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

• Published in: American economic journal. Economic policy 2020-02, Vol.12 (1), p.359-388
• Main Authors: Papay, John P., Taylor, Eric S., Tyler, John H., Laski, Mary E.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1945-7731; 1945-774X
• DOI: 10.1257/pol.20170709

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.