The Evidence People
Below are some early results of our consultations via a survey, email responses and through meetings and focus groups. We'll keep adding and updating the information on this page.
This paper to the 2013 AERA conference in San Francisco focuses on two aspects of the use of research and evidence in increasing educational effectiveness. It explores the contribution of use of research and evidence to meeting the needs of vulnerable students (Proposition 1) and the way in which it becomes increasingly important as the governance of education moves from central regulation to de-regulation, from a small number of high profile players to an increasingly diffuse, diverse and localised group of stakeholders. (Proposition 2), As remarked in OECD (Fazekas & Burns, 2012) knowledge and its use moves centre stage in the context of increasing complexity in education governance systems. Similarly, in the context of the complexity of the learning needs of the most vulnerable and the difficulties education systems have in responding effectively to them, research and evidence about high leverage approaches have a particularly important part to play. (Ibid).
CUREE worked with Teach First to investigate the characteristics of high performing schools. Drawing on the latest international evidence, we worked with 14 schools to review approaches to leadership, professional learning and student learning which enabled a high proportion of their students to achieve expected progress and beyond.
Some of the characteristics we explored were to what extent and how:
Here is the presentation made by Philippa Cordingley at the first of a series of events organised by Education International Research Institute, OECD and University of Cambridge.
The first of the new 'Insight' series from the Centre for Skills Development at City & Guilds, this publication focuses on the practice and theory of coaching in vocation settings. It features a number of chapters by different authors and an introduction and overview by Kathleen Collett of CDC. Chapter Two,written by staff at CUREE, draws together material from interviews of 17 'users' of coaching in educational and work settings and from the massive research evidence analysed by CUREE over 15 years. The chapter concludes with some suggestions for FE practitioners about how the findings might be put to practical use.
Other chapters examine coaching and pedagogy, coaching and assessment, coaching in support of high level vocational skills and coaching in teacher education.
CUREE, in collaboration with 157 Group (now the Collab Group) and supported by LSIS, piloted a system for evaluating and fine tuning these processes in FE colleges. Based in international research and already proven in schools, the SKEIN FE service was co-developed with Derby College, piloted in York and Cornwall Colleges and tested in collaboration with many other 157 Group members. The fully adapted service is available to colleges.
Schools innovate a lot. When heads think they have a problem (particularly an ‘Ofsted-vulnerable’ one), it’s very tempting to try lots of improvements at once.
Findings from a three year study commissioned as part of the Qualification and Curriculum Development Agency’s (QCDA) responsibilities for monitoring the curriculum.
