Creating Effective Teaching and Learning Environments: First Results from Talis

The OECD Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) is the first international survey to focus on the learning environment and the working conditions of teachers in schools. It provides policy-relevant analysis of

? The leadership and management of schools ?particularly the roles adopted by school leaders who deal with increasing accountability and devolution of educational authority, and the impact this has on the learning environment and on the work of teachers;

? The appraisal of teachers' work in schools and the type of feedback they receive, as well as the use of outcomes from these processes to reward and develop teachers. Linked to this, the professional development that teachers undertake and how this is connected to appraisal systems, how it is supported by school leaders, and how it impacts on classroom practices;

? The profiles of countries with regard to teaching practices, activities, beliefs, and attitudes, and how these vary according to teacher background characteristics.