2006-2007 Original Study Teacher Web-Based Survey #1

OMB Number: xxxx-xxxx

Expiration Date: xx/xx/07

Appendix A

Teacher Web-Based Survey #1

AMSTI Teacher Survey #1

The collection of information in this study is authorized by Public Law 107-279 Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002, Title I, Part C, Sec. 151(b) and Sec. 153(a). Participation is voluntary. You may skip questions you do not wish to answer; however, we hope that you will answer as many questions as you can. Your responses are protected from disclosure by federal statute (PL 107-279 Title I, Part C, Sec. 183). All responses that relate to or describe identifiable characteristics of individuals may be used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any other purpose, unless otherwise compelled by law. Data will be combined to produce statistical reports. No individual data that links your name, school name, address, telephone number, or identification number with your responses will be included in the statistical reports.

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number.  The valid OMB control number for this information collection is xxxx-xxxx (expiration date: __/__/__).  The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 20 minutes, including the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather the data needed, and complete the information collection.  If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate or suggestions for improving this form, please contact: the Department of Education 50 North Ripley Street PO Box 302101 Montgomery, AL 36104.  If you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission, e-mail directly to: Laurel Sterling at lsterling@empiricaleducation.com or call toll free 1-888-486-8886 ext. 127.

You may want your lesson planner in front of you to answer some of the questions.

Identification

1. Please enter your first and last name here______________________

Teaching Assignment

TERMS:

Self-contained classroom: A classroom where the teacher teaches all or most academic subjects to the same group of students all or most of the day.

Main teaching assignment: The activity at which you spend most of your time during the school year.

*******************************************************************

2. What grade level do you primarily teach? Please choose one.

__3rd -4th combination

__4th

__5th

__4th – 5th combination

__6th

__7th

__8^th

__7th – 8^th combination

__Ungraded

__Other, please specify____________

3a. Which of the following categories best describes how your math classes are taught? Mark no more than 1.

_ Self-contained: Teacher teaches most subjects
_ Departmentalized instruction (single-subject)
_ Taught by Subject Area Specialist (non-departmental)
_ Taught by another teacher at my grade level (non-departmental)
_ Team-taught , please indicate the name of your partner teacher(s)

_________________

_ Other, please describe_________________

3b. Which of the following categories best describes how your science classes are taught? Mark no more than 1.

_ Self-contained: Teacher teaches most subjects
_ Departmentalized instruction (single-subject)
_ Taught by Subject Area Specialist (non-departmental)
_ Taught by another teacher at my grade level (non-departmental)
_ Team-taught , please indicate the name of your partner teacher(s)

_________________

_ Other, please describe_________________

4. In what subject is your main teaching assignment in the current school year? Mark the box for that subject in the list below. Mark no more than 1.

__ No main affiliation with a single subject (e.g., self-contained classroom)

__ Reading/Language Arts/English

__ Mathematics __ Vocational Field

__ Science __ Arts/Music

__ Mathematics/Science __ Health/Physical Education

__ Technology __ Special Education

__ Language Arts/History __ English as a Second Language

__ History/Social Studies __ Foreign/World Languages

__ Other, please specify: ______________

5. Mark the subject(s) for your secondary teaching assignment(s) in the current school year in the list below. Mark all that apply.

__ No Secondary Subject __ Health/Physical Education

__ Reading/Language Arts/English __ Special Education

__ History/Social Studies __ English as a Second Language

__ Mathematics __ Computers or Technology

__ Science __ Foreign/World Languages

__ Art/Music __ Other, please specify: _____________________

__ Vocational Field

6. How would you classify your teaching position this school year? Mark one.

_ Full-time

_ Part-time

_Other (please explain) ___________________

7. Are you an AMSTI Lead Teacher? Mark one.

_ Yes, I’m the AMSTI Lead Teacher for Math at my school.

_ Yes, I’m the AMSTI Lead Teacher for Science at my school.

_ I’m not sure

_Other (please explain) ______________________

_ No, I am not an AMSTI Lead Teacher

8. During the past two weeks, what curricular and other print materials did you use to teach mathematics and/or science? Mark all that apply.

