Study of ATLAS Use by Preservice and Early Career Teachers
Manzeske, David; Reese, Kelly; Liu, Feng (2018). American Institutes for Research. Retrieved from: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED591250
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examining197Students, grades5-6
Department-funded evaluation
Review Details
Reviewed: July 2024
- Department-funded evaluation (findings for Accomplished Teaching, Learning, and Schools (ATLAS))
- Quasi-Experimental Design
- Meets WWC standards with reservations because it uses a cluster quasi-experimental design that provides evidence of effects on individuals by satisfying the baseline equivalence requirement for the individuals in the analytic intervention and comparison groups.
This review may not reflect the full body of research evidence for this intervention.
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Findings
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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State standardized tests - Math |
Accomplished Teaching, Learning, and Schools (ATLAS) vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Full sample;
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298.49 |
292.64 |
No |
-- |
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
State standardized tests: Science |
Accomplished Teaching, Learning, and Schools (ATLAS) vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Full sample;
|
712.17 |
731.08 |
No |
-- |
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Sample Characteristics
Characteristics of study sample as reported by study author.
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20% English language learners -
Female: 48%
Male: 53% -
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Tennessee
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Race Black 54% Other or unknown 25% White 21% -
Ethnicity Hispanic 22% Not Hispanic or Latino 78%
Study Details
Setting
Schools and first- or second-year teachers in districts in New York, Tennessee, and Washington State participated in the study. For student outcomes, data were collected from three districts in Tennessee (Jackson-Madison County School System; Metropolitan Nashville; and Tipton County Public Schools) for students in fifth and sixth grade math or science classrooms of teachers in the intervention group, or a comparison group of teachers who were not exposed to the intervention.
Study sample
The teachers eligible for inclusion in the study were early career teachers (first or second year of teaching) in the participating school districts, instructing mathematics or science in Grades 5 through 6. The student sample is comprised of 5-6th grade students in participating schools. Across the math and science outcomes, 21% of students were White, 54% Black, and 21% Hispanic; 49% were female, 20 percent English language learners and 10% were receiving special education services. For the math outcomes only, the analysis sample was: 22% White, 56% Black, 19% Hispanic, 57% female, 22% ELL, and 8 percent were receiving special education services. For the science outcomes only, the analysis sample was: 21% White, 54% Black, 22% Hispanic, 48% female, 19% ELL, and 11 percent were receiving special education services.
Intervention Group
The teachers in the intervention group received training using the Accomplished Teaching, Learning, and Schools (ATLAS) online resource. ATLAS is an online case library that contains examples of 'accomplished teaching' practice delivered by National Board Certified Teachers" (p. 1). The intervention implementation of ATLAS was structured around M-C-A-F (Motivate, Construct, Apply, and Follow Up) facilitation cycles, guided by instructors (for preservice teachers) or teacher mentors (for early career teachers). ATLAS was integated into teacher induction training with the guidance of district instructional coaches, instructional support staff, and/or mentors. Early career teachers in the intervention group accessed The Accomplished Teaching, Learning, and Schools (ATLAS) to review videotaped ""cases"" and written commentary showing examples of instruction from teachers with National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT) credential acknowledging "accomplished teaching" practices. District mentors guided early career teachers' selection and review of cases that were aligned with areas in which the district felt new teachers needed the most support.
Comparison Group
Teachers in the comparison condition received their business as usual professional development and did not have access to the ATLAS system.
Support for implementation
The local implementation of ATLAS was supported by guidelines and protocols for embedding ATLAS cases in the induction programming.
Department-funded evaluation
Review Details
Reviewed: December 2021
- Department-funded evaluation (findings for Accomplished Teaching, Learning, and Schools (ATLAS))
- Quasi-Experimental Design
- Meets WWC standards with reservations because it uses a cluster quasi-experimental design that provides evidence of effects on individuals by satisfying the baseline equivalence requirement for the individuals in the analytic intervention and comparison groups.
This review may not reflect the full body of research evidence for this intervention.
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Findings
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Tennessee state test: mathematics |
Accomplished Teaching, Learning, and Schools (ATLAS) vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Full sample;
|
298.49 |
292.64 |
No |
-- |
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Tennessee state test: science |
Accomplished Teaching, Learning, and Schools (ATLAS) vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Full sample;
|
712.17 |
731.08 |
No |
-- |
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Sample Characteristics
Characteristics of study sample as reported by study author.
-
20% English language learners -
Female: 48%
Male: 53% -
- B
- A
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- I
- H
- J
- K
- L
- P
- M
- N
- O
- Q
- R
- S
- V
- U
- T
- W
- X
- Z
- Y
- a
- h
- i
- b
- d
- e
- f
- c
- g
- j
- k
- l
- m
- n
- o
- p
- q
- r
- s
- t
- u
- v
- x
- w
- y
Tennessee
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Race Black 54% Other or unknown 25% White 21% -
Ethnicity Hispanic 22% Not Hispanic or Latino 78%
Study Details
Setting
The student sample for the study comes from three local education agencies (LEAs) all located in Tennessee: Jackson-Madison County School System, Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools, and Tipton County Public Schools. Students were enrolled in public schools and in general education 5th and 6th grade math or science classrooms of first- or second-year teachers.
Study sample
Across the math and science outcomes, 21% of students were White, 54% Black, and 22% Hispanic; 48% were female, 20% English learners, and 13% were receiving special education services.
Intervention Group
The teachers in the intervention group received training using the Accomplished Teaching, Learning, and Schools (ATLAS) online resource. ATLAS is an online case library that contains examples of “accomplished teaching” practice delivered by National Board-Certified Teachers) . The intervention implementation of ATLAS was structured around M-C-A-F (Motivate, Construct, Apply, and Follow Up) facilitation cycles, guided by instructors (for preservice teachers) or teacher mentors (for early career teachers). ATLAS was integrated into teacher induction training with the guidance of district instructional coaches, instructional support staff, and/or mentors. Early career teachers in the intervention group accessed ATLAS to review videotaped cases and written commentary showing examples of instruction from teachers with National Board-Certified Teacher (NBCT) credential acknowledging accomplished teaching practices. District mentors guided early career teachers' selection and review of cases that were aligned with areas in which the district felt new teachers needed the most support.
Comparison Group
Teachers in the comparison condition received their business-as-usual professional development and did not have access to the ATLAS system. Teachers likely taught as they had in the past.
Support for implementation
The local implementation of ATLAS was supported by guidelines and protocols for embedding ATLAS cases in the induction programming.
An indicator of the effect of the intervention, the improvement index can be interpreted as the expected change in percentile rank for an average comparison group student if that student had received the intervention.
For more, please see the WWC Glossary entry for improvement index.
An outcome is the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that are attained as a result of an activity. An outcome measures is an instrument, device, or method that provides data on the outcome.
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The sample on which the analysis was conducted.
The group to which the intervention group is compared, which may include a different intervention, business as usual, or no services.
The timing of the post-intervention outcome measure.
The number of students included in the analysis.
The mean score of students in the intervention group.
The mean score of students in the comparison group.
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Study findings for this report.
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and the regulations for ED discretionary grants (EDGAR Part 77).