Importance of system and leadership in performance appraisal

Purpose Performance - appraisal is used internationally to improve employee performance, also in the educational field. However, doubts exist about the effectiveness of performance appraisal. This study-aims to contribute by expanding the knowledge about important context variables of performance appraisal in secondary education. In particular, the study aims to examine the role of both characteristics of the teacher performance appraisal system and the school leader for procedural justice and perceived feedback utility by teachers. Design/methodology/approach - Both interviews with school leaders and a questionnaire for teachers were used to collect data in 32 schools. Path analyses (n = 298) were used to test the research model. Findings - The results indicate that teacher participation in the teacher performance appraisal system significantly influences the perceived procedural justice by teachers, which in its turn significantly influences the perceived feedback utility. The role of the school leaders is found to be extremely important. Charismatic leadership influences both directly and indirectly (through procedural justice) the perceived feedback utility by teachers. Originality/value - This study contributes to the research field of (teacher) performance appraisal by studying empirically appraisal system characteristics and leadership characteristics that effect appraisal reactions. In this regard, this study responds to the need for more empirical research to uncover the social context of performance appraisal, especially in the field of education where there is a general skepticism towards teacher appraisal and its possible positive outcomes

The influence of school leadership on teachers' perception of teacher evaluation policy

The understanding of teachers' perception of new educational policy is crucial since this perception shapes the policy's implementation. However, quantitative research in this area is scarce. This article draws on empirical data to investigate whether the school leader might influence his teachers' perception of the new teacher evaluation policy. The conceptualisation of teachers' perception consists of three policy characteristics: practicality, need and clarifying function. Our results indicate that school leadership influences teachers' policy perception. More specifically, the structure a school leader provides in a school and the amount of trust teachers have in the school leader have a significant impact on teachers' perception of the practicality of the new teacher evaluation policy

Evaluating teachers’ professional development initiatives : towards an extended evaluative framework

Evaluating teachers’ professional development initiatives (PDI) is one of the main challenges for the teacher professionalisation eld. Although di erent studies have focused on the e ectiveness of PDI, the obtained e ects and evaluative methods have been found to be widely divergent. By means of a narrative review, this study provides an extended framework to guide the evaluation of (the e ectiveness of ) PDI. Furthermore, and in accordance with this framework, an overview of measurement instruments that are currently in use is provided. The study concludes with implications for educational research and developers of PDI

Beginning teachers’ professional support : a mixed methods social network study

Drawing theoretically from the social network perspective, this article focuses on the collegial support networks of two beginning teachers, and how this is related to their job attitudes. A whole-school survey to investigate the support network structure of their primary school team, and an in-depth interview with the beginning teacher to explore the content of the support they receive, were employed. The results revealed that having access to professional support for diverse challenges and from a number of colleagues is important for job attitudes. Implications for stimulating professional interactions among beginning teachers and their colleagues are provided.status: publishe