__AMSTI supplied: (Please list) ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

__A+ Learning Computer Program

__Accelerated Math

__Alabama Course of Study

__Alabama Science in Motion

__Carolina Biological

__CPO Science

__Edutest

__Glencoe

__Harcourt Brace

__Holt Science

__Houghton Mifflin

__Integrated Science

__Lightspan

__Macmillan

__Math for Today

__McGraw-Hill

__Saxon Math

__Scholastic

__Science World

__Scott Foresman Science

__SRA Intervention Math

__Other: (Please list)

Math Instructional Strategies

9. Do you currently teach mathematics?

__Yes (Go to question 10a)

__No (Go to question 21a)

The following questions are attempting to understand the number of hours that students receive of each type of instruction. Each question asks you to reflect upon the last two weeks (ten full days) of instruction.

10a. Think back on your last two weeks (10 full days) of instruction: approximately how many minutes did your students spend doing math in your class? Please be sure to consider all activities, including discussion, lecture, reading, watching video, hands-on activities, worksheets, and activities that integrate math with other subjects.

Minutes of math instruction ____________

10b. The number in question 10a represents my minutes of instruction

__Daily

__Weekly

__For two weeks

10c. How many math classes (i.e. different groups of students) do you teach?

__1 (Go to question 10e)

__2 (Go to question 10d)

__3 (Go to question 10d)

__4 (Go to question 10d)

__5 (Go to question 10d)

__6 (Go to question 10d)

__7 (Go to question 10d)

__8 (Go to question 10d)

__Other, please specify __________________ (Go to question 10d)

10d. Is the number in question 10a the sum of the minutes for all math classes or the average minutes per class?

__Sum

__Average

10e. For the remainder of the math instruction section of this survey, please continue to calculate your responses in the same manner as you did for question 10a.

__OK

11. Consider the following description of Inquiry-Based Instruction in which students do all of the following activities as part of the learning process:

• Make observations

• Pose questions

• Examine books and other sources of information to see what is already known

• Plan investigations

• Review what is already known in light of experimental evidence

• Use tools to gather, analyze, and interpret data

• Propose answers, explanations, and predictions

• Communicate the results

During the past two weeks, approximately how many minutes did students participate in Inquiry-Based Instruction in your math class?

Minutes of inquiry-based math instruction ____________

12. During the past two weeks, approximately how many minutes did students participate in hands-on math activities (involving active participation; applied, as opposed to theoretical)? Please enter the total number of minutes.

Minutes of hands-on math instruction ____________

13. During the past two weeks, how many minutes were your students engaged in math activities that required higher-order thinking skills? (i.e., where students advance from skills such as focusing and information gathering to skills such as integrating and evaluating.) Please enter the total number of minutes.

Minutes of higher-order thinking skills in math ____________

14. During the past two weeks, about how much time did you teach using AMSTI supplied print materials? Please enter the total number of minutes. If you do not teach AMSTI, please enter “0.”

Minutes using AMSTI supplied math print materials _________

15. During the past two weeks, what type of math assessments did you use in your classroom? Please check all that apply.

__ Informal assessments, such as questioning and observation, to gauge student learning

__ Formative paper and pencil assessments (i.e., assessments that occur regularly throughout the year in order to inform instruction)

__ Performance-based assessments (i.e., assessing students based on their application of knowledge, skills, and work habits through the performance of tasks that are meaningful and engaging to students)

__ Standardized assessments

__ Other, please describe ______________

__ I did not administer any math assessments

Math Professional Development

16a. The following questions refer to math Professional Development (PD) activities in which you have participated so far this school year, i.e., since school let out in May or June 2007.

For AMSTI: Please include any professional development you have received as part of the AMSTI program or in any way connected with AMSTI.
For Non-AMSTI: Please include all non-AMSTI professional development you have received.

So far this school year, how much professional development have you received for your math program. Please do not include support or collaboration meetings. Please enter the total hours of training in each box.

AMSTI Mathematics __________

Non-AMSTI Mathematics __________

16b. How many of the hours reported in Question 16a (total hours of PD this year) were spent in school training sessions held after school, on the weekend, on professional development days, or early release days (please do not include summer training, support, or collaboration meetings)?

AMSTI Mathematics ______

Non-AMSTI Mathematics______

17. To what extent have the math professional development activities reported in Question 16b increased the following?

1= Not at all or very little, 2=To some extent, 3= A great deal, NA= Not applicable

_____Your ability to incorporate technology into your teaching

_____Your ability to use new teaching methods

_____Your ability to teach basic skills and facts

_____Your classroom management strategies

_____Your ability to teach critical thinking skills to your students

_____Your students' academic achievement

_____The way you assess student work

18a. How many of the hours reported in Question 16a were spent in summer training?

