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Papers by Melissa Tuytens

Research paper thumbnail of Het aantrekken en behouden van leraren in een grootstedelijke context

Steunpunt Onderwijsonderzoek, 2020

Research paper thumbnail of Balancing Differentiation and Fairness in Teacher Evaluation: The Story of Flemish Secondary Schools

Differentiated Teacher Evaluation and Professional Learning, 2019

Research paper thumbnail of The Collegial Networks of Early Career Teachers in Primary Education

Globally, large numbers of early career teachers (ECTs) drop out of the profession in the first y... more Globally, large numbers of early career teachers (ECTs) drop out of the profession in the first years of practice. This chapter reports about Flemish research focusing on the role of collegial support networks in keeping ECTs in the profession, using mixed-methods social network analysis. Links to Communities of Practice—as the central theme of this book—are made, and recommendations towards ECTs, their colleagues, mentors, school leaders, policy makers, teacher education colleges and pedagogical advisory services are formulated.

Research paper thumbnail of The influence of school variables on teacher evaluation: toward an integrated model

Research paper thumbnail of Het sociaal netwerk van beginnende leraren in relatie tot hun professioneel zelfverstaan : een exploratief onderzoek

Pedagogische Studien, 2016

Research paper thumbnail of Personeelsbeleid in onderwijs: Een review van veelvoorkomende HRM-praktijken in scholen

Research paper thumbnail of Educational Policy on Teacher Evaluation: The Influence of School Leadership on Policy Perception of Teachers

Research paper thumbnail of The effect of charismatic leadership in the relationship between procedural justice and feedback reactions in teacher evaluation

Research paper thumbnail of The social network of beginning teachers in relation to the development of their professional self: An explorative study

Research paper thumbnail of The interplay between teacher and school characteristics to stimulate beginning teachers' professional development in differentiated instruction

Research paper thumbnail of Correction to: An integral perspective on teacher evaluation: a review of empirical studies

Educational Assessment, Evaluation and Accountability, 2020

Research paper thumbnail of Unpacking the collegial network structure of beginning teachers’ primary school teams

Mixed Methods Social Network Analysis, 2019

Research paper thumbnail of Transformational school leadership as a key factor for teachers’ job attitudes during their first year in the profession

Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 2018

Teacher attrition is a global concern that is particularly prevalent among beginning teachers. Te... more Teacher attrition is a global concern that is particularly prevalent among beginning teachers. Teachers’ intrinsic motivation to teach, affective organisational commitment and job satisfaction are considered job attitudes that stop them from dropping out of the profession. This study explores the interplay between factors at the school level (i.e. transformational leadership of the principal, professional collegial support) and the teacher level (i.e. self-efficacy) influencing these job attitudes. A sample of 292 first-year primary-school teachers participated. The results of the path analysis demonstrated that transformational leadership of the principal is directly related to teachers’ job attitudes in a positive way. Moreover, transformational leadership of the principal is also indirectly related to these attitudes, via both professional collegial support and teachers’ self-efficacy. Implications for the supportive role of the principal in the teachers’ first year in the profes...

Research paper thumbnail of Teachers’ first year in the profession: the power of high-quality support

Teachers and Teaching, 2019

In research on teacher induction, scholars have pointed at the pivotal role of collegial support ... more In research on teacher induction, scholars have pointed at the pivotal role of collegial support to overcome the challenges inherent to the first years of teaching. In this quantitative study, we extend current work by using a social network perspective to examine characteristics (i.e. network size, frequency and perceived usefulness) of professional, emotional, and social collegial support networks. Moreover, we explore the extent to which these characteristics explain key factors affecting teacher retention, namely job satisfaction, intrinsic motivation to teach, and self-efficacy. An online survey was completed by 292 beginning primary school teachers in Flanders (Belgium). Social network data showed that, on average, they receive professional, emotional and social support from six colleagues each week and found this mostly useful. Regression analyses demonstrated that network size and perceived usefulness of professional, emotional, and social collegial support networks were positively related to job satisfaction and intrinsic motivation to teach, thus confirming the importance of collegial support in teacher induction. Frequency of support was not significant. Finally, no substantial relationship was found between collegial support and teachers' selfefficacy. Implications of these findings for practice and policy are discussed.

