Consistency of results regarding teacher effects across subjects, school levels, outcomes and countries. (January 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Blömeke, Sigrid; Olsen, Rolf Vegar
• Is Part Of: Teaching and teacher education. Volume 77(2019)
• Page Start: 170
• Page End: 182
• Publication Date: 2019-01
• Subjects: mathematics -- Science -- Instructional quality -- Student achievement -- Motivation; Teaching -- Periodicals; Teachers -- Training of -- Periodicals; Enseignement -- Périodiques; Enseignants -- Formation -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 371.10205
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tate.2018.09.018
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0742-051X

Abstract

Abstract: How teacher characteristics are related to student outcomes may indicate ways to improve the effectiveness of schooling. This paper examines how consistent such relations are by utilizing TIMSS data on five teacher characteristics (teacher education major, teaching experience, professional development, preparedness and instructional quality) and two outcomes (achievement, motivation) in five countries (England, Norway, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia) for two grades (4, 8) and two subjects (mathematics, science). Data revealed little consistency, if at all within countries only and regarding instructional quality as a predictor. Policy makers are advised not to make inferences across grades, subjects or outcomes. Highlights: Consistency of TIMSS results across subjects, grades, outcomes, countries was examined. Instructional quality was consistently positively related to student outcomes. Other teacher characteristics were mostly inconsistently related to student outcomes. Instructional quality predicted student outcomes well and with large effect sizes. Effect sizes of other teacher characteristics were generally moderate only.