Teacher Collaboration Research Articles

The Relationship Between Teacher Collaboration and Instructional Practices, Instructional Climate, and Social Relations

There is growing consensus about the importance of teacher collaboration. Less clear are the mechanisms by which teacher collaboration can positively impact student achievement. We address this gap by examining two questions using panel data methods. First, does the degree to which teachers collaborate predict future growth in conditions relevant to student learning, including teachers’ instructional practice, instructional climate, and trust relations? Second, does growth over time in collaboration affect growth in these outcomes? We find evidence that both collaboration at baseline and its growth over time are positive predictors of change in teacher practice, instructional climate, and trust relations.

VAI TRÒ CỦA HIỆU TRƯỞNG TRONG VIỆC KHUYẾN KHÍCH SỰ HỢP TÁC CỦA GIẢNG VIÊN TẠI TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC: MỘT NGHIÊN CỨU TỔNG QUAN

Collaboration between teachers is a significant predictor of outcome variables at the schools, teacher, and student levels. As they are in charge of establishing the work settings for teachers, principals have the power to encourage and develop teacher collaboration. The aim of this case study was to gain insight into how important principals’ roles are in establishing and maintaining a cooperative work environment between teachers. With the document analysis method, the paper is going to discuss principals’ roles in encouraging collaboration between teachers, the benefits of teacher collaboration, and links between principals’ roles and teacher collaboration. Hopefully, it would be a precious source for both principals and teachers to be aware of the importance of collaboration at tertiary level. Keywords: Collaboration; the roles of principals; tertiary level; sustainable development.

Creating Space for Teachers as Curriculum Leaders in Secondary Schools

Although the inclusion of teachers in curriculum leadership is essential for efficient teaching and learning, opportunities for teacher participation remain sparse. To address this gap, the present study aims to examine how school principals create opportunities for teachers as curriculum leaders (TCL) in secondary schools in South Africa. Employing a qualitative research approach through a multiple case study design, eight school principals were purposively (study was on principals) and conveniently selected (those who were willing to participate). Principals were individually interviewed and some school meetings were observed to obtain the empirical data. The thematically analysed data revealed that principals create opportunities for teachers to serve as curriculum leaders through teacher empowerment (teachers being delegated to analyse whole-school results). Principals also create participative decision-making structures (in which teachers freely suggest solutions to problems and principals share their visions through open communication). The findings also revealed that, through the professional development (PD) of teachers (time allocated for continuous PD and platforms provided for teacher collaboration), principals create opportunities for TCL. The implications of this study are that these strategies provide opportunities for teacher inclusion in matters such as curriculum development processes, as teachers are better informed of students’ needs. The study contributes to the knowledge of effective means of conducting and improving teachers’ PD that will culminate in desired student outcomes. Further research is recommended with a larger sample that may permit the generalisation of findings. Future studies could seek teachers’ perceptions on their preferred strategies for creating these opportunities.

Explore How Transformational Leadership Styles Impact Educational Environments and Student

This study investigates the impact of transformational leadership on school climate and student outcomes using both correlational and regression analyses to assess the relationships between leadership behaviors and educational variables. The findings reveal that transformational leadership significantly enhances teacher collaboration (r = 0.65), inclusivity (r = 0.71), and innovation (r = 0.58), with leadership explaining up to 51% of the variance in inclusivity. Additionally, transformational leadership is positively correlated with student outcomes, including academic performance (r = 0.62) and student engagement (r = 0.62). Schools led by transformational leaders had higher mean scores in student academic performance, with an average test score of 85.50 compared to 78.00 in schools with other leadership styles. Statistical analyses such as ANOVA confirmed that these differences are statistically significant, showing that transformational leadership fosters a more collaborative, inclusive, and innovative school environment, which directly enhances student engagement and academic achievement. These results highlight the importance of transformational leadership in educational settings, particularly in shaping both teacher effectiveness and student success. The study concludes by recommending leadership development programs, collaboration initiatives, and regular leadership evaluations to ensure continuous improvement in school environments.

