Prototypical Case Studies for Eval of Math & Sci Teachers

This study will extend the current research base on effective teaching by creating and validating a set of prototypical teacher performance assessments. These assessments will take the form of multimedia web cases of teaching and learning in science and mathematics. This study will determine the extent to which the conceptions of effective teaching practices held by professionals involved in all stages of the education process converge or diverge. Results will help (1) determine if a disparity or parity exists among teachers pricipals and teacher educators in terms of their conceptions of effective science and math teaching (2) determine if a professional assessment can be developed that is accurate, proper, and useful for the development of science and math teachers; and (3) as identified in the National Science Education Standard C, provide opportunities for teachers to receive feedback about their teaching and to understan, analyze, and apply that feedback to improve their practice. We will also try to understand relationships between teacher performance on the assessment tools and their students' performances on standardized tests.