Exploring teacher attributes and school characteristics as predictors of cognitively guided instruction implementation

The purpose of the study was to examine by a mixed-method research methodology teacher attributes and school characteristics as possible predictors of Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI) implementation for kindergarten through third grade teachers. The study explored (a) educational background, (b) teaching experience, (c) CGI training, (d) mathematical knowledge for teaching, (e) mathematics instructional minutes per week, (f) socioeconomic status of classroom students, and (g) perceived support for implementation as possible predictors. A survey instrument (N = 93) of 42 items was employed to measure mathematical knowledge for teaching. The survey was amended to research all other predictors. CGI implementation was measured using a 2-dimensional model. The first dimension was teacher self-reporting of instructional hours per week implementing CGI methods. The second dimension consisted of a 6-point Likert scale designed to measure the frequency of 14 identified CGI activities. One item was not included in any of the analyses due to ambiguity in the survey wording. Principal factors extraction with varimax rotation was performed on the remaining 13 activities. Three meaningful factors emerged: focus on student thinking, problem-solving based instruction, and deviation from traditional instruction. The study revealed teacher attributes---CGI training and mathematical knowledge for teaching---and school characteristics---perceived support from other teachers, mathematics instructional minutes, and perceived coach support---as predictors of CGI implementation. A maximum variation purposeful sampling of 6 participants was subsequently interviewed for explanation of data. The study confirmed that reported levels of CGI implementation accurately reflected actual teaching practices. The findings also showed teachers with high levels of CGI implementation scheduled more math instructional minutes and utilized their instructional minutes differently than their low-level implementation colleagues; minutes used for problem solving and discussion were higher for CGI teachers. The interviews corroborated CGI training as a predictor of CGI implementation and found the teachers needed both summer workshops and professional learning communities during the school to implement CGI successfully. The teachers indicated that support from their coach and other teachers was the most critical factor in successful implementation. That is, the teachers believed support from others to be the greatest predictor of CGI implementation.