Teachers Network Online Course Survey Analysis
Executive Summary
The traditional approaches of professional development such as short, stand-alone workshops, often lack focus and stability (Little 1993) and thus are insufficient for preparing qualified teachers to meet the educational needs of their students (Hawley & Valli, 2001). As educators have attempted to restructure professional development opportunities, Teachers Network offers New York City public school teachers a series of “P” credit courses for professional development.
This report uses an online survey to investigate the effects of the courses on teacher quality and student learning and addresses the following research questions: how did the participants rate the courses and the instructor, what were the key concepts that course participants learned, which aspects of the courses did participants value most, and what were their suggestions for course improvement? The quantitative data analysis focused on the average rating each course received.
The qualitative data was examined by using an open coding procedure (Strauss & Corbin, 1998) to develop a codebook that sorted the responses into categories and identified the common themes reported in the responses. The quantitative data showed that the majority of the respondents thought highly of the courses (M=4.84, SD=0.40). They were satisfied with the instructors’ knowledge (M=4.83, SD=0.47) and agreed that the instructors allowed them enough time to process and practice the information presented (M=4.80, SD=0.52). They also felt that the instructors’ attitude toward participants was professional (M=4.87, SD=0.45) and reported that they would apply some ideas presented in the courses in their classroom 3 (M=4.87, SD=0.43). The participants would also like to recommend the courses to their colleagues (M=4.83, SD=0.53).
Consistent with the results of the quantitative analysis, the qualitative data demonstrated that the course participants appeared to find the professional development activities valuable and the course instructors helpful in many meaningful ways. The participants highlighted that the “P” credit courses addressed the content areas central to teachers’ needs and created essential changes in teachers’ knowledge. They also emphasized that the courses offered them the opportunities to share ideas among peers and learn from exemplary teachers. In addition, the courses enabled them to more effectively apply educational technology in the classroom, to become knowledgeable about the pedagogical approaches, to gain in-depth knowledge of the research in the field, and to develop a better understanding of student assessment. The following presents the commonly mentioned themes in the participants’ responses when disaggregated by course.
The most frequently mentioned key concepts included content knowledge and pedagogy, accommodations and differentiated instruction, integration of technology to the classroom, lesson planning and curriculum, resources (e.g., parents, colleagues, Internet, books), assessment methods and tools, perception change, reflection on practice, and time management.
The aspects of the courses that the participants valued most consisted of idea sharing among participants, feedback from the instructors, instructional methods, the integration of theory and practice, the quality and usefulness of the assignments, and the flexible structure of the courses.
The responses concerning ways to improve the courses were divided into two themes. The first confirmed the excellence of the course or the instructor, essentially offering no recommendations for improvement. The second pointed out specific areas for improvement, including more information on content and pedagogy, grouping the course participants based on grade level or license area, more time, more resources, and more feedback from the instructor, as well as continuing discussion after the course ended and reducing course cost.
In addition, there were both positive and negative additional comments. The major themes among the positive comments were similar to the aspects of the courses the participants valued, including the excellence of the instructor, the benefits of idea sharing and interaction, reflection on practice, and flexible structure of online courses. The negative comments were specific to certain courses and included the difficulty in connecting with students during the summer, a shortage of time for completing the assignments, and the need for greater balance between coursework and field experiences.
Although the course participants held generally positive views about the impact of the professional development courses on their teaching practices, some challenges existed for the course participants to meet the requirements of the courses, especially for those offered in the summer. The difficulty in balancing between their coursework and field experiences was frequently mentioned. Thus, allowing the participants more time to process what is being learned is necessary for successful professional development. Another recommendation for improving course quality is to divide the elementary and secondary or high school teachers into two classes. The grouping could be based on grade 5 level or license area. This way the teachers could more effectively learn and share skills and techniques that work well for them.
In addition, the courses could be improved if the modes of discussion could be more interactive. An email information system could be set up to inform course participants when someone responds to the postings. That way the participants can get online and reply, making the online discussions much more interactive. Moreover, opportunities should be available for the course participants to continue their discussion after they have completed the courses. A large number of participants reported that what they valued most was the idea sharing among their peers. Those ideas from their colleagues are useful resources, and the interaction between peers is an effective approach for them to improve their professionalism. However, when the semester ended, this useful interaction no longer existed.
Teachers Network Online Course Survey Analysis
Introduction
Further improvement in teacher effectiveness and student achievement requires continuous development in teacher knowledge and teaching practices (e.g., National Center for Education Statistics, 2008). Researchers have indicated that the traditional form of professional development, short, stand-alone workshops or lectures, often lacks focus, intensity, and stability (Little 1993) and thus is insufficient for preparing qualified teachers to meet the educational needs of their students (Hawley & Valli, 2001). As researchers and organizations have attempted to restructure professional development opportunities, Teachers Network (TN) offers New York City (NYC) public school teachers a series of professional development courses, called “P” credit courses (see Table 1). Each of the courses allows the teachers to earn three “P” credits. The teachers employed by the New York City Department of Education may use the “P” credits for salary differentials. Additionally, teachers who received their certification after February 2004 may use 30 hours from each P credit course toward the 175-hour requirement for maintaining New York State certification.