Tolerance of uncertainty and its role for teachers’ use of ICT in classroom in times of digital transformation

AbstractThis paper focuses on conditions that are crucial for the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the classroom. Particular attention is given to teachers’ tolerance of uncertainty, which is seen as an important internal resource for coping with professional requirements. Furthermore, the paper examines whether teachers’ tolerance of uncertainty is related to other internal resources (positive views on ICT, ICT-related self-efficacy) and external resources (ICT-related teacher collaboration). The data are derived from a survey among 8th grade teachers in secondary schools in Germany conducted as part of the IEA International Computer and Information Literacy Study (ICILS 2018). The findings show a positive relationship between teachers’ tolerance of uncertainty and their use of ICT in the classroom. Teachers’ tolerance of uncertainty is furthermore in particular positively related to teachers’ positive views on ICT and ICT-related teacher collaboration at school. The relationship between teachers’ tolerance of uncertainty and their use of ICT in the classroom remained when statistically controlled for internal and external resources. Teachers’ tolerance of uncertainty can therefore be seen as a resource in the teaching profession.

Action research communities as a whole-of-school teaching improvement initiative: a multi-method multi-informant study

AbstractProfessional learning communities (PLCs) actioned through collaborative action research (CAR) have been found in the literature to be beneficial for both teachers and students. However, previous studies mainly examined teachers’ perceived effectiveness of CAR-based PLCs, as well as identified steps and elements involved in such PLCs, either self-initiated by teachers themselves or by university researchers in a school-university partnership model. Few have focused on a whole-of-school teaching improvement initiative based entirely on PLCs through CAR. In this study, we provide preliminary evaluation of a 3-year whole-of-school teaching improvement initiative (the SETaRI), based on PLCs through CAR at a regional primary school in NSW, Australia. Analysis of students’ various assessment measures (N = 206), teachers’ survey (N = 44), observation of professional learning team meetings, and various types of student artefacts revealed that students showed general and consistent improvement in both their reading and maths performance over time following the implementation of the SETaRI model, with greater progressive learning effects for those whose initial learning outcomes were lower than their peers. The findings also highlighted data-driven decision making, teacher collaboration, and school leadership as potent elements underlying teachers’ positive attitudes toward the implementation of the model as well as student learning outcomes and improvement. This study provides useful implications for a school improvement agenda focused on action research communities.

Characteristics of Effective International School Teachers: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Qualities of effective teachers matter because teachers are the number one school-related factor that impacts on student achievement. Although researchers in the United States have studied frameworks for evaluating teacher effectiveness, these frameworks are not focused on teachers working in international schools. Thus, they may not reflect the importance of understanding both the context of working in intercultural settings and the skills that allow teachers to flourish in international schools. Using a systematic configurative synthesis review of 23 studies, this study identifies qualities of effective teachers working in international schools through a synthesis of the study findings. We identified four key attributes that are emphasized, if not unique, in international school effective teacher research: a focus on teacher collaboration and teacher leadership; cultural awareness and responsiveness from multi-national perspectives; and host country language acquisition. Overall, we find that a focus on what makes an effective international school teacher is lacking in the extant research, particularly given the predicted enormous growth of international schools.

Co-designing teaching with digital technologies: a case study on mixed pre-service and in-service mathematics teacher design teams

The development of professional digital competencies is an important condition for a meaningful integration of digital technologies in mathematics education. A widely used and empirically studied approach for the professional development of in-service teachers are teacher design teams, in which lessons are collaboratively planned, implemented and reflected. However, this approach has not yet been considered for the collaboration of pre-service and in-service teachers. Therefore, this article examines in a holistic case study mixed teacher design teams composed of pre-service and in-service teachers. A total of 23 interviews were conducted with pre-service and in-service teachers and analyzed by inductive development of categories using the method of qualitative content analysis. The case study shows among other things, that the different prerequisites of the participants can lead to a relatively clear division of roles within the collaboration, which turns out to be suitable for the professionalization of both pre-service and in-service mathematics teachers.