AMSTI Mathematics ______

Non-AMSTI Mathematics______

18b. To what extent have the math professional development activities reported in Question

18a increased the following?

1= Not at all or very little, 2=To some extent, 3= A great deal, NA= Not applicable

_____Your ability to incorporate technology into your teaching

_____Your ability to use new teaching methods

_____Your ability to teach basic skills and facts

_____Your classroom management strategies

_____Your ability to teach critical thinking skills to your students

_____Your students' academic achievement

_____The way you assess student work

19a. So far this school year, how many times did you try contacting someone for support (e.g., for mentoring or coaching) with math instruction?

AMSTI Mathematics Total Times__________

Non-AMSTI Mathematics Total Times __________

19b. So far this school year, how many times did someone actually provide support (e.g., for mentoring or coaching) with math instruction?

AMSTI Mathematics Total Times__________

Non-AMSTI Mathematics Total Times __________

19c. To what extent have the math support activities listed in question 19b increased the following?

1= Not at all or very little, 2=To some extent, 3= A great deal, NA= Not applicable

_____Your ability to incorporate technology into your teaching

_____Your ability to use new teaching methods

_____Your ability to teach basic skills and facts

_____Your classroom management strategies

_____Your ability to teach critical thinking skills to your students

_____Your students' academic achievement

_____The way you assess student work

20a. So far this school year, how frequently have you had collaboration meetings with other teachers (e.g., for planning lessons) for math?

1=Never, 2=Once or twice, 3=At least weekly, 4=Daily, NA= Not applicable

AMSTI Mathematics__________

Non-AMSTI Mathematics__________

20b. To what extent have the math collaboration activities listed in question 20a increased the following?

1= Not at all or very little, 2=To some extent, 3= A great deal, NA= Not applicable

_____Your ability to incorporate technology into your teaching

_____Your ability to use new teaching methods

_____Your ability to teach basic skills and facts

_____Your classroom management strategies

_____Your ability to teach critical thinking skills to your students

_____Your students' academic achievement

_____The way you assess student work

Science Instructional Strategies

21. Do you currently teach science?

__Yes (Go to question 22a)

__No (Go to question 33)

The following questions are attempting to understand the number of hours that students receive of each type of instruction. Each question asks you to reflect upon the last two weeks (ten full days) of instruction.

22a. Think back on your last two weeks (10 full days) of instruction: approximately how many minutes did your students spend doing science in your class? Please be sure to consider all activities, including discussion, lecture, reading, watching video, hands-on activities, worksheets, and activities that integrate science with other subjects.

Minutes of science instruction ____________

22b. The number in question 22a represents my minutes of instruction

__Daily

__Weekly

__For two weeks

22c. How many science classes (i.e. different groups of students) do you teach?

__1 (Go to question 22e)

__2 (Go to question 22d)

__3 (Go to question 22d)

__4 (Go to question 22d)

__5 (Go to question 22d)

__6 (Go to question 22d)

__7 (Go to question 22d)

__8 (Go to question 22d)

__Other, please specify __________________ (Go to question 22d)

22d. Is the number in question 22a the sum of the minutes for all science h classes or the average minutes per class?

__Sum

__Average

22e. For the remainder of the science instruction section of this survey, please continue to calculate your responses in the same manner as you did for question 22a.

__OK

23. Consider the following description of Inquiry-Based Instruction in which students do all of the following activities as part of the learning process:

• Make observations

• Pose questions

• Examine books and other sources of information to see what is already known

• Plan investigations

• Review what is already known in light of experimental evidence

• Use tools to gather, analyze, and interpret data

• Propose answers, explanations, and predictions

• Communicate the results

During the past two weeks, approximately how many minutes did students participate in Inquiry-Based Instruction in your science class?

Minutes of inquiry-based science instruction ____________

24. During the past two weeks, approximately how many minutes did students participate in hands-on math activities (involving active participation; applied, as opposed to theoretical)? Please enter the total number of minutes.

Minutes of hands-on science instruction ____________

25. During the past two weeks, how many minutes were your students engaged in science activities that required higher-order thinking skills? (i.e., where students advance from skills such as focusing and information gathering to skills such as integrating and evaluating.) Please enter the total number of minutes.

