Using systematic observation to assess teacher effectiveness promoting personally and socially responsible behavior in physical education

ABSTRACT

National content standards in PE address responsibility; however, learning outcomes and teacher effectiveness in this area remain poorly defined. This study employed the Social and Emotional Learning framework and a teaching personal and social responsibility (TPSR) model fidelity instrument to address this gap. Our purpose was to examine the utility of the Tool for Assessing Responsibility-based Education (TARE) in assessing teacher effectiveness promoting responsibility. We conducted a comparative case study of three PE teachers in an urban public high school. Data sources included observations, interviews, and artifacts. Findings indicate that the TARE is a feasible instrument to assess PE teachers’ effectiveness in promoting responsibility. Data were sufficient to develop distinct teacher profiles. While the TARE is a TPSR fidelity instrument, it is also a valid and reliable observation instrument that can be applied in the context of practice. Implications for professional development and research are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• teaching personal and social responsibility model
• national standards
• teacher effectiveness
• systematic observation