International Council on Education for Teaching (ICET)

1. Dr. Michael Pfeifer Institute for School Development Research (IFS) University of Dortmund, Germany 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 GlasgowJuly 11-14 2011 - Glasgow, Scotland

2. Stucturing: • Design of the common project • Focus of the German national project • Methods • Outlock

3. 1. Design of the common project

4. 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

5. 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

7. 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

8. Research model Creemers & Kyriakides, 2008

9. 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?

10. 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?

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 2. Focus of the German national project

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

16. 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

17. 3. Methods

18. Sample and Measurements • Sample • Each participating country 50 up to 60 schools with about 1.500 - 3.000 pupils, all teachers • Germany: 54 schools with about 1.500 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)

19. 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

20. 4. Outlook

21. 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

22. Thank you very much for your attention! Contact: Dr. Michael Pfeifer pfeifer@ifs.tu-dortmund.de Institute for School Development Research (IFS), University of Dortmund, Germany