EFFECTIVE TEACHER COMMUNICATION SKILLS AND TEACHER QUALITY

By
Kevin John Loy, B.S., M.S., M.A.

 

As we move into the Twenty-First Century the education profession and politicians continue to grapple with the expectation of better or higher test scores from society. The National Council of Teachers in Mathematics (NCTM) considers communication so important that they list it as one of the principles of the NCTM Principles and Standards for the School Mathematics (NCTM, 2000).
The overarching strategy of this research is to gain an understanding of the relationship between communication skills and student achievement. It is conjectured that there is a relationship between the ability of an individual to effectively communicate their thought or idea and the success that individual will meet in the classroom as an instructor. The theoretical framework is based in the social constructivist theory of learning of Lev Vygotsky. The literature showed that effective communication is important in the learning theory of social constructivism. The literature also showed that the ability to communicate and the ability to pose questions are important attributes of an effective teacher. A survey of one school district’s fourth grade teachers was conducted and the student achievement scores of their students were tied to their respective teacher’s response. The instrument was developed by Plumeus to measure the communication skills across several sub-scales to include listening, and ability to deliver a concept or idea. This instrument was modified for this research as the sub-scales were initially dependent. Three models were developed from these sub-scales and demographic variables. About two-thirds of the teachers that responded have earned an advanced degree. The research found that teachers with less experience scored somewhat higher on reported communication skills than those teachers with more years of service. The research also found no difference between female and male teachers for self-reported communication skills. The ability to get the message across was significant in explaining the variances for the dependent variable citizenship. Also possessing an advanced degree added about 9 points to the mean student achievement score for citizenship. As for other variables not addressed in the research questions, it appears that female teachers add about 11 points to the mean student achievement scores for Science. Finally the sub-scale that was comparable between the large population of the company and the sub-scale that was significant in explaining the variance of the citizenship achievement scores was bility toget the message across. This was the one sub-scale that was connected to the larger population and the teacher population plus it was significant for the teacher population in explaining variance.

Identification of Quality Indicators of Visual-based Learning Material in Technology Education Programs for Grades 7-12.

The purpose of this study was to identify the quality indicators of visual-based learning material in technology education for grades 7-12. A three-round modified Delphi method was used to answer the following research questions: RQ1: What indicators should quality visual-based learning material in technology education have to be effective and efficient in transmitting information for grades 7-12? RQ2: What are the indicators of the learner’s characteristics that impact the selection of visual-based learning material in
technology education for grades 7-12? The quality indicators were determined by consensus reached by a panel of 21 educational experts randomly selected from participants in two NSF funded projects that piloted and field-tested visual learning material in technology education courses. The two funded projects were VisTE and TECH-Know. In the first round, the panel was provided with examples of quality indicators. The example indicators in the first round instrument derived from the literature review. The first round of the modified Delphi method used an open-ended questionnaire format in which the experts were asked to keep, reject, modify or add a new characteristic. The responses generated by the first round contributed to the development of the Round II instrument. In the second round, panelists were asked to value and rank from lowest to highest the items identified on Round I on a 5 point Likertscale. In Round III the experts’ panel was asked to accept or reject the quality indicators derived by the second round. Based on an analysis of data collected on Rounds I, II and III conclusions were drawn and 18 quality indicators were found.

TEACHERS’, PARENTS’, AND STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF EFFECTIVE SCHOOL CHARACTERISTICS OF TWO TEXAS URBAN EXEMPLARY OPEN-ENROLLMENT CHARTER SCHOOLS