Can Teacher Collaboration Buffer Against a Reliance on Exclusionary Discipline? An Exploratory Study of Collegial Social Network and Functional Community Theories in New York City High Schools

This study investigates the association between teachers’ perceptions of collaboration and the use of exclusionary discipline in New York City public high schools in 2017. We draw on the existing theories of collegial social networks and functional communities to explain how teachers work together to shape the school environment in which students experience discipline. Using multiple linear regression analysis, we found that teachers’ perception of collaboration within their work environment was associated with lower rates of exclusionary discipline. Our results suggest that administrators could utilize the lever of teacher collaboration when trying to reduce the use of exclusionary discipline within schools. Additionally, programs aimed at providing alternatives to exclusionary discipline may benefit from greater explicit inclusion of collaborative practices.

Synergizing teacher collaboration to foster active learning strategies, student engagement and achievement in physics: a unified analysis across nine countries

This investigation explores the nexus between professional teacher collaboration, active learning methodologies, teaching promoting student engagement in physics classes and physics achievement. Leveraging Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study Advanced 2015 data from 1729 physics instructors across nine countries, it probes the extent to which collaborative practices among teachers influence their teaching to enhance active learning and engagement. Analytical techniques include Spearman correlations, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modeling. Results reveal a robust model, confirmed by a Comparative Fit Index of 0.989 and Tucker–Lewis Index of 0.988, suggesting a good fit with the empirical data, alongside a Root Mean Square Error of Approximation of 0.053. The analysis demonstrates that teacher collaboration (‘Collab’) significantly predicts active learning (‘Active’) with a notable effect (β = 0.344, p < 0.001), which in turn significantly enhances student engagement (‘Engage’) (β = 0.438, p < 0.001). Additionally, ‘Engage’ is also directly influenced by ‘Collab’ (β = 0.174, p < 0.001). Although the relationship between ‘Collab’ and physics achievement (‘Physics’) is weaker, it remains significant (β = 0.063, p = 0.019). These findings support the enhancement of teacher collaboration as a catalyst for active learning and student engagement, which could indirectly foster improvements in physics achievement globally.

Differentiated Mathematics Instruction: Perception, Readiness, and Practice of Indonesian Teachers

Differentiated Mathematics Instruction (DMI) can facilitate students’ diversity. This research explores teachers’ perceptions, readiness, and practices for implementing DMI in Indonesia. This is qualitative research with a phenomenological approach. A total of twenty mathematics teachers participated through purposive sampling. Semi-structured interviews were conducted for data collection. Data analysis was done by the Bogdan and Biklen techniques, including data reduction, finding themes and inter-themes, and concluding. The results show that teachers understand the concept, benefits, and roles of DMI. However, there are still many unprepared teachers, and there are many barriers to implementing DMI. Some of the barriers include difficulty in time management, difficulty in drawing up a learning plan, and limited examples of DMI that can be adapted. Another barrier is that teachers feel stressed by using different methods and media, and have to perform different evaluations. Teachers’ professional training related to DMI and teacher collaboration is expected to be conducted as a solution to various barriers.

Perceptions on Influence of Membership in Young Farmers Clubs on Career Interest and Participation in Agricultural Activities Among Secondary School Students in Nakuru North Sub-County, Nakuru County, Kenya

Young Farmers’ Club (YFC) activities globally have played a vital role in the mastery and attainment of knowledge in agriculture subject since it is best learned by use of practical activities. Increased youth participation in agricultural production is necessary and vital in facilitating food and nutritional security. In Kenya, Young Farmers Club of Kenya (YFCK) was established to help boys and girls to develop ideas for better farming, provide social and recreational activities, help give the necessary dignity to agriculture as an occupation and develop good and competent agricultural leadership. The objectives of YFCK included promoting interest in farming, sound training in advanced methods of crop and animal husbandly, leadership skills, self-reliance, self-confidence and responsibility. The purpose of this study was to determine the perception on influence of membership in young farmers clubs on career interest and participation in agricultural activities among day secondary schools students in Nakuru North sub-county. A descriptive survey design was adopted with a target population of 2,660 agriculture students and 32 agriculture teachers. Proportionate random sampling was used to select a sample of 120 respondents from the 19 day public schools. Data was collected from the sampled heads of agriculture subject using a questionnaire. Content validity of the instrument was ascertained by two panels of experts from Department of Agricultural Education and Extension and the supervisors. Reliability of the instruments was ensured through a pilot-test using 40 agriculture students and four agriculture teachers from Nakuru East Sub-county. The reliability of the instrument was tested using Cronbach Alpha coefficient. A reliability coefficient was 0.76 and 0.73 for YFCK members and Agriculture teachers respectively, at a significance level of α= 0.05. The collected data was analyzed using descriptive with the aid of SPSS 20.0 for Windows. Data was analysed using various tables and graphs. The researcher recommends that Agriculture teachers in collaboration with school administration should enhance YFCK activities. This is for proper and effective practical activities in teaching of Agriculture subject according to the syllabus. The findings of the study will be of importance to secondary school teachers, students and other scholars of higher institutions of learning by emphasizing in formation of young farmers clubs in day secondary schools in Nakuru North Sub- County, Nakuru County Kenya.

