On the Multidimensionality of Teachers’ Qualities, Personal Achievement, and their Role in Students’ Achievement in General Mathematics

Peter John M. Melchor; Emma O. Suana; John Mark N. Saldivar

doi:10.18535/ijsrm/v13i02.el08

Abstract

This study was conducted to develop a valid and reliable tool that can be used to measure teachers' qualities and create a robust ordinal logistic regression model that predicts students' achievement in General Mathematics based on teachers' qualities and achievements as independent variables. The statistical tools used were the Reliability Test, Exploratory Factor Analysis, and Ordinal Regression Analysis. The researcher interviewed ten experienced mathematics teachers and ten senior high school students who recently finished General Mathematics. Their responses were then converted to measurable variables to construct an initial questionnaire. The initial questionnaire was pilot tested on 300 student respondents for reliability and was found reliable. Based on the results under Exploratory Factor Analysis, there are five latent variables/dimensions of teachers' qualities. These dimensions are Instructional Competencies, Personal Qualities, Procedural Fairness on Tests, Handling Learners' Response, and Compassionate Discipline. Moreover, the result of ordinal regression analysis explained five explanatory predictors that have significantly improved the Logistic Ordinal Regression Model. These five explanatory predictors were the Teacher's Years of Experience, the Teacher's Highest Educational Attainment, Personal Qualities, Procedural Fairness on Tests, and Handling Learners' Responses. With the highest Wald value of 5.842, Teachers' Personal Qualities significantly influenced student achievement in General Mathematics. Hence, teachers' attitudes in dealing with students should be seriously considered when aiming to increase the level of students' achievement in mathematics.

Keywords

Teachers’ Qualities and AchievementsReliability TestExploratory Factor AnalysisOrdinal

