Helenrose Fives

Examining the Factor Structure of the Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale

The authors examined the factor structure of the long and short forms of the Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES; M. Tschannen-Moran & A. Woolfolk-Hoy, 2001) for practicing (n = 102) and preservice teachers (n = 270), comparing the responses to both forms of the TSES, and looked for differences in teachers’ efficacy with respect to experience and grade level taught. They found the 3-factor structure—efficacy for classroom management, instructional practices, and student engagement—to be appropriate for practicing teachers, but they found a single efficacy factor to be appropriate for preservice teachers. The long and short forms of the TSES produced similar means and reliability information, suggesting that either form is appropriate for use with preservice or practicing teachers. Last, they found that teachers with 10 or more years of teaching experience and those teaching at the elementary level reported significantly higher levels of efficacy than did preservice teachers or those teaching at the middle or high school levels, respectively.

Exploring Teachers' Beliefs About Teaching Knowledge: Where Does It Come From? Does It Change?

The authors analyzed the open-ended responses of preservice (n = 53) and practicing (n = 57) teachers in terms of themes related to beliefs regarding the source and stability of teaching knowledge. Findings indicate that participants hold a range of beliefs regarding these constructs. Six themes related to the source of teaching knowledge emerged: formal education, formalized bodies of knowledge, observational learning, collaboration with others, enactive experiences, and self-reflection. For beliefs about the stability of teaching knowledge, individuals expressed beliefs about the amount, direction, and quality of knowledge change with regard to various aspects of knowledge (e.g., content knowledge, use and integration of technology, knowledge of development and pedagogy). The authors relate their findings to the existing literature and discuss the implications of the identified beliefs for future research as well as teacher education, development, and practice.

Teaching as Persuasion.

Abstract A design experiment was undertaken to explore the effects of science lessons, framed as persuasion, on students’ knowledge, beliefs, and interest. Sixth and seventh graders participated in lessons about Galileo and his discoveries focusing on the personal costs and public controversies surrounding those discoveries. In selected classrooms, lessons were teacher led, while others were student led. Participants’ knowledge, beliefs, and interest were compared to peers in other science classes. There were significant differences between persuasion and comparison classrooms on all variables. However, teacher-led lessons were more effective at changing students’ knowledge, whereas student-led lessons had more impact on students’ beliefs.

Exploring Differences in Practicing Teachers' Valuing of Pedagogical Knowledge Based on Teaching Ability Beliefs.

In this investigation, we assessed 443 teachers’ beliefs with the Teaching Ability Belief Scale (TABS) and the Importance of Teaching Knowledge Scale (ITKS). Using cluster analysis, we identified four groups of teachers based on their responses to the TABS reflecting Innate, Learned, Hybrid, and Requires Polish perspectives on the ability to teach. A comparative analysis, using the identified clusters, indicated differences in teachers’ valuing of teaching knowledge across the clusters. Teachers in the Learned cluster valued knowledge of theory significantly more so than other groups.

Using a Table of Specifications to improve teacher-constructed traditional tests: an experimental design

We investigated if instruction on a Table of Specifications (TOS) would influence the quality of classroom test construction. Results should prove informative for educational researchers, teacher educators, and practising teachers interested in evidenced-based strategies that may improve assessment-related practices. Fifty-three college undergraduates were randomly assigned to an experimental (exposed to the TOS strategy) and a comparison condition (no specific strategy support) and given materials for an instructional unit to use to construct a classroom test. Results of a multivariate analysis of covariance suggested that students exposed to the TOS strategy constructed a test with higher test content evidence but not response process evidence scores. Furthermore, we found that treatment participants were able to accurately complete the TOS tool and choose items that reflected the subject matter specified in the TOS tool. However, they experienced difficulty selecting items at the cognitive level specified in the TOS tool.

Assessing Assessment Texts: Where Is Planning?

We conducted a content analysis of 27 assessment textbooks to determine how assessment planning was framed in texts for preservice teachers. We identified eight assessment planning themes: alignment, assessment purpose and types, reliability and validity, writing goals and objectives, planning specific assessments, unpacking, overall assessment plan, and other. Themes were used to code the all texts and evaluated the depth of coverage each theme received: mentioning, elaboration, and how to. Findings indicate that classroom assessment textbooks (a) lack a clear focus on assessment planning, (b) demonstrate wide variation in the depth of coverage with little focus on “how to” related to assessment planning, and (c) lack theoretical connections between assessment and instructional practices.

Teachers’ Beliefs, in the Context of Policy Reform

Teachers’ beliefs shape their practice. Beliefs, conceptions held with enough personal conviction to be considered true, serve as helpful heuristics for teachers embedded in the complex, ever-changing contexts of classrooms and schools. Three sets of beliefs appear essential to teaching practice, namely, beliefs about teaching, knowledge (epistemic beliefs), and students’ ability. Empirical research about these beliefs is reviewed in light of current U.S. policy documents of curriculum standards, the Common Core State Standards initiative and the Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas. Teachers’ beliefs filter, frame, and guide their perceptions and implementation of the new curriculum standards. Recommendations to policy makers, educational leaders, and teacher educators include allowing teachers to examine and reflect on their beliefs in light of reforms.

Informed and Uninformed Naïve Assessment Constructors’ Strategies for Item Selection

We present a descriptive analysis of 53 naïve assessment constructors’ explanations for selecting test items to include on a summative assessment. We randomly assigned participants to an informed and uninformed condition (i.e., informed participants read an article describing a Table of Specifications). Through recursive thematic analyses of participants’ explanations, we identified 14 distinct strategies that coalesced into three families of strategies: Alignment, Item Evaluation, and Affective Evaluation. We describe the nature of the strategies and the degree to which participants used strategies with frequency and effect size analysis. Results can inform teacher education on assessment construction through explicit instruction in the three families of strategies identified.

Creating a context for growth-focused assessment

Abstract We present a naturalistic case study of one teacher’s development of a growth-centered context for classroom assessment. In-depth interviews, analysis of student work, and observations were used to identify the processes this teacher used to engage her students in the assessment process. Data were analyzed using listening guide analysis to garner a holistic perspective on the nature of teaching, learning, and community established in this classroom. Findings are described by aligning the specific techniques used by this teacher to the growth mindset supportive instructional strategies noted in the literature and then providing tips for implementation in a middle grades classroom.

Cooperating Teacher Compensation and Benefits Comparing 1957-1958 and 2012-2013

We offer a comparative investigation of the compensation and benefits afforded to cooperating teachers (CTs) by teacher education programs (TEPs) in 1957-1958 and 2012-2013. This investigation replicates and extends a description of the compensation practices of 20 U.S. TEPs published by VanWinkle in 1959. Data for the present investigation came from 18 of those TEPs. Descriptive statistics and qualitative analyses were used to identify trends and make comparisons across the two time periods. Findings indicate that compensation for CTs continues to fall into five categories: (a) monetary compensation, (b) professional learning opportunities, (c) CT role-focused resources, (d) engaging CTs in the college/university community, and (e) professional recognition. Changes in the nature and quality of benefits indicate that in many instances, the programs in our sample offer less to their CTs than they did in 1957-1958 while expectations for CTs have historically increased.