Middle school teachers' perceptions of professional development experiences
- WCU Author/Contributor (non-WCU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
- Martha Harrill Robinson (Creator)
- Institution
- Western Carolina University (WCU )
- Web Site: http://library.wcu.edu/
- Advisor
- Sandra Tonnsen
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine western North Carolina’s middle school
teachers’ perceptions of the professional development experiences they participated in
during the 2009-2010 school year and whether or not the professional development they
participated in contributed to student achievement and positively affected classroom
practice. There were 862 teachers from 21 public middle schools who received an
invitation to participated in the study; 230 responded for a return rate of 27.6%. This
study attempted to answer these questions: (1) To what extent do middle school teachers
believe their professional development during the 2009-2010 school year was aligned
with the Learning Forward Standards? (2) In what ways do middle school teachers
believe their professional development during the 2009-2010 school year had a positive
impact on their classroom practices and student achievement? (3) Is there a relationship
between middle school teachers’ perceptions of the adherence to Learning Forward
Standards and the teachers’ gender, the teachers’ years of experience, the subject(s)
taught, and the size of the district? (4) Is there a relationship between middle school
teachers’ perceptions of the impact of professional development on their classroom
practices and student achievement and the teachers’ gender, the teachers’ years of
experience, the subject(s) taught, and the size of the district? (5) What do middle school
teachers perceive as their greatest professional development need? (6) What professional
development experience do middle school teachers say is the most beneficial experience
of their career?
The conceptual framework based upon Learning Forward’s professional development
standards provided the foundation for exploring how teachers perceived their professional
development experiences. The researcher-designed survey was developed around the
twelve elements of the professional development standards. Teachers’ perceptions of
their professional development experiences were correlated with teachers’ gender,
teachers’ years of experience, subject(s) taught, and the size of the district. The
quantitative data analyzed included teachers’ gender, teachers’ years of experience,
subject(s) taught, and the size of the district. Qualitative data included the teachers’
descriptions of their most beneficial professional development experience as well as
those teachers believed impacted their classroom practices and student achievement.
Teachers were asked to identify their greatest professional development need. After
analysis of the survey data, a focus group, from the district where teacher perceptions
closely aligned to the standards, was convened to gain insight into the teachers’
perceptions of their professional development experiences.
This study found teachers believed their professional development was aligned or
strongly aligned with the items on the survey representing the standards. Teachers
indicated that learning about specific instructional programs and collaboration with other
teachers had the greatest impact on their classroom practices. Similarly, teachers
indicated that learning about specific instructional programs and collaboration with other
teachers had the greatest impact on their student achievement. Nearly three-fourths of the
teachers reported their greatest professional development need had a content-specific
focus. Teachers reported their most beneficial professional development experience was
content-specific.
Middle school teachers' perceptions of professional development experiences
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Created on 3/1/2011
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Additional Information
- Publication
- Dissertation
- Language: English
- Date: 2011
- Keywords
- middle school, professional development, staff development
- Subjects
- Middle school teachers -- In-service training -- North Carolina, Western