Innovative Software Tool for Effectively Measuring Teaching and Learning Effectiveness

Abstract

Every one seek to aspire to gain quality education. The biggest stake holders are students who labor through years acquiring knowledge and skill to help them prepare for their career. Parents spend fortune on their children’s education. Companies spend billions developing new education products and services. Quality education is the golden key to prosperity for the individual and the nation. However, education standards are continuously deteriorating and it has become a global phenomenon. Unfortunately, teaching is often described as a ‘popularity contest’ and those teachers who are usually popular with students are often those who compromise teaching to appease students. Some teachers also ‘teach-to-the-test ensuring high test scores. Such teachers hence, receive good student ratings. Teachers who are conscientious, rigorous and thorough are often the victims of good appraisal.  Government and researchers are trying to capture the characteristics of a good teacher, but the results are vague and inconclusive. At present, there is no objective way to measure teaching effectiveness. We present an innovative method to objectively measure teaching effectiveness using a new Teaching Tool (TSquare). The TSquare used in the study is practical, easy to use, cost-effective and requires no special equipment to implement