A Study of Various Factors Which Influence the Use of the Accomplishment Quotient as a Measure of Teaching Efficiency

Abstract

The present article reports changes in Accomplishment Quotient over a oneand two-year period, for pupils of Grades 3A to 6A in the public schools of Shaker Heights, Ohio.1 The average ability of the children studied is considerably higher than that in the average school system, since the median IQ for the total enrollment of the four elemen tary schools involved is approximately 114, and less than 25 percent of the pupils have IQ's below 100. The teachers who taught these classes were unusually well trained, and perhaps represented a higher selection among teachers in general than did the children among children in gen eral. The school buildings were modern and well-equipped. Classes were small; the average number of pupils per teacher at the end of the period was 19, and the largest class included in this study numbered only 29. In general, conditions for teaching and learning were un usually good. The Stanford Achievement Test was administered in May of each 3rear to all pupils in Grades 2A to 6A, inclusive. Form A was used in 1924 and 1926, and Form B in 1925. In 1926 the 3A pupils took the Advanced Form of the test, since experience in the preceding years indicated that the Primary Form was too easy for the 3A pupils. The mental ages used in computing the AQ were, in general, cal culated from IQ's based on group tests. Stanford-Binet IQ's were avail able for about 15 percent of the pupils, and these were used in preference to the group test IQ's. Most of the latter were obtained from the McCall Multi-mental Scale which was administered during October and November, 1925. In the few cases where the record for that was not available, IQ's were based on the National Intelligence Test A for the older children, and on the Pintner-Cunningham Primary Test for the younger pupils. The two or three mental ages used for each child were based on the same IQ. Thus, in the case of the AQ comparison from May, 1925 to May, 1926, the mental ages were based on a single in telligence test which had been taken half way between the two educa