In order to assess the perceived quality of the program, an on-line survey, composed of both closed-ended (Likert scale) and open-ended questions, was administered to the NYC public school teachers who have taken TN “P” credit course(s). The survey questions seek information on how the teachers evaluated the courses and their instructors and what they learned. TN staff and consultants designed the survey and collected the data. Staff from the NYU Steinhardt School’s Center for Research on Teaching and Learning (CRTL) analyzed the data and prepared this report. The results and conclusions reflect CRTL’s analyses of the data and CRTL’s interpretation of the results from these analyses.
The Survey
The five Likert-scale questions included (1) the instructor was knowledgeable and well prepared, (2) the instructor gave us ample time to process and practice the information presented, (3) the instructor's attitude toward participants was professional, (4) I would use at least one idea, strategy, or suggestion that was presented in this course, and (5) I would recommend this course to a colleague. Respondents used a five-point scale ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree (1=strongly disagree, 2=disagree, 3=neither agree nor disagree, 4=agree, and 5=strongly agree).
The four open-ended questions asked the respondents (1) what were the key concepts and ideas that course participants learned, (2) what were the aspects of the courses that participants valued most, (3) what suggestions for improvement did the participants have, and (4) what were their additional comments on the course?
Research Questions
The researchers analyzed the survey responses to address the following research questions:
1. How did the participants rate the courses on the survey’s five quantitative questions?
2. What were the key concepts and ideas that TN P-credit course participants reported they had learned?
3. What were the aspects of the courses that participants valued most?
4. What suggestions for improvement were offered by the participants?
Response Rate
A total of 2,030 in-service teachers took 12 different P-credit courses offered by Teachers Network between October 2005 and December 2007. Of the 2,030 participants, 546 submitted surveys. The response rate of 27% is typical for on-line surveys of this kind. There was considerable variability in the response rate across courses, ranging from 6% to 38%. For example, 130 participants (38%) submitted surveys for the course, Elementary School Teachers to Excel in Classroom Management, but only 6% completed a survey for the course, Balanced Literacy 2: The Writer’s Workshop.
Table 1 displays the response rates for each of the courses.
Data Analysis
Quantitative Data Analysis: First, in order to shed more light on the nature of the respondents, a frequency distribution was compiled of the number of courses taken by the survey respondents. These data indicated their level of experience with the program’s courses and could be used by program officials to assess the representativeness of the respondents vis-à-vis the full population of course takers. Next, the means and standard deviations of responses to the five Likert-type questions were calculated across all the “P” credit courses and for each individual course title. Finally, the percentage of respondents who gave positive ratings (i.e., agree or strongly agree) was calculated for each of the five questions by course.
Qualitative Data Analysis: Responses to the four open-ended questions were content analyzed using an inductive, thematic approach. First, the individual responses were disaggregated by course and instructor. Next, CRTL researchers used an opencoding procedure (Strauss & Corbin, 1998) to develop a codebook that sorted the responses into categories and identified the common themes reported in the responses. Then, the data were reviewed for commonalities across categories and internal consistency within categories. Finally, the categories were adjusted to create the final thematic categorizations.
Results
This section begins with a summary of the major findings of the combined quantitative and qualitative analyses of the survey data, followed by a detailed description of the results from each type of analysis.
Summary of the Major Quantitative and Qualitative Findings
Almost all of the survey respondents gave high ratings to the instructors and the courses and indicated that they would use in their teaching at least one key idea or strategy that they learned in the courses. Moreover, they were able to cite specific ideas and concepts that they had learned. A large number of respondents pointed out that the “P” credit courses enabled them to apply educational technology more effectively in the classroom, to become more knowledgeable about the pedagogical approaches in their field, to gain in-depth knowledge of the research in the field, and to develop a better understanding of student assessment. The common themes of the responses across all “P” credit courses are summarized as follows:
• The most frequently mentioned key concepts learned included content knowledge and pedagogy, accommodations and differentiated instruction, integration of technology into the classroom, lesson planning and curriculum, resources (e.g., parents, colleagues, Internet, books), assessment methods and tools, perception change, reflection on practice, and time management.
• The aspects of the courses the participants valued most included idea sharing among participants; feedback from the instructors; introduction to new instructional methods, resources, materials, and/or readings; the integration of theory and practice; the quality and usefulness of the assignments; and the flexible structure of the courses.
• The responses concerning ways to improve the courses were divided into two themes. The first can be taken to confirm the excellence of the course or the instructor by the omission of recommendations for improvement passively or actively. The second theme pointed out specific areas for improvement, including more information on content and pedagogy, grouping the course participants based on grade level or license area, more time, more resources, and more feedback from the instructor, as well as continuing discussion after the course ended and reducing course cost.
• When invited to offer additional comments, respondents offered both positive and negative comments. The major themes among the positive comments were similar to the aspects of the courses they valued, including the excellence of the instructor, the benefits of idea sharing and interaction, reflection on practice, and flexible structure of online courses. The negative comments were specific to certain courses and included the difficulty in connecting with students during the summer, a shortage of time for completing the assignments, and the need for greater balance between coursework and field experiences.
Results of the Quantitative Data
The results of the quantitative analyses were overwhelmingly positive and indicated that the “P” credit courses had positive effects on modifying teachers’ instructional practices. The ratings showed small variability among instructors and courses, indicating that most of the respondents had positive opinions of all of the courses. The range of the mean ratings among instructors was from 4.2 (nominally equivalent to agree) to 5.0 (strongly agree). The findings are presented in detail below.
