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ALO5030Y

Quality in Educational Research: Directions in Policy & Practice : 

Quality in Educational Research: Directions in Policy & Practice Quality research in education  research that can/does make a positive difference for diverse learners in education A policy perspective

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Christine Rietveld's Research - School 1 [Mark is in the playground standing and looking around. James comes up to Mark.] James: Hello, hello, hello. [James gets very close to Mark's face. Mark backs off a little.] Mark: No. [James goes off to a nearby friend in the adventure playground.] James: Look at that boy there. He said "No". Come and have a look. He goes like this with his tongue. [James imitates putting his tongue in and out of his mouth. James pokes his tongue out at Mark. Mark walks off a little and watches children playing on the adventure playground. James returns with another two boys as well as the first boy.]

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Christine Rietveld's Research - School 1 Boys: Hello, hello, hello. [The boys say hello to him over and over and laugh at him. One of the boys throws his lunch paper at Mark after screwing it up first. Mark looks at the ground and shakes his head. Peter squeals at him and pats his cheeks. The others make growling noises at him and then laugh.] [The boys leave for a minute and then return and continue saying hello to Mark over and over. Mark pokes his tongue out at the boys.] [A teacher-aide walks by.] INTERRUPTED NARRATIVE - WHAT SHOULD THE TEACHER-AIDE DO?

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Teacher-Aide: I hope you boys are being nice. James: We're just saying "hello" to him... [The teacher-aide introduces Mark to the boys and suggests that they play with Mark. They ask Mark if he wants to swing. Mark does not respond. The boys leave and Mark stands on the path looking around.] Teacher-Aide: Come on. [The teacher-aide is holding out her hand to Mark.] We'll find William. [William is another child with a disability the teacher-aide is there to support.] Teacher-Aide: Let's go to the adventure playground. [Mark follows the teacher-aide.] ‘Personal Tragedy’ Approach Christine Rietveld's Research - School 1

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Christine Rietveld's Research - School 2 [Ian is engaged with peers in building a block structure when Alan makes a complaint about him to the teacher.] Alan: Ian! No, Ian. Brent: [To Alan.] Tell the teacher. [The teacher arrives at the scene and Alan tells the teacher.] INTERRUPTED NARRATIVE - WHAT SHOULD THE TEACHER DO?

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‘Social Constructionist’ Approach Christine Rietveld's Research - School 2 Teacher: [To Alan.] If there's a problem, tell Ian what it is. Tell Ian if there's too many cars, it'll break [the structure they have built]. Tell him where he can put the cars and blocks. [Alan and Ian sit down on the mat. Ian picks up a car.] Alan: [To Ian.] In there. In there. [Alan shows Ian where to put the car.] Ian: No. [Ian says 'no' but does put the car where Alan showed him and drives it around. Brent, Alan and Kate also drive their cars around each on their own part of the block structure. The children continue to drive their cars around for 2 minutes.]

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Quality Teaching - A range of outcomes Ian benefits Ian’s peers benefit • achievement • self-regulation • social skills • cultural identity • defused potential ‘behaviour problems’ The teacher benefits: • lower stress.

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Sue Swan & Richard White (1994) - Combating shallow learning via ‘Thinking Books’ Children record: • links to prior experiences • links to prior knowledge • their questions Teacher engages in written dialogue in each child’s Thinking Book Adapted by NZ teacher Lena Klenner with new entrants

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The ‘Thinking Books’ pedagogical approach: supports student sense-making linked to their real life experiences, scaffolds metacognitive strategies and self-regulation, allows the teacher a diagnostic window into diverse learner minds, provides a learning focus for teacher-student and student-student interactions, and engages a whole class enabling the teacher to attend effectively, rapidly and responsively to individual and whole class needs.

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What are the critical challenges for research and development in educational policy and practice?

