Application of the Teacher Instructional Practices and Processes System (TIPPS) observation tool in Rural Honduran Secondary Schools
Lead Research Organisation:
University of California, Berkeley
Department Name: Graduate School of Education
Abstract
The Sistema de Aprendizaje Tutorial (Tutorial Learning System or SAT) model for lower and upper secondary school (gradesyear 7-12) provides a rare example of a cost-effective system of effective teaching and learning, particularly for rural areas. Results from a quasi-experimental impact evaluation found that students in SAT had 45% higher rates of learning than their counterparts in traditional rural secondary schools in Honduras (McEwan, et. al, 2015). SAT has operated in Colombia, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Ecuador for over three decades, and functions as a public-private partnership between the government and local NGOs. In 2018, SAT was identified as a solution for the major challenges facing youth globally by "Generation Unlimited," which aims to ensure that every young person is in education, learning or employment by 2030.
For the past three years, our research on SAT has focused on identifying the system-wide features that make a critical contribution to effective teaching in rural Honduran secondary schools. We have conducted in-depth interviews with teachers (called "tutors" in the SAT program), observed tutor professional development/training sessions, and observed a small number of SAT classrooms, with a particular focus on teaching and learning in science (Shareff and Murphy-Graham, in preparation). However, our research has been significantly constrained because we have not conducted systematic classroom observation using a standardized observation tool. This was not only due to lack of financial resources, but also the the lack of an appropriate observation tool to capture elements of effective teaching in SAT. At our first RLO meeting in London, our research team learned of the work of Seidman and colleagues, and their development of the Teacher Instructional Practices and Processes System (TIPPS; Seidman, Raza, Kim, & McCoy, 2013; Seidman, et al., 2018), which is a tremendous contribution to the field of education research in developing country contexts. The current proposal for follow-on funds allows us to augment our research on SAT by applying TIPPS in SAT classrooms, as well as simultaneously enhancing impact and building capacity in Honduras. In the future, a cross-grant synthesis will allow our two research teams to co-produce outputs to reach a wide range of stakeholders and to co-author publications.
Our research findings from the previous RLO grant, augmented by this opportunity to extend this work, will allow us to understand what makes SAT an effective system of secondary schools in rural Honduras, particularly in terms of the recruitment, professional development and ongoing support of teachers. Through our research on SAT, we will generate key insights that can inform interventions to improve teaching and learning outcomes in developing countries (Murphy-Graham, 2018). This is a key area of interest for policy-makers and others in the international education community, who in support of Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education, seek models of high quality secondary education that can inform the design, delivery and expansion of grades 7-12. SAT responds to a number of key challenges identified that prevent quality teaching, including that there are two few teachers in rural areas, and that they lack knowledge and skills to teach effectively (DFID, 2018). The supplemental funds we are applying for will allow us to extend our work in Honduras to enhance research impact and build capacity among key researchers and education stakeholders.
For the past three years, our research on SAT has focused on identifying the system-wide features that make a critical contribution to effective teaching in rural Honduran secondary schools. We have conducted in-depth interviews with teachers (called "tutors" in the SAT program), observed tutor professional development/training sessions, and observed a small number of SAT classrooms, with a particular focus on teaching and learning in science (Shareff and Murphy-Graham, in preparation). However, our research has been significantly constrained because we have not conducted systematic classroom observation using a standardized observation tool. This was not only due to lack of financial resources, but also the the lack of an appropriate observation tool to capture elements of effective teaching in SAT. At our first RLO meeting in London, our research team learned of the work of Seidman and colleagues, and their development of the Teacher Instructional Practices and Processes System (TIPPS; Seidman, Raza, Kim, & McCoy, 2013; Seidman, et al., 2018), which is a tremendous contribution to the field of education research in developing country contexts. The current proposal for follow-on funds allows us to augment our research on SAT by applying TIPPS in SAT classrooms, as well as simultaneously enhancing impact and building capacity in Honduras. In the future, a cross-grant synthesis will allow our two research teams to co-produce outputs to reach a wide range of stakeholders and to co-author publications.
