In this contribution, we investigate links between teacher competence, teaching quality, and student outcomes in elementary science education. Students' conceptual understanding and interest were ...measured during two teaching units in a pre-post design (1070 students, 54 classes). Results show that teacher competence (pedagogical content knowledge, self-efficacy, and teaching enthusiasm) was positively related to students' interest; self-efficacy was positively related to student achievement. Three dimensions of teaching quality (cognitive activation, supportive climate, and classroom management), which refer to the actual teacher-student-interactions in the classroom, mediated these relationships. These results help illuminate the mechanisms behind the effects of teachers on student outcomes.
•We examined links between teacher competence, teaching quality, and student outcomes.•Pedagogical content knowledge, self-efficacy, and teaching enthusiasm were positively related to students' interest.•Self-efficacy was positively related to student achievement.•Teaching quality in the classroom mediated these relationships.
Extensive reforms have been made to initial teacher education (ITE) to improve “teacher quality” without any evidence to support the claim that beginning teachers are less competent than experienced ...teachers. This study adds to the evidence base by investigating associations between teachers’ years of experience and teaching quality. Results show no evidence of lower teaching quality for beginning teachers (0–3 years’ experience), but some evidence of a decline in teaching quality for teachers with 4–5 years experience. Findings suggest that the quality of teaching could be higher overall, and that targeted support and evidence-informed professional learning would benefit all teachers.
•Teaching quality observed for 80 teachers with 0–3, 4–5, and >5 years’ experience.•No evidence of less competence for teachers with 0–3 years’ experience.•Some evidence of decline in teaching quality in teachers with 4–5 years’ experience.•Behaviour management among highest scoring dimensions for all teachers.•Support and professional learning a priority for all teachers, not just beginners.
In spring 2020, teaching and learning changed significantly when schools closed in order to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. We investigated the associations between teaching characteristics (teachers' ...communication, goals, approach to teaching) with ratings of teaching quality and students' learning experiences. Data from students (N = 3.159) in Grades 5–12, their parents (N = 1.688), and teachers (N = 459) collected online in spring/summer 2020 showed that teachers' communication with colleagues, their ability to maintain a good relationship with their students, and the time they spent on lessons were most consistently associated with teaching quality ratings as well as students’ learning experiences.
•Focus on teaching characteristics in distance education during school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic.•Teaching characteristics related to social interactions was most relevant.•Positive associations between teaching quality from students’ and their parents’ perspective in distance education and students’ learning experiences.
Achievement emotions are important prerequisites for academic outcomes and well-being, yet little is known about their relation to teaching quality. This study examines the relation between ...student-perceived teaching quality in mathematics classrooms in grade 9 and enjoyment, anxiety, and boredom in grade 10, at both the student and classroom levels. The original data set included 6020 students who participated in the German national extension of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). Multilevel regression analyses showed that teacher support and classroom management were negatively related to student-level anxiety and boredom. Teacher support was positively related to enjoyment and negatively related to anxiety at the classroom level. Cognitive activation was positively related to enjoyment and negatively related to boredom at the classroom level. Classroom management was negatively related to classroom-level boredom. These results provide insight into differential classroom processes regarding the role of teaching quality in various aspects of student achievement emotions.
•We examined how teaching quality is related to enjoyment, anxiety and boredom.•We used longitudinal multilevel structural equation modeling with student data.•Teacher support and classroom management related negatively to class-level boredom.•Teacher support was positively related to class-level enjoyment.•Teacher support reduced student-level mathematics anxiety and boredom.
The stability of measures of teaching quality is essential for making generalizations of results stemming from these measures to other teaching situations. However, no research has examined the ...effects of unexpected situational factors on the stability of these measures. Therefore, the purpose of this two-phase quantitative research study was to examine the following aspects among secondary school teachers in Rwanda, using a score-validated, multiple-dimension measure: (a) perceptions of teaching quality (PTQ) prior to the onset of the COVID-19 context (Phase 1; descriptive and correlational design); and (b) the extent to which COVID-19 and the subsequent closing and reopening of secondary schools affected PTQ among STEM teachers in Rwanda, and the associations between these changes in PTQ and selected socio-demographic/locational variables (Phase 2; descriptive and correlational research design). Phase 1 findings revealed that two measures of cultural values (i.e., Attitudes Towards Cultural Values Scale, Inculcating Cultural Values Scale, respectively) generated the most positive attitudes, whereas the Satisfaction with Resources and Material Subscale yielded the least positive attitudes. Phase 2 findings revealed that for four of the nine PTQ scales/subscales, the COVID-19 context negatively affected PTQ. These findings provide compelling evidence of the importance of monitoring PTQ, especially during times of crises. Moreover, these findings have implications for Rwandan educational policymakers, Rwandan administrators, teacher training administrators, and, above all, the teachers themselves, as they all seek to maximize teaching quality in Rwandan secondary schools.
