The Napa Evaluation of Madeline Hunter's ITIP: Lessons Learned

Abstract

This article discusses a 3-year Napa, California, study of Madeline Hunter's Instructional Theory into Practice (ITIP) program. Although teachers in the program changed their behavior and students' engaged rates improved, program effects on student achievement were minimal. Several lessons that can be learned from the Napa project are discussed. For example, it may be that already competent teachers do not benefit much from the training in the Hunter model. Furthermore, merely because a program is based on sound psychological principles and correlational research does not mean that it will translate into an effective program. New programs such as Hunter's need to be carefully evaluated before they are implemented on a wide scale.