Teacher performance evaluation as structured within a knowledge-based system: a question of feasibility

摘要

Artificial intelligence, consisting of natural language processing, robotics and expert system research, offers educational means to achieve increased productivity. Research efforts, specifically those focusing on the development of expert systems, are resulting in the design of programs able to assist users in analyzing problems and in making key decisions. Expert systems most effectively assist in the resolution of problems requiring significant human expertise;Teacher performance evaluation is a complex process requiring a high level of skills. It was therefore determined a viable problem for the application of expert systems technology. This research effort was undertaken in an attempt to test the feasibility of designing a knowledge-based expert system which would assist in teacher performance evaluation;An examination of research related to teacher performance evaluation revealed the need for definition of data collection sources used in formation of the summative evaluation. A pool of potential data sources was submitted to a jury of performance evaluation experts of the selected sources as to its impact in performance evaluation. These weighted data were placed in an algorithm which became the knowledge base for the design of a knowledge-based expert system named K-BAS (Knowledge-Based Assessment System);K-BAS requests supervisors to input performance evaluation data. These data are processed by the algorithm as it develops a performance score. Each performance score produces a corresponding effectiveness classification of termination, probation, maintenance or promotion;A small statistical survey was designed to test the feasibility of using a system of this type for teacher performance evaluation. Skilled evaluators and K-BAS were asked to rate teachers depicted in five performance scenarios;Conclusions made from findings in this research indicate: (1) knowledge-based systems for the purpose of teacher performance evaluation can be designed, (2) it is possible to quantify qualitative data for the purpose of teacher performance scenarios.