Induction Programs’ Effectiveness in Boosting New Teachers’ Instruction and Student Achievement: A Critical Review

Abstract

Induction programs are a set of systematic structures aimed at for supporting and guiding novice teachers and in helping them to learn responsibilities and to improve practices related to the effective teaching process and its impact on students’ achievement. The purpose of this critical review was to examine ten empirical studies conducted between 2000 and 202, in order1 to determine the impact of induction programs on teachers' self-efficacy and teaching practices as well as students’ learning and achievement. These studies were selected based on their direct relevance to the induction programs for novice teachers; and they are distinguished by the clarity of the methods used, the results, and the presence of experimental evidence. In addition, the quality of these studies must be high. Most of the studies empirically support the claim that induction programs for new teachers positively impact both the instructional practices and the students’ achievement. However, some of the studies showed no significant relationship between them. Therefore, this review attempts to reconcile the results of these studies that were showed by each study, and highlight the elements that contribute to variations in the results, including potential flaws in research design or other shortcomings, if any. The most prominent results of this review were that eight studies, which demonstrated that induction programs have a positive effect on teachers' classroom practices and students’ achievement; while two studies indicated that there was no relationship between teachers’ induction and students’ achievement. Finally, the relevant questions not addressed in the literature are suggested for promoting additional research that would demystify some of the ambiguities among the existing studies.