References

Aaronson D., Barrow L., & Sander W. (2007). Teachers and Student Achievement in the Chicago Public High Schools. https://faculty.sxmu.edu/millimet/classes/eco7321/papers/aaronson%20et%20al.pdfGoogle Scholar ↗
Akhtar, M. N. (2020). Acceptable Explained Variance in Factor Analysis. https://www.researchgate.net/post/What-should-the-minumum-explained- variance-be-to-be- acceptable-in-factor-analysisGoogle Scholar ↗
Albert Shanker Institute. (2010). The Teaching Experience. http://www.shankerinstitute.org/blog/teaching experienceGoogle Scholar ↗
Betts, J., Zau, A., & Rice, L. (2003). Determinants of student achievement: New evidence from San Diego. San Francisco: Public Policy Institute of CaliforniaGoogle Scholar ↗
Bollen, K. A., & Hoyle, R. H. (1990). Perceived Cohesion: A Conceptual and Empirical Examination. Social Forces, 69 (2), 479-504. https://www.jstor.org/stable/2579670?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contentsGoogle Scholar ↗
Chang, F., & Muñoz, M. A. (2006). School personnel educating the whole child: Impact Of character education on teachers’ self-assessment and student development.Journal of Personnel Evaluation in Education, 19 (1), 35-49 doi:10.1007/s11092- 007-9036-5.DOI ↗Google Scholar ↗
Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches (4th Ed.). Sage Publications Ltd.Google Scholar ↗
Creswell, J. W., & Plano Clark, V. L. (2007). Designing and Conducting Mixed Methods Research. Sage Publications Ltd.Google Scholar ↗
Dardas, L. & Ahmad, M. (2014). Predictors of quality of life for fathers and mothers of children with Autistic Disorder. Research Gate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/23690698_Psychometric_properties_of_ the_Parenting_Stress_Index_with_parents_of_children_with autisitc_disorderGoogle Scholar ↗
Ehrenberg, R. G., & Brewer, D. J. (1994). Do school and teacher characteristics Matter? Evidence from high school and beyond. Economics of Education Review, 13, 1- 17.Google Scholar ↗
Ferguson, R. F., & Ladd, H. F. (1996). How and why money matters: An analysis Of Alabama schools. In H.F. Ladd (Ed.), Holding schools accountable: Performance-based reform in education (pp. 265-298). Washington, DC: Brooking Institution.Google Scholar ↗
Fleming, G. (2019). Why Math is More Difficult for Some Students? https://www.thoughtco.com/why-math-seems-more-difficult-for-some-students- 1857216Google Scholar ↗
Glossary of Education Reform. (2013). Definition of teacher achievements. https://www.edglossary.org/achievement-growth/Google Scholar ↗
Goldhaber, D. D. (2000). Does teacher certification matter? High school teacher certification status and student achievement. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 22 (1), 129–145.Google Scholar ↗
Hiebert, J., Gallimore, R. & Stigler, J. (2002) A Knowledge Base for the Teaching Profession: What Would It Look Like and How Can We Get One? Educational Researcher, 31, 3-15. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X031005003DOI ↗Google Scholar ↗
Hughes, J. N. (2011). Longitudinal Effects of Teacher and Student Perceptions of teacher-student Relationship qualities on academic adjustment. The Elementary School Journal, 112 (1), 38-60. doi:10.1086/660686.DOI ↗Google Scholar ↗
Kiesling, H. J. (1984). Assignment practices and the relationship of instructional time to the reading performance of elementary school children. Economics of Education Review, 3, 341-350.Google Scholar ↗
King, H. (2017). Teacher Affective Attitudes Inventory: Development and Validation of a Teacher Self-Assessment Instrument. [Doctoral Dissertation] Antioch University.Google Scholar ↗
Kitgaard, R. H., & Hall, G. R. (1974). Are there unusually effective schools? Journal of Human Resources, 10 (3), 40-106.Google Scholar ↗
Kyriakides, L. (2005). Drawing from teacher effectiveness research and research into teacher interpersonal behavior to establish a teacher evaluation system: A study on using student ratings to evaluate teacher behavior. Journal of Classroom Interaction, 40 (2), 44-66. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23870663Google Scholar ↗
MacCallum, R. C., Widaman, K. F., Zhang, S. & Hong, S. (1999) Sample size in Factor analysis. Psychological Methods, 4(1), pp. 84-99.Google Scholar ↗
Manifest Variable. (2018). https://www.investopedia.com/terms/m/manifest-variable.aspGoogle Scholar ↗
Marzano, R. J. (2012). The two purposes of teacher evaluation. Educational Leadership,70 (3),14-19. http://www.ascd.org/publications/educationalleadership/nov12/vol70/num03/The- Two-Purposes-of-Teacher-Evaluation.aspxGoogle Scholar ↗
Montopoli, B. (2009). CBS News: Obama’s Remarks on Education. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/obamas-remarks-on-education/Google Scholar ↗
Moore, K. (2007). Classroom Teaching Skills (5th ed.). Eastern New Mexico University Press, Inc.Google Scholar ↗
Murnane, R. J., & Phillips, B. (1981). Learning by doing. Vintage and selection: Three pieces of the Puzzle relation teaching experience and teaching performance. Economics of Education Review, 24 (12), 79-95.Google Scholar ↗
Osborne, J. W. (2017). Regression and linear modeling: Best practices and modern methods. Thousand Oaks, Sage.Google Scholar ↗
Paunlagui-Gacelo, E. (2012). Principles of Teaching 1 (1st ed.). C & E Publishing, IncGoogle Scholar ↗
Perez, B. (2013). Teacher Quality and Teaching Quality of 7th-Grade Algebra I Honors Teachers. [Doctoral Dissertation] Florida Atlantic University.Google Scholar ↗
Reyes, F. (2004). Unveiling Teaching Experience: A Showcase of Sixty-nine Outstanding Teachers In The Philippines. De La Salle University Press, Inc.Google Scholar ↗
Rice, J. K. (2010). The Impact of Teacher Experience Examining the Evidence and Policy Implications. A journal from the National Center For Analysis of Longitudinal Data in Education Research (CALDER), Urban Institute.Google Scholar ↗
Rivkin, S. G., Hanushek, E. A., & Kain, J. F. (2000). Teachers, schools and Academic achievement. Working paper 6691 (revised). Massachusetts: National Bureau of Economic Research.Google Scholar ↗
Wayne, A. J., & Youngs, P. (2003). Teacher characteristics and student achievement gains. A Review of Educational Research, 73 (1), 89-122.Google Scholar ↗
Wilkins, J. L. M. (2008). The relationship among elementary teachers’ content knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and practices. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, 11 (2), 139164. doi:10.1007/s10857-007-9068-2.DOI ↗Google Scholar ↗
Yoon, J. S. (2002). Teacher characteristics as predictors of student-teacher relationships: Stress, negative affect, and self-efficacy. Social Behavior and Personality, 30 (5), 485-494. doi:10.2224/sbp.2002.30.5.485DOI ↗Google Scholar ↗
Yoyou, Q., & Wenjing, Z. (2018). What Does Professional Rank Mean to Teachers? A Survey of the Multiple Impacts of Professional Rank on Urban and Rural Compulsory Education Teachers. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10611932.2018.1433412DOI ↗Google Scholar ↗
Zhang, D. (2008). The Effects of Teacher Education Level, Teaching Experience, And Teaching Behaviors on Student Science Achievement. [Doctoral Dissertation] Utah State University.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-1] Aaronson D., Barrow L., & Sander W. (2007). Teachers and Student Achievement in the Chicago Public High Schools. https://faculty.sxmu.edu/millimet/classes/eco7321/papers/aaronson%20et%20al.pdfGoogle Scholar ↗

