Creating Effective Teaching and Learning Environments: First Results from TALIS

The study provides the first internationally comparative perspective on the conditions of teaching and learning, based on data from over 70,000 teachers and school principals who represent lower secondary teachers in the 23 participating countries.

TALIS examines important aspects of professional development; teacher beliefs, attitudes and practices; teacher appraisal and feedback; and school leadership. TALIS looks at these factors through the eyes of teachers and school principals. This innovative approach was chosen in order to examine how the intended school and teacher policies of education systems are actually perceived and implemented in schools and classrooms, recognising that the best intentions will only yield results if effectively and consistently implemented in the frontline.


The study representing over 2 million teachers, focuses on teachers appraisal and feedback, their professional development, the teaching practices and beliefs and school leadership. The objective aim is to identify barriers to effective instruction. The report presents quantitative information for policymakers.

Table of contents
Foreword.
Reader’s Guide.
Chapter 1 - Introduction
Chapter 2 - A profile of the teacher population and the schools in which they work
Chapter 3 - The professional development of teachers
Chapter 4 - Teaching practices, teachers’ beliefs and attitudes
Chapter 5 - School evaluation, Teacher appraisal and feedback and the impact on schools and teachers
Chapter 6 - Leading to learn: School leadership and management styles
Chapter 7 - Key factors in developing effective learning environments: Classroom disciplinary climate and teachers’ self-efficacy
References.
Annex A1 - Technical Notes on Survey procedures and analysis
Annex A1.1 - Construction of indices and other derived measures
Annex A1.2 - TALIS sampling procedures and response rates
Annex A1.3 - Quality assurance
Annex A1.4 - Technical notes on multiple regression analyses
Annex A2 - Selected characteristics of data collected from the Netherlands
Annex A3 - The development and implementation of TALIS – a collaborative effort