This CAREER proposal has four objectives: 1) examine the nature of mathematics teachers' learning opportunities for instructional improvement, 2) examine how work contexts influence the quality of teacher learning opportunities, 3) examine the impact of teacher learning opportunities on changes in student mathematics achievement over four years, and 4) work with district and school administrators to promote instructional improvement and student achievement by effectively providing learning opportunities to mathematics teachers. The PI will conduct a statewide survey of 1,047 mathematics teachers in 201 middle schools and their 35,304 students in grades 6-8 throughout the state of Missouri.
This project had four objectives: 1) to examine the nature of mathematics teachers’ learning opportunities for instructional improvement, 2) to examine how work contexts influence the quality of teacher learning opportunities, 3) to examine the impact of teacher learning opportunities on changes in student mathematics achievement over four years, and 4) to work with district and school administrators to promote instructional improvement and student achievement by effectively providing learning opportunities to mathematics teachers. The PI conducted a statewide longitudinal teacher survey on teachers’ professional learning activities and work contexts in 2009, 2010, and 2011, and linked the survey data with student mathematics achievement scores in 2008 (base year), 2009, 2010, and 2011. The data were collected from a population of middle school (G6-8) mathematics teachers in Missouri: 577 teachers (65% response rate) in 2009, 633 teachers (69% response rate), and 626 teachers (70% response rate) in 2011. The PI also conducted a case study of six schools to understand the work contexts that influence teachers’ professional learning activities. This project produced several major findings. First, the teacher survey showed that middle school mathematics teachers spend a greater amount of time involved in professional development programs, teacher collaboration, and individual learning activities than taking university courses, attending professional conferences, working with mentors or coaches, or engaging in informal communications with colleagues about mathematics teaching and learning. In addition, mathematics teachers in high-poverty and ethnically diverse districts tend to spend more time in formal learning activities such as professional development programs, teacher collaboration, and mentoring/coaching than do mathematics teachers in wealthier and less diverse districts. Second, the project found that teachers who received an increased level of organizational resources (i.e., stipends, teaching release time, designated summer time for professional development, access to expert knowledge, and professional learning community) from 2009 to 2011 are more likely to increasingly participate in continuous, collaborative and content-focused professional learning activities during the same time period. Third, teacher-centered collaborative activities to learn about mathematics teaching and learning (teacher collaboration and informal communication) are more effective in improving student mathematics achievement than learning activities that do not necessarily involve such teacher-centered collaborative opportunities (professional development programs, university courses, individual learning activities). Teacher-driven research activities through professional conference presentation and participation were also found to be associated with student achievement growth in mathematics. These major findings have important implications for the roles of district and school administrators to facilitate teachers’ professional learning activities. Provision of organizational resources is critical for teachers who have limited time and resources, and facilitation of teacher-driven collaborative and inquiry-based learning activities by effective teacher leaders and instructional coaches is essential. The role of teacher leaders and instructional coaches who understand the school contexts and students, who can provide access to research-based knowledge and materials, and who can promote a culture of professional learning community is especially important for facilitating effective professional learning activities that lead to student learning improvement. The PI disseminated these findings widely through conference presentations, reports, and seminars at the American Educational Research Association (AERA) and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) conferences, peer-reviewed journal publications, and policy reports for the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (MDESE), district and school administrators, and teacher leaders. The PI also shared the survey methods using examples from the project and the project findings in her graduate courses, and developed and disseminated "Teachers’ Opportunity to Learn (TOTL)" survey instrument. The following publications and instrument were produced from this project: Akiba, M., & Liang, G. (in press). Effects of teacher professional learning activities on student achievement growth. Journal of Educational Research. Akiba, M., Wang, Z., & Liang, G. (in press). Organizational resources for professional development: A statewide longitudinal survey of middle school mathematics teachers. Journal of School Leadership. Akiba, M. (in press). Measuring teachers' professional learning activities in international context. In A. Wiseman, & G. LeTendre (Eds.), Monitoring and promoting national teacher quality. Bingley, UK: Emerald Publishing. Liang, G., & Akiba, M. (2013). Teacher evaluation, performance-related pay, and constructivist instruction. Educational Policy. Published online before print June 21, 2013, doi: 10.1177/0895904813492379. Liang, G. (2013). Teacher evaluation policies in the United States: Implementation and impact on constructivist instruction. In M. Akiba (Ed.), Teacher reforms around the world: Implementations and outcomes (pp. 179–206). Bingley, UK: Emerald Publishing. Akiba, M. (2012). Professional learning activities in context: A statewide survey of middle school mathematics teachers. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 20 (14), 1-20. Akiba, M. & Scribner, J. (2009, 2010, 2011). Teachers’ Opportunity to Learn (TOTL) survey instrument. Columbia, MO: University of Missouri.