[refR-2] Akhtar, M. N. (2020). Acceptable Explained Variance in Factor Analysis. https://www.researchgate.net/post/What-should-the-minumum-explained- variance-be-to-be- acceptable-in-factor-analysisGoogle Scholar ↗

[refR-3] Albert Shanker Institute. (2010). The Teaching Experience. http://www.shankerinstitute.org/blog/teaching experienceGoogle Scholar ↗

[refR-4] Betts, J., Zau, A., & Rice, L. (2003). Determinants of student achievement: New evidence from San Diego. San Francisco: Public Policy Institute of CaliforniaGoogle Scholar ↗

[refR-5] Bollen, K. A., & Hoyle, R. H. (1990). Perceived Cohesion: A Conceptual and Empirical Examination. Social Forces, 69 (2), 479-504. https://www.jstor.org/stable/2579670?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contentsGoogle Scholar ↗

[refR-6] Chang, F., & Muñoz, M. A. (2006). School personnel educating the whole child: Impact Of character education on teachers’ self-assessment and student development.Journal of Personnel Evaluation in Education, 19 (1), 35-49 doi:10.1007/s11092- 007-9036-5.DOI ↗Google Scholar ↗

[refR-7] Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches (4th Ed.). Sage Publications Ltd.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-8] Creswell, J. W., & Plano Clark, V. L. (2007). Designing and Conducting Mixed Methods Research. Sage Publications Ltd.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-9] Dardas, L. & Ahmad, M. (2014). Predictors of quality of life for fathers and mothers of children with Autistic Disorder. Research Gate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/23690698_Psychometric_properties_of_ the_Parenting_Stress_Index_with_parents_of_children_with autisitc_disorderGoogle Scholar ↗

[refR-10] Ehrenberg, R. G., & Brewer, D. J. (1994). Do school and teacher characteristics Matter? Evidence from high school and beyond. Economics of Education Review, 13, 1- 17.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-11] Ferguson, R. F., & Ladd, H. F. (1996). How and why money matters: An analysis Of Alabama schools. In H.F. Ladd (Ed.), Holding schools accountable: Performance-based reform in education (pp. 265-298). Washington, DC: Brooking Institution.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-12] Fleming, G. (2019). Why Math is More Difficult for Some Students? https://www.thoughtco.com/why-math-seems-more-difficult-for-some-students- 1857216Google Scholar ↗

[refR-13] Glossary of Education Reform. (2013). Definition of teacher achievements. https://www.edglossary.org/achievement-growth/Google Scholar ↗

[refR-14] Goldhaber, D. D. (2000). Does teacher certification matter? High school teacher certification status and student achievement. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 22 (1), 129–145.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-15] Hiebert, J., Gallimore, R. & Stigler, J. (2002) A Knowledge Base for the Teaching Profession: What Would It Look Like and How Can We Get One? Educational Researcher, 31, 3-15. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X031005003DOI ↗Google Scholar ↗

[refR-16] Hughes, J. N. (2011). Longitudinal Effects of Teacher and Student Perceptions of teacher-student Relationship qualities on academic adjustment. The Elementary School Journal, 112 (1), 38-60. doi:10.1086/660686.DOI ↗Google Scholar ↗

