Moving Beyond Means: Revealing Features of the Learning Environment by Investigating Consensus Among Student Ratings

• In Event: 25.034 - Issues With the Design and Implementation of Test-Based Accountability Policies

Abstract

Student surveys are critical in policy efforts to assess and improve teaching. Inferences about teachers are often made based on aggregated student responses. The reliability and validity of these aggregates as predictors of student achievement and as indicators of teacher performance are well-researched. There is far less research on within-classroom consensus in responses and what it may reveal about the learning environment. Using data from the Measures of Effective Teaching Project, this study investigates how consensus among student ratings may be used to understand learning environments. Preliminary results suggest that consensus is related to teacher effectiveness, instructional practices, and to the demographic heterogeneity of students. The implications for the use of overall averages in teacher appraisal are discussed.

Authors

• Jonathan Schweig, The RAND Corporation

• Jose Felipe Martinez, University of California - Los Angeles

• Meredith Langi, University of California - Los Angeles