Institute for School Development Research (IFS) Researching the influence of educational policy on school- and teaching quality – The European Collaborative Research Project ADDITION International Council on Education for Teaching (ICET) 55th World Assembly - University of Glasgow July Glasgow, Scotland Dr. Michael Pfeifer Institute for School Development Research (IFS) University of Dortmund, Germany

Institute for School Development Research (IFS) Stucturing: 1.Design of the common project 2.Focus of the German national project 3.Methods 4.Outlock

Institute for School Development Research (IFS) 1. Design of the common project

Institute for School Development Research (IFS) European Science Foundation (ESF) Organisation –77 members from 30 European countries –Organisation of workshops, conferences and symposiums Goals –Initiation and coordination of European research projects Conception of own projects and research Elaboration of research project in cooperation with the ESF- member countries –Building networks and contact between the member states –Fostering interdisciplinary and international cooperative research

Institute for School Development Research (IFS) Project structure International common project –Participating countries are the initiators of the study –Common design of the contents and analysis in all participating countries Own projects of the participating countries –In-depth reserach of certain aspects from the common project –Own questions with connection to the common project

Institute for School Development Research (IFS)

Goals of the common project –Further development of the Dynamic Model of Educational Effectiveness (Creemers & Kyriakides, 2008) –Creation of a theory-based and empirical funded framework for educational decisions in the context of teaching development and evaluation –Review of the influence of system- and school variables on learning- and teaching processes as well as pupils´ achievements –Analysis and explanation of achievement differences between participating countries resp. between schools in the participating countries –Conclusions for school policy and research

Institute for School Development Research (IFS) Research model Creemers & Kyriakides, 2008

Institute for School Development Research (IFS) Influence factors on system level Analysis of the school policy in the participating country –How does it support the improvement of teaching? –Does it have effects for an improvement of the learning environment? Approaches of evaluation of the school policy in the participating countries: –Is the wider school environment included? –Does school policy foster the development of further learning possibilities and a positive attitude towards learning?

Institute for School Development Research (IFS) Influence factors on school level Validation and evaluation of arrangements/measures concerning the learning environment: –Are there guidelines in school for the development of teaching? –Which arrangements/measures contribute to the improvement of teaching methods? –How does the school support the establishment of a conductive learning environment?

Institute for School Development Research (IFS) Influence factors on classroom level Role of the teacher in designing/developing of teaching –Methodical approach and structuring of teaching –Steering of learning- and teaching processes –Time management in teaching –Creating learning climate in class

Institute for School Development Research (IFS) Influence factors on individual level Sociological oriented questions –Socioeconomic status of pupils –Strucure of labour force and prosperity in the familiar environment Psychological orientated questions –Subject specific motivation and self-concept –Research on learning processes, pupils´ abilities, use of learning possibilities

Institute for School Development Research (IFS) Advantages of the international comparison –Research of the relation between model factors and pupils´ achievement in international comparison Larger amount of variance by inclusion of more countries, which is necessary for proofing of hypothesis –Effects on system level are more evident in international comparison

Institute for School Development Research (IFS) 2. Focus of the German national project

Institute for School Development Research (IFS) Input: Pre-conditons on system level, steering processes on system- and regional level Output: Output quality, cognitive abilities, learning- related dispositions, social behaviour Process: Quality of teaching development on school and class level Socioecenomic background of the pupils Educational level of family, migration background, social environment, extracurricular learning ressources School development work Model of research for school quality

Institute for School Development Research (IFS) In-dept research of aspects concerning: –Culture of school and its organisation –School governance and management –School program work –Readiness for innovation of schools and teachers –Teacher cooperation and teambuilding –Teaching quality  Special focus on compositional effects on classroom level and on socioeconomic status of the pupils

Institute for School Development Research (IFS) 3. Methods

Institute for School Development Research (IFS) Sample and Measurements Sample –Each participating country 50 up to 60 schools with about pupils, all teachers –Germany: 54 schools with about pupils, all teachers national addition: all headmasters and parents Measurements –In all participating countries: beginning and end of grade 4 (Optional: third measurement in grade 5)

Institute for School Development Research (IFS) Instruments and analyzing methods Achievement test –Test booklets with released items from TIMSS 2007 (math and science) System level –Half standardised interviews with stakeholders of education policy –Content analysis of documents concerning school policy (curriculum, guidelines, etc.) Headmastes, teachers, pupils, parents –Standardised questionnaires Multi-level analyses Triangulation of qualitative and quantitative data

Institute for School Development Research (IFS) 4. Outlook

Institute for School Development Research (IFS) Delivery of longitudinal data in September 2011  longitudinal analyses Final report to be finished until September 2012 Conference with policy makers of all participating countries will be held in September 2012 in Berlin:  Consequences will be discussed for educational policy and for participating schools

Institute for School Development Research (IFS) 22 Thank you very much for your attention! Contact: Dr. Michael Pfeifer Institute for School Development Research (IFS), University of Dortmund, Germany