The development, implementation and evaluation of an in-service program for teachers

THE PURPOSE OF THE DISSERTATION The dissertation's purpose is to describe and judge the development, implementation and outcomes of a particular in-service training program for teachers. The program was conducted during 1984 in the Burnie area of the North-West Coast of Tasmania, and was entitled \Managing the Classroom Environment\". AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAM \"Managing the Classroom Environment\" itself and its development implementation and evaluation were quite complex in a number of ways and these complexities unfold in succeeding chapters. However the reader will be assisted by the provision of a brief overview at this early stage. The program was developed implemented and evaluated by the writer and a colleague who are both members of the staff of the School of Teacher Education within the Tasmanian College of Advanced Education. These two together with a Primary Schools liaison officer a regional staff development cfficer a teachers' centre co-ordinator and a senior teacher from one of the Burnie High Schools formed a small management group to facilitate the program's implementation. This group met on several occasions during the latter part of 1983 and early 1984. Funding was sought through the Federal Government's Participation and Equity Program and other sources and a teachers' centre offered the use of its facilities. It was intended that participating teachers would come from both Primary and High Schools; that they would be released from their schools for ten days of workshopping throughout the year; that they would enter the program in pairs and strengthen their collegial relationship during the year; and that they would return to their schools between workshops to apply their newly acquired or refined knowledge skills and attitudes. The two program leaders (those from the TCAE) were both involved in all the workshop sessions."