1. From Evidence to Great Teaching
Robert Coe, Durham University
ASCL Annual Conference, 20 March 2015
What can research tell us about the kinds of classroom practices that are likely to create the most learning for students, and the best bets for introducing interventions with greatest cost-effectiveness? Most important – and hardest – of all, how can we best support teachers in improving their classroom practices and realising the full benefits that research seems to promise? In this session Prof Rob Coe will draw on a range of research, including two reviews of which he is an author: the EEF Toolkit and the Sutton Trust’s ‘What makes great teaching?’ report.

2. What makes great teaching
improving education
eef toolkit
What makes great teaching
Coe, R., Aloisi, C., Higgins, S. and Elliot Major, L. (2014) ‘What makes great teaching? Review of the underpinning research’. Sutton Trust, October
Coe, R. (2013) Improving Education: A triumph of hope over experience. Inaugural Lecture of Professor Robert Coe, Durham University, 18 June Essay version available at Video at
Higgins, S., Katsipataki, M., Kokotsaki, D., Coleman, R., Major, L.E., & Coe, R. (2013). The Sutton Trust-Education Endowment Foundation Teaching and Learning Toolkit. London: Education Endowment Foundation. [Available at

3. The argument
Successful implementation of evidence-based strategies requires deep understanding of the evidence
For most people this requires learning
Even if you do ‘what works’ it may not work: always evaluate

4. Evidence Can’t we just bolt it on?

5. True or false?
Reducing class size is one of the most effective ways to increase learning [evidence]
Differentiation and ‘personalised learning’ resources maximise learning [evidence]
Generous praise encourages learners and helps them persist with hard tasks [evidence]
Technology supports learning by engaging and motivating learners [evidence]
The best way to raise attainment is to enhance motivation and interest [evidence]
Rob Coe EMC blog on class size:
John Hattie on individualisation (eg
See also Harry Webb’s blog: ‘The Evidence on Differentiation’
Deborah Stipek on praise: How Do Teachers' Expectations Affect Student Learning
Steve Higgins et al’s summary for EEF: The Impact of Digital Technology on Learning
Stephen Gorard et al for JRF on aspirations: The impact of attitudes and aspirations on educational attainment and participation

6. Most promising for raising attainment Small effects / high cost
Impact vs cost
Most promising for raising attainment 8
May be worth it
Feedback
Meta-cognitive
Peer tutoring
Early Years
Homework (Secondary)
1-1 tuition
Effect Size (months gain)
Collaborative
Behaviour
Small gp tuition
Phonics
Parental involvement
Smaller classes
Social
ICT
Summer schools
Individualised learning
After school
Small effects / high cost
Mentoring
Teaching assistants
Homework (Primary)
Performance pay
Aspirations
Ability grouping £0
£1000
Cost per pupil

7. Poor Proxies for Learning
Students are busy: lots of work is done (especially written work)
Students are engaged, interested, motivated
Students are getting attention: feedback, explanations
Classroom is ordered, calm, under control
Curriculum has been ‘covered’ (ie presented to students in some form)
(At least some) students have supplied correct answers, even if they
Have not really understood them
Could not reproduce them independently
Will have forgotten it by next week (tomorrow?)
Already knew how to do this anyway

8. A better proxy for learning?
Learning happens when people have to think hard

9. What makes great teaching? (According to the evidence)

11. Dimensions of great teaching
(Pedagogical) content knowledge (PCK)
Quality of instruction
Classroom management / behaviour / control
Classroom climate / relationships / expectations
Beliefs (theory) about subject, learning & teaching
Wider professional elements: collegiality, PD, stakeholder relationships
Coe, R., Aloisi, C., Higgins, S. and Elliot Major, L. (2014) ‘What makes great teaching? Review of the underpinning research’. Sutton Trust, October

12. 1. We do that already (don’t we?)
Reviewing previous learning
Setting high expectations
Using higher-order questions
Giving feedback to learners
Having deep subject knowledge
Understanding student misconceptions
Managing time and resources
Building relationships of trust and challenge
Dealing with disruption

