High school teacher perceptions of implementation of evidence-based practices for classroom management

ABSTRACT

Evidence-based practices for classroom management are well established and predominantly preventative in nature. However, use of reactive practices by teachers has been widely reported internationally, particularly in middle and high school settings. Teachers (N = 587) throughout government high schools in Queensland, Australia responded to a survey about their experiences and confidence with classroom management and their use of 14 evidence-based classroom management practices. Participating teachers reported being confident classroom managers and frequently using the majority of the presented practices. Practices related to teaching and reinforcing expected behaviours were reported to be more intermittently used. Contextual factors which help account for these findings are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Classroom management
• evidence-based practices
• high school
• Australia

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by an Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship.

Disclosure statement

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

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Lorna Hepburn

Lorna Hepburn (PhD) has extensive experience as a teacher, head of department, and behaviour consultant. Currently Lorna leads implementation of the Positive Behaviour for Learning framework in government schools in Queensland. She is interested in ways to build teacher capacity in proactive classroom management and in bridging the research-to-practice gap.

Wendi Beamish (PhD) is a special educator with a strong practitioner background. She has over 30 years’ experience working with young children with disabilities and their families. Her research interests focus on teacher practice in the areas of education transitions, behavioural support, social-emotional competence, early intervention, and inclusive schooling. To date, Wendi has over 60 publications, many in the area of autism.

Clair L. Alston-Knox (PhD) currently works for Predictive Analytics Group (Melbourne). Clair does applied statistical research and is involved in the development of AutoStat. Clair’s specific methodological interests are in Bayesian statistics, mixture models, hierarchical modelling, longitudinal analysis, and spatial data.