UV9354 – Teacher evaluation/teacher appraisal
Course content
Organiser: Research group: TEPEC, Department of Teacher Education and School Research
Responsible: Professor Eyvind Elstad & Professor Sylvi S. Hovdenak University of Oslo
Guest Lecturers: Professor Maria Assunção Flores (University of Minho, Portugal) and professor Peter van Petegem (University of Antwerp).
Dates: March 23-24, 2015, Niels Henrik Abels hus, room 407
Hours: 0900-1600 (PhD-seminar)
Credits: Participation two days and submitted paper: 3 credits. Participation two days, but not submitted paper: 1 credit
Work format: Lectures and presentations
Language: English
Registration deadline: March 19, 2015
Paper for seminar: To obtain 3 study points participants need to submit paper on 4000 – 7000 words after the course, which addresses a research question of topic of relevance for the course. Send to eyvind.elstad@ils.uio.no.
Learning outcome
International large-scale studies have become a premise for comparing the average educational performance of different countries in selected domains. Declines or sideway steps in for instance Norwegian average scores have become a major political concern. The need to raise the standards of instructional quality and to improve pupils’ attainment has led governments in many countries to reforms and use of new measurements. Politicians, administrators, and researchers have discussed how teacher evaluation/ teacher appraisal can or should facilitate the professional development of teachers. Norway is no exception. A new national policy of teacher evaluation in Norway is on the way. However, it is critical to understand how teacher evaluation/ teacher appraisal may influence the way teachers and school principals perceive this teacher evaluation policy and the ways in which they make sense of it as well as theoretical and empirical underpinnings of the policy. One aim of this PhD course is to provide opportunities for participants to acquire a deeper understanding of the mechanisms of teacher evaluation/teacher appraisal, purposes, underpinning assumptions, the ways in which it has been put into place in schools and its’ possible impact on student learning. Another aim is to provide opportunities for participants to acquire a deeper understanding of the influence of teacher evaluation/teacher appraisal on teachers’ professional learning.
During the seminar, researchers will be giving lectures on teacher evaluation/teacher appraisal. The seminar will open for discussions and papers on topics of these topics. Doctoral students are expected to write a paper before or after the course. The paper should be submitted to eyvind.elstad@ils.uio.no.
Admission
Candidates admitted to a PhD-program at UiO: Apply by Studentweb.
Other applicants: apply through registration form
Registration deadline: March 19, 2015
Teaching
- Programme:
Monday 23rd March
Moderator: professor Eyvind Elstad
08.30-9.00 Coffee
9.00 Introduction by professor Eyvind Elstad: The advent of teacher evaluation schemes in Norway
The research project Teaching evaluation as a tool for teachers’ professional development. Presentations by PhD student Eli Lejonberg:
- “Teaching evaluation: Antecedents of teachers’ perceived usefulness of the follow-up sessions and of teacher stress related to the evaluation process”
- “When students evaluate teaching anonymously: What variables affect teachers’ perception of the usefulness of the evaluations?”
Lunch
After lunch: Comments by (1) director Johan Arve Eide, Akershus County, (2) professor Maria Assunção Flores, and (3) professor Peter van Petegem
Plenary discussion
15.00-16.00: “Pupils feedback to practice teaching lessions by student teachers: a research design” by PhD student Harald Eriksen. Comments by (1) professor Maria Assunção Flores, and (2) professor Peter van Petegem
Tuesday 24th March
Moderator: Professor Sylvi S. Hovdenak
09.00 – 11.00: Lecture by Professor Peter van Petegem: Teacher evaluation and its impact on professional development. Comments by Professor Maria Assunção Flores.
11.00 – 12.00: Discussion.
12.00 – 13.00: Lunch
13.00 – 15.00: Lecture by Professor Maria Assunção Flores: Teacher evaluation: Why? What for?
Comments by Professor Peter van Petegem. Plenary discussion.
15.00 – 16.00: Summing up. Closing the seminar.
Lecturers:
- Maria Assunção Flores is a professor at the University of Minho, Portugal. She received her Ph.D. at the University of Nottingham, United Kingdom. Her research interests include teacher professionalism, teacher education, teacher evaluation and change.
- Peter van Petegem is a full professor at University of Antwerp, the Institute for Education and Information Sciences where he coordinate the research group EduBROn (www.edubron.be) and the Expertise Center for Higher Education (www.uantwerp.be/echo). His research interests include teacher evaluation, school evaluation and change.
Examination
Examination: 2 days attendance/submission of paper
Credit points: 3 credit points with documentation, 1 credit point without documentation
Evaluation
The course is subject to continuous evaluation. At regular intervals we also ask students to participate in a more comprehensive evaluation.