Research paper thumbnail of Evaluating teachers’ professional development initiatives: towards an extended evaluative framework

Research Papers in Education, 2016

Evaluating teachers' professional development initiatives (PDI) is one of the main challenges for... more Evaluating teachers' professional development initiatives (PDI) is one of the main challenges for the teacher professionalisation field. Although different studies have focused on the effectiveness of PDI, the obtained effects and evaluative methods have been found to be widely divergent. By means of a narrative review, this study provides an extended framework to guide the evaluation of (the effectiveness of) PDI. Furthermore, and in accordance with this framework, an overview of measurement instruments that are currently in use is provided. The study concludes with implications for educational research and developers of PDI.

Research paper thumbnail of Improving School Leadership - OECD Review

Background Report for Flanders Geert Devos Melissa Tuytens 18/10/2006 This report was prepared fo... more Background Report for Flanders Geert Devos Melissa Tuytens 18/10/2006 This report was prepared for the Flemish Ministry of Education and Training for the OECD Activity Improving School Leadership following common guidelines the OECD provided to all countries participating in the activity. Country background reports can be found at www.oecd.org/edu/schoolleadership. Flanders has granted the OECD permission to include this document on the OECD Internet Home Page. The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the national authority, the OECD or its Member countries. The copyright conditions governing access to information on the OECD Home Page are provided at www.oecd.org/rights CHAPTER 4: SCHOOL LEADERSHIP AND STIMULATING LEARNING 36 4.1 Points of interest in the policy regarding quality of education 36 4.2 Accountability of the school in relation to pupil learning 36 4.2.1 The curriculum and pupil assessment 36 4.

Research paper thumbnail of Bestedingspatroon van personeelsmiddelen in basis- en secundaire scholen voor de invulling van hun administratieve, beleids- en pedagogisch ondersteunende taken

Research paper thumbnail of Leadership and decision-making practices in public versus private universities in Pakistan

Asia Pacific Education Review, 2016

The goal of this study is to examine differences in leadership and decision-making practices in p... more The goal of this study is to examine differences in leadership and decision-making practices in public and private universities in Pakistan, with a focus on transformational leadership (TL) and participative decision-making (PDM). We conducted semi-structured interviews with 46 deans and heads of department from two public and two private universities in Pakistan. Our findings indicate that leadership and decision-making practices are different in public and private universities. While differences were observed in all six types of TL-behaviour, the following three approaches emerged to be crucial in both public and private universities: (1) articulating a vision, (2) fostering the acceptance of group goals, and (3) high-performance expectations. In terms of PDM, deans and heads of department in public and private universities adopt a collaborative approach. However, on a practical level this approach is limited to teacher-and student-related matters. Overall, our findings suggest that the leadership and decision-making practices in Pakistani public and private universities are transformational and participative in nature.

Research paper thumbnail of The importance of job resources and self-efficacy for beginning teachers' professional learning in differentiated instruction

Teaching and Teacher Education, 2015

h i g h l i g h t s We examine job and personal resources in beginning teachers' learning in DI. ... more h i g h l i g h t s We examine job and personal resources in beginning teachers' learning in DI. Self-efficacy, autonomy, and reflective dialogue predict changes in DI-practice. Self-efficacy mediates the relation between autonomy and changes in DI-practice. Self-efficacy mediates the path between collective responsibility and DI-practices.

Research paper thumbnail of The influence of teachers’ expectations on principals’ implementation of a new teacher evaluation policy in Flemish secondary education

Educational Assessment, Evaluation and Accountability, 2014

The implementation process of teacher evaluation policy is often problematic. In this regard, it ... more The implementation process of teacher evaluation policy is often problematic. In this regard, it is crucial to understand principals’ sensemaking of teacher evaluation policy since their understandings influence the implementation process. While a growing body of research shows that principals strongly shape teachers’ policy understanding, little is known about the way principals’ sensemaking is influenced by teacher expectations about new policy. This qualitative study, drawn from interviews with principals and teachers in 13 secondary schools, indicates that the new teacher evaluation policy in Flanders (Belgium) is implemented by principals and supported by teachers in various ways. The findings of this study show this was the result of the process of discrepancy reduction between the initial standards principal set and the expectations that teachers had for the implementation of the policy. These findings underscore the complexity of teacher evaluation and help policy makers to understand that “the best” implementation of the teacher evaluation policy probably does not exists. Moreover, this offers important insights for principals in how they best lead the implementation of teacher evaluation.

