Relationships Between Teaching Practices, Classroom Climate, and Teacher Beliefs: International Perspectives

• In Event: 61.020 - Lessons Learned From the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS 2013)

Abstract

Objective

The objective of this presentation is to examine the relationships between teaching practices, classroom climate, and teacher beliefs using data from the 2013 Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS).

Theoretical framework

Professional development and teacher cooperation are related to teachers’ professional practices. Teachers who receive more professional development are more likely to co-operate with other teachers for teaching support and on ideas to improve teaching (OECD, 2009). Another critical and related aspect of teachers’ professional practice is the degree to which teachers work together to improve student learning. Co-operation among teachers can facilitate resource sharing, including the exchange of ideas (Clement & Vandenberghe, 2000; Murawski & Swanson, 2001).

Methods

Sample

Representative samples of secondary school teachers in 32 countries participated in the TALIS study.

Analyses

Logistic regression models were built to examine relationships between three active teaching practices and teacher background characteristics and professional development, specifically how well teachers felt prepared for the content area, pedagogy, and managing their classrooms. The three dependent variables representing practices in these models consisted of frequent versus infrequent use of small groups, projects that require more than a week to complete, and the use of ICT. Additional regression models examined predictors of teacher professional collaboration as well as exchange and coordination for teaching. Predictor variables for these two models included indicators for participation in various forms of professional development and teacher participation in collaborative research and mentoring.

Results

Significant relationships were found in most countries between the use of the three active teaching practices and predictors such as how prepared teachers felt in their subject area. Results were especially strong across countries for use of small groups by teachers who felt well prepared for the pedagogy of their subject. Strong relationships across countries were found between the three teaching practices and professional development activities. Individual or collaborative research on a topic of interest was particularly associated with the three active teaching practices across countries. Teachers who participated in collaborative activity tended to make more frequent use of these teaching practices. Finally, measures of classroom climate were consistently associated with the three teaching practices across countries. A better classroom climate tended to predict more frequent use of active teaching practices.

The use of small groups was strongly associated with constructivist teaching beliefs across all countries, while the other two practices exhibited consistently positive associations across most countries with constructivist beliefs.

Finally, there were many strong positive associations between professional development activities and teacher cooperation and exchange. Mentoring, collaborative research and participation in workshops and conferences were consistently associated with teacher willingness to participate in collaboration and exchange activities with their colleagues.

Scientific Significance

The results showed that teaching practices are related to professional development activities, classroom climate and teacher beliefs Therefore, researchers should continue to examine these relationships the different factors that may facilitate and inhibit such relationships and how they influence teacher and student success.

Authors

• Olusola Olalekan Adesope, Washington State University

• Bruce W Austin, Washington State University - Pullman

• Brian F. French, Washington State University

• Chad M. Gotch, Washington State University