Result 1. Number of surveys submitted by participants.
Nearly one-half of the respondents submitted surveys for more than one course. Of the 375 teachers who submitted the 546 surveys, 97 (26%) submitted surveys for two courses, 43 (12%) for three courses, and about 11% for four or more.
Result 2. Average ratings the respondents gave to the five questions on the quality of the instructor and the course.
The majority of the respondents across all the courses thought highly of the “P” credit courses (overall mean=4.84, SD=0.40) (see Table 2). They were satisfied with the instructors’ knowledge and preparation (M=4.83, SD=0.47). They agreed that the instructors allowed them enough time to process and practice the information presented (M=4.80, SD=0.52). They also felt that the instructors’ attitude toward participants was professional (M=4.87, SD=0.45) and reported that they would use at least one idea, strategy, or suggestion presented in the courses in their classroom (M=4.87, SD=0.43). In addition, they would like to recommend the courses to their colleagues (M=4.83, SD=0.53).
Table 2. Mean rating the respondents provided to the five questions across all the “P” credit courses
Result 3. Percentage of the respondents who agree or strongly agree on the excellence of the course.
A large proportion of the respondents were satisfied with the courses and responded positively (i.e., agree or strongly agree) to the five questions. Table 3 illustrates the percentage of the respondents who favored their “P” credit courses. One hundred percent of the respondents either agreed or strongly agreed on the effectiveness of the following seven courses: (1) Balanced Literacy 2: the Writers’ Workshop, (2) Balanced Literacy in Action, (3) Developing Partnership with Families, Find Resources, and Become a Reflective Professional, (4) Elementary School Teachers to Excel in Classroom Management, (5) Introduction to Action Research, (6) Secondary School Teachers to Excel in Classroom Management, and (7) Teaching Positive Social Skills to Students.
In addition, more than 95% of the respondents provided positive assessment to the courses of (1) Adolescent Literacy and English Language Learners (96.6%), (2) How to Use the Internet in Your Classroom (99.2%), (3) Strategic Lesson Planning and Aligning Standards, Curriculum, and Assessment (98.2%), and (4) Methods for Diverse Learners (97.8%).
Table 3. Percentage of the respondents who agreed or strongly agreed on the effectiveness of the courses
Result 4. Average rating of each individual course.
The analysis of the responses by course showed that each of the “P” credit courses received high ratings, with an average rating close to 5.00. Table 4 demonstrated the mean of the ratings to each course. These included (1) Develop Partnerships with Families, Find Resources, and Become a Reflective Professional (M=4.93, SD=0.22, (2) Elementary School Teachers to Excel in Classroom Management (M=4.92, SD=0.24), (3) 17 Web Tools for the Classroom (M=4.93, SD=0.21), (4) Balanced Literacy in Action (M=4.82,SD=0.35), (5) How to Use the Internet in Your Classroom (M=4.80, SD=0.49), and (6) Secondary School Teachers to Excel in Classroom Management (M=4.88, SD=0.23).
In addition, the average ratings for the other “P” credit courses were as follows: Strategic Lesson Planning and Aligning Standards, Curriculum and Assessment (M=4.77, SD=0.47), Teaching Methods for Diverse Learners (M=4.74, SD=0.56), and Adolescent Literacy and English Language Learners (M=4.68, SD=0.57).
Table 4. Average rating each individual course received
Results of the Qualitative Data
Most of the respondents answered the four open-ended questions as follows: 534 (80.2% of 666 the respondents) reported the key concepts they learned from the courses; 511 (76.7%) indicated the aspects of the courses they valued most; 361 (54.2%) provided suggestions to improve the courses; and 267 (40.1%) offered other comments on the courses. Some respondents provided multiple responses to each question and thus the total number of responses exceeds the number of respondents.
Consistent with the results of the quantitative analysis, the qualitative data showed that the “P” credit courses received positive evaluation from majority of the respondents. The course participants highlighted that the “P” credit courses addressed the content areas central to teachers' needs and provided teachers with new conceptions of instruction. They also emphasized that the program allowed teachers enough time to absorb new ideas and test them in their classrooms, get feedback from their peers, and offered them with the opportunities to learn from exemplary teachers. In their comments, the respondents provided some suggestions that were useful for promoting the program in the future. The following sections present the commonly mentioned themes shown in the participants’ responses when disaggregated by course.
Course 1. Adolescent Literacy and English Language Learners.
What were the key concepts and ideas that the participants reported having learned?
The respondents mentioned four key concepts. The most frequently reported concept was instruction and pedagogy (45%). For example, one respondent declared that the course helped him learn how to choose and use multicultural literature and there were many good books suggested during the discussions for use within the classroom.
The second most frequently mentioned concept was accommodations to English Language Learners (ELL) (34%). An example of such response was that “I learned how to tailor lessons to accommodate ELLs and increase their success with given tasks.”
Lesson planning (27%) was the third frequently mentioned concept. For instance, one respondent reported that the key concept he learned was how to effectively plan a lesson.
The fourth concept was the integration of technology to the classroom (16%). A respondent emphasized that he learned how to employ graphic organizers in his teaching practice. Another one pointed out he learned how to teach his students to establish portfolios.
What were the aspects of the courses that participants valued most?
