Monday, March 11, 2024
Article submitted by Jo Miller - CESA 8 Director of Continuous Improvement
Introduction by Stephanie Feldner - CESA 8 Director of Curriculum Instruction & Assessment/RPIC Coach
In the ever-evolving landscape of education, where the adage "data rich and information poor" resonates deeply, my CESA 8 colleague, Jo Miller, offers valuable insight into harnessing the power of data tools to enhance collective teacher efficacy. Get ready to turn classroom practice data into actionable information that will undoubtedly elevate teaching practices and student outcomes.
Collective Teacher Efficacy is the perception of teachers in a school that the efforts of the faculty as a whole will have a positive effect on students (Goddard, Hoy, & Hoy, 2000). Hattie (2021) identified collective teacher efficacy as having a 1.36 effect size on student achievement, compared to the “hinge-point” of average effect size of .40. Hattie updated this assertion in a 2021 video in which he unveils that teachers working together as evaluators of their impact has a 1.32 effect size. Coaches can support this critical link between collective efficacy—the belief that teachers can positively impact student learning—and actual improvements in student outcomes by nurturing collective efficacy within teacher teams.
Why is belief so important? Belief pushes us past self-imposed limits. Believing together is powerful. With belief, we go beyond the certainty of “it can’t be done” to the realm of the uncertain. Belief allows people to try things together where things are uncertain, knowing everyone works towards a common goal, and that each person has abilities, skills, and expertise to contribute to success.
Coaches using myImpact can help educators develop the collaborative teacher problem-solving that demonstrates collective impact. Collaborative problem-solving involves examining teacher and student learning in search of deeper understanding and evidence of impact; teachers working together to tackle challenges of professional practice by questioning what they already know/do in an area of student need; and reflection on evidence and what it says about impact to student learning (Cochran-Smith & Lytle, 1993).
With the myImpact tool, a web-based application designed to enhance the study of classroom-level learning and educator practice, coaches can lead teacher teams through trials resembling action-research inquiries based on Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles of continuous improvement to design, deliver, and assess learning. In addition, using myImpact helps develop data literacy in educators as you coach teams with the reports and promotes the use of a data inquiry protocol to analyze practice and student outcomes.
One way to enhance collaborative team discussions to foster collective efficacy is by removing common barriers that often hinder productive conversations. A prevalent impediment to team efficiency is the frustration of collecting and transforming data with statistics. myImpact is a tool that automates the statistical computations of observation data, freeing up valuable time for teachers and coaches to focus on what matters most – studying the impacts of learning environments and classroom practices on student engagement and achievement.
The coach’s role is instrumental in mentoring a systematic trial process with predictable cycles. Coaches provide technical assistance, process planning, just-in-time professional development, and data interpretation with reflection facilitation. Coaches and clients co-construct an engagement rubric designed to indicate student interest and willingness to learn in response to the environment and learning designed by the educator. Furthermore, coaches and clients also co-construct a standards-aligned academic focus area rubric with observable criteria to track the impact of changes and coaching on student outcomes.
During a trial, a single or team of teachers chooses an instructional practice they hypothesize will make a difference in student engagement and academic learning. Over the course of an observation window, coaches and teachers can work together to optimize the practice and collect observation data. Once the student engagement and academic observation have been entered into myImpact, all that’s left is to interpret the findings and reflect on the effectiveness of the practice.
Collective teacher efficacy stands out as a powerful catalyst for positive change in student outcomes. The myImpact tool, coupled with the mentorship of dedicated coaches, empowers educators to go beyond traditional boundaries, engage in evidence-based practices, and collectively believe in their capacity to enhance student learning. As we experiment with the uncertain and work towards common goals, continuous improvement becomes not only feasible but also transformative for both teachers and students alike.
To dive deeper into the content, or to find additional data tools to support your coaching practice (aligned with CCPP 6a) please check out the UDL Implementation Trials Mentor Toolkit on the UDL Forward Community.