In order to implement new curricula, sustainable changes in instruction are necessary. Conventional methods of professional development, such as short workshops and seminars, however, produce no lasting effects. In this study, the concept of instruction monitoring is introduced as a new approach towards instructional development. The concept centres around a content-focused quality circle, in which teachers co-operate over one school year and discuss videotapes of their own lessons. The videos are to activate reflection: unconscious patterns of action can be noticed and attended to. This occurs in the form of collegial feedback within monthly group meetings. During the 2004/05 school year, fourteen mathematics teachers from Berlin schools participated in two quality circles. A further eight formed the control group who attended traditional professional development during the same period. The co-operation was aimed at implementing a new mathematics curriculum. Within a quasi-experimental pre-post test design, questionnaires were used for estimating the average effects of instruction monitoring compared with traditional professional development at teacher as well as student level. The average effects at teacher level were tested non-parametrically with u-tests. Owing to the larger sample size, effects at student level were examined with ANCOVA, using the pre-test score as the covariate. The results indicate a change in various aspects of instruction with respect to criteria required by the new curriculum (for example, the introduction of problem-based learning), as well as a shift in teachers’ beliefs towards a cognitive constructivist orientation. At student level, an increase in self-assessed subject competence is observed. The results speak for the increased use of quality circles as a method for effective professional development.

Aims

This study aims to design, implement and evaluate a method for sustainable instructional development. Typical professional development concepts, such as short workshops or seminars, usually produce no lasting effects regarding changes to instruction. In particular, typical top-down implementation strategies (introducing a new curriculum in conjunction with short-term forms of professional development purely cognitive in focus) have little impact on educational praxis (Paul & Volk, 2002; van Driel et al., 2004). Such a strategy takes into account neither the difficulties of changing practical teacher knowledge, belief systems and action routines, nor the significant influence of the social context within a school on the implementation of an innovation (Graesel & Parchmann, 2004).

To overcome these obstacles, which operate at many levels, this paper introduces the concept of instruction monitoring as one way to achieve sustainable instructional development. The concept is based on a long-term, content-focused co-operation between teachers in the context of a moderated quality circle. The quality circle involves working with videos of lessons (see Figure 1). Co-operation originates from a common goal, for example, a desire to implement group work. The first step is to plan a lesson (or unit) to achieve that common goal. Secondly, the planned lesson is put into practice. The lessons are recorded on video. Sequences of these videos are then selected which (a) are particularly suited to giving the group an impression of the lesson or (b) show aspects of instruction on which the teacher wishes to receive feedback from colleagues. Thirdly, the group reflects on the achievement of the goal based on the video recordings, and members compare notes. Finally, the experience and knowledge gained are used to begin a new round of the quality circle.

Methodology

Two quality circles could be realized in 2004/05 with a total of 14 mathematics teachers (one quality circle with six teachers from secondary school focussing on grades 7 and 8 and one quality circle with eight elementary school teachers focussing on grades 5 and 6). The parallel control group consisted of eight teachers of the same schools and grades who attended traditional professional development during the same period. Altogether 8 (in the second group, 10) quality circle meetings took place during the 2004/05 school year. The basis of the co-operation was a newly published mathematics curriculum. The following self-determined didactic guidelines formed the core of the co-operation: stronger self-regulation of student activity, the introduction of problem-based learning, the increased use of group work, the use of student presentations and the implementation of new forms of performance assessments.

Within a quasi-experimental pre-post test design, questionnaires were used for estimating the average effects of instruction monitoring compared with traditional professional development at teacher as well as student level. The scales used covered, at teacher level, the evaluation criteria (a) change in instruction and (b) change in teacher beliefs (direct transmission vs. cognitive constructivist view). At student level, self-assessments of competencies required by the new curriculum (subject, methodical, personal (self) and social competencies) were carried out (see Table 1). At student level, 364 (quality circle) and 234 (control group) complete data sets were received after multiple imputation of missing values.

Data analysis was carried out using SPSS for Windows (version 12.0). The average effects at teacher level were tested non-parametrically with u-tests. Owing to the larger sample size, effects at student level were examined with ANCOVA, using the pre-test score as the covariate.

Findings

Participation in the instruction monitoring programme led to strong changes in instruction. The self-assessment of teachers showed a significant rise in: modern arrangement of the learning environment (p=.02), challenging exercises (p=.07), performance assessment (p<.01), differentiation (p=.06), as well as an increased use of problem-based learning (p=.03). Furthermore, a significant decrease in the traditional arrangement of learning environments (p=.04) and repetitive forms of exercise (p=.05) was detected. Not a single significant change occurred with respect to the relevant aspects of mathematics instruction for the control group, which had attended traditional, mathematics-specific professional development programmes over the same period on an average of 8.4 days.

As to the change in beliefs, a decrease in a direct-transmission view (p<.01) and a slight  increase in a cognitive constructivist view (n.s.) were detected. The development in the control group is the exact reverse.

At student level, only self-assessed subject competence grew more strongly for the students of quality circle teachers than for those of the control group (ß=.12; p<.05, d=.17). In all other competence domains (methodical, personal or social competence), there was no programme effect.

Theoretical and educational significance of the research

The results support the hypothesis that instruction monitoring is more effective at achieving changes in instruction than traditional professional development programs. This is reflected in various changes in relevant aspects of mathematics instruction, as required by the new curriculum. Over the same time period, no changes were observed for a control group of teachers, who took part in traditional professional development. The hypothesis that these changes are sustainable is strengthened by the simultaneous shift in relevant teacher beliefs. It is well-established that teacher beliefs play an important role within change processes, and are usually resistant to change (Richardson & Plecier, 2001).

The results at student level show only small differences in development between the quality circle and the control group. The more favourable development in subject competence, however, suggests that effects at student level might be observed in future.

In conclusion, the concept of instruction monitoring has proved effective. The largely self-regulated approach seems to strengthen teachers’ motivation to change, with the result that many new lessons are realized. In practical terms, this means replacing traditional forms of professional development with long-term, co-operative forms, such as instruction monitoring.