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study of teacher change and its meaning

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Date Issued:
1998
Summary:
The purpose of this study was to investigate how teachers change from being disseminators of information in teacher-centered classrooms and become constructive classroom change agents using a more facilitative teaching style in a learner-centered classroom. The study identified the forces that lead to change and examined what this change means for teachers. It included teachers who have made positive improvements by changing or broadening their instructional practices. This qualitative study examines one important reform program in a district of over 217,000 students. Twenty teachers were interviewed and observed who had participated in a two-year training program, TEAMS (Teachers Exploring and Mastering Strategies), that was based on the Models of Teaching Program developed by Bruce Joyce, Marsha Weil, and Beverly Showers. In numerous schools, six valued teachers were selected by their principal to train with the principal in workshops, meet in study groups, and work with a university coach for the purpose of infusing new facilitative strategies into their teaching repertoires. Teachers in this study showed a positive response to long-term intermittent training with study groups conducted monthly. This approach provided an environment for the development of learning communities, which was enhanced by the requirement that teachers observe each other as they practice the new strategies. Teachers responded positively to working with a coach who gave teachers strong support for using the newly learned strategies. Having the coach observe the teaching of new strategies, as well as being in each other's classrooms, compelled teachers to implement the strategies which helped them overcome the discomfort factor. Results of this study confirmed that teachers implement strategies that have the greatest impact on student achievement. Teachers' attitudes and beliefs about teaching changed and became more positive as they saw students become more engaged in learning. Although teachers did move to become more facilitative and depend less on teacher-directed instruction and rote memory for students, these strategies were not abandoned. Teachers in this study reported feeling more professional and had a heightened sense of efficacy as teachers, and they were more inclined to seek additional training that would increase their facilitative skills.
Title: A study of teacher change and its meaning.
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Name(s): Wills, Eileen W.
Florida Atlantic University, Degree Grantor
Maslin-Ostrowski, Patricia, Thesis Advisor
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Issuance: monographic
Date Issued: 1998
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 170 p.
Language(s): English
Summary: The purpose of this study was to investigate how teachers change from being disseminators of information in teacher-centered classrooms and become constructive classroom change agents using a more facilitative teaching style in a learner-centered classroom. The study identified the forces that lead to change and examined what this change means for teachers. It included teachers who have made positive improvements by changing or broadening their instructional practices. This qualitative study examines one important reform program in a district of over 217,000 students. Twenty teachers were interviewed and observed who had participated in a two-year training program, TEAMS (Teachers Exploring and Mastering Strategies), that was based on the Models of Teaching Program developed by Bruce Joyce, Marsha Weil, and Beverly Showers. In numerous schools, six valued teachers were selected by their principal to train with the principal in workshops, meet in study groups, and work with a university coach for the purpose of infusing new facilitative strategies into their teaching repertoires. Teachers in this study showed a positive response to long-term intermittent training with study groups conducted monthly. This approach provided an environment for the development of learning communities, which was enhanced by the requirement that teachers observe each other as they practice the new strategies. Teachers responded positively to working with a coach who gave teachers strong support for using the newly learned strategies. Having the coach observe the teaching of new strategies, as well as being in each other's classrooms, compelled teachers to implement the strategies which helped them overcome the discomfort factor. Results of this study confirmed that teachers implement strategies that have the greatest impact on student achievement. Teachers' attitudes and beliefs about teaching changed and became more positive as they saw students become more engaged in learning. Although teachers did move to become more facilitative and depend less on teacher-directed instruction and rote memory for students, these strategies were not abandoned. Teachers in this study reported feeling more professional and had a heightened sense of efficacy as teachers, and they were more inclined to seek additional training that would increase their facilitative skills.
Identifier: 9780599038783 (isbn), 12571 (digitool), FADT12571 (IID), fau:9458 (fedora)
Note(s): Thesis (Ed.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 1998.
Subject(s): Teachers--In-service training
Teachers--Attitudes
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12571
Sublocation: Digital Library
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
Use and Reproduction: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.