Minutes of higher-order thinking skills in science ____________

26. During the past two weeks, about how much time did you teach using AMSTI supplied print materials? Please enter the total number of minutes. If you do not teach AMSTI, please enter “0.”

Minutes using AMSTI supplied science print materials _________

27. During the past two weeks, what type of science assessments did you use in your classroom? Please check all that apply.

__ Informal assessments, such as questioning and observation, to gauge student learning

__ Formative paper and pencil assessments (i.e., assessments that occur regularly throughout the year in order to inform instruction)

__ Performance-based assessments (i.e., assessing students based on their application of knowledge, skills, and work habits through the performance of tasks that are meaningful and engaging to students)

__ Standardized assessments

__ Other, please describe ______________

__ I did not administer any science assessments

Science Professional Development

28a. The following questions refer to math Professional Development (PD) activities in which you have participated so far this school year, i.e., since school let out in May or June 2007.

For AMSTI: Please include any professional development you have received as part of the AMSTI program or in any way connected with AMSTI.
For Non-AMSTI: Please include all non-AMSTI professional development you have received.

 So far this school year, how much professional development have you received for your math program. Please do not include support or collaboration meetings. Please enter the total hours of training in each box.

AMSTI Science __________

Non-AMSTI Science __________

28b. How many of the hours reported in Question 28a (total hours of PD this year) were spent in school training sessions held after school, on the weekend, on professional development days, or early release days (please do not include summer training, support, or collaboration meetings)?

AMSTI Science __________

Non-AMSTI Science __________

29. To what extent have the science professional development activities reported in Question 28b increased the following?

1= Not at all or very little, 2=To some extent, 3= A great deal, NA= Not applicable

_____Your ability to incorporate technology into your teaching

_____Your ability to use new teaching methods

_____Your ability to teach basic skills and facts

_____Your classroom management strategies

_____Your ability to teach critical thinking skills to your students

_____Your students' academic achievement

_____The way you assess student work

30a. How many of the hours reported in Question 28a were spent in summer training?

AMSTI Science __________

Non-AMSTI Science __________

30b. To what extent have the math professional development activities reported in Question 30a increased the following?

1= Not at all or very little, 2=To some extent, 3= A great deal, NA= Not applicable

_____Your ability to incorporate technology into your teaching

_____Your ability to use new teaching methods

_____Your ability to teach basic skills and facts

_____Your classroom management strategies

_____Your ability to teach critical thinking skills to your students

_____Your students' academic achievement

_____The way you assess student work

31a. So far this school year, how many times did you try contacting someone for support (e.g., for mentoring or coaching) with science instruction?

AMSTI Science Total Times__________

Non-AMSTI Science Total Times __________

31b. So far this school year, how many times did someone actually provide support (e.g., for mentoring or coaching) with science instruction?

AMSTI Science Total Times__________

Non-AMSTI Science Total Times __________

31c. To what extent have the science support activities listed in question 31b increased the following?

1= Not at all or very little, 2=To some extent, 3= A great deal, NA= Not applicable

_____Your ability to incorporate technology into your teaching

_____Your ability to use new teaching methods

_____Your ability to teach basic skills and facts

_____Your classroom management strategies

_____Your ability to teach critical thinking skills to your students

_____Your students' academic achievement

_____The way you assess student work

32a. So far this school year, how frequently have you had collaboration meetings with other teachers (e.g., for planning lessons) for science?

1=Never, 2=Once or twice, 3=At least weekly, 4=Daily, NA= Not applicable

AMSTI Science __________

Non-AMSTI Science __________

32b. To what extent have the science collaboration activities listed in question 32a increased the following?

1= Not at all or very little, 2=To some extent, 3= A great deal, NA= Not applicable

_____Your ability to incorporate technology into your teaching

_____Your ability to use new teaching methods

_____Your ability to teach basic skills and facts

_____Your classroom management strategies

_____Your ability to teach critical thinking skills to your students

_____Your students' academic achievement

_____The way you assess student work

Planning Time

33. During the past two weeks, how many hours (both paid time and unpaid time) did you spend planning your math and/or science lessons?

1. Math ___

2. Science ____

34. How much paid time do you receive each week for planning all of your lessons (include time for planning math, science, and everything else you teach)? _____

Additional Information

35. Is there anything else you would like us to know about your math and/or science program or about this survey?

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egional Educational Laboratory