The overwhelming majority (55%) indicated the ideas sharing among the course participants. The examples of such responses included that “the comments from the other participants were appreciated” and “the opportunity to share a classroom with other teachers”.
Twenty-three percent of the responses were coded into instructor’s feedback and guidance. Responses that fell into this code included “reading the instructor’s insightful feedback” and “I found many of the topics difficult in the beginning and as the discussions progressed teachers and the instructors guided me on ideas I could use in science.”
The third frequently mentioned aspect was instructional methods (10%), such as “the scholastic websites”, “the websites were excellent and will be of use to me long after the course.”
What suggestions for improvement did the participants provide?
When asked about the suggestions for course improvement, most of the responses suggested changing course focus and providing more information on course knowledge and pedagogy (61%). For instance, the respondents indicated that they would like to learn more about adolescent literature or strategies to work with students who are learning foreign languages other than English, or more strategies for math and science teachers. Some of the respondents pointed out the reason for this: “I think it is much easier to incorporate literacy into an English or history class but the math and science teachers fall short because we do not know how to approach it.”
In addition, 33% of the responses emphasized the excellence of the course. Examples included “I liked every aspect of the course”, “the course is very well managed and run.”
What were their additional comments on the course?
The overwhelming proportion of the comments pertained to the excellence of the course (35%) or the respondents’ gratitude to the instructors (21%). Examples of such comments included “Great class. I learned so much by sharing ideas, strategies, and materials with other teachers,” “I am very glad I took this course. It gave me insight into working with ELL students that will improve my lessons”, “the professor was going to create an annotated bibliography based on people’s reading suggestions which I think is a wonderful idea, since some of us are new teachers and don't have coaches to help us select quality reading material.”
About 15% of the responses pointed out the issue of shortage of time in completing assignments for the summer class. For example, one respondent reported that being a summer class it was quicker and they had to pay attention to deadlines and due dates.
Course 2. Balanced Literacy 2: The Writer's Workshop
What were the key concepts and ideas that the participants reported having learned?
All the responses (100%) consistently emphasized that the workshop helped the course participants learn how to provide accommodations to ELLs, particularly on writing.
What were the aspects of the courses that participants valued most?
Responses concerning the aspect of the course the participants valued most clustered into two categories, including instructors’ feedback (63%) and idea sharing among the course participants (37%). Such responses included that the instructor was very helpful with websites and suggestions if anyone had a particular question. “She gave me a real feeling of support in my second year teaching balanced literacy.” Examples of idea sharing included “the exchange of ideas between the teachers in the discussion”, “the comments and feedback from the other participants.”
What suggestions for improvement did the participants provide?
Half of the responses (50%) emphasized the excellence of the course (e.g., good enough; the course was fine the way it was). Another 50% of the responses provided suggestions on course material. Given that the readings of the course were from a book, for those who were not used to reading on computer, it caused burden for them to print the articles out.
What were their additional comments on the course?
The extra comments focused on the excellence of the instructor by reporting that the instructor was committed to helping teachers reach their full potential and he would take any other courses the instructor would teach.
Course 3. Balanced Literacy in Action
What were the key concepts and ideas that the participants reported having learned?
The most frequent response was idea sharing (e.g., conferencing), indicated by 59% of the responses. This was followed by content knowledge and pedagogy (e.g., components of balanced literacy) (28%), time management (17%), accommodations for ELLs (10%), and assessment (e.g., the use of rubric) (13%). What were the aspects of the courses that participants valued most? The most frequently mentioned responses were instructor’s feedback (45%) and idea sharing among the course participants (30%). Examples included “…all of the comments and feedback from the instructor and the other classmates”, “I appreciated how the instructor was so thorough in her responses and provided many resources to further answer any question that I had.”
The other common responses were content knowledge and pedagogy (e.g., strategies to work with students) (19%), followed by instructional methods (e.g., the use of video) (18%), flexibility (4%) (e.g., the convenience of working at the participants’ own pace from home), and useful and interesting assignment (4%).
What suggestions for improvement did the participants provide?
The majority of the responses valued the usefulness of the feedback from the instructor(44%). About 38% of the responses reported that there was nothing necessary for improvement.
The two major areas the respondents suggested for improvement (18%) included offering the course at the beginning of the semester and more information on how to provide accommodations to ELLs.
What were their additional comments on the course?
In the other comments, the respondents emphasized the positive role the course played in improving content knowledge and pedagogy (e.g., literacy instruction). Another frequently mentioned comment was that the course material was useful. For example, a respondent reported that “the selected articles provided a wealth of information and I learned a lot through the readings.” Another respondent mentioned that “the video clips would always be part of my professional learning library.”
Course 4. Develop Partnerships with Families, Find Resources, and Become a Reflective Professional
What were the key concepts and ideas that participants reported having learned?
The major concept being learned was parent-teacher communication (53%). For instance, a respondent underscored that she learned many different ways to incorporate parents into their child's schooling. Similarly, another respondent stated that he learned how to connect better between the teachers and the parents.
Another frequently reported response was the importance of parents (41%). For example, one respondent emphasized that “parents are important in the educational aspect of their children's lives.”
Other common responses focused on resources, including parents, colleagues, the Internet, books (24%), reflection on practice (15%), and special services (e.g., making accommodations to meet the students’ diverse needs) (14%).
What were the aspects of the courses that participants valued most?
