Appraisal as a tool to measure teacher performance effectiveness and productivity

Abstract

Education serves as the base and driving force for proper functioning society and professional development of each particular individual. It is every person’s right to receive and government’s responsibility to provide education. The qualified and skillful teacher has an immediate impact on education quality. Teacher performance appraisal represents a valuable mean to observe performance effectiveness and productivity. It provides an insight into the organization and administration of work process in educational spheres, as well as, studies teachers’ aspirations and concerns, interaction with students and parents. The current research looks at teacher performance appraisal system on a policy level and organizational level. It used case study method to measure the impact of the change in appraisal system on teacher performance effectiveness and productivity. The changes adopted by the institution provided a setting of natural experiment for this Master’s Essay. Using explanatory sequential design, quantitative data were collected and analyzed, identifying particular results which needed further explanation. Next qualitative study was formulated to collect data and elaborate on the specific results identified through quantitative data analysis. Combined interpretation of quantitative and qualitative analysis aimed to share light on whether the adoption of systematic change of appraisal system leads to increased teacher performance effectiveness and productivity or not. The findings revealed all six factors identified on policy level played a crucial role on an organizational level too. The change in the frequency of appraisal had the positive impact on teacher performance effectiveness. The change in the pace of teacher training and workshops also resulted in increased teacher performance effectiveness. The change in teaching technology positively affected teacher performance productivity; resulting in students’ higher achievements on progress recording tests. Yet the correlation between the change in appraisal system and teacher productivity was statistically insignificant. The change in feedback system had a negative impact on a decline in the parental ranking of teacher performance effectiveness and productivity. Based on the analysis of the findings it was possible for us to conclude that the adoption of systematic change led to increased teacher performance effectiveness, but not productivity. Hence, we were able to accept hypothesis 1 and reject hypothesis 2.