13. 2. Do we always do that?
Challenging students to identify the reason why an activity is taking place in the lesson
Asking a large number of questions and checking the responses of all students
Raising different types of questions (i.e., process and product) at appropriate difficulty level
Giving time for students to respond to questions
Spacing-out study or practice on a given topic, with gaps in between for forgetting
Making students take tests or generate answers, even before they have been taught the material
Engaging students in weekly and monthly review

14. For more on what kinds of praise can be harmful and why, see:
Richard 1Nov2014 ‘The Problem With Praise’
Nick 1Jun2014 Growth mindset: It’s not magic

15. 3. We don’t do that (hopefully)
Use praise lavishly
Allow learners to discover key ideas for themselves
Group learners by ability
Encourage re-reading and highlighting to memorise key ideas
Address issues of confidence and low aspirations before you try to teach content
Present information to learners in their preferred learning style
Ensure learners are always active, rather than listening passively, if you want them to remember

16. If we know what it looks like, can we just do it?

17. Improving Teaching Teacher quality is what matters
We need to focus on teacher learning
Teachers learn just like other people
Be clear what you want them to learn
Get good information about where they are at
Give good feedback

18. Just a check-list of techniques?
No! Great teaching involves
selecting, integrating, orchestrating, adapting, monitoring, responding, etc,
and depends on
context, history, personalities, relationships, etc,
But without the skills, a teacher’s choices are more limited
Developing these skills & techniques takes dedicated, extended practice, with feedback

19. What CPD benefits students?
Promotes ‘great teaching’
PCK, assessment, learning, high expectations, collective responsibility
Focuses on student outcomes
Supported by
External input: challenge and expertise
Peer networks: communities of practice
School leaders must actively lead
Builds teacher understanding and skills
Challenges and engages teachers
Integrates theory and active skills practice
Enough learning time (monthly for min 6 months: 30hrs+)
Timperley, H., Wilson, A., Barrar, H. & Fung, I. (2007) Teacher professional learning and development: Best evidence synthesis iteration. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Education.
Timperley et al 2007

20. When ‘what works’ doesn’t work The case for evaluation

21. Why monitor teaching quality?
Good evidence of (potential) benefit from
Performance feedback (Coe, 2002)
Target setting (Locke & Latham, 2006)
Accountability (Coe & Sahlgren, 2014)
Individual teachers matter most
Teachers typically stop improving after 3-5 years
Everyone can improve
Assessment is an essential part of learning (including teacher learning)
Coe, R. (2002) ‘Evidence on the Role and Impact of Performance Feedback in Schools’ in A.J.Visscher and R. Coe (eds.) School Improvement Through Performance Feedback. Rotterdam: Swets and Zeitlinger
Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (2006). New directions in goal-setting theory. Current directions in psychological science, 15(5),
Lee J. (2008), ‘Is Test-Driven External Accountability Effective? Synthesizing the Evidence From Cross-State Causal-Comparative and Correlational Studies’, Review of Educational Research 78(3):608–644
Coe, R. and Sahgren G.H, (2014) “Incentives and ignorance in qualifications, assessment, and accountability”. In G.H. Sahlgren (ed.) Tests worth teaching to: incentivising quality in qualifications and accountability. Centre for Market Reform of Education
WILIAM, D. (2010) 'Standardized Testing and School Accountability', Educational Psychologist, 45: 2, 107 — 122
Rockoff, J. E. (2004). The impact of individual teachers on student achievement: Evidence from panel data. The American Economic Review, 94(2),
Kukla-Acevedo, S. (2009). Do teacher characteristics matter? New results on the effects of teacher preparation on student achievement. Economics of Education Review, 28(1),
Murphy, R. (2013) ‘Testing Teachers: What works best for teacher evaluation and appraisal’. Sutton Trust.

