Evaluating Methods for Evaluating Instruction: The Case of Higher Education

Bruce A. Weinberg, Belton M. Fleisher () and Masanori Hashimoto

No 12844, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: This paper develops an original measure of learning in higher education, based on grades in subsequent courses. Using this measure of learning, this paper shows that student evaluations are positively related to current grades but unrelated to learning once current grades are controlled. It offers evidence that the weak relationship between learning and student evaluations arises, in part, because students are unaware of how much they have learned in a course. The paper concludes with a discussion of easily-implemented, optimal methods for evaluating teaching.

JEL-codes: A2 I2 J24 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-edu, nep-hrm and nep-sog
Date: Written 2007-01
Note: ED LS
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