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Evidence about what works for children as critical ‘If the Ministry of Education communicates either through its words or deeds that the task is to fill empty schools, to win community confidence, to improve relationships, to increase parent participation or to empower local groups, it risks doing so in ways that do not also improve student achievement’ Strengthening Education in Mangere and Otara: Second Evaluation Report 2001

Knowing what we know about what works is fraught : 

Knowing what we know about what works is fraught Influential research which has not paid rigorous attention to outcomes – e.g. learning styles preference matching found to be common in NZ schools by ERO Māori and Pasifika learners classified as kinaesthetic learners working with blocks in junior mathematics while Pakeha/European peers engage with metacognitive strategies Research inaccessible in journals Research siloed by paradigm, methodology, sub-discipline etc.

Knowing what we know about what works is fraught: 

Knowing what we know about what works is fraught International research valuable resource -constrained by context (regulatory, policy, institutional, cultural, language & other contextual differences) OECD Review (2001) found undermined social capital in NZ educational research (e.g. networks, relationships fostering trust & reciprocity) Difficult to get agreement about implications of research for educators (e.g. reading and mathematics ‘wars’ in US) Postgraduate educator research difficult to access & not part of cumulative knowledge building Literature reviews for policy = idiosyncratic

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Need for bodies of evidence and explanation of the influences on diverse learner outcomes NZ Ministry of Education Iterative Best Evidence Synthesis Programme

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www.minedu.govt.nz/goto/bestevidencesynthesis

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Series of BESs Systems-thinking about inter-relationships among influences Attention to direct & indirect influences Collaborative processes to meet the challenge Iterative processes integral to knowledge building Purpose of a BES To systematically identify, evaluate, analyse, synthesis, explain, and make accessible, relevant evidence linked to a range of diverse learner outcomes.

Fitness for Purpose Approach driven development of methodology : 

Fitness for Purpose Approach driven development of methodology Health-of-the-system framework What works for groups of diverse learners What works, under what conditions, why and how English and Māori medium settings Educational influences that can make a bigger difference

Published BESs : 

Published BESs Biddulph, F., Biddulph, J. & Biddulph, C. (2003). The Complexity of Community and Family Influences on Children's Achievement in New Zealand: Best Evidence Synthesis. Wellington: Ministry of Education. Farquhar, S. (2003). Quality Teaching Early Foundations: Best Evidence Synthesis. Wellington: Ministry of Education. Alton-Lee, A. (2003). Quality Teaching for Diverse Students in Schooling: Best Evidence Synthesis. Wellington: Ministry of Education. Mitchell, M. & Cubey, P. (2003). Characteristics of Professional Development Linked to Enhanced Pedagogy and Children's Learning and Early Childhood Settings: Best Evidence Synthesis. Wellington: Ministry of Education.

BESs in Progress : 

BESs in Progress Teacher Professional Learning and Development. Dr H. Timperley & L Ward, The University of Auckland. l.ward@auckland.ac.nz h.timperley@auckland.ac.nz Characteristics of pedagogical approaches that facilitate learning for diverse learners in early childhood and schooling in Pāngarau/Mathematics. G Anthony & M Walshaw, Massey University. G.J.Anthony@massey.ac.nz M.A.Walshaw@massey.ac.nz Characteristics of pedagogical approaches that facilitate learning for diverse learners in early childhood and schooling in Tikanga-ā-iwi/ social studies/social sciences. G Aitken & C Sinnema, The University of Auckland. g.aitken@auckland.ac.nz c.sinnema@auckland.ac.nz Educational Leadership – Schooling. Viviane Robinson, Michel Mintrom, University of Auckland vmj.robinson@auckland.ac.nz m.mintrom@auckland.ac.nz

Methodological /Ownership Issues : 

Methodological /Ownership Issues Adviser- Dr Brian Haig – philosophy of science Leading educational researchers in NZ and teacher union representatives - national reference group BES Māori Educational Research Advisory Group BES Pasifika Educational Research Advisory Group High level of shared agreement about BES methodology  Guidelines for Generating a Best Evidence Synthesis Iteration www.minedu.govt.nz/goto/bestevidencesynthesis

Methodological Issues : 

Methodological Issues Credible evidence re influences on learner outcomes Pluralist approach to design & method Synthesis approach  interrogate, evaluate the validity, rigour & explanatory power of any particular study Values experimental studies for what they can offer but rejects ‘gold standard’ of RCT/ experimental studies Scientific realist foundation – takes into account critiques of hypothetico-deductive method e.g. premature formulation of theoretical models, lack of attention to exploratory analysis of data, failure to attend to theory development, inadequate account of theory confirmation

