Illuminating reform evaluation studies through incorporating teacher effectiveness research: A case study in mathematics

Abstract

The goal of the present study was twofold: first to examine teachers' and students' reactions toward a mathematics reform introduced in Cypriot primary schools, and second to investigate the factors influencing the effectiveness of the reform. Using both quantitative and qualitative data we found that students' progress was determined by a number of factors related to teachers' and students' personal characteristics and to teachers' reactions towards the reform. Moreover, teachers were found to tinker the reform to improve students' outcomes. Drawing on these findings and taking into consideration teacher effectiveness research, we propose a theoretical framework for conducting programme evaluations, which attributes a central role to teachers' classroom behaviour.