The Relationship of Observed Teacher Characteristics with the Content and Form of Instruction

• In Event: Designing and Evaluating Instructional Practice and Outcomes

Abstract

Research indicates that teachers' effects on student outcomes are large and persistent. Studies also demonstrate that observable teacher characteristics have little to no systematic relationship with student outcomes. A likely, but mainly untested explanation for this finding is that teachers do not differ systematically in instructional practices or content based on observable characteristics. Using survey data from more than 25,000 teachers, this study analyzes the relationship between observed teacher characteristics and six instructional variables of interest. Fixed effects regressions reveal some consistent but small effects, with average effect sizes near .03 to .04 standard deviations. Effects are stronger for classwork and field of degree than experience and certification. Effects are larger for instructional practice outcomes than for measures of content.

Author

• Morgan S. Polikoff, University of Southern California