Responses to this question were coded into three categories: idea sharing among participants (85%), instructor’s feedback (48%), and resources (e.g., books, websites) (18%).
What suggestions for improvement did the participants provide?
When being asked the areas that could be improved, about half of the responses indicated that the course was fine the way it was (43%), whereas 57% pointed out some areas that could be improved. These included difficulty in accessing students (12%) (e.g., “it was hard to contact people from school over the summer.”), shortage of time (11%) (e.g., “it was a very short class; the course would be improved if we had a little more time to complete the assignment.”), the desire for more resources (11%) (e.g., “compiling a list or directing us to a list of community organizations that assist schools. They could be health/food related, sports related, environmentally related. These organizations can be a really good resource for schools.”), and the desire for more feedback from the instructor (10%) (e.g., “more feedback from instructor to let students know if they are up to date with course work,” “It would have been better if the teacher had responded to our posts in a more timely fashion.”)
The fifth commonly mentioned suggestion was a request for more strategies to work with parents and develop partnership with families (8%) (e.g., “it would be helpful to have more strategies for decompressing angry parents”, “I think that this class really didn’t address parent involvement enough. I would have liked to learn more ways in which I could get parents involved. The activities about parent involvement seemed repetitive.”)
In addition, about 5% of the responses provided advice on grouping the course participants. For example, a respondent suggested that the course participants be grouped off by containing elementary schools to one course and middle schools or high schools to another course. Another suggestion was that the course would be improved if the teachers were grouped according to license area; this way the teachers could really learn and share skills and techniques that work well for them.
What were their additional comments on the course?
Appromiximately 95% of the responses were positive evaluations, including comments on the excellence of the instructor and the course. For example, one teacher reported that “the course was really informative.” Another commented that the instructor was very helpful and very knowledgeable.
The rest of the 5% of the responses commented on the course material. These responses included a comment that was not helpful and that some course participants had some difficulties with the CDs.
Course 5. Elementary School Teachers to Excel in Classroom Management
What were the key concepts and ideas that participants reported having learned?
About one-third of the responses indicated that they had learned general discipline strategies (24%). For example, one respondent replied that he learned a lot of ways to help manage his classroom.
Forty-two percent of respondents indicated the specific techniques they acquired from the course, including behavior contract (17%), rule set-up and consistency (12%), differentiated instruction (8%), and student involvement in decision-making (7%). Responses categorized into these codes included that “a key concept that I learned had to do with structuring a behavior management contract, and to be consistent in implementing your strategies”, “every child learns differently. Teachers must differentiate instruction to fit the needs of each individual student”, “establishment of routines and procedures and more importantly reviewing them with the students often.”
About 11% fell into the category of idea sharing and input. One such response was that the class presented great suggestions and ideas on how to implement routines into the classroom.
Six percent of the responses were coded into perception change on classroom management, including the subcategories of importance of classroom management (4%), and the significance of class organization and preparation (2%). These responses included “solid classroom management is vital to create a sound learning environment”, “I leaned the importance of organization and preparation. With these things, you are better able to manage your classroom.”
What were the aspects of the courses that participants valued most?
About 55% of the responses indicated that discussion and idea sharing were what course participants enjoyed most. For example, one respondent reported that he particularly enjoyed speaking with various colleagues on line. “It's nice to talk to people who understand most of what you are going through.” Likewise, another participant said that “I really appreciated being able to read the responses and respond to the other participants.”
Nearly 30% of the responses were coded into comments and feedback from the instructor. In addition, 16% focused on instructional methods, particularly the use of the video clips. Examples included “… especially the one where you were able to watch a video of a teacher in her classroom”, “I enjoyed watching the videos of the actual classrooms.”
Fifteen percent reported course material as being of most value. Examples of such responses were that “the specific examples and strategies in the readings and text…”, “I enjoyed reading the articles we had to respond to. I found them informative.”
Thirteen percent indicated that the course participants enjoyed the time that they spent reflecting on teaching style in which they conducted in their classroom. What suggestions for improvement did the participants provide?
More than half (68%) of the responses showed that the course participants were happy with what the course was and pointed out that there was nothing necessary for improvement.
Responses on recommendations were coded into four thematic categories. The category with the largest number of recommendations was course content (21%) (e.g., “we could discuss topics that were of concern to us, but not necessarily on the topic board for the week.”) The second most frequent theme concerned the shortage of time (17%), with most respondents pointed out the difficulty in balancing between coursework and teacher load. The other two categories were continuing discussion after the course ended (9%) and reducing course cost (5%).
What were their additional comments on the course?
The majority of the respondents who responded to this question provided positive comments (44%). The most frequent response emphasized the excellence of the instructor and the course (44%). Some of the participating teachers expressed their appreciation to the instructor or discussed the quality and professionalism of the professor. Others commented on the quality of the course (e.g., “I learned about how to deal with violence in schools”, “It was a topic I didn't really give much thought to before.”)
Other top responses included idea sharing among the participants (28%), reflection on practice (14%), and flexible structure of online course (10%) (e.g., “It was very convenient taking a class online. I enjoy the online classes. It gives the busy teacher a way to continue learning, interacting with people of similar backgrounds, and can be done when your schedule permits.”)
Course 6. How to Use the Internet in Your Classroom
What are the key concepts that the course participants reported having learned?
