Reviews the literature on colleague evaluation of classroom teaching, discusses issues instructional developers need to be aware of when consulting with faculty on colleague visitation program design, and suggests practical guidelines for instituting such programs. (11 references) (MBR)

A study compared students' evaluation of their teachers with other means of teacher evaluation and also examined how student characteristics and attitudes, along with different types of teacher behavior, influenced students' ratings. In general, evaluations by the sixth-grade students appeared to be reliable and useful measures of teacher…

Research findings suggest that methods used to improve teaching are as important as the goals. Solutions sought should be those that professionalize the practice of teaching and make education sufficiently attractive to recruit and retain talented people as teachers. (MLF)

The major criticism of all research into teacher effectiveness is that results are too generalized and simplistic. The research is frequently based on perceptions of effective teaching rather than on demonstrated causes of student learning. Alternative research topics and methods are discussed. (JN)

Based on research done in the past decade, the authors formulated a "schema" of teachers' judgments, planning and interactive decisions. Recommendations for future research included development of a taxonomy of critical teaching decisions, intervention, and alteration of teachers' plans and decisions to improve teaching, and implementation of…

An analysis of studies on teacher clarity reveals five components: (1) understanding; (2) structuring; (3) sequencing; (4) explaining; and (5) presenting. Three additional dimensions to be considered are rater qualifications, teacher dynamism, and student opportunity to learn. (CMJ)

An analysis of more than 200 studies that investigated the effectiveness of various kinds of teacher training methods. (Author/MLF)

Reviewing relevant literature and research: (1) cites factors influencing teaching effectiveness; (2) considers the impact of teaching methods, teacher characteristics, and out of class interaction on teacher effectiveness; (3) looks at various evaluation methods; and (4) discusses the status and prospects of faculty development programs. (AYC)

This article reviews major investigations that utilized discourse analysis as the method to examine classroom interactions. Discourse analysis is proposed as a valuable technique for educational evaluation. Included in the review are discussions of Bellack's teaching cycles, Sinclair and Coulthard's classroom discourse system, and Mehan's…

Provides an overview of the literature on teacher effectiveness and lists characteristics defined by such research. Examines the extent to which music education researchers have used the process-product paradigm and identifies the implications of this paradigm for professionals. Summarizes the findings of the results obtained from this research.…

Changes in preservice teachers' level of reflective thinking over a three-quarter period were explored by analyzing their journal entries on readings and field experiences. Even without specific reflection training, levels of reflection increased significantly due to simply asking preservice teachers to reflect. However, only one participant…

Examines whether teaching candidates who passed a basic competency screening test also possessed a level of general academic aptitude significantly higher than those who did not pass. Findings from 293 teachers who took the California Basic Educational Skills Test and had Scholastic Aptitude Test scores available show that requiring minimum…

This descriptive study investigates the diffusion of electronic portfolios in preservice teacher education by documenting the context and emergent practices in six programs identified as mature in their implementation. Context variables examined include prior use of paper portfolios, pressures for standards-based assessment, and leadership and…

Despite a century-long history of teacher-incentive programs in the United States, discovering what matters to teachers and how best to motivate them remains a complex puzzle. This paper features a literature review that investigates the motivational dimension of teacher performance and constructs a theory of teacher motivation. The paper…

An investigation was made of current uses of formative and summative teacher evaluation. A review of the literature on teacher evaluation systems revealed that most systems attempted to accomplish two potentially conflicting purposes: to encourage teacher development and improve instructional quality (formative), and to judge teacher effectiveness…