Excavating theory in teacher evaluation: Implementing evaluation frameworks as Wengerian boundary objects

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to begin to excavate the unstated theoretical underpinnings of teacher evaluation systems as they exist in policy and practice and to explicitly consider how these evaluation systems might intersect theoretically with social learning theory. Research suggests that organizational leaders believe growth-based evaluation practices have yet-untapped potential to support teacher learning within teacher communities. However, models of teacher evaluation, as defined in federal and state policy and developed and implemented in practice, rarely make explicit the theoretical and conceptual frameworks upon which they are based. Further, evaluation models do not explicitly intersect with the conceptual frameworks for such learning, e.g., communities of practice (CoPs) and social learning theory. Rather, the role of teacher evaluation in social learning within and across educational organizations remains under-theorized. We argue for research examining potential connections in theory and practice between two existing conceptual frameworks: 1) social learning theory and 2) teacher evaluation systems (understood as policy, models, and practices).

Teaching effectiveness: Basis for the development of assessment tool

“…Leaders in organizations think that growth-based evaluation techniques have untapped potential to assist teacher learning within teacher communities. (King & Paufler, 2020). The assessment tool revealed that they do not legitimately evaluate the competence of teachers.…”

Measuring Teacher Buy-in for the Texas Pay-for-Performance Program

“…Overall, researchers report that teachers may feel demoralized or negatively pressured by systems that have components that are difficult to understand (e.g., Bradford and Braaten, 2018), and by systems that prioritize accountability over teacher development (e.g., Deneire et al, 2014;Cuevas et al, 2018;Derrington and Martinez, 2019;Ford and Hewitt, 2020). Many researchers recommend incorporating the voices of all appraisal system stakeholders to build common understanding and ensure buy-in (Reddy et al, 2017;King and Paufler, 2020).…”