Effective Pedagogy It’s Just A Matter of Time Graeme Aitken School of Education The University of Auckland Based on material originally developed by Professor Viviane Robinson, School of Education, The University of Auckland Keynote Address - Team Solutions Professional Development Hui 30 January, 2004

Overview Two common but flawed views of teaching effectiveness Teaching effectiveness as provision of opportunities to learn Key concepts associated with opportunities to learn Links between these concepts and the Best Evidence Synthesis

“Effective” “good” “teacher” “teaching” impact on desired outcomes academic social values attitudes to learning 59% variation THE most important factor

Outcomes Approach Outputs Value added Problems Link to teaching Achievement – prior knowledge Learning – T1 to T2 Student’s contribution Measurable focus

Style Based Approach Personal style Techniques Pedagogical approach Problems Different contexts Clear research generalisations Generalisations discriminate against individuals

A Comment on Style “Teachers can teach however they like, as long as it is ethical and effective in imparting valuable learning, within applicable curriculum and resource constraints” Scriven, 1994

Defining Teaching Effectiveness  NOT be based on a preferred style  LINKED to, but NOT JUDGED by, how much students learn  JUDGED by the quality of the learning opportunities provided by teachers

Quality Learning Opportunities KEY Principle Time THREE Concepts Alignment Engagement Success

Loss of Time (based on Berliner, David (1990) “What’s All the Fuss About Instructional Time?” School Loss of Allocated Time In-class Loss of Allocated Time Loss through lack of Alignment Loss through lack of Engagement Loss through Low Success High Success [ALT]

Learning Opportunity ( Berliner, 1987) “That part of allocated time in which students are engaged with materials or activities aligned to the outcome measures that are being used and in which students experience a high success rate”

Effective Teaching (after Berliner, 1987) waiting and transition TIME is minimised ALIGNED activities are ALIGNED to important learning outcomes students are ENGAGED - behaviourally intellectually students are experiencing a HIGH LEVEL OF SUCCESS.

Best Evidence Synthesis Systematic review of evidence Linked to outcomes International and NZ Meta-analysis Case studies Ten characteristics Interrelated

OTL and BES Opportunities to Learn (5) OrganisationOf curriculum and school practices (7) AlignmentBetween content and cultural contexts (3) Between teaching intentions and assessment (10 – goal oriented assessment) Between curriculum, task design and resources (7) By developing a “collective perspective” (7) EngagementCognitive By linking learning to cultural contexts (3) By responding to the way students learn in a curriculum area (4) By provision of multiple task contexts (6) By promoting meta-cognition (9) Affective By linking learning to cultural contexts (3) By creating caring, inclusive communities (2) By promoting a “learning orientation” (9) SuccessThrough scaffolding and feedback (8) Through provision of multiple task contexts (6) Through a focus on student achievement (1) Through promoting student self-regulation (9) Through goal-oriented assessment (10)

Organisation Of curriculum and school practices (7) FOR EXAMPLE evaluate impacts on ALLOCATED TIME of breaks - timing, length assemblies co-curricular expectations

Alignment Between content and cultural contexts (3) Between teaching intentions and assessment (10 – goal oriented assessment) Between curriculum, task design and resources (7) By developing a “collective perspective” (7) By developing a “collective perspective” (7) FOR EXAMPLE Debate outcomes (relative importance, big ideas) Shared strategies and standards “Let the main ideas which are introduced into a child‘s education be few and important and let them be thrown into every combination possible” (A.N. Whitehead)

Engagement - cognitive By linking learning to cultural contexts (3) By responding to the way students learn in a curriculum area (4) By provision of multiple task contexts (6) By provision of multiple task contexts (6) By promoting meta-cognition (9) FOR EXAMPLE Dense and recurrent access Non-linguistic representations Social interaction

Engagement - affective By linking learning to cultural contexts (3) By creating caring, inclusive communities (2) By promoting a “learning orientation” (9) By promoting a “learning orientation” (9) FOR EXAMPLE Make learning (academic) goals transparent Self regulation Ask questions and make mistakes

Success Through scaffolding and feedback (8) Through provision of multiple task contexts (6) Through a focus on student achievement (1) Through a focus on student achievement (1) Through goal-oriented assessment (10) FOR EXAMPLE Collect accurate and co-ordinated assessment information relevant to priority outcomes Implications for own and others’ teaching Identify good practice across a group of teachers.

In summary … Effective teaching is identified through the response of students Motivational and Intellectual Rather than through the Strategies and intentions of teachers