Our research findings from the previous RLO grant, augmented by this opportunity to extend this work, will allow us to understand what makes SAT an effective system of secondary schools in rural Honduras, particularly in terms of the recruitment, professional development and ongoing support of teachers. Through our research on SAT, we will generate key insights that can inform interventions to improve teaching and learning outcomes in developing countries (Murphy-Graham, 2018). This is a key area of interest for policy-makers and others in the international education community, who in support of Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education, seek models of high quality secondary education that can inform the design, delivery and expansion of grades 7-12. SAT responds to a number of key challenges identified that prevent quality teaching, including that there are two few teachers in rural areas, and that they lack knowledge and skills to teach effectively (DFID, 2018). The supplemental funds we are applying for will allow us to extend our work in Honduras to enhance research impact and build capacity among key researchers and education stakeholders.
Planned Impact
Informed by the ESRC guide to maximizing impact, the work of the Impact Initiative, and our previous experience with research dissemination, we will design a strategy for impact with the following research beneficiaries; 1) Academic beneficiaries: Researchers from various fields including education, economics, demography, and gender studies (see previous section on "Academic Beneficiaries"); 2) The networks of technical experts/policy makers involved in funding decisions at the international level. These include charitable foundations (MacArthur Foundation, MasterCard Foundation), bilateral aid agencies (e.g. USAID, DFID), and multi-lateral aid agencies (e.g. Inter-American Development Bank, World Bank); 3) Charitable and voluntary organizations concerned globally, national, and regionally with the improvement of educational quality in low income countries; 4) The network of non-governmental organizations involved in implementing the SAT program in Honduras and internationally; 5) Children and youth in Honduras and elsewhere that live in marginalized settings and lack access to quality, relevant secondary education.
From the outset, we will work closely with our Honduran collaborators, who have primary academic appointments at the National Pedagogical University. We have been working with this Honduran team since 2008. They will be closely involved in the facilitation of a key stakeholder meeting, where we will invite representatives from the Secretary of Education's office and other educational experts (e.g. World Bank, USAID, DFID, IADB education officers). This seminar will allow us to fully ground the project in the local context, and to begin planning our dissemination approach.
If properly and strategically disseminated, this research has the potential to directly influence the design and delivery of high quality secondary education programs in Honduras and other low-income countries. Additionally, the research will benefit others attempting to measure dimensions of educational quality at the secondary level because it will be another context for the validation of TIPPS. Overall, this project will generate knowledge about how the transformative power of education can be fully tapped to improve the lives of disadvantaged children and youth.
When we have results, we will work closely with the research unit hosting this project at UC Berkeley, the Graduate School of Education (GSE), which has extensive experience with disseminating innovative research that drives effective educational policy and programming. In addition, we will present findings and share working-papers with program officers at charitable foundations and other funding agencies. In particular, we will conduct outreach to the Education Donors Group and the newly-created Building Evidence in Education group. In addition to these targeted outreach activities, we will present our findings at international conferences including UKFIET and CIES and top international universities.
From the outset, we will work closely with our Honduran collaborators, who have primary academic appointments at the National Pedagogical University. We have been working with this Honduran team since 2008. They will be closely involved in the facilitation of a key stakeholder meeting, where we will invite representatives from the Secretary of Education's office and other educational experts (e.g. World Bank, USAID, DFID, IADB education officers). This seminar will allow us to fully ground the project in the local context, and to begin planning our dissemination approach.
If properly and strategically disseminated, this research has the potential to directly influence the design and delivery of high quality secondary education programs in Honduras and other low-income countries. Additionally, the research will benefit others attempting to measure dimensions of educational quality at the secondary level because it will be another context for the validation of TIPPS. Overall, this project will generate knowledge about how the transformative power of education can be fully tapped to improve the lives of disadvantaged children and youth.
When we have results, we will work closely with the research unit hosting this project at UC Berkeley, the Graduate School of Education (GSE), which has extensive experience with disseminating innovative research that drives effective educational policy and programming. In addition, we will present findings and share working-papers with program officers at charitable foundations and other funding agencies. In particular, we will conduct outreach to the Education Donors Group and the newly-created Building Evidence in Education group. In addition to these targeted outreach activities, we will present our findings at international conferences including UKFIET and CIES and top international universities.
