NORC Impact Assessment: Midline II Report
The TFET Midline II Classroom Observation study forms part of an on-going impact evaluation to assess the effectiveness of the Techniques for Effective Teaching (TFET) program in Ghana, a partnership between Sesame Workshop and IDP Foundation. For this Midline II report, trained fieldworkers conducted 32 classroom observations in nine treatment schools, with nine Master and nine Step-down TFET trained teachers – as well as seven control schools, with 14 teachers who had not received TFET training.
Some key findings from the Midline II report were:
- Classroom learning environments of treatment teachers were relatively more pupil-centered, especially in the display of learning materials, variety of learners’ seating/grouping arrangements, and positive styles of classroom management.
- When particular concepts are relayed clearly from one context to another (e.g. from materials to training), it is more likely teachers will be prepared to apply these in their instruction.
- Differences in training quality may explain why some variation emerged in this study between Master and Step-down teachers, especially in the use of literacy techniques.
- Changing or shifting teachers’ pedagogical knowledge, especially teachers who are formally untrained, requires ongoing, in-depth engagement with the principles of how children learn.
- Due to the clarity, emphasis, and accessibility of particular program content (especially Modules 2, 3, and 4), treatment teachers were seen to display some of the organizational and regulatory elements of pupil-centered teaching.