Teacher collaboration’s impact on student achievement

We often hear that teacher collaboration is important. Yet, how much do really know about the impact of teacher collaboration on teacher practice and student achievement?

A lot of the data and research associates teacher collaboration with improving teacher practice.[1] However, not many studies examine the link between teacher collaboration and student achievement. Goddard, Goddard, and Tschannen-Moran[2] have one of the only quantitative studies that establish a link between teacher collaboration and increasing in student achievement.

Goddard, Goddard, and Tschannen-Moran studied the impact of teacher collaboration focused on school improvement by examining 47 randomly selected elementary schools in a mid-western urban school district. They measured student achievement using student scores on the fourth grade state standardized tests and measured teacher collaboration using teacher responses on the survey item in Figure 1 below. After performing a number of advanced analyses, they found that the fourth grade students attending schools with higher levels of teacher collaboration for school improvement had higher achievement in math and reading. The authors suggest this is only a preliminary analysis, and future studies need to be conducted on the design, costs, and effects of systematic efforts to enable collaboration among teachers.

For Goddard, et al., it seemed very important that they clearly define teacher collaboration to properly measure its link to student achievement. As described in Figure 1, they focused on collaboration defined by specific teacher behaviors related to school improvement.

As other districts start investing in teacher collaboration as a means to improve teacher practice and increase student achievement, they may want to examine their common understanding of teacher collaboration and make sure it has a link to their intended outcomes.

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Figure 1: Goddard, et al.’s survey item that measured teachers’ level of collaboration

To what extent do teachers work collectively to influence these types of decisions?

(with scale from “Not at all” to “Very much”)

- Planning school improvement

- Selecting instructional methods and activities

- Evaluating curriculum and programs

- Determining professional development needs and goals

- Planning professional development activities

From Goddard, Goddard, and Tschannen-Moran, 2007, p. 893.

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[1] Elmore, R. (2002). Bridging the Gap Between Standards and Achievement: The imperative for Professional Development in Education. Albert Shanker Institute. Retrieved on June 27, 2011 from http://www.ashankerinst.org/downloads/bridging_gap.pdf.; Grossman, P., Wineburg, S., & Woolworth, S. (2001). “Toward a theory of teacher community.” Teachers College Record, 103, 942-1012; McLaughlin, Milbret W. (2006) Building school-based teacher learning communities: professional strategies to improve student achievement. Teachers College, Columbia University; Little, J.W. (August 2003). Inside Teacher Community: Representations of Classroom Practice. Teachers College Record. Teachers College Record Volume 105, Number 6, pp. 913–945.

[2] Goddard, Y.L. Goddard, R.D., and Tschannen-Moran, M. (2007) “A Theoretical and Empirical Investigation of Teacher Collaboration for School Improvement and Student Achievement in Public Elementary Schools. “Teachers College Record Volume 109, Number 4, April 2007, pp. 877–896.