Exploring the Impact of Teacher Collaboration on Student Learning: A Focus on Writing

In this yearlong case study, six English teachers in an urban high school in Northern California engaged in sustained collaboration focused on developing and enacting strategies to improve the writing skills of their culturally and linguistically diverse freshmen. The study was conducted between August 2018 and June 2019, to determine the connections, if any, between teacher collaboration and student learning. Qualitative data were analyzed from teacher collaboration and observation of classroom practices, focus groups and teacher-created artifacts. Students’ on-demand writing assessments in fall and spring were compared with instructionally supported writing. Student surveys were analyzed in a mixed methods approach. Findings suggest that students’ writing skills improved and students reported increased confidence in writing and other literacy practices. The lessons developed in the collaboration meetings and observed in practice, in tandem with student and teacher self-reports suggest a positive relationship between teacher collaboration and student learning outcomes

Addressing the social, cognitive and emotional needs of children: the case for dynamic assessment

This paper examines the extent to which the use of psychological assessment addresses the social, emotional and cognitive needs of children experiencing difficulties with learning. Evidence in favour of a curriculum-based assessment (CBA) approach is presented, and the advantages and disadvantages are evaluated. This paper argues that CBA does not stand up well to the demand for a more ecological approach to assessment that considers the social and emotional needs of children. CBA can often be too task oriented, and more importantly fails to consider an interactive environment in which to assess the child. Finally, the underlying theory of CBA on behavioural approaches to learning neglects a focus on the cognitive and meta-cognitive aspects of learning. Arguments in favour of dynamic assessment are offered as an approach which does consider such aspects of learning. Nevertheless, the appropriateness and effectiveness of CBA and dynamic assessment can only truly be considered in light of the purposes of each individual assessment. Different approaches to psychological assessment could be used in different circumstances, therefore, the ‘why?’ of assessment (Frederickson, Wright & Webster, 1991) should receive careful consideration before the issue of ‘which approach is best?’

Leadership for Learning Improvement in Urban Schools

Examines urban school leaders' efforts to improve the quality of teaching and learning by supporting progress for diverse students, sharing leadership work, and aligning resources. Analyzes school environments and coordination of various leadership roles

Data-Informed Leadership in Education

Explores ideas, frameworks, and beliefs concerning the use of data in educational decision making and in the work of leaders at state and local levels as it relates to the improvement of teaching and learning

Distributed Learning System Design: A New Approach and an Agenda for Future Research

This article presents a theoretical framework designed to guide distributed learning design, with the goal of enhancing the effectiveness of distributed learning systems. The authors begin with a review of the extant research on distributed learning design, and themes embedded in this literature are extracted and discussed to identify critical gaps that should be addressed by future work in this area. A conceptual framework that integrates instructional objectives, targeted competencies, instructional design considerations, and technological features is then developed to address the most pressing gaps in current research and practice. The rationale and logic underlying this framework is explicated. The framework is designed to help guide trainers and instructional designers through critical stages of the distributed learning system design process. In addition, it is intended to help researchers identify critical issues that should serve as the focus of future research efforts. Recommendations and future research directions are presented and discussed

A Critical Race and Critical Whiteness Theory Analysis of Preservice Teachers\u27 Racialized Practices in a Literacy Across the Curriculum Course