22. Methods of identifying effectiveness
classroom observations by peers, principals or external evaluators
‘value-added’ models (assessing gains in student achievement)
student ratings
principal (or headteacher) judgement
teacher self-reports
analysis of classroom artefacts and teacher portfolios

23. Do we know a good lesson when we see one?

24. Lesson Observation
Two teachers observe the same lesson, one rates it ‘Inadequate’. What is the probability the other will agree?
a) 10% b) 40% c) 60% d) 80%
An observer judges a lesson ‘Outstanding’. What is the probability that pupils are really making sustained, outstanding progress?
a) 5% b) 30% c) 50% d) 70%
Answers:
1: probably a; best case for a research-validated, quality-assured, rigorous process is b
2: probably a; best case for a research-validated, quality-assured, rigorous process is b
See “Classroom observation: it’s harder than you think” and my presentation to
Teach First / Teacher Development Trust Event on Lesson Observation, 13 Jan 2014, London
Powerpoint ( and video (

25. Beware these traps Overconfidence about knowledge of what is effective
Focus on teaching rather than learning
Thinking that we are doing it already
Overconfidence in assessments (even if formative) of teaching quality
Thinking that if we assess teaching we must attach consequences to that (cf ‘assessment for learning’)

26. Problems with assessment criteria
If you know what it means, you know what it means (eg from KS1 Performance Descriptors)
capital letters for some names of people, places and days of the week (below)
capital letters for some proper nouns and for the personal pronoun ‘I’ (towards)
capital letters for almost all proper nouns (at)
correctly punctuated (mastery)
Teaching by numbers (from KS guidance)
a range of openings, e.g. adverbials (some time later, as we ran, once we had arrived...), subject reference (they, the boys, our gang...), speech.
Some variety in subordinating connectives, e.g. because, if, which
use of modals to express prediction, possibility, permission, e.g. should, might, could.
2014 Key stage 2 writing – moderation. Exemplification materials for
teacher assessment (Level 4 - Annotated)

27. Bias in Teacher Assessment (vs standardised tests)
Systematic bias against
Pupils with SEN, EAL & FSM
Pupils with challenging behaviour
Reinforcing stereotypes
Eg boys perceived to be better at maths
ethnic minority / subject combinations
Pupil/teacher interaction
Bias against pupils whose personality is different from the teacher’s
Harlen W (2004) A systematic review of the evidence of reliability and validity of assessment by teachers used for summative purposes. In: Research Evidence in Education Library. London: EPPI-Centre, Social Science Research Unit, Institute of Education, University of London. [
Bennett et al., 1993
Peter Tymms: ‘Teachers show bias to pupils who share their personality’. The Conversation 25 Feb
Burgess, S. and Greaves, E (2009) Test Scores, Subjective Assessment and Stereotyping. Centre for Market and Public Organisation, Bristol University. Working Paper No. 09/221.
of Ethnic Minorities

28. ‘Improvement’ often isn’t
School/college would have improved anyway
Volunteers/enthusiasts improve: misattributed to intervention
Chance variation (esp. if start low)
Poor outcome measures
Perceptions of those who worked hard at it
No robust assessment of pupil learning
Poor evaluation designs
Weak evaluations more likely to show positive results
Improved intake mistaken for impact of intervention
Selective reporting
Dredging for anything positive (within a study)
Only success is publicised
Coe, R (2009) ‘School Improvement: Reality and Illusion’ British Journal of Educational Studies, 57, 4,
Coe, R. (2013) Improving Education: A triumph of hope over experience. Inaugural Lecture of Professor Robert Coe, Durham University, 18 June Essay version available at Video at
See also and for a US perspective.
(Coe, 2009, 2013)

29. Key elements of good evaluation
EEF DIY Evaluation Guide
Clear, well defined, replicable intervention
Good assessment of appropriate outcomes
Well-matched comparison group
Coe, R., Kime, S., Nevill, C. and Coleman, R. (2013) ‘The DIY Evaluation Guide’. London: Education Endowment Foundation. [Available at
What could you evaluate?

30. Simple, huh?

31. “After 30 years of doing such work, I have concluded that classroom teaching…is perhaps the most complex, most challenging, and most demanding, subtle, nuanced, and frightening activity that our species has ever invented…The only time a physician could possibly encounter a situation of comparable complexity would be in the emergency room of a hospital during or after a natural disaster.”
Lee Shulman, The Wisdom of Practice