and the current evaluation of ‘quality’, teachers said the following: We know being a highly
qualified teacher is important, but it’s not well defined. It’s vague. And
It seems like we’re usually evaluated on the qualities that are easiest to quantify, especially in a
short period of time.
Student and teacher surveys are analyzed utilizing a Rasch measurement
model that creates a hierarchy of items addressing quality practice in the high school
mathematics classroom. The student and teacher ‘rankings’ were presented to the teachers and
results from a detailed focus group lead to policy discussions and testable hypotheses. The
testable hypotheses, to be discussed, include: (H1)
Satisfying one’s own expectations is the most important aspect of assessing quality, followed
closely by one’s peers (other teachers). (H2)
Hierarchy Maps related to factors associated with quality teaching will not align across the k –
16 mathematics community. (H3)
Technology is not a consistent construct.
The multiple interpretations contribute to the ‘variability’ of technology usage in the classroom.
The study presents a fundamental argument for the need to include classroom teachers, and even
students, in the policy making process. Often our best sources leading to data-driven policy
decisions are overlooked or not respected.
SECTION II: OUTCOMES AND METHODS
A. Learner/participant outcomes – The learning participant outcomes will include:
1. An appreciation of the plethora of knowledge that classroom teachers and students can
add to the discussion of quality and the impact policy has on classroom practices and
climate
2. An introduction to Rasch measurement and the methodological power it can add to our
research in teacher education, specific to assessment analyses and survey results
3. An example of a research community, with high school teachers and university faculty
serving as the core
4. A challenge to ‘reevaluate’ the way their teacher education program defines and
evaluates quality teaching
B. Methods – The session will be interactive. Data will be presented from the study and then a
open-ended question technique will be employed to explore the extension of the results to
teacher training. Participants will be asked to reflect on the hierarchy of items related to quality
instruction and to contemplate if their own teacher education program or practices match the
expectations of the students and teachers in this study. Assessment items that were identified as
difficult will be presented and the audience will have the opportunity to critique the items and to
engage in the question of quality teaching as related to opportunity to learn and other issues,
including language. The session will conclude with a discussion of research communities, with
specific references to the growing network of faculty, teachers, students and administrator
collaborative efforts in this study – specifically the transition from paid participants to engaged
members of the research team.
Convention