Guiding Principles in the Study of Teacher Effectiveness

Abstract

The search for what is basically signif icant goes on alike in Physical science and in education. For example, researchers in acoustics, working for the Bell Tele phone Company, are seeking the common elements which identify a spoken word regardless of whether it is uttered by a child or an aged person, or by persons with different accents and cultural influ ences. Similarly, research workers in ed ucation are seeking to identify those as pects which are basic to any particular type of effective teaching. Further, just as there are many words and phrases in language to suit different occasions and purposes, so also research workers in education expect to find many different forms of effective teaching to suit varying personalities, purposes, and circumstances. The accompanying statement, which seeks to define the essential nature of the re search problem, is notable for its breadth and perspective; it should help researchers in this field obtain a clearer conception of their work. — Douglas E. Scates.