Systematic support for improving education and learning in further and higher education, has moved to centre stage in recent years. This is reflected in the increasing membership of professional bodies. Most new staff are encouraged to engage in staff development programmes, but receive little training to do so. This book has been written to meet this need: it is a practical handbook that introduces the key issues in staff and educational development, ideal for any education professional in the early years of their career at further or higher education level.

Crafting the Feedback Teachers Need and Deserve illuminates an often overlooked aspect of educational leadership: providing quality written feedback. This resource offers context, purpose, and techniques on how to capture and write beneficial feedback. Proven in school districts, Van Soelen's strategies will accelerate improvement in classroom practice and result in teachers who crave feedback and use it to supervise themselves. Full of examples and complete with an assessment tool to gauge current practice, this book shares insights into providing effective observation and feedback within any teacher evaluation system.

This handbook provides all those teaching in higher and further education with a reference on how to develop and use a "toolkit" which is capable of exploring and assessing all the relevant aspects of their students' learning. It discusses how readers can assess their own teaching quality.

Increasing numbers of adults are enroling in doctoral programmes, but their earlier college lives often do not prepare them for the rules of the academic game. Many have no idea what a dissertation looks like, how it gets that way, or what options are available to them. This book is a practical guide for students who need help in progressing from the decision to write a dissertation to the planning, writing and defending of it. It includes samples of proposals and dissertations that have been accepted and data drawn from a number of sources, including focus groups with doctoral students and graduates and responses to an open-ended questionnaire from doctoral students across the United States.

Researchers, educators, professional organizations, administrators, parents, and policy makers have increased their involvement in the assessment and evaluation of early childhood education programs. This interest has developed swiftly during the last decades. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the National Association of Early Childhood Specialists in State Departments of Education (NAECS/SDE) developed a position statement titled, "Early childhood curriculum, assessment, and program evaluation: Building an effective, accountable system in programs for children birth through age 8," to address related trends, issues, guiding principles, and values. Appropriate and well-designed evaluations need to address several audiences including researchers, educators, policy makers, children, and parents. They need to encourage the implementation of a strong foundation that improves the quality of the children's education. Child assessment and program evaluation can lead to effective results and better accountability for preschool, kindergarten, and primary school programs. The purpose of this volume is to share a collection of research strands on contemporary perspectives on research in assessment and evaluation in early childhood education. It provides a review and critical analysis of the literature on assessment and evaluation of programs, children, teachers, and settings. The volume begins with a brief introductory chapter that presents the reader with a map of the area, laying out the issues and alternatives, and linking these to the chapters that follow. It addresses several areas including (1) understanding assessment and evaluation with young children, (2) schools and assessment implications, (3) teacher evaluation and professional development, (4) social relationships and assessment, (5) content areas in early education assessment, (6) technology and assessment, and (7) conclusion with future research directions in assessment and evaluation in early childhood education. The volume is of interest to researchers, educators, policy makers, university faculty, graduate students, and general readers who are interested in research on assessment and evaluation in early childhood education. The chapters are authored by established scholars in the field.

Researchers, educators, professional organizations, administrators, parents, and policy makers have increased their involvement in the assessment and evaluation of early childhood education programs. This interest has developed swiftly during the last decades. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the National Association of Early Childhood Specialists in State Departments of Education (NAECS/SDE) developed a position statement titled, "Early childhood curriculum, assessment, and program evaluation: Building an effective, accountable system in programs for children birth through age 8," to address related trends, issues, guiding principles, and values. Appropriate and well-designed evaluations need to address several audiences including researchers, educators, policy makers, children, and parents. They need to encourage the implementation of a strong foundation that improves the quality of the children's education. Child assessment and program evaluation can lead to effective results and better accountability for preschool, kindergarten, and primary school programs. The purpose of this volume is to share a collection of research strands on contemporary perspectives on research in assessment and evaluation in early childhood education. It provides a review and critical analysis of the literature on assessment and evaluation of programs, children, teachers, and settings. The volume begins with a brief introductory chapter that presents the reader with a map of the area, laying out the issues and alternatives, and linking these to the chapters that follow. It addresses several areas including (1) understanding assessment and evaluation with young children, (2) schools and assessment implications, (3) teacher evaluation and professional development, (4) social relationships and assessment, (5) content areas in early education assessment, (6) technology and assessment, and (7) conclusion with future research directions in assessment and evaluation in early childhood education. The volume is of interest to researchers, educators, policy makers, university faculty, graduate students, and general readers who are interested in research on assessment and evaluation in early childhood education. The chapters are authored by established scholars in the field.