‘We Often Forget It Was a Disaster’: Cross-Curricular Teacher Collaboration to Develop a Curriculum Unit on the Titanic Disaster

‘We Often Forget It Was a Disaster’: Cross-Curricular Teacher Collaboration to Develop a Curriculum Unit on the Titanic Disaster

From individual to inclusive: exploring the spectrum of service delivery models in occupational therapist—teacher collaborations

AbstractCollaborative practice between teachers and occupational therapists is promoted as best-practice to support the inclusion of students with disabilities in mainstream classrooms. However, interprofessional practice across the disciplines of education and health is complicated, and success is mediated by personal, professional, and system factors. This qualitative ethnographic study used shadowing, contextual conversations, and interviews to explore collaboration between teachers (n = 11) and occupational therapists (n = 10) in mainstream primary schools (n = 10) in three Australian states to better understand how context impacts practice. Findings reveal that collaborative practice is influenced both by the model of occupational therapy service delivery employed as well as professional differences between teachers and therapists. A move from itinerant to embedded models of service delivery may support collaboration and help bridge differences between professionals through improved communication and mutual professional development.

Knowledge developed by Brazilian teachers from a collaborative training in statistics

This article aims to analyze the narratives of two Brazilian teachers, who work in Elementary Education, based on their participation in a collaborative teacher education in statistics, for professional development. This is a qualitative research, which uses audio and video recordings during training, planning, practical actions and reflective sessions. The data were analyzed using the content analysis techniques. When comparing knowledge before and after training, it was possible to verify that the teachers developed learning related to statistical content and pedagogical practice to teach statistics. Understanding, experiencing and reflecting on the PPDAC investigative cycle contributed to the development of statistical literacy. The teachers recognized the benefits of exploring real contexts, and actively engaging students, as opposed to traditional approaches. The teacher education methodology promoted reflective processes on practice, the co-production of knowledge and professional development. This study highlights the positive impact of collaborative training on the pedagogical practices of statistics teachers.

Strengthening school coexistence through ancestral knowledge

The general objective of this research project is to strengthen the school coexistence of the students of the Jaime Roock Educational Institution, El Caimito, rural area of the district of Buenaventura, through a pedagogical strategy based on ancestral knowledge. A qualitative approach of participatory action research is used. The target population is made up of 15 Afro-descendant students from 6 to 14 years of age, belonging to socioeconomic strata 1 and 2. The research is developed in four phases: planning and design, where the specific objectives are established and the pedagogical strategies that implement gamification with 5 ancestral games that involve values are designed; data collection, which includes the application of surveys, semi-structured interviews and observation; data analysis, where the information collected is categorized and compared; and interpretation and conclusions, where significant conclusions are drawn, the impact of the implemented pedagogical strategy is evaluated and recommendations are made to strengthen school coexistence. The results highlight the identification of disruptive behaviors and the positive impact of the ancestral pedagogical proposal on school coexistence. The intervention provided a practical environment for conflict resolution, promoting respect for rules and awareness, supported by the collaboration of teachers and parents.