Research paper thumbnail of Het aantrekken en behouden van leraren in een grootstedelijke context

Steunpunt Onderwijsonderzoek, 2020

Research paper thumbnail of Balancing Differentiation and Fairness in Teacher Evaluation: The Story of Flemish Secondary Schools

Differentiated Teacher Evaluation and Professional Learning, 2019

Research paper thumbnail of The Collegial Networks of Early Career Teachers in Primary Education

Globally, large numbers of early career teachers (ECTs) drop out of the profession in the first y... more Globally, large numbers of early career teachers (ECTs) drop out of the profession in the first years of practice. This chapter reports about Flemish research focusing on the role of collegial support networks in keeping ECTs in the profession, using mixed-methods social network analysis. Links to Communities of Practice—as the central theme of this book—are made, and recommendations towards ECTs, their colleagues, mentors, school leaders, policy makers, teacher education colleges and pedagogical advisory services are formulated.

Research paper thumbnail of The influence of school variables on teacher evaluation: toward an integrated model

Research paper thumbnail of Het sociaal netwerk van beginnende leraren in relatie tot hun professioneel zelfverstaan : een exploratief onderzoek

Pedagogische Studien, 2016

Research paper thumbnail of Personeelsbeleid in onderwijs: Een review van veelvoorkomende HRM-praktijken in scholen

Research paper thumbnail of Educational Policy on Teacher Evaluation: The Influence of School Leadership on Policy Perception of Teachers

Research paper thumbnail of The effect of charismatic leadership in the relationship between procedural justice and feedback reactions in teacher evaluation

Research paper thumbnail of The social network of beginning teachers in relation to the development of their professional self: An explorative study

Research paper thumbnail of The interplay between teacher and school characteristics to stimulate beginning teachers' professional development in differentiated instruction

Research paper thumbnail of Correction to: An integral perspective on teacher evaluation: a review of empirical studies

Educational Assessment, Evaluation and Accountability, 2020

Research paper thumbnail of Unpacking the collegial network structure of beginning teachers’ primary school teams

Mixed Methods Social Network Analysis, 2019

Research paper thumbnail of Transformational school leadership as a key factor for teachers’ job attitudes during their first year in the profession

Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 2018

Teacher attrition is a global concern that is particularly prevalent among beginning teachers. Te... more Teacher attrition is a global concern that is particularly prevalent among beginning teachers. Teachers’ intrinsic motivation to teach, affective organisational commitment and job satisfaction are considered job attitudes that stop them from dropping out of the profession. This study explores the interplay between factors at the school level (i.e. transformational leadership of the principal, professional collegial support) and the teacher level (i.e. self-efficacy) influencing these job attitudes. A sample of 292 first-year primary-school teachers participated. The results of the path analysis demonstrated that transformational leadership of the principal is directly related to teachers’ job attitudes in a positive way. Moreover, transformational leadership of the principal is also indirectly related to these attitudes, via both professional collegial support and teachers’ self-efficacy. Implications for the supportive role of the principal in the teachers’ first year in the profes...

Research paper thumbnail of Teachers’ first year in the profession: the power of high-quality support

Teachers and Teaching, 2019

In research on teacher induction, scholars have pointed at the pivotal role of collegial support ... more In research on teacher induction, scholars have pointed at the pivotal role of collegial support to overcome the challenges inherent to the first years of teaching. In this quantitative study, we extend current work by using a social network perspective to examine characteristics (i.e. network size, frequency and perceived usefulness) of professional, emotional, and social collegial support networks. Moreover, we explore the extent to which these characteristics explain key factors affecting teacher retention, namely job satisfaction, intrinsic motivation to teach, and self-efficacy. An online survey was completed by 292 beginning primary school teachers in Flanders (Belgium). Social network data showed that, on average, they receive professional, emotional and social support from six colleagues each week and found this mostly useful. Regression analyses demonstrated that network size and perceived usefulness of professional, emotional, and social collegial support networks were positively related to job satisfaction and intrinsic motivation to teach, thus confirming the importance of collegial support in teacher induction. Frequency of support was not significant. Finally, no substantial relationship was found between collegial support and teachers' selfefficacy. Implications of these findings for practice and policy are discussed.