This exciting new book is for school leaders who are interested in transforming their school and district practices. Discussing issues that impact students, teachers within their classrooms, and the larger school community, "Formative Assessment Leadership" explores how leaders can implement effective professional development and positive change in their schools. Breaking down formative assessment into manageable, understandable parts, the authors provide:

`This book is very thorough in presenting the purpose and accompanying strategies for instilling reflective practices in educators. I believe the reflective thoughts and questions posed throughout are beneficial for teachers' - Karen Harvey, Santa Clarita Valley Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment (BTSA) This Second Edition integrates the latest research and technology with tried-and-true methods for boosting practitioners' reflective thinking skills. The tasks and tools provided have been specifically designed for facilitators of pre-service and inservice teacher education, training, and development-giving them a timesaving blueprint on how to shape their adult learners into analytical and critical thinkers. Attuned to the challenges surrounding teacher training, this easy-to-use guide outlines straightforward activities and concrete assessments that serve as constructive benchmarks for facilitators and teachers alike. It delivers 50 practical strategies for helping educators move through the levels of reflective thinking - from teacher roles, styles, attributes, and observations through such far-reaching concerns as the moral and ethical considerations of teaching.

"Teachers make judgments about students every day, based on such formal and informal appraisals of their work as classroom observation, homework assignments, and teacher-made quizzes. Soon, they'll have the first set of professional standards to help guide them in making such decisions."
?Education Week

Student evaluation and assessment are central to every school and classroom. Evaluation and assessment are how we find out what students are learning, how they are progressing, and how we can make improvements for their future development. With requirements for testing and standards-based instruction at an all-time high, effective student evaluation is more essential today than ever before. But where in the instructional process should assessments occur? What kinds of questions should be asked? How is the information used to direct student learning? Who has the right to access and use this information?

The Joint Committee presents 28 certified standards for assessing evaluation practices in elementary and secondary classrooms. These standards are broken down into four essential attributes of sound evaluation, each providing definitions, guidelines, common errors, supportive documentation, and illustrative case studies:

• Propriety Standards, which protect individual rights
• Utility Standards, which ensure that evaluations are timely, informative, and influential
• Feasibility Standards, which recognize "real world" dynamics and environmental influences
• Accuracy Standards, which determine whether an evaluation has produced sound information

These standards provide teachers and administrators with the tools they need to master every "nuance" of student evaluation, including validity, political viability, teacher biases, conflicts of interest, a student?s right to privacy, and much more. But most important, they will help ensure that student evaluation practices are on track, so we can properly serve and improve student learning.

American Association of School Administrators

American Counseling Association

American Educational Research Association

American Evaluation Association

American Psychological Association

Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Canadian Evaluation Society

Canadian Society for the Study of Education

Consortium for Research on Educational Accountability and Teacher Evaluation

Council of Chief State School Officers

National Association of Elementary School Principals

National Association of Secondary School Principals

National Council on Measurement in Education

National Education Association

National Legislative Program Evaluation Society

National School Boards Association

Collect multiple forms of data and connect data to improved student achievement! Are you looking for new ways to use data in the decision-making process? Are you seeking tools that provide better flow-through from data to improved student achievement? Have you ever considered including students in the data-to-improvement cycle? Schools recognize that data is an essential decision-making tool, but it requires teamwork and reflection to reap the maximum benefits. This guidebookaoffers practical collection and analysis methods and templates as well as tips for building trust and working together.aThe Data Guidebook for Teachers and Leaders accentuates the importance of data collection of multiple types, not just from standardized tests, and analysis within any educational setting. In addition to addressing the practical aspects of data usage, the author presents innovative ideas forIntroducing students to the data analysis cycle Helping students learn how data impacts student achievement Sharing day-to-day data within departments and schools to improve weekly test scores Making data and results accessible to all team members Data becomes a dynamic tool for change when you learn how to incorporate it into your continuous improvement process.

