OPENING INCIDENT
A Master's student in Human Resource Management (1999) explained her staff experience of the appraisal system:
The previous implementation of the appraisal system caused a great deal of stress and bitterness amongst many teachers, because those who were given an excellent or good appraisal received merit awards.
In my school, many teachers showed resistance to the new staff appraisal system. At the staff appraisal workshop, many felt threatened, and perceived the appraisal as an attempt by the management team to monitor their movements and get a firm grip on the execution of their duties. Many felt that it was bringing back the archaic system of ‘spying’ and accused management of being like their ‘old bosses’, and saw the appraisal system as ‘a tool merely cloaked as a new development programme’.
The experience described above may sound familiar to you. Given the increasing pressure on teachers to improve the quality of education, educator appraisal instruments need to contribute to effective teaching and learning. This study unit attempts to equip you with the knowledge and skills you will need to apply appraisal instruments effectively.
Learning outcomes
At the end of this study unit, you will be able to
• identify the reasons for staff having a negative attitude towards appraisal and describe strategies that can address this negative attitude
• draw up plan for conducting classroom observation
• identify and apply certain methods for conducting classroom observation
• provide feedback to appraisal
• complete an appraisal record
• write a case study on the influence of appraisal errors and how to deal with them.
Key concepts
definition of staff appraisal
benefits of staff appraisal
climate for appraisal
self-evaluation
classroom observation
feedback (appraisal interview)
peer review
appraisal interview
rater errors
stereotyping
halo effect
central tendency
unwarranted strictness/leniency
You will encounter all of these concepts throughout your text. Pay careful attention to what they mean, since this will help you to answer the various questions that you will be asked later on.
INTRODUCTION
The importance of appraisal in organisations cannot be overemphasised. Although there are many similarities in the reasons why organisations have appraisal systems, the nature of the organisation dictates the nature of the system of appraisal it will use.