Date of Graduation

5-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (EdD)

Degree Level

Graduate

Department

Curriculum and Instruction

Advisor/Mentor

Pijanowski, John C.

Committee Member

Lasater, Kara A.

Second Committee Member

Brady, Kevin P.

Keywords

Educator Trust; Educator Well-Being; Evaluation Triangulation; Teacher Evaluation; Teacher Feedback; Teacher Supervision

Abstract

This study explores why the current structures of systematic, comprehensive, instrument-driven, and inter-rater reliable teacher evaluation may oversimplify the multi-dimensionality of teaching and minimize practitioner voices in the field. A framework for teaching complexity is presented with descriptions of effective school culture and connectivity, educator well-being, connected relationships, reflection for continual improvement, and positive learning environments. Through a mixed method, bounded multiple case study, and descriptive survey research, I sought to understand principal and teacher perceptions along inquiry lines of feedback going well and not going well in both corrective and developmental settings. I probed reflexively with purposive sampling, five principals in semi-structured interviews. I organized codes into deductive themes and developed six inductive themes through the interview process: trust, educator well-being, clarity, culture, simplicity, and expertise and support networks. A purposive sample of expert teachers for a modified Delphi method focus group was assembled to verify and further develop and validate these themes. Finally, I investigated how different components of evaluation (teacher perspectives and self-evaluation, professional conferencing and goal setting, informal and formal observation, team meetings, pre- and post-conferencing, student and parent feedback, learning data, and peer review) are valued among administrators and teachers through our descriptive survey research and further developed and verified through the interviews and focus group. I found principals valued them all, which reinforces the theory of evaluation triangulation. I discuss recommendations to improve teacher evaluation through co-created professional growth plans, relationship building, intellectual humility & reserving judgment, evaluation triangulation, and developing a positive frame for the teacher’s personal well-being.

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