Page 244 - DEDU505_TEACHER_EDUCATION_ENGLISH

Teacher Education

Notes The role of educational authorities: Educational authorities play a major role in the conception
and application of teacher evaluation, since they set the national learning outcome objectives,
agree standards for the teaching profession and establish the norms that regulate teacher
evaluation. In some countries, they play a direct role in the implementation and monitoring of
teacher evaluation procedures. This might include the design of specific evaluation tools and
instruments, the determination of evaluation criteria, the distribution of evaluation duties, and
the follow-up on evaluation results. In other countries, educational authorities establish general
principles and guidelines only and give schools considerable leeway to adapt the teacher evaluation
model to their particular circumstances (for instance, letting schools define evaluation criteria).
The role of inspectorates: In many countries education inspectorates take full responsibility for
teacher evaluation. This includes developing teacher evaluation procedures and undertaking
individual teacher evaluations with school inspectors taking the role of evaluators. In others, the
inspectorate does not take responsibility for individual teacher evaluations but, instead, has an
important role in stimulating both the quality of school leadership and the quality of teaching.
This is typically done through feeding back the results of external school evaluation, mostly
consisting of feedback on leadership and management, feedback on the quality of the teaching
and learning processes, and feedback on school climate. In general, the Inspectorate also has an
eminent role in modelling and disseminating good practice in teacher evaluation.
The role of schools and school leadership: The effective operation of teacher evaluation depends
to a great extent on the way the concept and practice of school leadership is established in
schools. The role of school leaders in teacher evaluation differs across countries. In some countries,
it may consist of the simple implementation of centrally-dictated regulations. In this case, real
and recognised pedagogical leadership is necessary to use the teacher evaluation process
developmentally and avoid the image of a bureaucratic device.
In other countries, school leaders take full responsibility for the evaluation of individual teachers.
In Finland, the school director is the pedagogical leader, responsible for the teachers in her
school and for the implementation of measures needed to enhance teaching quality. As a result,
most of Finnish schools have a system that includes annual discussions aimed at evaluating the
teacher.s fulfillment of individual objectives set up during the previous year and determining
developmental needs for the following year.
The complex interrelationship of personnel and career development and school improvement
requires that the evaluation, management, and improvement processes are embedded and
integrated in a system of school quality assurance.
The role of teachers: In some systems, teacher evaluation is based on reviews by peers, often
more experienced and with more responsibilities. This is more typical of evaluation for
improvement purposes. Evidence shows the power of developmental peer observation of lessons
with clear foci and effective feedback in making a strong contribution to notching up the quality
of instruction. When peers are the evaluators in accountability-driven teacher evaluation
procedures, issues of legitimacy are particularly relevant to address.
Self Assessment
2. State whether the following statements are 'True' of 'False'
(i) Educational authorities play a major role in the conception and application of teacher
evaluation.
(ii) In many countries education inspectorates take full responsibility for teacher evaluataion.
(iii) The complex interrelationship of personal and career development and school
improvement does not require that evaluation and management are embedded in a system
of school quality assurance.
(iv) Inspectorate has not an eminent role in modeling and dissemination good practice in
teacher evaluation.

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