Measuring teaching quality in several European countries

Abstract

Teaching quality has been observed in large representative samples from Flanders (Belgium), Lower Saxony (Germany), the Slovak Republic, and The Netherlands. This study reveals that measures of “creating a safe and stimulating climate”, “clear and activating instruction”, and “teaching learning strategies” were reliable and fully or at least partially scalar equivalent across these countries. Flemish teachers score higher, on average, on measures related to creating a safe and stimulating learning climate than do teachers in Lower Saxony, the Slovak Republic, or The Netherlands. With regard to the provision of clear and activating instruction, no significant differences arose in average scores across the 4 countries. Dutch teachers scored significantly higher on teaching learning strategies than teachers in Flanders and Lower Saxony but did not differ significantly from teachers in the Slovak Republic. Flemish and Slovak teachers earned higher average scores on teaching learning strategies than teachers in Lower Saxony.

Keywords:

• teacher effectiveness research
• teacher education
• teacher
• multigroup confirmatory factor analysis

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Wim J.C.M. van de Grift

Wim van de Grift (1951) is full professor of Education and Educational Research at the University of Groningen and director of the Teacher Training Institute of the University of Groningen. He is scientific advisor at the Inspectorate of Education in The Netherlands, member of the Dutch Programme Council for Educational Research of the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research, and editor in chief of the journal School Management. His research focusses on teacher effectiveness and on professional development of teachers.