Recent research has identified teacher quality as the most important variable in increasing student achievement. The effect of the teacher on student achievement has been shown to be greater than effects due to class size, school, and student socioeconomic status (Sanders & Horn, 1998). Yet proxies implemented by states and districts to determine teacher quality have been woefully inadequate. T...

The purpose of this study was to examine how teacher delivery and student progress influenced preservice teachers’ perceptions of overall teaching effectiveness. Experienced teachers (n = 6) were videotaped teaching mini applied lessons under four conditions: (a) high teacher delivery and more student progress, (b) high teacher delivery and less student progress, (c) low teacher delivery and mo...

We use data on statewide end-of-course tests in North Carolina to examine the relationship between teacher credentials and student achievement at the high school level. The availability of test scores in multiple subjects for each student permits us to estimate a model with student fixed effects, which helps minimize any bias associated with the non-random distribution of teachers and students ...

Expecting Success: Factors Influencing Ninth Graders’ Science Self-Efficacy by Elizabeth Donahue Advisor: Juan Battle What factors influence ninth grade students’ expectations for success in science? Using social cognitive theory and bioecological systems theory as theoretical frameworks, this dissertation employs data from the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09) to examine the rel...

BACKGROUND Peer-assisted learning (PAL) is used throughout all levels of healthcare education. Lack of formalised agreement on different PAL programmes may confuse the literature. Given the increasing interest in PAL as an education philosophy, the terms need clarification. The aim of this review is to 1) describe different PAL programmes, 2) clarify the terminology surrounding PAL, and 3) prop...

Teachers have long been considered a critical educational resource. The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 recognizes the importance of educators through its highly qualified teachers mandate. Under NCLB, teachers are deemed highly qualified if they (1) have a bachelor’s degree, (2) possess full state teacher certification, and (3) demonstrate knowledge in the subjects taught. NCLB assumes...

The purpose of this replication and extension study was to examine how teacher delivery and student progress influenced experienced teachers’ perceptions of overall teaching effectiveness. Participants (N = 60 experienced music teachers) viewed 12 private lesson excerpts that included four separate conditions: (a) high teacher delivery and more student progress, (b) high teacher delivery and le...