Educational Evaluation and Professional Development of Teachers

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the views of primary school teachers regarding the evaluation of their educational work. The main goal was to examine Primary school teachers' professional and training needs both for their development and improving quality of education. This is a comparative study exploring the views of teachers working in primary schools in Greece and Austria. To explore the above objectives, we examined the existing evaluation system in these two countries, the forms and criteria of teachers’ evaluation and the impact of training programs on teachers’ preparation. To conduct the research a qualitative approach was embraced. The research was carried out using semi-structured interviews with a sample of 10 teachers who were working in Primary education in Greece and Austria. The primary findings of this research revealed the significant influence of teachers’ evaluation on their professional development both in Greece and Austria. Few teachers in our sample in Greece were against the use of evaluation for teachers' professional growth. Moreover, and according to the results of our study, the participation in training programs plays a pivotal role in enhancing and expanding the knowledge base of teachers both in Greece and Austria. The results showed the importance of training programs related to ICT, the usage of innovative and inclusive teaching methods as well as classroom management as some necessary actions for the effective use of evaluation targeting at the professional development of teachers.