How Does Instructional Reform Work? Relationships Between Curriculum, Professional Learning, Self-Efficacy, Instruction, and Student Engagement

• In Event: Conditions and Effects of Professional Learning Partnerships Focused on Ambitious and Culturally Responsive Instruction

Abstract

Purpose
While there has been an increased focus on leveraging curriculum and PL to foster ambitious and CR instruction (e.g., Siwatu, 2011; Smith et al., 2005), we need to understand more about how they work to shift teaching, and if they increase student engagement. Our data provide a unique opportunity to examine this system of relationships, fundamental to current instructional reform. Specifically, we ask: To what extent do the policy attributes of PL and curriculum foster more ambitious and CR instruction, and less traditional instruction? Does PL work through increased confidence and self-efficacy? Does ambitious and CR instruction increase student engagement?

Theoretical Framework
Our work integrates frameworks related to PL, ambitious and CR instruction, and teacher self-efficacy. We rely on Desimone’s (2009) framework features of high-quality PL, built on by Kennedy (2016), Penuel et al. (2011), and Desimone & Garet (2015). We utilize Porter et al.’s (1988) policy attributes framework to study the features of PL and curriculum that matter. We ground our conception and measurement of ambitious and CR teaching on the work of Guyton & Wesche (2005), Siwatu (2007), and Smith et al. (2005). We also rely on conceptual and empirical work that reflects the relationship between teacher self-efficacy in shaping teachers’ instruction (Bandura, 1977; Gay, 2010; Tschannen-Moran & Woolfolk Hoy, 2001).

Methods
We use structural equation modeling (SEM) to test hypothesized relationships by designating a priori paths between latent variables in two models (Bollen, 2014), based on prior PL and curriculum research.

Data
We use survey data, collected in winter 2021, from 437 teachers in 153 schools and 11 districts (62% response rate), all serving 50% or more Hispanic or Black students. Survey measures were developed based on validated national data. Each of our scales, which comprise the latent variables in our analysis, demonstrated acceptable reliability (𝜔 >0.68, p<0.001). For validity, the factor loadings were appreciable in magnitude (λ >0.4) and suggested that the scales measured unidimensional constructs (Hair et al., 2019).

Results
Figure 1 shows that both PL and curriculum have positive and significant effects on CR and ambitious instruction, but not traditional instruction. The interaction of PL with curriculum has effects on all three types of instruction. Ambitious instruction increases student engagement. Figure 2 shows that PL has positive and significant effects on confidence meeting student needs, beliefs, and confidence in CR instruction. Confidence in CR instruction predicted an increase in ambitious and CR instruction. Further, ambitious instruction increased student engagement while traditional instruction decreased student engagement.

Significance
There is a considerable focus in the field on providing ambitious and CR instruction, but little empirical work showing how to foster it and its influence on students. Our analysis provides empirical evidence from 11 districts across the country serving minoritized students that (1) ambitious instruction increases student engagement, (2) the attributes of PL and curriculum matter considerably for fostering ambitious and CR instruction, and (3) increasing teachers’ self-efficacy is a key mechanism through which PL works.

Authors

• Laura M. Desimone, University of Delaware
  Presenting Author

• Arielle Lentz, University of Delaware
  Non-Presenting Author

• Nicholas S. Bell, University at Albany - SUNY
  Non-Presenting Author

• Kirsten Lee Hill, Kirsten Lee Hill Consulting
  Non-Presenting Author

• Latrice Marianno, University of Delaware
  Non-Presenting Author