Respondents most frequently mentioned having learned content knowledge and pedagogy (82%) such as using webquests, Blogs, Virtual trips, and Google Earth, and how to incorporate technology into the classroom (18%). Examples of responses coded into the category of content knowledge included “I have learned the basic steps needed to create a webquest and my own blog”, “The course offered a broad survey of internet applications. Before the course, I wasn't aware of webquests and had limited knowledge of virtual field trips.” The responses coded into technology incorporation into classroom included that “I used the blogs this year and the kids loved them”, “I learned plenty of new information that I cannot wait to try in my classes.”
What were the aspects of the courses that participants valued most?
Forty-one percent of the respondents indicated that the quality of the instructor was the aspect of the courses that participants valued most. Responses in this category included “all of the information that the instructor shared with us: list of websites, virtual trips, blogs, webquests”, “the instructor was extremely enthusiastic and always wellprepared. She was open to suggestions and went above and beyond to get any information that I asked.”
The second most frequent response related to the interaction and idea sharing among the classmates (35%), including comment, feedback and on-line discussion among the classmates. For instance, a teacher responded that “I gained a lot from everyone. I particularly enjoyed communicating with other peers”, “all of the help with additional websites and ideas from fellow classmates”, “the feedback from classmates and from the instructor...and the chance to see the ideas others came up with.”
The third highest response was course content (11%). For example, one respondent reported that “I loved creating blogs, satellites mapping, and webquests”, “something I particularly enjoyed was creating a virtual field trip that I could use in my class.”
The next two highest responses were resources (10%) and technology integration (10%). Examples of resources were “the variety of resources we were given particularly the virtual tours and web-quest resources” and “the educational links that were presented as resources were very helpful to me in the classroom.” Examples of technology integration included “the many ideas offered by the professor to incorporate internet ideas in the classroom, including blogs and web-quests”, “the wonderful ideas for 30 activities to use with my students while integrating technology,” and “trying to implement some ideas as we learned.”
The sixth and seventh most common responses were assignment (9%) and flexibility (4%). Examples included “I enjoyed every assignment and found them all extremely interesting”, “the leeway to get the work done at a convenient time”, and “the freedom to work at my own pace.”
What suggestions for improvement did the participants provide?
The most frequent response was that the course was good enough, as indicated by 44% of respondents. Examples of such responses as “honestly I don't think the course needs any improvement”, “I thought the course was great”, “I think this course was run perfectly and I was sorry to see it end.”
The rest of the participants (56%) expressed the areas that needed to be improved. These included shortage of time in completing the assignment (18%), more feedback from the instructor (14%), and more chances of discussion (7%). What are your additional comments on the course?
More than two-thirds (71%) of the responses were coded as satisfaction with the course. Responses that fell into this category included excellence of the course and high quality of the instructor. Examples of such responses were as follows: “I enjoyed working with this teacher. She was supportive and forced me to challenge myself”, “The instructor was very well prepared and gave good feedback. The course work was easy to understand and very interesting”, “This was a very informative class. I am happy I took this course. I will certainly take away with me many useful resources to use in my classroom.”
The second most frequently mentioned comment was the desire of taking more such courses in the future (21%). Examples of the responses that fell into this category were “I would like to see more online technology courses offered”, “I look forward to taking more courses”, “this was one of the best courses I have taken being a librarian and computer teacher. I wish there were more courses like this.”
Course 7. Introduction to Action Research
What were the key concepts and ideas that participants reported having learned?
One key concept consistently highlighted by the respondents was content knowledge and pedagogy (51%). A typical example of such response was that “I have learned how to pay more attention to my struggling students and how to provide more help for them.” Another common response was professional development (37%). The participants pointed out the importance of making improvements in teaching.
What were the aspects of the courses that participants valued most?
The responses were categorized into two themes: instructor feedback (50%) and integration of theory and practice (50%). What suggestions for improvement did the participants provide? Only one teacher responded to this question, indicating that the course was good enough and did not need to be improved.
Course 8. Secondary School Teachers to Excel in Classroom Management
What were the key concepts and ideas that participants reported having learned?
The most often mentioned key concept was content knowledge and pedagogy, focusing on the different strategies and techniques (60%). Thirty-two percent of the responses focused on the strategies in general and 28% specified the particular techniques acquired, including behavior contract (14%), peer mediation (5%), cooperative learning (3%), establishing rules and expectations (3%), and looking for warning signs (3%).
The second most frequent response was idea sharing (21%), followed by differentiated instruction (18%). Examples of responses that fell into these two categories included “sharing ideas with the instructor and other teachers was very beneficial” and “any time there is a discussion that includes differentiated instruction I always leave learning something new.”
Other common responses were time management (15%) and instructional methods (12%). An example of time management was that “I learned some suggestions for cutting back on the amount of time I spend grading.” An example of response on instructional method was that “the video on classroom management was really helpful.”
What were the aspects of the courses that participants valued most?
The aspect of the course the teachers enjoyed most was interaction and idea sharing (60%). For example, one teacher stated that the opportunity to talk to other teachers and hear some of the things they did to address difficult students.
The second highest response was feedback from the instructor (27%). In addition, 12% of the responses fell into the category, flexible structure of the course. For example, one respondent emphasized that “I liked the flexibility of this course. You could work on your assignments at any time of the day or night.” Moreover, 6% of the responses were coded to course material (e.g., I appreciated the reading materials that were provided such as the websites).
