Converging on quality: Examining multiple measures of teaching effectiveness

Area of Science:

• Educational Measurement
• Teacher Effectiveness Research
• Psychometrics

Background:

• Widely used teaching quality measures, including the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS), Framework for Teaching (FFT), and Tripod Student Perceptions Scale, are evaluated.
• The Measures of Effective Teaching Project (2009-2011) provided data for this validity study.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the convergent and predictive validity of CLASS, FFT, and Tripod for measuring teaching quality.
• To assess how these measures relate to student academic growth using value-added models (VAM).

Main Methods:

• Correlations among CLASS, FFT, and Tripod scores were analyzed across elementary and middle school mathematics and English language arts.
• Average scores and score variability (coefficient of variation) from these instruments were used to predict VAM scores.

Main Results:

• For elementary grades, CLASS and FFT showed moderate convergent validity, with Tripod demonstrating divergent validity against CLASS and FFT.
• In middle school, CLASS, FFT, and Tripod exhibited moderate to high-moderate convergent validity.
• Average scores positively predicted VAM, while score variability negatively predicted VAM.

Conclusions:

• CLASS and FFT are valid measures of teaching quality, particularly in elementary education.
• Findings support the use of average scores from these instruments in teacher evaluation and professional development.
• Score variability may indicate different aspects of teaching not captured by average scores or VAM.