For the purpose of this semester’s work in educational research, I will concentrate on learning more about merit pay in education. For me, this topic was found at the intersection of personal interest and professional curiosity. From the personal side, my husband is a high school physics and chemistry teacher, a career that he left an MBA and six-figure marketing salary behind to pursue. He is passionate about teaching science and equally so about the inefficiencies of the administration of teacher pay and performance. As a human resource professional, I have experienced the impact and intricacies of merit pay and performance management programs, albeit in the corporate world. I want to look closely at “research” that has already been done on the topic and identify a problem area where additional data may shed light on the validity of designing and implementing pay for performance models in our nation’s schools.
Based on experience and education, I know there are many social, economic and political forces at play in performance management and merit pay systems in the corporate environment. There is constant debate about what performance is and how to measure it adequately and objectively. Based on an initial online review, these same arguments surround the topic when it is discussed in the field of K-12 education. Identifying some of the forces that impact the effectiveness of pay for performance systems was a “jumping off point” for the identification of quantitative and qualitative research problems.
Quantitative research problems identify, specifically define and objectively observe the interactions between variables to confirm or deny expected relationships. An example of a quantitative research question in the area of merit pay in education is “Do high school students who are taught by teachers receiving base salary plus performance incentives perform better on end-of-course evaluations than students who are taught by teachers receiving base-salary only?”. In order to identify the relationship between performance and incentive pay in such a quantitative study, it will be critical to control the variables and structure of the research. For example, the two compensation models will need to be rigorously defined and implemented for chosen subjects and methods to measure end-of-course performance will need to be established.
Qualitative research problems provide an opportunity to observe what participants naturally do in reaction to psychosocial influences or changes in the physical environment . An example of a qualitative research question in the area of merit pay in education is, “Do teachers who participate in merit pay programs experience increased morale or engagement behaviors?”. In the context of this study, a researcher might interact with participating teachers over a period of time to observe, understand and identify the effects of performance pay programs on their professional activities and attitudes about teaching.
My next challenge will be to navigate the very active debate about what constitutes performance measurement and the value of incentive pay in the education field. As I pursue this research topic, especially in undertaking the literature review, I intend to carefully identify the underlying policies, methods, definitions and models that are reported in order to identify a pressing need that my research can fulfill.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Friday, January 21, 2011
Dedication to EDUS 660: "...sometimes you have to make stuff up..."
Arriving home from a great first class last night, my husband and I settled down to watch one of our favorite TV shows, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Since we are also fans of PBS's NOVA, we were excited to replay Tuesday's episode in which Jon Stewart welcomed back one of his regular guests, Neil geGrasse Tyson, who is an astrophysicist and host of the new NOVA scienceNow program on PBS.
Of course, my ears perked up when I heard Neil deGrasse Tyson say the following:
"When you are on the frontier of knowledge, between what is known and unknown, reaching out into that abyss, sometimes you do actually have to make stuff up that might be true so that you can organize a research plan to find out whether or not it is."
Cheers to a great semester and to the stuff that we might have to make up!
Of course, my ears perked up when I heard Neil deGrasse Tyson say the following:
"When you are on the frontier of knowledge, between what is known and unknown, reaching out into that abyss, sometimes you do actually have to make stuff up that might be true so that you can organize a research plan to find out whether or not it is."
Cheers to a great semester and to the stuff that we might have to make up!
"AND when I grow up, I want to be ...": an integrative appraoch to your career path!
Before I dedicate this blog to EDUS 660 for a semester-long reflection on educational research, I want to memorialize some thoughts that I've been tossing around in my brain over the winter break.
The concept first struck me when I read Harvard Business Review blog posts by Roger Martin issued on 11/24/2010 and 12/10/2010. Mr. Martin discusses contrasts the logic, or lack thereof, of IF/THEN/BUT and IF/THEN/AND structures. He applies them to several corporate and artistic ventures where one can see the benefit of integrative thinking which produces something from nothing or at least something from that which wasn't expected or thought possible. I'll recommend Mr. Martin's posts for further and better description of his personal insights.
His reflections led me to think about the application of "BUT" or "AND" to one's career plan. When planning job changes or professional moves, isn't it freeing to say "AND what I want to do next is..." instead of, "BUT I need to make more money or have a grander title or expand the number of people or products that report to me?" This approach allows you to see the value of what you have done or been and apply it as you write the next chapter of your career path.
I just had occasion to catch up with an acquaintance from the local SHRM chapter and he described a new job he'd taken as what he had wanted to do "when he grew up." I am so happy that he found this opportunity. I also want to encourage him that this is an "AND" in his path; perhaps it is not the only time he can "grow up" as a professional.
Over the past few years, as I have taken time to step away from 60 hour workweeks in corporate HR roles, my "ANDs" have been graduate education, more hands-on motherhood, preschool teaching, as well as PTA leadership. I am looking forward to my next adventure as I return to work in the HR field on a full-time basis following graduation. I treat this upcoming adventure as an "AND" which adds value to what I have already been as mother, student, worker, wife. I look forward to what each of those accomplishments lead me to be able to do when I "grow up."
The concept first struck me when I read Harvard Business Review blog posts by Roger Martin issued on 11/24/2010 and 12/10/2010. Mr. Martin discusses contrasts the logic, or lack thereof, of IF/THEN/BUT and IF/THEN/AND structures. He applies them to several corporate and artistic ventures where one can see the benefit of integrative thinking which produces something from nothing or at least something from that which wasn't expected or thought possible. I'll recommend Mr. Martin's posts for further and better description of his personal insights.
His reflections led me to think about the application of "BUT" or "AND" to one's career plan. When planning job changes or professional moves, isn't it freeing to say "AND what I want to do next is..." instead of, "BUT I need to make more money or have a grander title or expand the number of people or products that report to me?" This approach allows you to see the value of what you have done or been and apply it as you write the next chapter of your career path.
I just had occasion to catch up with an acquaintance from the local SHRM chapter and he described a new job he'd taken as what he had wanted to do "when he grew up." I am so happy that he found this opportunity. I also want to encourage him that this is an "AND" in his path; perhaps it is not the only time he can "grow up" as a professional.
Over the past few years, as I have taken time to step away from 60 hour workweeks in corporate HR roles, my "ANDs" have been graduate education, more hands-on motherhood, preschool teaching, as well as PTA leadership. I am looking forward to my next adventure as I return to work in the HR field on a full-time basis following graduation. I treat this upcoming adventure as an "AND" which adds value to what I have already been as mother, student, worker, wife. I look forward to what each of those accomplishments lead me to be able to do when I "grow up."
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