faculty evaluations completed in 2015-2016 by undergraduate and postgraduate learners (N= 324) from McMaster University. Evaluations were provided for medical teachers and clinical supervisors in classroom and clinical settings. Narrative comments were analyzed using descriptive qualitative methodology by three independent reviewers to answer: “What do undergraduate and postgraduate medical learners perceive about educator effectiveness in psychiatry?” Results: Narrative comments were provided on 270/324 (83%) faculty evaluation forms. Four themes and two sub-themes emerged from the qualitative analysis. Effective psychiatry educators demonstrated specific personal characteristics that aligned with previous research on educator effectiveness. Novel themes included the importance of relationships and affective factors, including learner security and inspiration through role modeling Conclusion: Contemporary discussions about educator effectiveness in psychiatry have excluded the dynamic, relational and affective components of the educational exchange highlighted in the current study. This may be an important focus for future educational research.

Teacher perceptions of their evaluations : impact of the Network for Educator Effectiveness (NEE) data tool on teacher growth, teacher effectiveness, and learning-centered culture in a Missouri rural public high school

As public schools continue to face growing pressure to increase standardized test scores and improve nationwide student achievement levels, policy makers and school officials are looking for every opportunity for improvement. Three of the major areas of focus in this national debate are teacher growth, effectiveness, and learning-centered cultures in schools that lead to teacher collective efficacy and improved student performance. This study will focus on teacher evaluations as a tool for promoting teacher growth, improving teacher effectiveness, and promoting a learning-centered culture in a rural public school. Specifically, the researcher plans to measure the impact of the Network For Educator Effectiveness (NEE) Data Tool upon teacher growth, effectiveness, and the learning-centered culture through teacher perceptions in one rural public high school (NEE Data Tool Online Manager, n.d.). ... According to Darling and Hammond et al. (2016), "The new law provides the possibility that states can create more balanced systems of support and accountability focused on educating young people so they can become productive, engaged citizens who are prepared for 21st century college and careers" (p. i). The language in ESSA appears to be more focused on a holistic approach to overall school improvement versus the specific student testing and school accountability focus of previous educational reform. The ESSA has more "reasonable goals and objectives [which] can be collaboratively established that align with the needs of studens" (American Federation of Teachers FAQ, 2018, p. 1). The political debate about state and national educational reform rages on, but for now the researchers opinion is that Missouri is in a somewhat stable and manageable place as related to teacher evaluations as a tool for promoting teacher growth and improving learning cultures in public schools.

Do teacher ratings of their principals influence their own evaluation scores? : an examination of classroom observation scores from the network for educator effectiveness

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] For decades, scholars have actively researched various aspects of employee performance evaluations. Cohen and Goldhaber (2016) have called for more research on factors impacting teacher evaluation scores while emphasizing the importance of principals recognizing their potential biases as they implement high-stakes evaluation policies. The current study adds to performance appraisal literature by examining supervisor bias based on the supervisor-employee relationship. Specifically, the study examined if school principals were biased in their evaluations of teachers based on principal-teacher relationship. Utilizing a quantitative research design, the present study examined teacher survey and classroom observation data collected from The Network for Educator Effectiveness (NEE), a comprehensive teacher evaluation program developed at the University of Missouri. The teacher survey measured the teacher's perceptions of their principals' ability to promote a positive and professional culture, serving as a proxy for the principal-teacher relationship. The researcher applied the principles of the theory of reciprocity which argues that the supervisor's perception of the relationship was mutual to the employee's (Uhl-Bien and Maslyn, 2002). Teachers' perceptions of their principal and their evaluation scores were significantly correlated, raising the possibility of relationship bias in teacher evaluation scores.

Exploratory Analysis of Teacher Artifacts as Evidence of Educator Effectiveness Implementation Fidelity

We collected artifacts from 42 teachers participating in a statewide educator effectiveness system to examine the fidelity with which the formative components of the system were implemented. Specifical- ly, we collected written feedback from principals to teachers and teacher professional growth goals. We developed indicators of quality for each and examined whether there were relationships between these two indicators as well as with observations. Overall, principal feedback was often aligned with observation scores and the quality was directly related to the number of observation elements scored. Feedback is readily partitioned into two constructs: clarity of communication and instructional practices. Feedback consistently demonstrated clarity of communication but was less likely to address instructional practices. Importantly, novice teachers received poorer quality feedback than experienced teachers. Teacher Professional Growth Goals tended to be superficial and rarely included details such as specific action steps or measurable outcomes. Although exploratory, evidence that both feedback and growth goals varied to some extent by school imply that both feedback and growth goals can be impacted by better guidance.