Understanding Differences in Academic Effectiveness: Practitioners’ Views∗

Sammons, Pam; Thomas, Sally M; Mortimore, Peter; Walker, Adrian R; Cairns, Rosemary; Bausor, John

doi:10.1080/0924345980090302

Cited by 20 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…The relation between teachers and students is dependent by students 'complying with the rules' and limits the possibilities for participation. Research shows that behaviour patterns in organisations influences students' achievements (D. H. Hargreaves, 2014;Sammons, 2006). In addition our analyses show how it influences the possibilities and the quality in how students participate in 'teaching communication'.…”

Section: 'Teaching Communication' and School Culturementioning

confidence: 65%

“…In the 'age of accountability' some of the main topics of educational policy are the implementation of competency standards and high stake assessment, represented by international comparative studies of student achievement, such as PISA, TIMSS and PIRLS (Mullis, Martin, Foy, & Arora, 2012;Mullis, Martin, Foy, & Drucker, 2012;OECD, 2012). The research field seeks to explain student achievements through statistical correlation between school results and students' socio-economic backgrounds (Coleman et al, 1966), factors within schools, by means of quantitative research and mixed methods (Bliss, Firestone, & Richards, 1991;Sammons et al, 2006), teacher effectiveness (Chingos & Peterson, 2011;Noor, Aman, Mustaffa, & Seong, 2010), teacher professionalism, teacher organisations and educational leadership (Hargreaves, 2012;Hargreaves & Shirley, 2009). This focus results in a 'blame game': Students' achievements are blamed on teachers and teacher education, or the students and their socio-economic background (Khan Al-Daami & Wallace, 2007;Hopmann, 2008;Tanner, 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Teaching in the age of accountability: restrained by school culture?

Aasebø

Midtsundstad

Willbergh

2015

Journal of Curriculum Studies

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In this paper we explore how 'teaching communication' in the classroom is connected to school culture. In the age of accountability the outcome focus force to the forefront a 'blame game' which either blame students' achievements on the teachers and teacher education, or the students and their socioeconomic background. We argue that to succeed with teaching and learning is dependent on the school culture more than the single teacher or the students' background. School culture is understood as attitudes, communication, student focus and engagement. Teaching communication in this paper is studied as teachers' and students' talk about subject matter in whole-class teaching. We explore how different school cultures give students different opportunities to experience meaning from teaching communication. The perspective on meaning is derived from Bildung-centred didactics. By using qualitative comparative case method in Norwegian Lower Secondary schools we find three different types of 'teaching communication' typical for different school cultures: 'Dialogic teaching communication', 'storytelling teaching communication' and 'reproducing teaching communication'. The school culture with the 'dialogic' variant is characterised by trust and reciprocity, making students' experiencing meaning a possibility.

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Section: 'Teaching Communication' and School Culturementioning

confidence: 65%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Teaching in the age of accountability: restrained by school culture?

Aasebø

Midtsundstad

Willbergh

2015

Journal of Curriculum Studies

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…What we can call a 'transfer principle' also applies to the Index -that is to say, if equity is transferred from one pupil or group of pupils with a lot of it, to another pupil or group of pupils with a shortage of it, the resulting distribution becomes more equal -which is not the case with other school effectiveness metrics like CVA. It is easily interpreted, can track changes over time, can act as a prompt for improvement and can give fairly immediate feedback to policy-makers (Sammons et al 1997;Van Damme et al 2002;Thomas, Peng, and Gray 2007). This is not to suggest that the Index does not have its disadvantages: it measures equity, but on its own does not measure opportunity, capability or wider aspects of social injustice; like other school effectiveness measures, indices for different subpopulations cannot be averaged to obtain an index for the whole population; and as with all school effectiveness measures, if desirable commodities (like how schools encourage a range of intellectual, sporting and cultural interests among young people, enable friendships and develop the ability to interact socially) are not counted in the input, they cannot be reflected in the output.…”

Section: International Journal Of Research and Methods In Education 11mentioning

confidence: 99%

Measuring equity in educational effectiveness research: the properties and possibilities of quantitative indicators

Kelly

2014

International Journal of Research & Method in Education

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There has never been a published discursive review of equity measurement methodology in educational effectiveness research, though the literature on equity is growing. This paper sets out several indices that have the potential to measure it in terms of pupil attainment or in terms of how far a school (or group of schools) is from having a 'fair' proportion of its success attributable to a 'fair' proportion of its student population. The paper explores the principles and properties of three relatively simple metrics (the Range Ratio family of measures, the Coefficient of Variation and McLoone's Index) leading to two complex measures (Theil's T and finally to the Gini-based Attainment Equity Index). The paper investigates the warrant that the measures have (or do not have) for measuring equity by exploring them in a theoretical way so that their strengths, provenances and presumptions reveal themselves, and concludes with a discussion -the first of its kind in educational effectiveness research -on their desirable characteristics and properties. Worked examples from 2009 to 2011 UK pupil attainment data are presented in the Notes by way of worked illustrations, as are another two indices: the Variance of the Logs and the Atkinson Index.

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“…This work was supported by Gillmon (2001) who also identified the importance of monitoring, target-setting and meeting individual pupils' needs, improving literacy skills, longer days, and Saturday and holiday provision. Schagen et al (2002) also raised the point that similar factors emerged from research into characteristics of effective (non-specialist status) schools identified by Sammons et al (1998). So it is problematic to attribute simple causal links to specialist school status.…”

Section: Transformation Of Secondary Education In Englandmentioning

confidence: 99%

An inside story: tracking experiences, challenges and successes in a joint specialist performing arts college

Benn

Doyle

2006

Research in Dance Education

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In England the government's specialist schools initiative is transforming the nature of secondary education. A three-year longitudinal case study tracked the effects of specialist performing arts college status on two schools. The sites were a mainstream school drawing pupils from an area of high social deprivation and disadvantage, and a special school cWtering for pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties, which were awarded joint performing arts college status. The government's preferred criterion for judging the success of specialist schools is improvement in whole-school examination results. The authors argue that this is a crude and inappropriate measure for these case study schools and probably others. Using questionnaires, interviews and documentation they tell an 'inside story' of experiences, challenges and achievements, from the perspectives of the schools' mangers, staff and pupils. Alternative 'value-added' features emerged that were positive indicators of enrichment and success in both schools. IntroductionThe authors challenge the political preference for measurement of specialist schools' success in England by examination results. They encourage recognition of other ways in which resources attached to specialist status can enrich the lives of all involved. A team of researchers was invited by the two schools in the case study to track effects of the first three years of their specialist Performing Arts College Status (PACS) designation from 2000 to 2003. The three researchers have many years' experience in schools, higher education and in teacher education. They also have specialist knowledge of dance in education. The two schools involved, one mainstream and one special school for pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties, became the first in England to receive Joint PAC S, despite the schools' diverse missions and their campuses being three miles apart.

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Understanding Differences in Academic Effectiveness: Practitioners’ Views∗

Cited by 20 publications

References 7 publications

Teaching in the age of accountability: restrained by school culture?

Teaching in the age of accountability: restrained by school culture?

Measuring equity in educational effectiveness research: the properties and possibilities of quantitative indicators

An inside story: tracking experiences, challenges and successes in a joint specialist performing arts college

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