Session Information
09 SES 07 B, Teacher Competencies and Student Achievement
Paper Session
Contribution
Classroom management is crucial for the quality of instruction and for students’ academic success (Wang, Haertel & Walberg, 1996; Evertson & Weinstein, 2006).
As Ophardt & Thiel (2008) point out, the theoretical core of classroom management based upon empirical data is constituted by three complementary approaches:
- The behavioral approach focuses on encouraging desired behaviour and reducing misbehaviour,
- the ecological approach which refers to the works of Jacob Kounin (1970) and Walter Doyle (2006) and emphasizes proactive management techniques, such as smoothness, momentum or signal continuity,
- the action theory which is represented by E. T. Emmer, C. M. Evertson and C. S. Weinstein (Emmer, Evertson & Worsham, 2003; Evertson & Weinstein, 2006) and focuses on introducing and establishing efficient rules and procedures to formulate expected behaviour.
While in US-American research and literature the concept of classroom management is well established, in Germany it is almost neglected, theoretically as well as empirically. Furthermore, there is a lack of methodologically ambitious options to assess and describe classroom management skills. German studies that include classroom management skills focused on time aspects and misbehaviour and grasped classroom management as a homogeneous construct within the framework of quality of instruction (Helmke, Helmke, Schrader & Wagner, 2009; Baumert et al, 2009).
A more complex view based on a broad conception of classroom management is followed by Schönbächler (2008). Schönbächler developed a questionnaire which enables teachers and students to rate classroom management skills in primary schools. However, classroom management is a central issue in order to involve students and protect the programme of action, especially in secondary schools, where teaching is challenging in regard to misbehaviour, working alliance and motivation (Emmer, Evertson & Worsham, 2003).
Aim of the study is to develop an instrument which allows the informant assessment of classroom management skills of teachers in secondary schools and which refers to a broad understanding of classroom management. The Construction of the classroom management rating is based on the model of Ophardt & Thiel (2008). Relevant aspects which can frequently be observed and evaluated without difficulty are deduced from that model. Based on empirical findings and a review of English and German questionnaires and ratings, items have been constructed and optimized in pretests. The final Version contains the following scales:
1) Working alliance
2) Conflict resolution
3) Interventions
4) Monitoring
5) Rules
6) Procedures
7) Student activation
8) Clarity of programme of action
9) Activity flow
10) Time management
This multidimensional instrument will be developed for both students and observers. As Clausen (2002) points out, processes which take place in the classroom are perceived and evaluated differently depending on the perspective that is adopted. In order to get sufficient information, it is necessary to take several perspectives into account.
Due to the different observers’ abilities, students’ item wording is low-inferent and observers’ items are high-inferent.
The developed instruments will be usable for classroom research, team-teaching processes or self-evaluation.
Method
Expected Outcomes
References
Baumert, J., Blum, W., Brunner, M., Dubberke, T., Jordan, A., Klusmann, U., et al. (2009). Professionswissen von Lehrkräften, kognitiv aktivierender Mathematikunterricht und die Entwicklung von mathematischer Kompetenz (COACTIV): Dokumentation der Erhebungsinstrumente (Materialien aus der Bildungsforschung Nr.83). Berlin: Max-Planck-Institut für Bildungsforschung. Clausen, M. (2002). Qualität von Unterricht – Eine Frage der Perspektive? Waxmann: Münster. Doyle, W. (2006). Ecological Approaches to Classroom Management. In: C. M. Evertson, C. S. Weinstein (Eds.), Handbook of Classroom Management. Research, Practice and Contemporary Issues (pp. 97-125). Mahwah, N.J: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Emmer, E. T., Evertson, C. M., Worsham, M. E. (2003). Classroom management for secondary teachers. Maintaining appropriate student behavior (6th ed). Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Evertson, C. M.; Weinstein, C. S. (2006). Classroom Management as a Field of Inquiry. In: C. M. Evertson, C. S. Weinstein (Eds.), Handbook of Classroom Management. Research, Practice and Contemporary Issues (pp. 3-15). Mahwah, N.J: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Helmke, A., Helmke, T., Schrader, F.-W., Wagner, W. (2009). Skalen der Schülerbefragung. In W. Wagner, A. Helmke & E. Rösner (Hrsg.), Deutsch Englisch Schülerleistungen International: Dokumentation der Erhebungsinstrumente für Schülerinnen und Schüler, Eltern und Lehrkräfte (Materialien zur Bildungsforschung. Bd. 25/1, S. 157-234). Frankfurt a. M.: GFPF, DIPF. Helmke, A. (1988). Das Münchener Aufmerksamkeitsinventar (MAI). Manual für die Beobachtung des Aufmerksamkeitsverhaltens von Grundschülern während des Unterrichts. Max-Planck-Institut für psychologische Forschung. München. Kounin, J. (1970). Discipline and group management in classrooms. New York: Holt. Ophardt, D. & Thiel, F. (2008). Klassenmanagement als Basisdimension der Unterrichtsqualität. In: M. K. W. Schweer (Hrsg.), Lehrer-Schüler-Interaktion. Inhaltsfelder, Forschungsperspektiven und methodische Zugänge (S. 259–284). Wiesbaden: Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften. Schönbächler, M.-T. (2008). Klassenmanagement. Situative Gegebenheiten und personale Faktoren in Lehrpersonen- und Schülerperspektive. Bern: Haupt. Wang, M. C., Haertel, G. D., Walberg, H. J. (1993). Toward a knowledge base for school learning. Review of educational research, 63, 249–294.
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