People |
ORCID iD |
Erin Murphy-Graham (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Murphy-Graham E
(2021)
Examining school dropout among rural youth in Honduras: Evidence from a mixed-methods longitudinal study
in International Journal of Educational Development
Murphy-Graham E
(2020)
School Dropout, Child Marriage, and Early Pregnancy among Adolescent Girls in Rural Honduras
in Comparative Education Review
Pacheco-Montoya D
(2022)
Gender Norms, Control Over Girls' Sexuality, and Child Marriage: A Honduran Case Study.
in The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine
Description | Our training of field supervisors to use the TIPPS observation tool during the 2022 Honduran School year allowed these actors to develop an evidence-based approach to providing feedback on teaching practices and processes. Our team is still in the process of analyzing data collected in November, 2022, to determine the extent to which this new approach to providing feedback may have changed teacher practices and student learning outcomes. Additional evidence of the project impact is that the tool is now being used by a team of researchers in Nicaragua that are using it as a tool for teacher coaching. This initial spread of the TIPPS feedback tool demonstrates that demand for a tool of this nature exists in Central America, and this pilot initiative has allowed us to demonstrate proof of concept. |
First Year Of Impact | 2019 |
Sector | Education |
Impact Types | Societal |
Title | TIPPS observation and feedback tool |
Description | As part of our project, we modified the Teacher Instructional Practices and Processes Instrument - creating a modified version for implementation in Honduran classrooms. We also created a new tool, called "TIPPS-A" or "TIPPS-Accompaniment" which is used specifically to provide feedback for teachers, based on observation. This is the first time TIPPS has been used in a Spanish-speaking context and validated in a Central American country. |
Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
Year Produced | 2020 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | None to date due to COVID. |
Description | National Pedagogical University |
Organisation | Francisco Morazán National Pedagogical University |
Country | Honduras |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We worked together to collect data in 30 communities in Feburary, 2020. This involved the creation of research instruments, sample selection, route planning, training of enumerators, and application of research instruments. COVID impacted our ability to complete data collection and our intervention. |
Collaborator Contribution | Partners were equally involved at all stages described above. |
Impact | N/A |
Start Year | 2008 |
Description | New York University |
Organisation | New York University |
Country | Italy |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | NYU and UCB worked collaboratively to develop this project, however the project was paused due to COVID-19. |
Collaborator Contribution | NYU and UCB worked collaboratively to develop this project, however the project was paused due to COVID-19. |
Impact | We do not have any outputs or outcomes due to the COVID-19 pandemic we had to pause the project. |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | Participation in Case Study commissioned by ESRC/FCDO via Niras International |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | We collaborated with an RLO evaluation which included a deep-dive case studies of several projects, ours included. We participated in interviews and helped with the logistics so that the independent team of evaluators could determine the research impact of our project. The case study is now drafted, and consists of fieldwork conducted by local consultants to speak to school teachers, local community members, government members, and other stakeholders that are relevant. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Webinar |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | We hosted a webinar - a blog entry reporting the goals/outcomes of the event created in collaboration with the Impact Initiative is included below: Reconceptualizing Teacher Professional Development in Honduras Improving the quality of education is a persistent challenge in Latin America and the Caribbean. Students in the region consistently underperform in international academic assessments; and the achievement gap amongst students within individual countries reflect staggering inequalities. Students' academic achievement is directly related to a teachers' ability to keep students engaged by using a wide range of pedagogical practices. Therefore, an important element in addressing this learning crisis is focusing on teacher professional development (TPD). Responding to the need of developing innovative TPD programmes, grant holders from two research projects funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) under the Raising Learning Outcomes in Education Systems Research Programme (RLO), together with in-country project partners, the Honduran Bayan Association and the National Pedagogical University of Honduras, hosted a webinar to present an innovative TPD model designed to provide teachers with the necessary support and resources to improve their pedagogical practices. Supported by the Impact Initiative, the webinar, 'Reconceptualizing Teacher Professional Development in Honduras' took place on 1 February 2021. The 512 participants included members from the Honduran Ministry of Education, faculty members and students in pre-service training from local Universities, Honduran teachers from private and public schools, international agencies including USAID and UNICEF, non-governmental organizations, and civil society organizations. Six panelists presented the new model which combined