AMSTI and Control Teacher Observation Protocols

Teacher Survey #03
2006/07 SCHOOL YEAR

AMSTI Teacher Survey #03
The information you provide is being collected for research purposes only and will be
kept strictly confidential. Please be assured that your name and your school name will not
be reported or disclosed outside of the research agencies. Public reporting burden for this
collection of information is estimated to average about 10 minutes. Send comments
regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information,
including suggestions for reducing this burden to the Department of Education 50 North
Ripley Street PO Box 302101 Montgomery, AL 36104.
Questions regarding this survey or the research study can be directed to Lori Sterling at
[email protected] or call Toll free 1-888-486-8886 ext. 127.

Identification
1. Please identify your MASTER Site:
___ Troy University
___ University of Alabama at Montevallo
___ University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa
2. Please identify your school system: (A system list is collected prior to beginning the
surveys and displayed here as a selection list)
3. Please identify yourself: (A Teacher list is collected prior to beginning the surveys and
displayed here as a selection list)

Technology
4. To what extent do you agree with the following statements about education
technology? Mark one box per row.
(1=Strongly Disagree, 2=Somewhat Disagree, 3=Neither Disagree nor Agree
4=Somewhat Agree, 5=Strongly Agree)
a. Educational technology
can be used to improve
instructional practice.
b. Educational technology
c. Educational Technology can be used
can be used to improve
teachers’ subject matter
to improve student learning.
knowledge.
d. Educational technology
e. Educational technology (the
can be used to improve
availability of ) can help to narrow the

students’ performance on
standardized tests.

achievement gap between traditionally
underserved students and other
students.

5. Approximately how many computers are available for students to use in your
classroom?
One computer for each student
One computer for every two students
One computer for every three students
One computer for every four students
One computer for every five students
One computer for every six or more students
Did not have computers in the classroom
Not Applicable

6. How many graphing calculators are available for students to use in your
classroom?
One graphing calculator for each student
One graphing calculator for every two students
One graphing calculator for every three students
One graphing calculator for every four students
One graphing calculator for every five students
One graphing calculator for every six or more students
Did not have graphing calculators in the classrooms
Not Applicable

7. How many scientific calculators are available for students to use in your
classroom?
One graphing calculator for each student
One graphing calculator for every two students
One graphing calculator for every three students

One graphing calculator for every four students
One graphing calculator for every five students
One graphing calculator for every six or more students
Did not have graphing calculators in the classrooms
Not Applicable

8. How many basic/4 function calculators are available for students to use in
your classroom?
One basic/4 function calculator for each student
One basic/4 function calculator for every two students
One basic/4 function calculator for every three students
One basic/4 function calculator for every four students
One basic/4 function calculator for every five students
One basic/4 function calculator for every six or more students
Did not have basic/4 function calculators in the classrooms
Not Applicable
9. Is your classroom well equipped with math manipulatives and materials for
hands on science?
a. Math Manipulatives
Yes, manipulatives are available for all students in my class(es).
I have some manipulatives, but not enough for all students.
No, I do not have manipulatives.
Not Applicable
b. Materials for Hands-On Science
Yes, sufficient materials are available for all students in my class(es).
I have some materials, but not enough for all students.
No, I don’t have materials for hands-on science.
Not Applicable

10. How well are your technical needs met?
Not Very Well
Moderately Well
Very Well
Not Applicable

Current Curricular Materials (this question will be asked once a month)
11a. Think back on your last two weeks (10 full school days) of instruction; what
curricular materials did you use to teach mathematics? Mark all that apply.
 I don’t teach math
 AMSTI supplied:
 Brand Y materials (principal survey will supply details of curricular materials)
 Brand Z materials
 Other __________________
b. During your last two weeks, what curricular materials did you use to teach science?
Mark all that apply.
 I don’t teach science
 AMSTI supplied:
 Brand Y materials (principal survey will supply details of curricular materials)
 Brand Z materials
 Other __________________

Instruction (these questions will be asked once a month)
For the following questions about instructional time:
If you teach in a self-contained classroom, please indicate the number of class hours
of each type of instruction.
If you teach more than one class, please indicate the average number of hours of each
type of instruction among your various classes.
12. During your last two weeks, approximately how many hours did your students spend
doing math and/or science activities? Please be sure to consider all activities, including
discussion, lecture, reading, watching video, hands-on activities, worksheets, and
activities that integrate math or science with other subjects.

a. Total Hours of Math Instruction_______ [ ] I don’t teach math.
b. Total Hours of Science Instruction______ [ ] I don’t teach science.
13. Consider the following description of Inquiry-Based Instruction in which students do
all of the following activities as part of the learning process:
ƒ Make observations
ƒ Pose questions
ƒ Examine books and other sources of information to see what is already known
ƒ Plan investigations
ƒ Review what is already known in light of experimental evidence
ƒ Use tools to gather, analyze, and interpret data
ƒ Propose answers, explanations, and predictions
ƒ Communicate the results
During the past two weeks, approximately how many hours of instruction involved
Inquiry-Based Instruction?
a. Hours of Inquiry-Based Math Instruction_______ [ ] I don’t teach math
b. Hours of Inquiry-Based Science Instruction_____ [ ] I don’t teach science
14. During the past two weeks, approximately how many hours of instruction
incorporated hands-on activities?
a. Hours of Hands-On Math Instruction_______ [ ] I don’t teach math
b. Hours of Hands-On Science Instruction______ [ ] I don’t teach science
15. During the past two weeks, how many hours were your students engaged in activities
that required higher-order thinking skills? (i.e., where students advance from skills such
as focusing and information gathering to skills such as integrating and evaluating.)
a. Hours of math instruction requiring higher-order thinking skills _______ [ ] I don’t
teach math.
b. Hours of science instruction requiring higher-order thinking skills ______ [ ] I don’t
teach science