Every semester, colleges and universities ask students to complete innumerable course and teaching evaluation questionnaires to evaluate the learning and teaching in courses they have taken. For many universities it is a requirement that all courses be evaluated every semester. The laudable rationale is that the feedback provided will enable instructors to improve their teaching and the curriculum, thus enhancing the quality of student learning.

In spite of this there is little evidence that it does improve the quality of teaching and learning. Ratings only improve if the instruments and the presentation of results are sufficiently diagnostic to identify potential improvements and there is effective counselling. Evaluating Teaching and Learning explains how evaluation can be more effective in enhancing the quality of teaching and learning and introduces broader and more diverse forms of evaluation.

This guide explains how to develop questionnaires and protocols which are valid, reliabile and diagnostic. It also contains proven instruments that have undergone appropriate testing procedures, together with a substantial item bank. The book looks at the specific national frameworks for the evaluation of teaching in use in the USA, UK and Australia.

It caters for diverse methodologies, both quantitative and qualitative and offers solutions that allow evaluation at a wide range of levels: from classrooms to programmes to departments and entire institutions. With detail on all aspects of the main evaluation techniques and instruments, the authors show how effective evaluation can make use of a variety of approaches and combine them into an effective project.

With a companion website which has listings of the questionnaires and item bank, this book will be of interest to those concerned with organising and conducting evaluation in a college, university, faculty or department. It will also appeal to those engaged in the scholarship of teaching and learning.

How does classroom observation support your professional development?

How can you observe as effectively as possible?

Highly regarded as one of the most widely used and authoritative texts on this topic, An Introduction to Classroom Observation is an essential text for anyone serious about becoming a good teacher or researcher in education.

Now part of the Routledge Education Classic Edition Series, E.C. Wragg 's straightforward guide includes a combination of case studies, photographs and illustrations to show how various people study lessons for different purposes and in different contexts. It outlines a range of approaches in clear language and gives examples of successful methods that have been employed by teachers, student teachers, researchers and pupils.

With a new preface from Professor Richard Pring, the classic edition of this indispensible text is for a new generation of education professionals serious about becoming good teachers and researchers.

In an age of accountability and transparency, headteachers are held responsible for everything from results to school finances. Because of this increased accountability, school leaders must regularly confront difficult ethical dilemmas. Ethical Leadership in Schools teaches headteachers and aspiring headteachers the concepts that inform ethical choices in leadership roles. Using brief vignettes, Kenneth A. Strike explores common situations that headteachers are likely to encounter and presents questions and issues to help them determine the ethical path. This invaluable resource clearly explains complex ideas in an accessible, well-illustrated manner. To help resolve the dilemmas that challenge every school leader, this book will: - Guide readers through the process of making ethical decisions - Link ethics to issues of accountability - Provide scenarios that reflect the difficult choices facing principals - Supply the tools to create ethical advice in varied contexts - Examine the central principles of fair cooperation The study of ethics should emphasize what makes a school a good educational community. By creating communities that are competent and caring, school leaders will be able to maximize their resources and meet the growing demands of accountability.

