Does Teacher Training Actually Work? Evidence from a Large-Scale Randomized Evaluation of a National Teacher Training Program

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Loyalka, Prashant; Popova, Anna; Li, Guirong; Shi, Zhaolei
• 署名单位: Stanford University; Stanford University; Henan University; Stanford University
• 刊物名称: AMERICAN ECONOMIC JOURNAL-APPLIED ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 1945-7782
• DOI: 10.1257/app.20170226
• 发表日期: 2019
• 页码: 128-154
• 关键词: professional-development; student-achievement; KNOWLEDGE; IMPACT; QUALITY; schools; Preschool; beliefs; CHINA

摘要

Despite massive investments in teacher professional development (PD) programs in developing countries, there is little evidence on their effectiveness. We present results of a large-scale, randomized evaluation of a national PD program in China in which teachers were randomized to receive PD; PD plus follow-up; PD plus evaluation of the command of PD content; or no PD. Precise estimates indicate PD and associated interventions failed to improve teacher and student outcomes after one year. A detailed analysis of the causal chain shows teachers find PD content to be overly theoretical, and PD delivery too rote and passive, to be useful.