Impact of Novice Teacher Professional Learning on Student Academic Achievement

Abstract

Novice teacher professional development is essential for increasing teacherefficacy and developing effective teacher performance (Mandel, 2006). This causalcomparative research study was designed to investigate the potential influence of theoptional Advanced Teaching and Learning (AT&L) professional development series fornovice teachers in grades two through five as a tool to improve teacher effectiveness andfurther increase academic performance for elementary students during the 2016-2017 and2017-2018 academic years. The first purpose of this study was to examine whethernovice teachers’ participation or lack of participation in optional AT&L sessions had animpact on the spring composite scores of students in grades two through five as measuredby the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) mathematics and reading assessments forthe combined sample of the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 academic years. The secondpurpose was to examine whether the number of optional AT&L sessions attended bynovice teachers was related to the fall to spring composite gains scores of students ingrades two through five as measured by the MAP mathematics and reading assessmentsfor the combined sample of the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 academic years.This study found a statistically significant difference in student academicachievement in mathematics and reading for novice educators who attended at least oneAT&L optional professional development session. However, data did not indicate apositive relationship between the number of AT&L sessions attended and student gainsscores in mathematics and reading. The results of this study provide information that canassist district leaders in making decisions related to designing professional developmentfor novice educators as part of a comprehensive induction program.