Measurement Issues and Assessment for Teaching Quality provides an in-depth analysis of the key issues surrounding a major issue in education: measuring and assessing teacher quality. This highly-regarded book is edited by scholars from Educational Testing Services (ETS), the best-known assessment organization in the country. Measurement Measurement Issues and Assessment for Teaching Quality brings together experts from a variety of perspectives, including researchers and practitioners from the fields of education, economics, and policy. This timely and provocative work is for all principals, educational administrators and policymakers concerned with the dynamics of improving teacher quality.Key features include the following: Three thematic sections: Measuring Teacher Quality for Professional Entry, Measuring Teacher Quality in Practice, and Measuring Teacher Quality in Context.Expert perspectives from a variety of fields (education, economics, and policy)Section summaries that highlight key issues and common themes

For sustained success, educators must commit to their own lifelong improvement. Commitment to high-quality professional learning is a common aspect of educational systems of the the world's highest- achieving nations. Despite evidence that effective professional learning can be a powerful lever for school improvement, much of the professional development (PD) that is conducted in the United States has had limited impact on teacher practice... In these pages, John Murray identifies research-based characteristics of effective teacher professional learning, detailing eight strategies for planning and executing professional development programs and evaluating their results. Content includes: The proven "backward" approach to articulating the goals of your PD program Descriptions of innovative and effective designs for professional learning such as Lesson Study and Instructional Rounds Powerful approaches to designing and implementing online PD Packed with templates that make getting started easy, this all-in-one resource will facilitate deep professional learning that truly enhances student achievement.

This comprehensive, practical second edition has been updated in line with the new standards for qualified teacher status, in particular the competence in monitoring and assessment.

Writing primarily for student and newly qualified teachers, whose classroom experience is necessarily limited, the author takes pains to elucidate why to assess, what to assess and how to assess. Theory and practice are linked throughout by way of case studies, activities and discussion points. Question and answer format, children's work and authentic written records are used to exemplify monitoring and assessment in action as part of the planning cycle. Photocopiable examples of recording sheets and a glossary of terms provide readers with valuable starting points for their own practice.

The first widespread incentive pay scheme was initiated in UK schools in 2000. This book is the result of monitoring the whole process from its inception. The authors visited schools, observed lessons, and solicited the views and experiences of a large collection of teachers and headteachers. Their discoveries are presented in this lively book. They include the views of teachers who were successful in crossing the threshold, those who weren't and those who chose not to apply, and headteachers who had to make the decisions. The book focuses on the following schemes: * headteachers' experiences of training * the outcomes in their own school * their relationship with external assessors * their hopes and fears for the future * their assessment of the influence on classroom practice * what did teachers change and not change in their teaching as a result of performance management * what means they employed to further their own professional development. This timely book is a useful resource for anyone involved in education, whether it be a classroom teacher, headteacher, administrator or policy-maker.

The first widespread incentive pay scheme was initiated in UK schools in 2000. This book is the result of monitoring the whole process from its inception. The authors visited schools, observed lessons, and solicited the views and experiences of a large collection of teachers and headteachers. Their discoveries are presented in this lively book. They include the views of teachers who were successful in crossing the threshold, those who weren't and those who chose not to apply, and headteachers who had to make the decisions. The book focuses on the following schemes: * headteachers' experiences of training * the outcomes in their own school * their relationship with external assessors * their hopes and fears for the future * their assessment of the influence on classroom practice * what did teachers change and not change in their teaching as a result of performance management * what means they employed to further their own professional development. This timely book is a useful resource for anyone involved in education, whether it be a classroom teacher, headteacher, administrator or policy-maker.

How can we really evaluate teacher effectiveness? Systems of teacher appraisal and evaluation are being created across the world in order to monitor and assess teacher performance. But do the models used really give a fair evaluation? Based on international research, the authors argue that teacher effectiveness is too narrowly conceptualised and methods of measuring it are not attuned to the real contexts in which teachers work. They propose a model of differential teacher effectiveness which takes into account that: * teachers may be more effective with some categories of students than with others * teachers may be more effective with some teaching contexts than others * teachers may be more effective with some subjects or components than with others. Building on and developing previous research on models of teacher effectiveness and current theories, the authors open up possible new debates which will be of interest to academics and researchers working in this area throughout the world.

