TDNet Discover

The purpose of this qualitative study is to investigate the instructional criteria embedded in teacher evaluation rubrics to uncover assumptions about effective teaching practices for K-12 educators across traditional and virtual learning environments. For the utility of this study, teacher evaluation rubrics are defined as sets of measurable standards used to assess the instructional practices of teachers through systematic processes of observations, data collection and analysis, and reflection. The theory guiding this proposed qualitative study is Stufflebeam's evaluation theory. This theory emphasizes the importance of context-sensitive, stakeholderinformed evaluation tools. This proposed qualitative study will focus on the examination of how evaluation frameworks reflect or fail to reflect the pedagogical realities of virtual instruction. This proposed qualitative study will employ a content analysis design to explore the language, descriptors, and instructional priorities of teacher evaluation rubrics. The primary research question will investigate how the language and descriptors in teacher evaluation rubrics differ between traditional and virtual settings. The setting will include multiple K-12 districts and educational organizations that utilize evaluation frameworks for both traditional and virtual contexts. The sample will consist of publicly available teacher evaluation rubrics selected through purposive sampling to ensure diversity in formatting and modality. Data will be collected through document analysis and coded thematically to identify patterns, assumptions, and modality-specific criteria. The analysis will follow a multi-step process involving coding, theme development, and synthesis of findings. These potential findings will be used to interpret the possible implications for rubric design and instructional alignment.