Date of Award

Fall 12-2019

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Degree Program

Educational Leadership

Department

Educational Administration

Major Professor

Dr. Brian Beabout

Second Advisor

Dr. Chris Broadhurst

Third Advisor

Dr. Marc Bonis

Fourth Advisor

Dr. Jenna Chiasson

Abstract

Abstract

Improving the educational system for students and teachers is of the upmost importance. Educational leaders have realized that the best way to improve student success is by improving teachers’ instructional practices and measuring their effectiveness (Mathers, Oliva, & Laine, 2008). Because of this awareness, educators have realized the importance of connecting student achievement with instructional practices and instructional practices with teacher effectiveness. Evaluation tools are used to measure how effective teachers are in their classrooms. Evaluations are crucial in assisting our teachers in their professional growth. When evaluations are utilized as supportive tools, they help teachers and administrators identify strengths and weakness, but more importantly they prescribe strategies to assist teachers in improvement.

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore teachers’ perceptions of the evaluation systems and understand if and how they influence classroom instructional practices. The participants consisted of twelve teachers in the state of Louisiana. Data was extracted through semi-structured interviews and coded for common themes. Through these themes, the researcher formed a narrative format to voice the participants’ experiences. The study concludes that teacher evaluation has minimal influence on instructional practice. Data suggested issues with the design of evaluation systems, the implementation of such systems, and the basic challenge of using a single system to evaluate all teachers regardless of personal or workplace characteristics.

Rights

The University of New Orleans and its agents retain the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible this dissertation or thesis in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. The author retains all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis or dissertation.

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