Primary school students' ratings of teaching - do they differentiate between subjects and teachers?

• Published in: School effectiveness and school improvement Vol. 35; no. 4; pp. 486 - 505
• Main Authors: Rieser, Svenja, Naumann, Alexander
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Routledge 01.10.2024; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Classroom Techniques; Educational Quality; Elementary school students; Elementary Schools; Factor Analysis; Inferences; multilevel CFA; primary school; Quality of education; School effectiveness; Student ratings of teaching; Teacher Effectiveness; Teacher evaluations; teaching quality
• ISSN: 0924-3453; 1744-5124
• DOI: 10.1080/09243453.2024.2396942

Our study aims to provide empirical evidence for and against the valid use of primary school students' ratings of three generic dimensions of teaching quality (classroom management, supportive climate, cognitive activation). We examine whether students discriminate between corresponding dimensions in different subjects, taking into account whether these subjects are taught by the same or different teachers. Using data from the German Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study 2015 assessment of 3,853 fourth graders (M age  = 8.8 years, 195 classes), we conduct multilevel-multigroup confirmatory factor analysis. The results suggest that students only differentiate between subjects when taught by different teachers. The findings also imply that valid inferences from student assessments may be affected by students' experiences with multiple teachers.