Classroom Walkthroughs: Impact on Student Achievement

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate Kansas Learning Network (KLN)school principals’ perceptions related to the classroom walkthrough process. Fourresearch questions guided the study: (1) To what extent do principals perceive that theclassroom walkthrough process has an impact on student learning? (2) To what extent doprincipals perceive that their school’s classroom walkthrough model is an effectiveprocess for measuring the use of research-based instructional strategies? (3) To whatextent do principals perceive that data collected during classroom walkthroughs are usedto inform the creation of job-embedded professional development? and (4) To whatextent do principals perceive that data collected during classroom walkthroughs are usedto measure prior job-embedded professional development? To answer the researchquestions, a quantitative research method was used. The population of interest was allschool principals in Kansas. The sample for this study consisted of principals in 345KLN schools, as of September 2011. Each research hypotheses was tested using a onesample t test to compare the mean responses in the survey regarding the principals’perceptions of the classroom walkthrough process. The results indicated that astatistically significant relationship did exist for each of the research questions. Theresearch supports the concept that conducting classroom walkthroughs leads to increasedstudent learning, instruction of higher quality, and more effective professionaldevelopment.