What suggestions for improvement did the participants provide?
Forty-one percent of the responses showed that the course participants were satisfied with the course and did not think it was necessary to improve the course at all. Such responses were coded into excellence of the course.
The rest of the responses (59%) provided various suggestions, which were categorized into shift of course focus (e.g., “the course should focus more on practice”) (19%), approaches of increasing interaction (15%) (e.g., “it would be nice if an email alert system was set up to let you know when someone responds to your posting. That way you can get online and respond back making the online discussions much more interactive,”) and improvement of course material, including more video clips, DVD/CD (11%). In addition, some respondents pointed out the time constraints of the course (7%). For instance, one respondent complained that the pacing of the course for the summer was brisk.
What were their additional comments on the course?
The extra comments the course participants provided mainly focused on the excellence of the instructor (37%) or of the course (53%). For instance, a respondent commented that the instructor was such a wonderful leader…She responded to the messages quickly and thoroughly. Examples of the excellence of the course included “the course was useful to me because it reenergized me to try again ideas I had forgotten”, “Great course... Easy to access and complete each week with full time working schedule.”
Course 9. Strategic Lesson Planning and Aligning Standards, Curriculum and Assessment
What were the key concepts and ideas that participants reported having learned?
About 47 % of the responses focused on planning, including the strategies of planning (e.g., teacher collaboration in planning) (33%) and perceptions on planning (e.g., the importance of planning) (14%).
The second largest number of key concepts was assessment (31%), including assessment methods and tools, accommodation in assessment, and the use of rubric. The third frequently mentioned theme was curriculum (27%). This included how to integrate the Performance Standards in the curriculum and to utilize multidisciplinary curriculums. Another common category was content knowledge and pedagogy (15%). For example, a respondent stated that the course enabled him to become very aware of how important it was to develop students processing skills.
What were the aspects of the courses that participants valued most?
Idea sharing and instructor feedback (58%) were the top two areas the course participants enjoyed. The third frequently reported area was integration of theory and practice (23%). Examples of such response included that “the practical nature of the assignments. I can and will use everything I learned in this course.”
In addition, a large number of respondents preferred the instructional methods and course material (17%) (e.g., “I particularly appreciated the videos and the reading….”) The next two categories were assessment (e.g., formulate a rubric) (9%) and the flexibility of the course (8%).
What suggestions for improvement did the participants provide?
About 78% of the responses indicated the high quality of the course. A large number of the respondents reported that they enjoyed the course and could not think of any improvement.
The responses addressing the areas that needed improvement were coded into two categories, included continuation of discussion after the course ended (14%) and allowing more time to absorb the course information (8%).
What were their additional comments on the course?
The most frequently mentioned comment was the high quality of the course or the excellence of the instructor (44%). The comments addressing the shortcomings of the courses focused on three areas. The first area was the difficulty in accessing students (12%) because this course was offered in the summer and school was closed. The second area was course material (10%) which was not helpful enough. The third area was that the course was costly (7%).
Course 10. Teaching Methods for Diverse Learners
What were the key concepts and ideas that course participants reported having learned?
The most frequently reported key concept was content knowledge and pedagogy (54%), focusing on the understanding of multiple-intelligence. For example, the course participants highlighted that the course helped them understand that students were all different. Students should be given the opportunity to use their strengths. Some 36 respondents reported that they had learned how to incorporate multiple intelligences into their curriculum.
The second most commonly mentioned concept was special services and differentiated instruction (33%). Responses that were coded into this category included “I am now more sensitive to my students learning styles and now try to include activities in my lessons that try to address the different learning styles of my students”, “I learned how to differentiate instruction according to the various strengths/intelligences of each child”, “I have learned many ways to modify the materials in my classroom in order to cater to the various intelligences of my students.”
What were the aspects of the courses that participants valued most?
The responses on the aspects the participants valued most were clustered into five categories, including instructor feedback (34%), idea sharing among participants (22%), integration of theory and practice (e.g., application of multiple intelligence in classroom) (17%), availability and flexibility (e.g., “this was an online course available 24 hours a day”) (12%), and course material (e.g., “the abundance of readings which I felt was very well thought out”) (11%).
What suggestions for improvement did the participants provide?
About 45% of the responses pointed out the excellence of the course (e.g., well organization, good instructor) or stressed that there was nothing for improvement. The rest of the 55% responses were suggestions provided by the course participants, which were coded into the following categories.
The first one was time for assignment, followed by grouping course participants so that the teachers from the same grade level could have more conversations. The third category was course material (e.g., more videos and more resources for classroom teachers to utilize).
What were their additional comments on the course?
Appromiximately 30% of the comments concentrated on the excellence of the course or gratitude to the instructor. For instance, a respondent mentioned that “the course was very interesting, informative, and useful.” Another respondent said that “the instructor did her best to make them as close as if we were seeing each other”.
The other frequently appeared comments pointed out the conflicts in balancing between coursework and field experiences (28%). For example, a respondent complained that for three of the sessions they had to prepare and implement two lesson plans, answer questions, and read articles from web sites.
The next category was difficulty in accessing to students (9%). Since the course was offered in the summer, it was not possible to have the same access to students as the course participants would have had during the school year.
Course 11. Teaching Positive Social Skills to Students
What were the key concepts and ideas participants reported having learned?