Research paper thumbnail of Evaluating teachers’ professional development initiatives: towards an extended evaluative framework

Research Papers in Education, 2016

Evaluating teachers' professional development initiatives (PDI) is one of the main challenges for... more Evaluating teachers' professional development initiatives (PDI) is one of the main challenges for the teacher professionalisation field. Although different studies have focused on the effectiveness of PDI, the obtained effects and evaluative methods have been found to be widely divergent. By means of a narrative review, this study provides an extended framework to guide the evaluation of (the effectiveness of) PDI. Furthermore, and in accordance with this framework, an overview of measurement instruments that are currently in use is provided. The study concludes with implications for educational research and developers of PDI.

Research paper thumbnail of Improving School Leadership - OECD Review

Background Report for Flanders Geert Devos Melissa Tuytens 18/10/2006 This report was prepared fo... more Background Report for Flanders Geert Devos Melissa Tuytens 18/10/2006 This report was prepared for the Flemish Ministry of Education and Training for the OECD Activity Improving School Leadership following common guidelines the OECD provided to all countries participating in the activity. Country background reports can be found at www.oecd.org/edu/schoolleadership. Flanders has granted the OECD permission to include this document on the OECD Internet Home Page. The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the national authority, the OECD or its Member countries. The copyright conditions governing access to information on the OECD Home Page are provided at www.oecd.org/rights CHAPTER 4: SCHOOL LEADERSHIP AND STIMULATING LEARNING 36 4.1 Points of interest in the policy regarding quality of education 36 4.2 Accountability of the school in relation to pupil learning 36 4.2.1 The curriculum and pupil assessment 36 4.

Research paper thumbnail of Bestedingspatroon van personeelsmiddelen in basis- en secundaire scholen voor de invulling van hun administratieve, beleids- en pedagogisch ondersteunende taken

Research paper thumbnail of Leadership and decision-making practices in public versus private universities in Pakistan

Asia Pacific Education Review, 2016

The goal of this study is to examine differences in leadership and decision-making practices in p... more The goal of this study is to examine differences in leadership and decision-making practices in public and private universities in Pakistan, with a focus on transformational leadership (TL) and participative decision-making (PDM). We conducted semi-structured interviews with 46 deans and heads of department from two public and two private universities in Pakistan. Our findings indicate that leadership and decision-making practices are different in public and private universities. While differences were observed in all six types of TL-behaviour, the following three approaches emerged to be crucial in both public and private universities: (1) articulating a vision, (2) fostering the acceptance of group goals, and (3) high-performance expectations. In terms of PDM, deans and heads of department in public and private universities adopt a collaborative approach. However, on a practical level this approach is limited to teacher-and student-related matters. Overall, our findings suggest that the leadership and decision-making practices in Pakistani public and private universities are transformational and participative in nature.

Research paper thumbnail of The importance of job resources and self-efficacy for beginning teachers' professional learning in differentiated instruction

Teaching and Teacher Education, 2015

h i g h l i g h t s We examine job and personal resources in beginning teachers' learning in DI. ... more h i g h l i g h t s We examine job and personal resources in beginning teachers' learning in DI. Self-efficacy, autonomy, and reflective dialogue predict changes in DI-practice. Self-efficacy mediates the relation between autonomy and changes in DI-practice. Self-efficacy mediates the path between collective responsibility and DI-practices.

Research paper thumbnail of The influence of teachers’ expectations on principals’ implementation of a new teacher evaluation policy in Flemish secondary education

Educational Assessment, Evaluation and Accountability, 2014

The implementation process of teacher evaluation policy is often problematic. In this regard, it ... more The implementation process of teacher evaluation policy is often problematic. In this regard, it is crucial to understand principals’ sensemaking of teacher evaluation policy since their understandings influence the implementation process. While a growing body of research shows that principals strongly shape teachers’ policy understanding, little is known about the way principals’ sensemaking is influenced by teacher expectations about new policy. This qualitative study, drawn from interviews with principals and teachers in 13 secondary schools, indicates that the new teacher evaluation policy in Flanders (Belgium) is implemented by principals and supported by teachers in various ways. The findings of this study show this was the result of the process of discrepancy reduction between the initial standards principal set and the expectations that teachers had for the implementation of the policy. These findings underscore the complexity of teacher evaluation and help policy makers to understand that “the best” implementation of the teacher evaluation policy probably does not exists. Moreover, this offers important insights for principals in how they best lead the implementation of teacher evaluation.