Exploring teachers’ experiences within the teacher evaluation process: A qualitative multi-case study

Abstract

This multi-case study explores teachers’ experiences of the teacher evaluation process implemented in schools across the UAE. Data were collected using interviews and document analysis and covered the seven emirates using the same evaluation process; seventeen teachers—15 female and 2 male teachers––participated in online and face-to-face semi-structured interviews. Our objective was to examine teachers’ experiences in the yearly evaluation cycle enacted in public schools during the 2021–2022 academic year, from the formative evaluation process to the summative evaluation review. It uncovers the overall quality of the evaluation cycle, role of administrators, how the formative evaluation process promotes professional growth, and challenges and outcomes of summative evaluation. An analysis of the collected findings reveals four themes related to teachers’ experiences as recipients of the evaluation process: (1) unreliable indicators to judge teacher quality, (2) lack of motive to provide evidence of performance, (3) episodic superficial feedback, and (4) compliance versus the satisficing mindset of teachers and evaluators. These findings have implications for practice and further research to inform stakeholders of teachers’ raw experiences within the evaluation process and promote positive communication channels with teachers to improve the cyclical education process.

Keywords:

• UAE schools
• professional growth
• formative evaluation
• summative evaluation
• cyclical education process
• documentation
• feedback
• incentives

PUBLIC INTEREST STATEMENT

This study was conducted in the United Arab Emirates to investigate teachers’ experience in the evaluation process in public schools. Evaluation is commonly used as an accountability measure and to help improve teaching and learning. Seventeen teachers from the seven Emirates articulated their thoughts on the evaluation process as an unfair image of their actual practices in class. Teachers are held accountable through various evaluation variables such as students’ attainment scores, omitting other contextual factors within the school, the learner, and the outside community. Therefore, the UAE governmental and educational stakeholders, part of the evaluation system, need to consider the effects of the current evaluation tool voiced by teachers before it manifests and negatively affects teaching and learning in schools.

Acknowledgments

The authors thank all the participating teachers. Their engagement and input provided valuable insights into the UAE’s evaluation process in the United Arab Emirates.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data supporting the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author, [SA, and AA]. The data are not publicly available due to [restrictions such as containing information that could compromise the privacy of research participants].

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2023.2287931

Correction

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sana Butti Al Maktoum

Sana is an instructor at Zayed University and holds a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the United Arab Emirates University. She holds has a master’s degree from the British University in Dubai in association with the University of Birmingham in Special and Inclusive Education. She earned her Bachelor’s with honors in English Language and Literature from Zayed University and earned an additional teaching qualification, a Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA). She has been an educator for around eight years in schools and higher education. Her research interest includes curriculum, inclusive education, and school leadership.

Ahmed M. Al Kaabi

Alkaabi is an assistant professor in the Foundations of Education Department—College of Education at United Arab Emirates University. He is currently serving as the Director of the Emirates Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment at UAEU as well as Coordinator of the Master of the Educational Innovation Program. His educational qualifications include a Ph.D. in Educational Administration and Policy with an emphasis on supervision from the University of Georgia–Athens, USA (2019). Dr. Alkaabi was the recipient of two distinguished academic awards: the Ray Bruce Award in 2017 for his dedicated work and projects in the field of instructional supervision, and the Faculty Award in 2019 for his accomplishments in the Educational Administration and Policy Doctoral Program at the University of Georgia. His research interests reflect his expertise in school leadership, specifically in the areas of supervision, evaluation, induction, and professional development.