The key concept mentioned most frequently was course content and pedagogy (29%). Responses coded into this category included “… new methods of dealing with his students to teach positive social skills”, “the importance and ways to increase self-esteem in students.” Other examples included “… the two key concepts I learned are: (1) It is important to establish a trusting relationship with our students first, in order to deal with any upcoming issues that may be faced; (2) allow students the opportunity to express themselves fairly.”
What were the aspects of the courses that participants valued most?
The first code was the interaction and feedback from other students (35%). The second one was instructor’s professionalism and feedback (26%). An example was that “the instructor was very clear, organized, informed, friendly, and tactful. She was an excellent facilitator and always commented on our assignments and you can tell she really put a lot of time into the course and her comments.”
The next two codes were assignment (12%) (e.g., “the assignments were all extremely useful.”) and the structure of the class (8%) (e.g., “the flow of the class was very friendly and helpful.”).
What suggestions for improvement did the participants provide?
When being asked for suggestions on improving the course, 100% of the responses either emphasized the excellence of the course or nothing for improvement. Examples included that “there's nothing I can really think of that could improve this course at this time; I really enjoyed it”, “I really can't think of an area that requires improvement”, “the course doesn't need to be improved.”
What were their additional comments on the course?
A large number of the comments emphasized the excellence of the instructor or the course (49%). Some of the respondents pointed out the flexible structure of the online courses and would like to register again. For example, one respondent reported that she really enjoyed the class as well as the instructor and would continue to take courses in this manner.
Another frequently mentioned comment was the need of offering another session for this particular course (8%). The respondents pointed out there should be a part two or session two to this course.
Course 12. Web Tools for the Classroom
What are the key concepts and ideas that the participants report having learned?
The most frequent concept reported being learned was integration of web-based technology into classroom (100%). Examples of the responses included that “I learned how to integrate a blog into my classroom”, “I have learned how to use a webquest in my classroom.”
The second commonly mentioned concept was content knowledge (24%). For example, some respondents reported that they enjoyed learning about wikis, Google docs, and Google maps, as well as building up the webquest.
What were the aspects of the courses that participants valued most?
Thirty-three percent liked the instructor’s professionalism and helpfulness. About 67% focused on instructional methods, especially using websites (e.g., Wikipedia) in teaching.
What suggestions for improvement did the participants provide?
About 87% of the responses showed that the course participants were satisfied with the course the way it was. These responses were characterized by pointing out the excellence of the course or nothing necessary for change.
The responses addressing the areas that need be promoted include more feedback from the instructor (7%) because several assignments that the participants submitted were not commented on at all.
What were their additional comments on the course?
The respondents emphasized their appreciation for the instructor (68%) and their satisfaction with the course (38%). Some of them specified the areas they liked, including content knowledge, flexibility, and the instructor’s feedback.
Conclusions and Recommendations
The results of the open-ended data were consistent with the findings of the closedended data. The course participants appeared to find the professional development activities valuable and the course instructors were helpful in many meaningful ways. A large number of respondents reported that the “P” credit courses had a positive effect on producing fundamental changes in teachers' knowledge and their working relationships with students and their colleagues. It was emphasized that the “P” credit courses equipped the course participants with effective instructional methods, educational resources, and approaches of integrating theory and practice. It was also highlighted that the “P” credit courses provided them with the opportunities to interact with their peers and share their ideas and experiences.
Although the course participants held generally positive views about the impact of the professional development courses on their teaching practices, some challenges existed for the course participants to meet the requirements of the courses, especially for those offered in the summer. Many participants pointed out that it was difficult to access students during the summer. The respondents also reported that the summer course was too condensed, compared to those offered in the spring or fall semester. The difficulty in balancing between their coursework and field experiences was frequently mentioned. Thus, allowing the participants more time to process what was being learned is necessary for successful professional development.
In addition, the courses could be improved if the modes of discussion could be more interactive. As the respondents suggested, an email alert system could be set up to let them know when someone responds to the postings. That way the participants can get online and respond back making the online discussions much more interactive.
Another recommendation for improving course quality is to divide the elementary and secondary or high school teachers into two classes. The grouping could be based on grade level or license area. This way the teachers could more effectively learn and share skills and techniques that work well for them.
Moreover, opportunities should be available for the course participants to continue their discussion after they have completed the courses. A large number of participants reported what they valued most was the idea sharing among their peers. Those ideas from their colleagues are useful resources and the interaction between peers is an effective approach for them to improve their professionalism. However, when the semester ended, this useful interaction did not exist any more.
Furthermore, many course participants complained that they did not receive any feedback on their last assignment though they did appreciate the feedback the instructors provided during the semester. Therefore, the course quality could be improved if the instructors offered feedback on all the course assignment including the last one. 42
References
Hawley, W.D. and Valli, L. 1996. "Essentials of Effective Professional Development: A New Consensus." Paper presented to the AERA Invitational Conference on Teacher Development and School Reform. Washington, DC.
Little, J.W. 1993. "Teachers' Professional Development in a Climate of Educational Reform." Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis 15: 129-151.
National Center for Education Statistics (2008). Toward Better Teaching: Professional Development in 1993-94 / Executive Summary. Retrieved October 12, 2008, from http://nces.ed.gov/pubs98/teaching9394/execsumm.asp
Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1998). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.