Reconsidering the measurement of teaching quality using a lens model: measurement dilemmas and trade-offs

Research has highlighted many complexities in the measurement of teaching quality that might explain the weak and inconsistent effects of teaching on learning. We introduce a lens model framework that connects both the conceptualized construct and the measured construct (i.e., scores) to teachers’ actual teaching in the classroom. This model helps researchers to carefully consider the extent to which teaching-quality scores represent the conceptualized construct (i.e., construct validity) and provides a framework for considering various dilemmas that arise when measuring teaching quality. We use the lens model to explore three dilemmas: (1) limitations in the availability and accessibility of cues that characterize constructs, (2) the variability of cues across instructional settings, and (3) the alignment of the unit of measurement and the unit of the construct. We provide guidance and suggestions for managing these dilemmas, which we hope will provide guidance for researchers seeking to measure teaching quality.