How can we really evaluate teacher effectiveness? Systems of teacher appraisal and evaluation are being created across the world in order to monitor and assess teacher performance. But do the models used really give a fair evaluation? Based on international research, the authors argue that teacher effectiveness is too narrowly conceptualised and methods of measuring it are not attuned to the real contexts in which teachers work. They propose a model of differential teacher effectiveness which takes into account that: * teachers may be more effective with some categories of students than with others * teachers may be more effective with some teaching contexts than others * teachers may be more effective with some subjects or components than with others. Building on and developing previous research on models of teacher effectiveness and current theories, the authors open up possible new debates which will be of interest to academics and researchers working in this area throughout the world.

Staff and educational development, the systematic support for improving education and learning, has moved in recent years to centre stage within further and higher education around the world. This is reflected in the booming membership of professional bodies. Most new staff are encouraged to engage in staff development programmes, but receive little training to do so. This book has been written to meet this need. It is a practical handbook that introduces the key issues in staff and educational development, ideal for any education professional in the early years of their career at further or higher education level.

This book represents the results of a 15-year longitudinal study based on in-depth case studies of the development of four teachers' pedagogical thinking. These studies illustrate how teachers' thinking--about children's behavior, development, learning, and teaching--develops over time, based on their personal and professional life experiences. It is an especially significant book because understanding how pedagogical thought develops over time and how these ideas are put into action in classrooms can be used to improve teacher education, teacher induction, and teacher retention programs.
"Case Studies of Teacher Development: An In-Depth Look At How Thinking About Pedagogy Develops Over Time: "
*provides insight into reasons why some teachers remain and others leave the teaching profession;
*combines narrative with scholarship;
*highlights the voices of four educators through extensive quotes from their interviewers, includes vignettes of their classroom teaching, and incorporates their own writing;
*contributes to the field of teacher education and teacher development because of the long duration of the four case studies (1985-2000) and the accompanying scholarly analysis of internal and external influences on their lives as teachers; and
*addresses changes in the nature of qualitative research as it influenced this longitudinal study over time.
At a time when teacher induction and teacher retention are critically important, this book will help teacher educators, school and district leaders, and policymakers understand better how to retain novice and experienced teachers by supporting their professional growth and development.

This book is for headteachers, senior and middle managers in both primary and secondary schools, and all teachers involved in the performance management process. It sets out the aims and objectives of the system, and offers sensible, practical advice to help you make performance management work effectively in your school.
Case studies are used to illustrate the processes involved in performance management. Each chapter ends with suggestions for staff discussions, looking at the common concerns and issues that arise.
Joan Dean has taught in primary, secondary and further education, and has held two headships. She has also been a primary schools adviser and a chief inspector, and has published more than 30 books on education. In 1980, she was awarded the OBE for services to education.

eBook available with sample pages: 0203218299

Enhancing the quality of teaching and learning in schools for the benefit of the teacher and pupil is not a matter of quick 'tips for teachers.' It requires a fundamental review by every teacher of his or her own performance and its effects on learners. A significant way of achieving this is by systematic classroom observation and feedback from professional colleagues.

This book describes how to set up and engage in classroom observation using well-established professional sampling frames. It illustrates how to use focused appraisal sessions and how to deliver the feedback interview. Underpinning the author's practical guidance is a tried and tested theory of improving teaching and learning for school development and performance management.

The approach is practical, positive and supportive and is designed for senior staff, SENCOs, teachers in primary and secondary schools and those taking INSET and CPD courses.

This is a practical account of what the role of a Deputy Head entails, with suggestions on how it may be fulfilled successfully. The author guides the reader from the role of middle management through to that of school leadership, describing the process of getting a senior post in a school and what to do in those first few months. The text also sets out how to plan a career whilst a deputy head and how the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) qualification can be incorporated into this planning. The job is complex because it involves managing and leading different groups of people - students, teachers, parents and governors. Chapters deal with issues such as: acquiring the necessary skills and experience; making an application and preparing for the interview; starting out as a Deputy; recruiting staff; continuing professional development; working with school governors; and preparing for headship.