Professor Index Requirement (PIR): a standardized method to obtain teacher comparative qualifications based on student scores achievements

Abstract

A simple assessment tool is presented in this communication to help professors performance. It is called "Professor Index Requirement" PIR. This index has certain similarities with Value-Added Models (VAM's). These statistical techniques use Students' score data from several-year standardized tests to predict the new test score for the current year. If the results improve the forecasts, it is concluded that the teacher has been effective. Some differences with VAM’s can be found in the simplicity of the PIR calculation and that it uses data from the same semester whereas VAM’s use several-year time series. The score data used in PIR come from all subjects that have been studying in parallel with the focused subject-matter. This PIR index is calculated on the deviation of student's score outcomes from a professor with respect to other professors. It allows to know if the teacher qualifies above or below the average mark of each student in the other subjects. The aim is the improvement of the teaching quality, and in order that a professor can optimize their performance. This measure has a great interest in university subjects that are taught by many teachers.