Learning Job Skills from Colleagues at Work: Evidence from a Field Experiment Using Teacher Performance Data

John P. Papay, Eric S. Taylor, John H. Tyler and Mary E. Laski

American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 2020, vol. 12, issue 1, 359-88

Abstract: We study a program designed to encourage learning from coworkers among school teachers. In an experiment, we document gains in job performance when high- and low-skilled teachers are paired and asked to work together on improving their skills. Pairs are matched on specific skills measured in prior evaluations. Each pair includes a target teacher who scores low in one or more of 19 skills and a partner who scores high in (many of) the target's deficient skills. Student achievement improved 0.12 standard deviations in low-skilled teachers' classrooms. Improvements are likely the result of target teachers learning skills from their partner.

JEL-codes: I21 J24 J45 M53 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (15)

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DOI: 10.1257/pol.20170709

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