by
DeEADRA ALBERT-GREEN

The primary purpose of this study was to examine how teachers, parents, and students viewed their charter school as effective when effectiveness was defined by the following 11 characteristics: (a) instructional leadership, (b) clear mission, (c) safe and orderly environment, (d) positive school climate, (e) high expectations, (f) frequent monitoring, (g) basic skills, (h) opportunities for learning, (i) parent and community
involvement, (j) professional development and (k) teacher involvement.
Two exemplary open-enrollment charter schools in Texas were used in this study. All 24 teacher, parent, and student participants completed a questionnaire that
addressed characteristics analyzed for each group. The 72 participants in this quantitative study were randomly chosen to respond to items on the School Effectiveness Questionnaire developed by Baldwin, Freeman, Coney, Fading, and Thomas. Data from the completed questionnaires were reported using descriptive
statistics and frequency data. Major research findings for the study were as follows: 1. There was agreement among teachers, parents, and students regarding 5 characteristics. These characteristics were: (a) safe and orderly environment, (b) positive school climate, (c) high student expectations, (d) frequent student assessment, and (e) monitoring of achievement and basic skills. 2. Teachers and parents agreed their school demonstrated effective instructional leadership, a clear and focused mission, and a maximized opportunity for learning. On the other hand, students were uncertain their school provided maximum opportunities for learning. 3. Only parents and students were in agreement concerning the parental involvement in their school. In contrast, teachers were uncertain their school provided parent and community involvement. 4. Teachers were also uncertain their school provided strong professional development and included them in the decision-making process for the school.

Strong Leadership: The Starting Place for Effective Schooling

Leadership is considered to be vital to the functioning of many aspects of a school. To illustrate, the list below depicts only a few of the aspects of schooling that have been linked to leadership in a school building:
● Whether a school has a clear mission and goals (Bamburg & Andrews, 1990; Duke, 1982).
● The overall climate of the school and the climate in individual classrooms
(Brookover, Schweitzer, Schneider, Beady, Flood, & Wisenbaker, 1978; Brookover, Beady, Flood, Schweitzer, & Wisenbaker, 1979; Brookover & Lezotte, 1979;Griffith, 2000; Villani, 1996).
● The attitudes of teachers (Brookover & Lezotte, 1979; Oakes, 1989; Purkey &Smith, 1983; Rutter, Maughan, Mortimore, Ouston, & Smith, 1979).
● The classroom practices of teachers (Brookover et al., 1978; Brookover &
Lezotte, 1979; McDill, Rigsby, & Myers, 1969; Miller & Sayre, 1986).
● The organization of curriculum and instruction (Bossert, Dwyer, Rowan, & Lee, 1982; Cohen & Miller, 1980; Eberts & Stone, 1988; Glasman & Binianimov, 1981; Oakes, 1989).
● Students’ opportunity to learn (Duke & Canady, 1991; Dwyer, 1986; Murphy & Hallinger, 1989).
Given the perceived importance of leadership, it is no wonder that an effective principal is thought to be a necessary precondition for an effective school. A 1970 U.S. Senate Committee Report on Equal Educational Opportunity (U.S. Congress, 1970) identified the principal as the single most influential person in a school. Regardless of the perceived importance of principal leadership, the research base supporting it has been deemed equivocal. For example, at least one meta-analytic study (Witziers, Bosker, & Kruger, 2003) reported that the relationship between principal leadership and student achievement is nonexistent. As a result of their analyses of 37 studies conducted internationally on the relationship between building leadership and student achievement, Witziers et al. (2003) reported an average correlation of 0.02. Taken at face value, the findings from the Witziers et al. study would lead one to conclude that little
effort should be put into developing leaders at the school building level.
Even some of those who believe that principal leadership has a causal link with student achievement assert that the research provides little practical guidance. For example,Donmoyer (1985) noted: Recent studies of schools invariably identify the principal’s leadership as a significant
factor in school’s success. Unfortunately these studies provide only limited
insight into how principals contribute to their school’s achievements. (p. 31)
The perspective articulated above is in sharp contrast to that offered by Marzano,Waters, and McNulty (2005). After analyzing 69 studies representing research over the last 35 years, they computed an average correlation of 0.25 between principal leadership behavior and student academic achievement. This finding is quite discrepant from 598 Marzano