Researching indicators of mid-career teacher quality: Composing a study protocol as the foundation stage

Maria Azfar Karimullah, Wayne Cotton and Louisa Peralta
The University of Sydney, Australia

As perspectives upon accountability are changing, researchers are making efforts to redefine conversations about how teacher quality enhances the quality of education and gains in students' achievement. Mid-career teachers, who are a school's greatest source of professional capital and expertise, are often neglected in these discussions, and may become uninterested over time, with their performance levels dropping. As the experiences of mid-career teachers can only evolve with exploration and implementation of new ideas, the aim of our research is to identify the evidence-informed indicators of mid-career teacher quality. Our article intentionally focuses on the research design and methodology, also known as the 'study protocol', that aims to present a research design before the actual research begins. Our study protocol will use a sequential mixed-methods design. A systematic review of literature will be conducted followed by semi-structured interviews with stakeholders to identify the indicators of mid-career teacher quality. Lastly, an integrated analysis of two data sets will be conducted to determine which of the indicators, as extracted from the systematic review, resonate with participants' perspectives, thus providing a holistic approach to understand mid-career teacher quality. The study is anticipated to inform policy and other initiatives that can strengthen the mid-career teacher workforce.
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Authors: Dr Maria Azfar Karimullah recently completed her PhD at The University of Sydney, Australia. She holds a masters degree in computer science and has extensive experience teaching in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Her research focuses on exploring teacher quality, with a particular emphasis on mid-career teachers. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3090-4065 Email: maria.karimullah@sydney.edu.au, mariaazfar@hotmail.com Dr Wayne Cotton is an Associate Professor in Education at The University of Sydney. Wayne has masters degrees in both education and computer studies. He also has a PhD in educational technology. Wayne's current research projects involve exploring and measuring indicators of quality teaching and learning. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8581-6679 Email: wayne.cotton@sydney.edu.au Dr Louisa Peralta is an Associate Professor in Education at The University of Sydney. Her teaching, research and publications focus on school-based programs for improving students' physical activity levels, improving student health literacy through whole school approaches, and designing and delivering professional learning experiences for preservice and in-service teachers. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6205-8676 Email: louisa.peralta@sydney.edu.au Please cite as: Karimullah, M. A., Cotton, W. & Peralta, L. (2025). Researching indicators of mid-career teacher quality: Composing a study protocol as the foundation stage. Issues in Educational Research, 35(2), 653-677. http://www.iier.org.au/iier35/karimullah.pdf