Methodological Issues : 

Problem constraint analysis approach to synthesis Use of triangulation of evidence International meta-analyses provide frameworks Attention to educational significance & magnitude of impact – use of effect sizes Case studies illuminate processes in context Jigsaw approach Explanatory theory - Understanding Secondary analyses Methodological Issues

An evidence-based approach to educational change : 

An evidence-based approach to educational change Reject a magical approach to use of what works syntheses Importance of outcomes-linked analyses of: PD Educational leadership - embedded in tasks Impact of policy and regulatory settings Empirical analyses of ‘Transportability’ ‘Scaling up’ issues Sustainability issues

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School-Family, Community Partnerships BESs found teacher agency critical School-home partnerships focussed on learning – greater agency for change Evidence base  a gift for busy teachers and busy parents Biddulph (1983, 2004) experimental study – 4 workshops for parents Targets the lowest achievers Uses adult learning theories Mobilises community resources Promotes strong school-home partnerships Extraordinary achievement results and other good outcomes (parents +ve with children) Sustained outcomes for students and families Positive for teachers www.readingtogether.net.nz

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Christine McNeight – Secondary Teacher – Postgraduate student Similarities & differences ( effect size of 1.61) Marzano, R., Pickering, D., & Pollock, J. (2001). Classroom instruction that works: Research-based strategies for increasing student achievement . Virginia: ASCD. Year 12 Pasifika learners in Classical Studies Pattern of failure Girls coached to interview someone at home abut the similarities and differences between their traditional Pasifika cultures and Ancient Greece Sharing in small groups and whole class Students passed and some very well (doubled grades) at this critical gate keeping level of attainment for knowledge society

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What Works at a Systemic Level – Role & Quantum of Research & Development A 2003 OECD report[1] identified the relatively low proportion of funding afforded to R& D in education generally and the challenges this raises for knowledge societies. A rough estimate of the level of educational R & D as a percentage of total expenditure on education is on average less than 0.3% in six countries for which data are available. This is a very small figure when education is compared with other knowledge sectors, for example, the health sector where between 5-10% of the total health expenditure in public and private sectors are directed to R & D.’ (p.11). [1] OECD (2003). Knowledge management: New challenges for educational research. Paris: OECD.

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Developing an R & D Culture The OECD Report includes an assessment of educational research in New Zealand and estimated educational research funding to be even lower than that for other OECD countries at between 0.17- 0.20%: At the same time New Zealand invests far less in research and development of any kind than other developed countries, and has far lower R & D personnel per million population than Australia or Western European countries. New Zealand is successful educationally, but is, by R & D standards, not becoming a knowledge economy. (p. 89). Some further funding TLRI = $2million annually

A Collaborative Approach to Knowledge Building to Strengthen Policy & Practice : 

A Collaborative Approach to Knowledge Building to Strengthen Policy & Practice Agreed Guidelines play key role in BES development Tender selection involves cross-Ministry of Education engagement + external stakeholder representatives Iterative development processes – $ for BES writers to sub-contract advisers Deep engagement around each milestone report (partial draft) – much face-to-face dialogue Collaborative contract management for each BES development – Teacher Unions/ STA/ Principals’ Associations International & national engagement in formative QA

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Challenges for Using BESs to Strengthen Policy Development Challenges in Using BESs to Strengthen Educational Practice Failures  Key Resource

Challenges for Educational Researchers : 

Challenges for Educational Researchers R & D Greater role for educational researchers in evidence-based development in policy & practice? Need wider spread in the engagement of researchers with improving practice – costs to heroic researchers? Naming of teachers work – are the ethics ethical? Paying attention to both what does and doesn’t work in knowledge building? Need for attention to outcomes-linked evidence for teacher education and policy development? Costs to sustainable development if R& D informing policy & practice becomes distant from tertiary sector? Health-of-the-system approach?

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www.minedu.govt.nz/goto/bestevidencesynthesis