Teacher Effectiveness and Student Learning Metrics in Northern Nigeria

By using more sophisticated program monitoring methodologies, it is possible to embed high-quality applied research and formative evaluation into programming, at very little cost, and at scale. In Northern Nigeria, FHI 360 is... [ view full abstract ]

By using more sophisticated program monitoring methodologies, it is possible to embed high-quality applied research and formative evaluation into programming, at very little cost, and at scale. In Northern Nigeria, FHI 360 is partnering with UNICEF/DFID to improve Hausa-language learning outcomes in Grades 1-3 in government and Integrated Qur'anic schools. The program includes a robust monitoring framework that uses program data to identify the links between teacher effectiveness, program fidelity, and student learning growth. As part of the program, reading coaches routinely conduct tablet-based classroom observations where they observe every teacher’s methods of instruction and assess their teaching skills and level of program fidelity. They directly provide feedback to teachers afterwards as part of the coaching model. At the beginning and end of the school year, the reading coaches randomly select 10 students from each observed class and conduct early grade reading assessments with them, and again at the end of the school year with the same 10 students. The within-year longitudinal design enables accurate measurement of learning growth, where traditional cross-sectional designs cannot. This approach enables us to link student learning gains, over time, to individual teachers to identify teacher value-added and ultimately aggregate teacher performance metrics to the school level to highlight schools requiring further assistance. Further, we couple teacher performance metrics with our Fidelity of Implementation tool results to distinguish associations between teacher/classroom practices and teacher performance, enabling the program to provide specific guidance and support to teachers. As such, our approach is not used for teacher evaluative purposes but to more efficiently allocate program resources among the schools and teachers who need it most.