[refR-17] Kiesling, H. J. (1984). Assignment practices and the relationship of instructional time to the reading performance of elementary school children. Economics of Education Review, 3, 341-350.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-18] King, H. (2017). Teacher Affective Attitudes Inventory: Development and Validation of a Teacher Self-Assessment Instrument. [Doctoral Dissertation] Antioch University.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-19] Kitgaard, R. H., & Hall, G. R. (1974). Are there unusually effective schools? Journal of Human Resources, 10 (3), 40-106.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-20] Kyriakides, L. (2005). Drawing from teacher effectiveness research and research into teacher interpersonal behavior to establish a teacher evaluation system: A study on using student ratings to evaluate teacher behavior. Journal of Classroom Interaction, 40 (2), 44-66. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23870663Google Scholar ↗

[refR-21] MacCallum, R. C., Widaman, K. F., Zhang, S. & Hong, S. (1999) Sample size in Factor analysis. Psychological Methods, 4(1), pp. 84-99.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-22] Manifest Variable. (2018). https://www.investopedia.com/terms/m/manifest-variable.aspGoogle Scholar ↗

[refR-23] Marzano, R. J. (2012). The two purposes of teacher evaluation. Educational Leadership,70 (3),14-19. http://www.ascd.org/publications/educationalleadership/nov12/vol70/num03/The- Two-Purposes-of-Teacher-Evaluation.aspxGoogle Scholar ↗

[refR-24] Montopoli, B. (2009). CBS News: Obama’s Remarks on Education. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/obamas-remarks-on-education/Google Scholar ↗

[refR-25] Moore, K. (2007). Classroom Teaching Skills (5th ed.). Eastern New Mexico University Press, Inc.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-26] Murnane, R. J., & Phillips, B. (1981). Learning by doing. Vintage and selection: Three pieces of the Puzzle relation teaching experience and teaching performance. Economics of Education Review, 24 (12), 79-95.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-27] Osborne, J. W. (2017). Regression and linear modeling: Best practices and modern methods. Thousand Oaks, Sage.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-28] Paunlagui-Gacelo, E. (2012). Principles of Teaching 1 (1st ed.). C & E Publishing, IncGoogle Scholar ↗

[refR-29] Perez, B. (2013). Teacher Quality and Teaching Quality of 7th-Grade Algebra I Honors Teachers. [Doctoral Dissertation] Florida Atlantic University.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-30] Reyes, F. (2004). Unveiling Teaching Experience: A Showcase of Sixty-nine Outstanding Teachers In The Philippines. De La Salle University Press, Inc.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-31] Rice, J. K. (2010). The Impact of Teacher Experience Examining the Evidence and Policy Implications. A journal from the National Center For Analysis of Longitudinal Data in Education Research (CALDER), Urban Institute.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-32] Rivkin, S. G., Hanushek, E. A., & Kain, J. F. (2000). Teachers, schools and Academic achievement. Working paper 6691 (revised). Massachusetts: National Bureau of Economic Research.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-33] Wayne, A. J., & Youngs, P. (2003). Teacher characteristics and student achievement gains. A Review of Educational Research, 73 (1), 89-122.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-34] Wilkins, J. L. M. (2008). The relationship among elementary teachers’ content knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and practices. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, 11 (2), 139164. doi:10.1007/s10857-007-9068-2.DOI ↗Google Scholar ↗

[refR-35] Yoon, J. S. (2002). Teacher characteristics as predictors of student-teacher relationships: Stress, negative affect, and self-efficacy. Social Behavior and Personality, 30 (5), 485-494. doi:10.2224/sbp.2002.30.5.485DOI ↗Google Scholar ↗

[refR-36] Yoyou, Q., & Wenjing, Z. (2018). What Does Professional Rank Mean to Teachers? A Survey of the Multiple Impacts of Professional Rank on Urban and Rural Compulsory Education Teachers. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10611932.2018.1433412DOI ↗Google Scholar ↗

[refR-37] Zhang, D. (2008). The Effects of Teacher Education Level, Teaching Experience, And Teaching Behaviors on Student Science Achievement. [Doctoral Dissertation] Utah State University.Google Scholar ↗