The Impact of the Association Between Student Characteristics and Classroom Observation Scores on Different Interpretations of Scores.
Saved in:
| Title: | The Impact of the Association Between Student Characteristics and Classroom Observation Scores on Different Interpretations of Scores. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | White, Mark1 (AUTHOR) mark.white@ils.uio.no |
| Source: | Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness. Apr-Jun2026, Vol. 19 Issue 2, p570-593. 24p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Observation (Educational method), *Psychology of students, *Test scoring, *Assessment of education, Measurement errors |
| Abstract: | Scores from formal classroom observation systems are used for many purposes in both research and practice. The finding that scores are often correlated with student characteristics has led to the important question of if and when scores should be adjusted to remove this association. This paper highlights five pathways that could lead to the observed association between scores and student characteristics, along with three unique interpretations of scores. Each pathway should contribute to the association between scores and student characteristics for some, but not other, score interpretations. Depending on the score interpretation, adjustments that remove some, but not other pathways are needed. I discuss the empirical complexity of isolating and removing the effects of specific pathways, noting that typical observation systems cannot do this. I provide a bounding exercise to suggest that the potential biases arising from failing to properly account for student characteristics are modest overall, though large enough to affect individual teachers. Rater error is by far the greatest risk to interpretations of scores and systems must ensure that rater error is not associated with student characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
|
Full text is not displayed to guests.
Login for full access.
|
|
| Abstract: | Scores from formal classroom observation systems are used for many purposes in both research and practice. The finding that scores are often correlated with student characteristics has led to the important question of if and when scores should be adjusted to remove this association. This paper highlights five pathways that could lead to the observed association between scores and student characteristics, along with three unique interpretations of scores. Each pathway should contribute to the association between scores and student characteristics for some, but not other, score interpretations. Depending on the score interpretation, adjustments that remove some, but not other pathways are needed. I discuss the empirical complexity of isolating and removing the effects of specific pathways, noting that typical observation systems cannot do this. I provide a bounding exercise to suggest that the potential biases arising from failing to properly account for student characteristics are modest overall, though large enough to affect individual teachers. Rater error is by far the greatest risk to interpretations of scores and systems must ensure that rater error is not associated with student characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 19345747 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/19345747.2025.2507350 |
