Off-campus UMass Amherst users: To download dissertations, please use the following link to log into our proxy server with your UMass Amherst user name and password.
Non-UMass Amherst users, please click the view more button below to purchase a copy of this dissertation from Proquest.
(Some titles may also be available free of charge in our Open Access Dissertation Collection, so please check there first.)
WHAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN INSERVICE TEACHER EDUCATION: A META-ANALYSIS OF THE RESEARCH
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to gather existing quantitative data on inservice teacher education in order to analyze and synthesize the findings. Data were gathered on ninety-one research studies presented between 1968 and 1983 that were available through the ERIC system, dissertations, or journals. Meta-analysis was used to draw generalizations regarding the efficacy of various inservice practices. Effectiveness was measured at four different effect levels: participants' reactions to training, participants' learning, behavior change of participants, and results in terms of participants or their students. Findings indicate that inservice teacher education programs reported in the literature are moderately effective. When the data are grouped by effect level, it becomes apparent that attempts to increase participants' learning through inservice teacher training are highly effective, attempts to change participants' behavior and to elicit positive reactions are moderately effective; while attempts to demonstrate results in the school environment are only mildly effective. Specific findings are: (1) the number of participants in an inservice training program, the number of treatment hours, and the length of the treatment period do not significantly influence effect size results; (2) outside originated programs are generally more effective than in-school originated ones; (3) inservice training programs which include both elementary and secondary educators are more effective than for either group individually; (4) enhanced status and college credit are the incentives most likely to increase effect size results; and (5) training programs which use observation, micro teaching, video/audio feedback, or practice show greater effects than those programs not using these methods. Programs which included discussion, lecture, games/simulations, and guided field trips were significantly less effective than those using other instructional methods. Of course these findings do not preclude the possibility that these training methods could be more effective under certain circumstances. Coaching, modeling, mutual assistance, printed material, production of instructional material, and film as used were not associated with significant effects. The results of this study were used to suggest implications for staff developers as well as to make suggestions for future study.
Subject Area
Teacher education
Recommended Citation
WADE, RUTH KONHAUS, "WHAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN INSERVICE TEACHER EDUCATION: A META-ANALYSIS OF THE RESEARCH" (1984). Doctoral Dissertations Available from Proquest. AAI8410341.
https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations/AAI8410341