Instructional Behaviors in Question: Convergent and Divergent Themes of Effective Instruction

• In Event: 18.036 - Crossing Boundaries in Defining Effectiveness: Investigating Special Education Teachers' Instructional Quality in Teacher Evaluation

Abstract

Objective
All classroom observation systems are undergirded by theories of teaching and learning, shaping which instructional practices are conceptualized to be most effective. The Framework for Teaching emphasizes student-centered approaches to instruction, and researchers in special education (Johnson & Semmelroth, 2014; Jones & Brownell, 2014) have questioned whether this poses challenges for evaluating special education teaching. In this qualitative study, we examine thematic differences across special education lessons through the lens of the FFT compared to instrumentation conceptualized for special education instruction, the Quality of Classroom Instruction (QCI). Our intent is to unearth the specific ways in which FFT may be problematic for evaluating special education instruction.

Theoretical Framework
Two theoretical perspectives underlie observation systems analyzed in this study. The FFT privileges interactions guided by student interest and inquiry (Danielson, 2013) -- beliefs that emanate from constructivist theories on teaching and learning. To achieve the highest level of performance, teachers must provide instruction that promote students taking a central role in the learning process (Frey, 2018). In contrast, effective special education instruction, represented in the QCI, is conceptualized as explicit, systematic, and responsive to student needs, with teachers playing a central role in a lesson's design and execution (Brownell & Jones, 2014). We posit that within these disparate views of instruction thematic differences exist in the intent and function of instructional behaviors represented in by FFT and QCI.

Methods and Data Sources
In this study, we conducted a qualitative analysis of videos from five teachers that were inversely scored (e.g., high FFT, low QCI), and collected supplementary materials (e.g., rater notes) to support our analysis. Lessons were transcribed and coded for thematic differences and highlighted instances in which teachers asked questions.

Results
Initial analyses of expert raters' notes and observations suggest differences in how special and general educators use questioning techniques. Cycles of teacher and student questioning commonly used in special education (e.g. opportunities to respond, student engagement, and assess student learning) occurred more in lessons that were rated of lesser quality on the FFT. These differences in interpretations suggest that ratings of student teacher interactions are influenced by theoretical perspectives captured in FFT.

Scholarly Significance
If observation protocols are to meet the demands of both discriminating between quality teaching and supporting teacher development, it is essential to examine ways in which essential behaviors are interpreted across contexts (Pianta & Hamre, 2009). In the case of the FFT and effective special education instruction, there are conceptual differences in the language and expectations of teacher and student interactions around questioning and discussion. It is of both scholarly and practical importance to isolate these conceptual differences within lessons to improve how it can best function for special educators.

Authors

• David John Peyton, Appalachian State University

• Daisy Pua, University of Florida

• Mary T. Brownell, University of Florida

• Courtney A. Bell, ETS

• Nathan Jones, Boston University