•After Rwandan schools reopened, teachers were more positive about the availability of support and opportunities.•After Rwandan schools reopened, teachers thought more negatively about their own perceived knowledge and pedagogy.•Rwandan Teachers who reported having a disability were more satisfied with resources/material after schools reopened.•Teachers in Rwandan day schools were less satisfied with resources/materials than those in boarding schools.•Teachers in Rwandan day schools reported decreased knowledge/pedagogical skills than those in boarding schools.
The contribution examines theoretical foundations, factorial structure, and predictive power of student ratings of teaching quality. Three basic dimensions of teaching quality have previously been ...described: classroom management, cognitive activation, and supportive climate. However, student ratings, especially those provided by primary school students, have been criticised for being biased by factors such as teacher popularity. The present study examines ratings of teaching quality and science learning among third graders. Results of multilevel confirmatory factor analyses (N = 1556 students, 89 classes) indicate that the three-dimensional model of teaching quality can be replicated in ratings of third graders. In a longitudinal study (N = 1070 students, 54 classes), we found ratings of classroom management to predict student achievement, and ratings of cognitive activation and supportive climate to predict students' development of subject-related interest after teacher popularity is controlled for. The analyses show that student ratings can be useful measures of teaching quality in primary school. (Orig.).
Research findings worldwide suggest that teachers should continually improve their teaching quality, which refers to instruction or actions to deliver teaching and learning materials, even if they ...are good teachers. The question is the basis that should be considered to decide the improvement priorities. Therefore, this paper reviews theoretically driven and empirically validated teacher instruction contributing to student outcomes, which can serve as a framework for deciding the areas of improvement. The paper also reviews relevant techniques to measure teacher instruction to determine teachers' teaching quality. The study employed a qualitative method, in which a literature review on educational effectiveness research, especially teacher effectiveness research, was carried out to understand teacher actions in the classroom that contribute to achieving learning goals, especially concerning English lessons, as the focus of this paper. The paper used keywords such as effective English teaching, educational effectiveness research, teaching quality, teacher effectiveness research, and techniques of measuring teaching quality to find relevant literature. The findings conclude that the classroom factors of the dynamic model of educational effectiveness research could serve as a framework to conceptualize English teaching quality, whereas techniques like student surveys or observation can be used to investigate teachers’ initial instructional practices.
Teacher judgment accuracy is assumed to be positively related to student achievement; however, the empirical evidence for this assumption is inconclusive. Using two accuracy indicators measured at ...different levels (class/teacher- and student-level), we examined the theoretically hypothesized effects of judgment accuracy on German language achievement over a three-year period, and tested whether teaching quality mediates these effects. We applied multilevel mediation models and small sample methods to data from 35 language teachers and 646 students from 42 classes. While no mediating effects were found, the student-level indicator positively predicted achievement, suggesting that student-level accuracy measures should receive more attention.
•Investigated whether teaching quality mediates effects of teacher accuracy on student achievement via different pathways.•Supplemented an established class-level accuracy measure (i.e., rank component) with a student-level measure.•Examined effects of teacher accuracy over a long period of three school years.•Underestimation was related to lower achievement and less favorable views of teaching practices regarding consolidation.•None of the examined mediation pathways was statistically significant.
Introduction
Unit non-response is a common phenomenon in online teaching evaluation in higher education institutions. However, little is known about the relationship between the rates of unit ...non-response and the quality of online teaching evaluation exercise. This study explored the incidence of unit non-response and how this phenomenon relates to the reliability of students’ responses to online teaching evaluation.
Methods
Adopting the generalizability theory approach, students’ evaluation of teaching data from a university in Ghana was analyzed by conducting both generalizability study (G-study)- and decision study (D-study) analyses.
Results
The results revealed that unit non-response among students was predominant in online teaching evaluation exercise. The study demonstrated that higher rates of non-response among students were associated with high levels of measurement errors and low reliability of responses.
Discussion
The findings of this study have implications for the accuracy of online evaluation data obtained for decision-making in higher education contexts. The study calls on higher education administrators to embark on sensitization and awareness campaigns that target students on the need to actively participate in the appraisal of teaching at the university to address the issue of unit non-response.
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