ABSTRACT
We describe an alternative way to determine instructional effectiveness that can be used in a wide range of learning environments—for both online and in-person instruction. The alternative is to have students complete an evaluation instrument called the Teaching and Learning Quality (TALQ) Scales. Students rate their instruction and learning experiences without knowing what First Principles of Instruction are. They rate their experiences by responding to a random mix of Likert-type items. They also rate their own academic learning time (ALT, which is successful engagement), learning progress, satisfaction with the course and instructor, and overall quality of their experience. We provide examples from several studies of how TALQ was used with APT methods to determine effectiveness of FPI and ALT. The advantage of TALQ is that if it is used appropriately, teachers and researchers can determine instructional effectiveness without the technical knowledge and skills required for building websites such as IPTAT.