Teamwork of General and Special Education Teachers in Managing the Education of Learners with Autism

Understanding the dynamics of collaboration helps identify best practices, resolve issues, and foster smooth working relationships among general and special education teachers for students with ASD achievement. This study explored the collaboration of general and special education teachers in educating learners with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) at three (3) selected elementary schools in Chicago, Illinois, USA, during the school year 2023-2024. This is a phenomenological inquiry of the ten purposively selected participants who answered the researcher-made semi-structured questionnaire that contained four (4) open-ended questions. Findings showed that in terms of the participants' views about the various collaboration models Implemented in educating learners with autism, the following were the emerging themes: 1) Team Teaching Collaboration, 2) Support Mechanisms on Demand, and 3) Structured Consultation Session. The impact of teacher collaboration on learners with autism academic outcomes were: 1) Enhanced Communication Abilities; 2) Active School Involvement; and 3) Self-sufficiency Development. The barriers encountered to effective collaboration were 1) Challenges in Communication, 2) Support and Policy from the Administration, and 3) Scheduling and Time Limitations. Thus, the general and special education teachers should intensify their collaboration and address the identified challenges. It is further recommended that a quantitative parallel study be conducted to validate and quantify the impacts of teacher collaboration strategies on the academic outcomes of learners with ASD.

More we or more me? How collaboration and autonomy connect with school climate, team innovativeness and school satisfaction among Korea’s teachers

ABSTRACT Prior large-scale research on teacher collaboration and autonomy has failed to distinguish effects within and between schools or among elementary and middle school teachers. This lack of research has implications for professional development in countries like Korea, where national policies have increasingly favoured teacher collaboration. We therefore employed multilevel structural equation modelling to analyse Teaching and Learning International Survey 2018 responses from 5,601 Korean elementary and middle school teachers. Our findings revealed significant direct and indirect effects among the variables of teachers’ perceptions of teacher collaboration, teacher autonomy, school climate, team innovativeness and school satisfaction. At the teacher level, the main differences between elementary school and middle school teachers related to classroom autonomy and team innovativeness. Collaboration and autonomy significantly predicted school satisfaction among elementary school teachers but not middle school teachers. There were also key differences in effects from teacher collaboration and classroom autonomy at the teacher and school levels. The most notable finding was that school climate mediated the relationship between classroom autonomy and school satisfaction at the teacher level. As these factors relate to the uptake and implementation of professional development, we provide key recommendations for local and national policy-makers hoping to optimise learning opportunities for teachers.

An Investigation of the Teacher Collaboration According to the Instructional Leadership Behaviors of Principals

This correlational study examines the relationship between the instructional leadership behaviors of school administrators and the collaboration behaviors among the teachers in the same branch according to teachers' perceptions. The research sample was determined by an easily accessible sampling method and consisted of 403 teachers working in public primary and secondary schools in the central districts of Ankara. The data in the study were collected using the "Instructional Leadership Behavior Scale" and "Scale for Determining the Level of Collaboration of Group Teachers." Mean and standard deviation values were calculated in the data analysis, and correlation and hierarchical regression analyses were conducted. The study results show that principals exhibit high levels of instructional leadership behaviors according to teachers' perceptions. Similarly, teachers' collaboration behaviors are also high. A positive and significant relationship was found between principals' instructional leadership and teachers' collaborative behaviors. According to the regression results, principals' instructional leadership behaviors significantly predicted teacher collaboration. Based on the results, some implications for the future were made, and suggestions were made to researchers and practitioners.

AI 기반 피드백의 교육적 활용 가능성 탐색

This study examines the potential of utilizing natural language processing technology to provide objective and efficient feedback in Korean language classrooms through an automated feedback system. To validate the effectiveness of AI-based automated feedback, the study compared corrections made by human annotators with those generated by the AI model, GPT4, using a corpus of beginner Korean language learners. The results indicated high concordance rates between human and GPT4 corrections, with Level 1 accuracy at 85.71% and Level 2 accuracy at 84.07%. Corrections primarily focused on grammatical corrections, averaging 61%, while lexical corrections comprised about 39%. Corrections across various parts of speech, including nouns, verbs, and adjectives, were performed at similar rates by both humans and GPT4. However, GPT4 showed limitations in appropriately correcting errors that required contextual understanding. Despite these limitations, the AI-based feedback system can be an effective supplementary tool in educational settings. Teachers can reduce their workload and focus more on content and structural feedback, while learners benefit from real-time, personalized feedback that encourages self-review and improves language proficiency. This study underscores the importance of AI-based educational tools and emphasizes the need for an integrated approach involving teacher collaboration to continually enhance the AI-based feedback system.