Citation:
Papay, John P., Eric S. Taylor, John H. Tyler, and Mary Laski. 2020. “Learning job skills from colleagues at work: Evidence from a field experiment using teacher performance data”. American Economic Journal: Economic Policy 12 (1):359-388.
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 nineteen 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.