Factors Affecting Teachers\u27 Perceptions of Inservice Effectiveness

The purpose of the researcher was to investigate variables related to teachers’ perceptions of inservice effectiveness. The following nine independent variables were investigated: teacher involvement during inservice planning; teacher involvement during inservice implementation; teacher involvement during inservice evaluation; provision of observation and feedback; overall provision of follow-up activities; and, selected teacher demographics including grade taught, present level of education, age, and total number years of teaching experience. Dependent variables investigated were improvement of teaching skills, increase in knowledge of topics presented, change in attitude, implementation of inservice ideas, and overall inservice effectiveness. The sample consisted of 91 teachers (Grades K-12) employed by a rural school district located in northwestern Kansas. Three composite null hypotheses were tested employing three-way analysis of variance. A total of 105 comparisons were tested. Of these, 45 were for main effects and 60 were for interactions. Of the 45 main effects, 11 were statistically significant at the .05 level. The results of the present study appeared to support the following generalizations: 1. Overall provision of follow-up activities was associated with reported improvement of teaching skills; 2. Overall provision of follow-up activities was associated with reported change in attitude; 3. Overall provision of follow-up activities was associated with reported implementation of inservice ideas; 4. Overall provision of follow-up activities was associated with reported overall inservice effectiveness; 5. Observation with feedback was associated with reported improvement of teaching skills; 6. Observation with feedback was associated with reported increased knowledge; 7. Observation with feedback was associated with reported implementation of inservice ideas; 8. Observation with feedback was associated with reported overall inservice effectiveness; 9. Involvement in inservice implementation was associated with reported increased knowledge; 10. Involvement in inservice implementation was associated with reported overall inservice effectiveness; and, 11. Total years of teaching experience was associated with reported improvement of teaching skills