the research of two ESRC-FCDO RLO research projects: Examining effective teaching in rural Honduran secondary schools and Toward the development of a rigorous and practical classroom observation tool: the Uganda secondary school project. Panelists included: • Diana Pacheco (University of California, Berkeley) • Russbel Hernandez (National Pedagogical University of Honduras) • Erin Murphy-Graham (University of California, Berkeley) • Alejandro Martínez (Asociación Bayan) • Bita Corea (Fundación para la Aplicación y Enseñanza de las Ciencias) • Edward Seidman (University of New York) A new model to improve teaching practices: Designing innovative, effective, and relevant TPD programs that help teachers improve their pedagogical practices is critical to improving the quality of education. For this reason, TPD is at the core of the 2018- 2030 Strategic Plan for the Educational sector of Honduras (National Board of Education, 2019) which prioritizes pre-service training and in-service TPD. The model, presented by the two RLO projects, draws from the TPD model of the Sistema de Aprendizaje Tutorial (SAT), a secondary programme in rural areas of Honduras. SAT's TPD revolves around a permanent coaching system. This coaching system is based on the idea of accompaniment, which consists of offering teachers ongoing support and advice as they advance in their teaching careers. The second component of this TPD model is the Teacher Instructional Practices and Processes System (TIPPS). TIPPS is an observation tool that examines the quality of teaching practices and processes in the classroom via live or video observations. The combination of these two elements is what researchers have called "TIPPS-A" or "TIPPS Acompañamiento". TIPPS-A consists of using TIPPS as an observation tool to provide teachers with feedback that will allow them to improve their pedagogical practices. This feedback is given within the conceptual implications of accompaniment, an approach that aims to establish horizontal relationships between the coach and the teacher as they both work towards permanent and continuous improvement. TIPPS-A is a tool that can lead to the improvement of teachers' pedagogical practices, ultimately enhancing students' academic and socioemotional outcomes. The online meeting was successful in raising awareness of the new model amongst different local Honduran stakeholders including educators, researchers, educational authorities, governmental and non-governmental organizations. "I am very grateful to you for allowing me the opportunity to participate in this webinar. I feel interested and willing to acquire new knowledge, to be a multiplier effect in my school," Flavia Paola, public school teacher. "It was an event of the highest quality due to the design, organization, quality of the speakers, and the topic... Regarding the proposal for reconceptualization of teacher professional development in Honduras, I think the TIPPS proposal is very relevant, because it is a qualitative approach and allows focusing on aspects of the classroom and its actors based on interactions. In terms of implementation, I consider that it is possible since it will be a post-pandemic contribution to strengthen the work of teachers from a people-centered perspective. Although the initiative is part of the SAT model, it can be adapted to other contexts." Dr. Elma Barahona Henry, Research coordinator, National Pedagogical University of Honduras. It is hoped that the webinar will encourage collaborations and partnerships with institutions/professionals interested in TIPPS-A and provide the opportunity to explore the possibility of additional funding to continue with the study of TIPPS-A. Diana Pacheco, of the University of Berkeley, California, one of the lead organisers said: "Through this webinar, we reached a diverse and strategic audience that we had not been able to reach before. For example, for years, our research team has been trying to find platforms to share the impact of the Sistema de Aprendizaje Tutorial (SAT), the rural secondary education system that we work with in Honduras. As a result of this webinar, for the first time, we saw a genuine and widespread interest in SAT. More importantly, we were able to share aspects of SAT that could be replicated in other contexts and could benefit the Honduran education system more broadly. We are confident that as a result of this webinar we will be able to establish important collaborations and start a much needed conversation about how important it is to provide teachers with innovative professional development programs that can help them become better educators. The feedback we received from many participants was positive and motivates us to keep working and sharing our work with key Honduran stakeholders." Strengthening classroom practices and processes: Access to professional development that is cumulative and continuous is critical for teachers to strengthen their classroom practice and processes. The TIPPS-A observation/feedback process offers a fresh and innovative model for how to support teachers in their ongoing improvement. The research teams now plan to conduct a study to examine whether the model improves teaching practices and teacher perception of self-efficacy and improves student academic performance and social and emotional well-being. If you are interested in this TPD model and would like further information, collaborate with the research teams or provide funding for this study, please email Dr. Erin Murphy-Graham (emurphy@berkeley.edu) or Dr. Edward Seidman (es4@nyu.edu). Resources Investigación ESRC-FCDO para Políticas y Prácticas: Enseñanza de Calidad (octubre 2020) The Impact Initiative ESRC-DFID Research for Policy and Practice: Quality Teaching (July 2018) The Impact Initiative |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |