Common Planning Time in Middle Level Schools

Research Studies from the MLER SIG’s National Project

Edited by:
Steven B. Mertens, Illinois State University
Vincent A. Anfara Jr., University of Tennessee
Micki M. Caskey, Portland State University
Nancy Flowers, CPRD / University of Illinois

A volume in the series: The Handbook of Research in Middle Level Education. Editor(s): Steven B. Mertens, Illinois State University. Micki M. Caskey, Portland State University.

Published 2013

This volume, the ninth volume in the Handbook of Research in Middle Level Education, is a compilation of research studies focusing on the use and implementation of common planning time (CPT) in middle level schools. All of the studies were part of the Middle Level Education Research SIG’s National Middle Grades Research Project (NMGRP) on Common Planning Time, which provides additional evidence about teachers’ understandings, experiences, the benefits and barriers about CPT.

Since all researchers participating in the SIG-sponsored project utilized the same data collection protocols and followed the same protocols, the overall data collection was systematic and is highly reliable. Five research questions were generated to guide the development of the data collection protocols. While the authors were encouraged to use their data to address these project-level questions, they were not required to do so. The project consisted of both qualitative and quantitative data collection. Phase I (qualitative) consisted of observations of CPT meetings and structured interviews with teachers. Phase II (quantitative) was comprised of an online teacher survey. Within the chapters of this volume, a variety of relevant and meaningful research questions are examined utilizing both qualitative and quantitative methodologies.

CONTENTS
Foreword, Paul S. George. The History and Development of the MLER SIG’s National Middle Grades Research Project on Common Planning Time, Steven B. Mertens, Vincent A. Anfara, Jr., Micki M. Caskey, and Nancy Flowers. Common Planning Time: A Review of Literature, Vincent A. Anfara, Jr., Nancy Flowers, Micki M. Caskey, and Steven B. Mertens. Common Planning Time: Benefits and Barriers, Stacy Duffield. Comparison of Teacher's Perceptions of Perceived Barriers Regarding the Implementation of Common Planning Time at Two Middle Schools, Dana Pomykal Franz, Nicole L. Thompson, and Nicole C. Miller. Components of School Culture that Enhance the Effective Use of Common Planning Time in Two High-Performing Middle Schools, Shawn A. Faulkner and Christopher M. Cook. Social Capital and Common Planning Time, Deb Pattee. The Benefits and Drawbacks of Common Planning Time for Interdisciplinary Team Teachers: A New Look in the Era of No Child Left Behind, Marilyn J. Taylor. A Case Study of Effective Common Planning Time and its Positive Outcomes, Molly Mee. Lessons Learned: A Case of One Teacher’s Common Planning Time Experience, Ellis Hurd. Reading Challenges for Middle Grade Teams: Literacy’s Place in Common Planning Time Discussions, Francine Falk-Ross. Teachers’ Perceptions of Common Planning Time: A Qualitative Analysis of the National Middle Grades Research Project, Vincent A. Anfara, Jr. and Micki M. Caskey. Structure and Activities during Common Planning Time: A Portrait of Two Middle Schools, Pam S. Angelle and Cherie E. Gaines. The Reported Use of Common Planning Time in High-Performing Middle Level Schools, Christopher M. Cook, Lenore J. Kinne, and Shawn A. Faulkner. Common Planning Time in Oregon Middle Schools: An Endangered Model, Jan M. Carpenter, P. Maureen Musser, Linda L. Samek, and Micki M. Caskey. The Implementation and Use of Middle Level Common Planning Time: A Study of Four Middle Schools, Steven B. Mertens, Ellis Hurd, and Keith Tilford. Teachers’ Use and Implementation of Common Planning Time: A Quantitative Analysis of the National Middle Grades Research Project, Nancy Flowers and Steven B. Mertens. Conclusions: Common Planning Time Project Findings and Future Steps, Micki M. Caskey, Vincent A. Anfara, Jr., Steven B. Mertens, and Nancy Flowers. About the Editors. About the Contributors.