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Does Teacher Training Actually Work? Evidence from a Large-Scale Randomized Evaluation of a National Teacher Training Program

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  • Prashant Loyalka
  • Anna Popova
  • Guirong Li
  • Zhaolei Shi

Abstract

Despite massive investments in teacher professional development (PD) programs in developing countries, there is little evidence on their effectiveness. We present results of a large-scale, randomized evaluation of a national PD program in China in which teachers were randomized to receive PD; PD plus follow-up; PD plus evaluation of the command of PD content; or no PD. Precise estimates indicate PD and associated interventions failed to improve teacher and student outcomes after one year. A detailed analysis of the causal chain shows teachers find PD content to be overly theoretical, and PD delivery too rote and passive, to be useful.

Suggested Citation

  • Prashant Loyalka & Anna Popova & Guirong Li & Zhaolei Shi, 2019. "Does Teacher Training Actually Work? Evidence from a Large-Scale Randomized Evaluation of a National Teacher Training Program," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 11(3), pages 128-154, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aejapp:v:11:y:2019:i:3:p:128-54
    Note: DOI: 10.1257/app.20170226
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Anna Popova & David K Evans & Mary E Breeding & Violeta Arancibia, 2022. "Teacher Professional Development around the World: The Gap between Evidence and Practice [Training to Teach Science: Experimental Evidence from Argentina]," The World Bank Research Observer, World Bank, vol. 37(1), pages 107-136.
    2. Berlinski, Samuel & Busso, Matias & Giannola, Michele, 2023. "Helping struggling students and benefiting all: Peer effects in primary education," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 224(C).
    3. Liu, Chengfang & Li, Ye & Li, Shaoping & Luo, Renfu & Zhang, Linxiu & Rozelle, Scott & Hagist, Spencer & Hou, Jack, 2020. "The returns to education in rural China: Some new estimates," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 64(1), January.
    4. Blimpo, Moussa P. & Pugatch, Todd, 2023. "Unintended Consequences of Youth Entrepreneurship Programs: Experimental Evidence from Rwanda," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1332, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    5. Amaro Da Costa Luz Carneiro,Pedro Manuel & Cruz-Aguayo,Yyannu & Intriago,Ruthy & Ponce,Juan & Schady,Norbert Rudiger & Schodt,Sarah, 2022. "When Promising Interventions Fail : Personalized Coaching for Teachers in a Middle-Income Country," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9926, The World Bank.
    6. Schaffner, Julie & Glewwe, Paul & Sharma, Uttam, 2021. "Why Programs Fail: Lessons for Improving Public Service Quality from a Mixed-Methods Evaluation of an Unsuccessful Teacher Training Program in Nepal," Staff Papers 316663, University of Minnesota, Department of Applied Economics.
    7. Tianli Feng & Xiyuan Jia & Lucy Pappas & Xiaojun Zheng & Teresa Shao & Letao Sun & Charlie Weisberg & Madeline Lu Li & Scott Rozelle & Yue Ma, 2022. "Academic Performance and the Link with Depressive Symptoms among Rural Han and Minority Chinese Adolescents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-20, May.
    8. Anna Baiardi & Andrea A. Naghi, 2021. "The Value Added of Machine Learning to Causal Inference: Evidence from Revisited Studies," Papers 2101.00878, arXiv.org.
    9. Glewwe, Paul, 2020. "The role of theory and randomized trials for education policy in developing countries," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    10. David J. Deming, 2022. "Four Facts about Human Capital," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 36(3), pages 75-102, Summer.
    11. Blimpo, Moussa P. & Pugatch, Todd, 2021. "Entrepreneurship education and teacher training in Rwanda," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    12. Bellue, Suzanne & Bouguen, Adrien & Gurgand, Marc & Munier, Valerie & Tricot, André, 2023. "When Effective Teacher Training Falls Short in the Classroom: Evidence from an Experiment in Primary Schools," IZA Discussion Papers 16398, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    13. Weerachart Kilenthong & Sartja Duangchaiyoosook & Wasinee Jantorn & Varunee Khruapradit, 2024. "A Randomized Evaluation of an On-Site Training for Kindergarten Teachers in Rural Thailand," PIER Discussion Papers 215, Puey Ungphakorn Institute for Economic Research.
    14. Paredes, Tatiana & Sevilla, Almudena, 2024. "The impact of incentivizing training on students’ outcomes," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    15. Anna Baiardi & Andrea A. Naghi, 2021. "The Value Added of Machine Learning to Causal Inference: Evidence from Revisited Studies," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 21-001/V, Tinbergen Institute.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J45 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Public Sector Labor Markets
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • P36 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Socialist Institutions and Their Transitions - - - Consumer Economics; Health; Education and Training; Welfare, Income, Wealth, and Poverty

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