The comparative analysis of teachers’ inclinations to problem enriched instruction based on item response theory

Abstract

With the focus on schools in two districts in Beijing (district D where teachers experienced 1-year’s blended learning, and district F where teachers did not), we analyzed the videos to record teachers’ behaviors of questioning, and then measured instructional inclinations of novice, qualified, and experienced teachers from two districts in elementary and secondary school based on item response theory. After comparative analysis, corresponding suggestions on school-based training were made to two districts: (1) Teachers in district D have higher capacities of giving problem enriched instruction than the other district as a whole, it inferred that the blended learning has brought significant changes in teaching behavior; (2) In district D, teachers in elementary school, experienced and qualified teachers should be provided with more support and help; for three types of teachers in secondary school, their practical knowledge should be enriched as a whole; for teachers in elementary school, more attention should be paid to novice teachers; for teachers in secondary school, more delicate support should be provided for qualified and novice teachers for their professional development; (3) Based on item response theory, a new paradigm composed of classroom observation, analysis and diagnosis, may provide a new perspective and paradigm for school-based training.