An analysis of the effects of a staff development program on student achievement
Abstract
This study evaluated the effects of a staff development program on student achievement as defined by the North Carolina End-of-Grade tests using analysis of covariance and multiple regression. Fourth through eighth grade students whose communication skills and/or mathematics teachers had taken from zero to all four of the “Big Four” (cooperative learning, mastery learning, critical thinking skills, and elements of instruction) staff development courses were compared. The dependent variable was the students' 1996–97 End-of-Grade (EOG) test scores. These test scores were reported in developmental scale scores so that progress from one year to the next could be assessed. A survey was administered to teachers to assess two factors: (1) the degree to which teachers had implemented the concepts of the “Big Four” staff development courses as measured by teachers' perceptions, and (2) the degree of principal support for the implementation of these concepts as measured by teachers' perceptions. The effects of these two factors on students' End-of-Grade test scores were analyzed. Other demographic data were analyzed to determine the effects they may have on student achievement. The results showed statistically significant differences but did not provide any predictive ability. The adjusted R2 after taking into account the pretest was less than 2% for all the variables studied. Recommendations for future study include an analysis of other quantitative and qualitative variables to ascertain the essential elements of effective staff development programs, particularly the effects of systems thinking and the learning organization.
Subject Area
School administration|Teacher education
Recommended Citation
McMullin, Marcia Jean Harrison, "An analysis of the effects of a staff development program on student achievement" (1998). ETD Collection for Fayetteville State University. AAI3027010.
https://digitalcommons.uncfsu.edu/dissertations/AAI3027010