ABSTRACT The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the racialized practices enacted by seven preservice teachers while they participated in a university-based literacy across the curriculum course that included a school-based tutoring component. Research questions asked: 1) what racialized practices were enacted by preservice content-area teachers when they participated in a required literacy across the curriculum course that included one-on-one tutoring of youth at an urban secondary school, and 2) how did preservice content-area teachers\u27 backgrounds contribute to their racialized practices? This study drew on the premises of critical race theory and critical whiteness theory to define racialized practices. The study began with these theories\u27 assumptions that race is an important social construction in U.S. society that is used to position people hierarchically, especially oppressing people of color. Racialized practices are ways of acting, speaking, and teaching that construct race as important. These practices include colorblindness, essentializing, and microaggression, as well as culturally responsive teaching, a positive racialized practice grounded in students\u27 funds of knowledge and intended to counter more oppressive practices. Data sources included transcripts from semi-structured interviews, field notes from classroom and tutoring observations and various course and tutoring related artifacts such as the course syllabus, lesson plans, unit plans and written reflections. Data were analyzed first, using a reflexive, constant comparative approach to gain insights into participants\u27 rhetoric and actions. Second, data were reconsidered to delineate racialized practices. The racialized practices of the preservice teachers involved in this literacy study were categorized as relationship-focused or instructionally-focused. Although all participants enacted both positive and negative racialized practices, relationship-focused participants tended to exhibit qualitatively different practices compared to the instructionally-focused participants. Regardless of their orientation, when participants shared their view of whether race mattered in education, the mostly White participants spoke predominantly of the significance of other people\u27s races and not their own race. Racialized practices that were consistent with culturally-based pedagogies included intentionally nurturing relationships with students at the tutoring site, talking about ways to help students understand and negotiate the culture of power that is dominant in educational institutions including higher education and cautioning preservice peers that they need to be cognizant not to advance stereotypes. Racialized practices that reflected participants\u27 deficit thinking about their tutees, as well as their own discomfort in talking about racial issues included the enactments of racial microaggressions, distancing strategies and White talk. This study provides new insights into how preservice teachers\u27 racialized practices shape and are shaped by the racial hierarchy that continues to exist in schools. Findings have implications for school professionals, teacher educators and researchers who are interested in identifying and disrupting racialized literacy practices that may be harmful to students. Additionally, this study suggests that further exploration is needed to understand how race is implicated in relationship-focused literacy teaching, content-focused literacy teaching and students\u27 engagement in learning across the curriculum

Task-based language assessment

status: publishe

Leadership strategies for effectively fostering positive teacher-student relationships in middle schools

The area of research for my study was how educational leaders impact school culture, specifically in the area of fostering positive teacher-student relationships in middle schools. Relationships between teachers and students can have a substantial impact on the development of a child. Teachers with strong relationships with their students have fewer discipline issues and higher levels of academic achievement among students. In my study, I sought to examine how principals, assistant principals, and curriculum facilitators help develop positive student-teacher relationships in their middle schools. Additionally, I wanted to learn culturally responsive strategies that school leaders use to help teachers form positive relationships with their students. For my basic qualitative research study, I conducted in-depth interviews with 9 school leaders (3 principals, 3 assistant principals, and 3 curriculum facilitators). I conducted a follow-up interview with the principals with specific questions related to culturally responsive practices. By conducting a basic qualitative study, I wanted to examine the perspectives and worldviews of people involved. During my study, I focused on collecting data that would answer my research question, “What do school leaders do to foster positive teacher-student relationships with middle school students?” I used a culturally relevant lens and framework to develop the interview protocol and to analyze data from my findings. My data collection included recorded interviews with the participants and analysis of documents. The participant data showed common themes about the roles of school leaders in fostering teacher-student relationships with middle school students. Participants asserted that all school leaders should model how to build relationships, provide focused feedback, and support teachers instructionally. School leaders who participated in the study also provided specific intentional strategies that they have used to help teachers build relationships with their students. Participants also described strategies that they recommended to their teachers. School leaders advocated that teachers participate in self-reflection, care about their students, use strategies to build relationships, engage students through instruction, and provide academic support for their students. School leaders should also work in cohesion with teachers in order to foster teacher-student relationships. The study concludes with implications, guidelines, and recommendations for future research. From this study’s findings, I developed the Practical Guidelines: Teacher-Student Relationships Protocol which is a tool for school leaders to use to help teachers build relationships with their students. From the strategies suggested by the study participants, I also developed the Teacher-Student Relationship Strategies Toolkit which provides relationship building strategies for teachers to use in conjunction with the protocol