Assessments (this question will be asked once a month)
16. During the past two weeks, did you administer assessments? Check all that apply.
a. Math Assessments
b. Science Assessments
 I don’t teach math
 No, I didn’t administer any math assessments
 I don’t teach science
 No, I didn’t administer any science assessments
 Yes, I used informal assessments, such as
questioning and observation, to gauge student
 Yes, I used informal (i.e., assessments that occur
learning
regularly throughout the year in order to inform
instruction) assessments, such as questioning and
 Yes, I administered formative (i.e.,
assessments that occur regularly throughout the
observation, to gauge student learning
 Yes, I administered formative paper and pencil
year in order to inform instruction) paper and
pencil assessments
assessments
 Yes, I administered performance-based
 Yes, I administered performance-based
assessments (i.e., assessing students based on their
assessments (i.e., assessing students based on
their application of knowledge, skills, and work
application of knowledge, skills, and work habits
through the performance of tasks that are
habits through the performance of tasks that are
meaningful and engaging to students)
meaningful and engaging to students)
 Yes, I administered standardized assessments
 Yes, I administered standardized assessments
 Other (please describe)
 Other (please describe)
________________________________________ ________________________________________

Professional Development (these questions will be asked once a month)
For each of the following questions, please take a moment to think about the professional
development activities in the areas of math, science, and technology, in which you have
participated so far this school year, i.e., since school let out in May or June 2006.

There are 2 sections to each question.
Sections A and C, AMSTI: Please indicate the amount of Professional Development
(PD) in math (A) and science (C) you have received as part of the AMSTI program, and
all PD that was in any way connected with AMSTI. For example, if you collaborated
with other teachers to plan your instructional calendar, even if only some of the lessons
are AMSTI, record those hours in Section A for math or C for science.
Section B and D, Non-AMSTI: Please indicate the amount of non-AMSTI Professional
Development in math (B) and science (D) you have received. For example, if your
planning team worked only to plan non-AMSTI lessons, with no reference to AMSTI
lessons, then count those hours in Section B for math or C for science.

17. During the past month, how much professional development (including all
opportunities for professional growth) have you received for your math and science
programs? Please round to the number of hours closest to your total number of hours of
training. For example, if you have had 6 hours of training, you would select 5.
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 NA
A. AMSTI Mathematics
Total Hours
B. Non-AMSTI
Mathematics Total Hours
C. AMSTI Science
Total Hours
D. Non-AMSTI Science
Total Hours

18. During the past month, how many times did you try contacting someone for support
(e.g., for mentoring or coaching) with math and science instruction?
0 1 2 3 4 6 6 7 8 9 10 11+ NA
A. AMSTI Mathematics
B. Non-AMSTI
Mathematics
C. AMSTI Science
D. Non-AMSTI Science

19. During the past month, how many times did someone actually provide support (e.g.,
for mentoring or coaching) with math and science instruction?
0 1 2 3 4 6 6 7 8 9 10 11+ NA
A. AMSTI Mathematics
B. Non-AMSTI
Mathematics
C. AMSTI Science
D. Non-AMSTI Science
20. Did the support you reported in Question 19 change the way you teach?
NA
A. AMSTI Mathematics
Yes
NO
B. Non-AMSTI
Yes
NO
Mathematics
C. AMSTI Science
Yes
NO
D. Non-AMSTI Science

Yes

NO

21. During the past month, how frequently have you had collaboration meetings with
other teachers (e.g., for planning lessons) for math and science?
At Least
Daily
Once
Twice
Never
Weekly
A. AMSTI Mathematics
B. Non-AMSTI
Mathematics
C. AMSTI Science
D. Non-AMSTI Science

22. Has the collaboration you reported in Question 21 change the way you teach?
NA
A. AMSTI Mathematics
Yes
NO
B. Non-AMSTI
Yes
NO
Mathematics
C. AMSTI Science
Yes
NO
D. Non-AMSTI Science

Yes

NO

23. During the past month, how much professional development (other than support or
collaboration meetings) have you received for your math and science programs? (e.g.,
school training sessions held after school, on the weekend, or early release days)?
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 NA
A. AMSTI Mathematics
Total Hours
B. Non-AMSTI
Mathematics Total Hours
C. AMSTI Science
Total Hours
D. Non-AMSTI Science
Total Hours

NA

24. Did the training session(s) you reported in Question 23 change the way you teach?
NA
A. AMSTI Mathematics
Yes
NO
B. Non-AMSTI
Yes
NO
Mathematics
C. AMSTI Science
Yes
NO
D. Non-AMSTI Science

Yes

NO

Planning Time (these questions will be asked once a month)
25. During the past two weeks, how may hours (both paid time and unpaid time) did you
spend planning your math and/or science lessons?
a. Math ___ [ ] I don’t teach math
b. Science ____ [ ] I don’t teach science

Additional Information
26. Is there anything else you would like us to know about your math and/or science
program, or about this survey?