Complexities in the Judgement of School Effectiveness∗

ABSTRACT

This article examines the aims and goals of school effectiveness research and definitions of effectiveness. Five issues in school effectiveness research which are relevant to the development of better methods of judging and measuring relative effectiveness, drawing on evidence from studies in different countries and contexts, are reviewed. These are (1) size and significance of effects; (2) consistency across outcomes; (3) stability over time; (4) the long term effects of schools; and (5) differential effects for different student groups.

It is concluded that effectiveness is best regarded as a relative concept dependent upon time period and age groups studied, and the choice of educational outcomes and intake measures

     

Public Library,c 1926

Alice D. Donovan, teacher, poet and author, published dozens of stories and plays for children. Among her papers is this unpublished poem about the public library, probably written in 1926.     

Rhetorical detailing in Cicero's Verrine orations

This article offers answers to three questions: Why, after his courtroom victory in the Verrine case, did Cicero publish his speech? What changes in his rhetorical theory are reflected in the speech? What principles of narrative suasion is Cicero using in the many stories he incorporates within the speech? The concept of rhetorical detailing is proposed as a key element in the probable answer to each question.     

Place‐related identity,texts, and transcultural meanings

The spatial turn has been marked by increasing interest in conceptions of space and place in diverse areas of research. However, the important links between place and identity have received less attention, particularly in educational research. This paper reports an 18‐month research project that aimed to develop a theory of place‐related identity through the textual transactions of reading and writing. The research was an in‐depth qualitative study in two phases: the first phase involved the development of an interdisciplinary theory of place‐related identity, which was ‘tested’ in a second empirical phase. Two contrasting primary school classes were the site for the research that included the development of a unit of work, inspired by the book My place, as a vehicle for exploring place‐related identity. The data were interviews, classroom observations and outcomes from pupils’ work. The construct of transcultural meanings, established from the analytic categories of localising identity, othering identity and identity as belonging, was identified as a defining phenomenon of place‐related identity. The conclusions offer reflections on the development of our initial theory as a result of the empirical work, and the implications for practice and future research.     

Conducting Evaluation and Research with and for 'Disaffected' Students: Practical and Methodological Issues

In the late 1990s, the Department for Education and Employment in England set out to motivate and engage teenage students who were said to be 'disaffected' with the traditional school curriculum. Jerry Wellington, Professor of Education at the University of Sheffield, and Pam Cole, research fellow in the University of Sheffield School of Education, were asked to evaluate one of the 21 projects that were set up across the country. The pupils involved were partially disapplied from the National Curriculum in order to follow a work-related scheme set up by two schools, a Chamber of Commerce and a local Learning and Skills Council.
In this article, Jerry Wellington and Pam Cole explore some of the difficulties that accompany evaluation, and particularly a review of the impact of interventions involving so-called 'disaffected' pupils. They describe some of the practical and methodological difficulties faced in such an evaluation, as well as highlighting the positive aspects of the task. They reflect on a range of unforeseen and unpredictable dilemmas that faced them in this work, and note some of the interesting significant strengths that developed from the project. At the end of their article, Jerry Wellington and Pam Cole summarise what they have learned from the evolving methodology of this evaluation and present a case for increased levels of collaboration, between practitioners and researchers and between professionals and pupils, in future projects of this kind.     

The Future of Public Libraries—Anything Is Possible

This essay is about how libraries have changed and are changing in their intent and the services they provide as they respond to transformations in technology, work, and the purposes of education. Libraries have moved from emphasizing the importance of reading, which is still a given, to programming and offering services that help citizens find new work rules filled with creativity and collaboration. The Dokk1 library in Arhus, Denmark, and the author’s own Anythink Libraries are examples of institutions that have made huge strides in the development of the new public library that meets the needs of its citizens amid the complexities of new or substantially redefined terms for happiness and success.     

Teacher Assessment in the Inner City at Key Stage 1

This study examines the experience of national teacher assessment in a sample of inner‐city infant schools. In particular, it addresses the conduct of teacher assessment in the three core curriculum areas of English, mathematics and science, and modifications made for children with English as a second language and those with special educational needs. Two distinct approaches to teacher assessment emerged, with integration into classroom activities occurring in some cases, but frequently separate ‘bolt‐on’ activities being carried out. It is interesting to note that almost all the teachers used two or three standard assessment tasks instead of continuous teacher assessment to assess children’ s attainment. Teachers consistently saw time as a vital ingredient for meeting the needs of children with ‘additional educational needs’ in relation to teacher assessment. The findings are discussed in the context of recent policy developments and in terms of theoretical models of teachers’ approaches to assessment.