Disciplined innovation: the implications of harnessing evidence to drive improved outcomes for children and inform the design of the curriculum they are offered

Kevan Collins

kevan.collins@eefoundation.org.ukwww.educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk

Autonomy for a purpose…

• Attainment gap

• Increasing autonomy

• Increasing funding

• Increasing focus on low income students

Context I

By international standards, outcomes in England are good. However, despite some bright spots – notably in London – the attainment gap remains

wide and there is considerable inconsistency both between and within schools.

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• Attainment gap

• Increasing autonomy

• Increasing funding

• Increasing focus on low income students

Context II

Expenditure and school level autonomy have increased in recent years. In return, the expectation that schools should deliver for all students has intensified.

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Expenditure Autonomy

Innovation for a purpose

1. Start from what we knowthe toolkit and other sources of evidence provide a platform for professional dialogue. If not evidence then what….

2. Put energy into evaluationwe need to keep innovating but be much smarter and robust about the impact particularly for the most disadvantaged – bringing wisdom not ideology to the system

3. Sharing success – and failure!We need to build greater trust right across the system and build up from the evidence rather than the one off events that mask the lived education of our children

True or false?The current state of evidence base suggests that…

a) Drinking six to eight glasses of water per day improves pupil outcomes

b) Feedback on how pupils complete a task is more effective than general praise

c) Reducing class size is one of the most cost-effective ways to increase learning

d) The greatest impact on pupil progress is teaching quality

e) Grouping pupils by ability improves outcomes for all pupils

f) Peer tutoring works better for the tutee than the tutor

g) Individuals learn better when they receive information in their preferred learning style (eg auditory, visual, kinaesthetic)

Teaching and Learning Toolkit

• The Toolkit is an accessible, teacher-friendly summary of educational research. ‘Which?’ for education

• Practice focused: tries to give schools the information they need to make informed decisions and narrow the gap

• Based on meta-analyses conducted by Durham University

Teaching and Learning Toolkit

Three rules of thumb

1. Use the evidence as a starting point for discussion

2. Dig deeper into what the evidence actually says

3. Understand the ‘active ingredients’ of implementation

The Toolkit aims to support evidence-informed decision making in schools by providing accessible summaries of evidence.

The Toolkit summarises the average impact, cost and strength of evidence in 34 areas.

Supporting decision-making

Applying evidence in practice

Consider a range of evidence summarised in the Toolkit to inform choices.

Step 2: Identify possible solutions

Determine the impact of change and identify potential improvements for the future.

Step 4: Evaluating impact

Mobilise the knowledge and use the findings to inform the work of the school to grow or stop

the intervention.

Step 5: Securing and spreading change

Identify and apply the ingredients of effective implementation.

Step 3: Giving the idea the best chance of success

Identify school priorities using data and professional judgement.

Step 1: Decide what you want to achieve

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• Millions of pounds are spend each year on educational research, but important results can take decades to make an impact in the classroom.

• Key questions:

1. How can schools overcome the barriers to using research well?

2. How can research organisations and others effectively communicate their findings?

3. What support from networks and mediators do schools need to access and embed research?

Sharing success

The EEF Families of Schools Database

Aims: • Help schools understand

the size and nature of their attainment gaps

• Identify where similar schools are performing better

• Encourage learning (remotely or face to face) between similar schools in similar circumstances

E.g.

The default measure is Best 8 average points score

The importance of case studies to

capture what other schools are doing

Successes

• Appetite for evidence: Reception for the Toolkit from schools has been very positive. The most recent survey found that 64% of school leaders are using the Toolkit.

• Rigorous evaluations are possible: Our first 28 evaluation reports have been published, including 24 randomised controlled trials.

• Informed innovation: The pipeline of new ideas is strong and the willingness of schools to take part in future research is high.

Challenges

• Mobilising knowledge: Effective use of research requires local ownership, but accountability can cause shallow compliance.

• Evaluation takes time: Finding out what works takes time, but autonomous systems can move quickly.

• Not everything works: Not every approach works and not every trial is conclusive. Presenting negative and complex findings can be challenging.

Conclusions

1. The new focus on evidence will support informed professional debate - it’s not a panacea

2. Adopting an evidence led approach brings opportunities for your leadership - building professional trust and authentic authority

3. Adopting an evidence led approach carries new leadership obligations - informing and leading the professional debate

4. Autonomy is about freedom at every level to enquire, examine, evaluate and adapt

5. Enduring question - why is the education sector so weak at spreading and sharing lessons from disciplined and informed innovation?

How to get involved

Apply for fundingOur current funding round closes on the 1st April. Visit: http://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/apply-for-funding/

Volunteer to take partWe are always looking for schools to take part in EEF-funded projects.Visit: http://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/projects/how-can-i-get-involved/

Do it yourselfOur DIY Evaluation Guide, developed with Durham University, is a resource intended to help teachers and schools understand whether a particular intervention is effective within your own school context. Visit: http://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/evaluation/diy-evaluation-guide/