What’s the idea? Whether you are planning to implement an intervention or are thinking about how to carry out an evaluation, it is essential to have a clear understanding of what you are trying to do. A logic model is one way to help you do this. What does it mean? A logic model graphically […]
What’s the idea? Evidence-informed practitioners are often faced with educational fads or fashion which may have little or no evidence to support their introduction. Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs) are often referred to as the ‘gold standard’ of educational evidence because many sources of bias are removed from the research process. They provide the chance to […]
What’s the idea? An effect size is a “way of quantifying the difference between two groups” (Coe, 2017, p. 339). It allows us to move beyond the question of whether or not an intervention works and toward an understanding of how well it works in different contexts. What does it mean? The formula for an […]
What’s the idea? Evidence-informed practitioners will want to find the best available evidence. While individual studies may be limited in scope or flawed in design, a systematic review can provide a robust overview of research in a particular field. What does it mean? Gough et al. (2017) define a systematic review as ‘a review of […]
What’s the idea? When deciding whether to implement a teaching strategy or intervention, you should take into account any potential adverse side effects – alongside the reported benefits (Zhao, 2017). What does it mean? In his work, Zhao uses the Cambridge Online Dictionary definition of a side effect as ‘an unwanted or unexpected results or […]
What’s the idea? Meta-analysis is a way of combining results from a range of different studies in one particular area. What does it mean? A meta-analysis collects together a range of quantitative studies around a particular intervention. It converts the results of each study into a common metric – effect size, for example – and […]
What’s the idea? When implementing a new idea or approach, on many occasions this may end in failure. Indeed, when you come back to look at these failures, you may often say “How could I have missed that problem?” Indeed, many of the problems you encounter may be entirely predictable and could have been easily […]
What’s the idea? A key aspect of being an evidence-based practitioner is to reflect, at the end of the process, not just on the outcomes of your actions, but also on how you did as an evidence-based practitioner (Straus et al, 2011). Indeed, before you start undertaking evidence-based practice related activities, you may wish to […]
What’s the idea? As an evidence-based practitioner, it is important that you are consistently challenging your own pre-conceptions of ‘what works’. Accordingly, it is important to be aware of the limitations and weaknesses of evidence-based practice when used as a basis for making decisions. What does it mean? Hargreaves and Fullan (2012) provide a number […]
Curriculum design: The curriculum design process This series of Compact Guides provides an overview of a range of curriculum models. This is not a definitive list, as even within a particular model there can be numerous variations. Rather, the aim is to offer insights into some of the curriculum models that exist – including their […]
What’s the idea? The aim of an area-based curriculum is to enhance the educational experiences of young people ‘by creating rich connections with the communities, cities and cultures that surround them and by distributing the education effort across the people, organisations and institutions of a local area.’ (RSA, 2012) What does it mean? The idea […]
What’s the aim? A knowledge-centered curriculum focuses on students acquiring ‘powerful knowledge’ (Young and Muller, 2013, p. 245) across a range of academic disciplines ensuring that they have access to a broad and balanced education. Within a knowledge-centred curriculum, subjects are taught at gradually increasing levels of complexity leading to deeper knowledge and understanding. What […]
What’s the idea? A problem-centred curriculum is a cross-curricular, inquiry-based, student-centred approach that is built around real-world problems. Within a problem-centred curriculum, learning transcends subject disciplines and brings together elements of the curriculum that would otherwise be separate. It is designed to develop skilful, knowledgeable, collaborative, self-regulated and self-determined lifelong learners (Casey and Tucker, 1994; […]
What’s the idea? Selective marking involves selecting one section of work to mark in depth and using this to give specific feedback with focused, manageable improvement targets. What does it mean? With this strategy, rather than trying to mark everything a student writes, teachers ‘zoom-in’ and specifically focus on smaller sections of work and particular […]
What’s the idea? Teachers read a whole set of books – without marking each individual student’s work – and then share feedback as a whole-class activity in the following lesson. What does it mean? Originally inspired by the Michaela Community School (where the belief is that marking forces an over-reliance on teachers and wastes valuable […]
What’s the idea? Activities involving students assessing their own work, using mark schemes and checklists, to support learning. What does it mean? This is a feedback method where students assess their own work using checklists and mark schemes. This form of self-assessment can empower students by shifting the focus away from teachers (and examiners) as […]
What’s the idea? Structured, whole-class feedback sessions where a group of students collectively critique a piece of work, offering suggestions and guidance to help its owner improve. What does it mean? In An Ethic of Excellence (2003), Ron Berger makes the case for accepting only the highest standards of ‘excellence’ in students’ work. One way […]
What’s the idea? For marking to be a useful practice, the emphasis should be on teachers doing less as students do – and, therefore, learn – more. What does it mean? Marking fulfills two main purposes: To allow teachers to engage with students’ work so that they know how well they are doing and can […]
What’s the idea? Redraft and redo is a type of feedback that requires students to act. They must return to a piece of work to edit and improve specific areas or, where useful, the whole piece. What does it mean? Redraft and redo is the first in a series of five actions that students can […]
What’s the idea? This is a type of feedback that requires students to act by repeating the same skill or task multiple times to increase fluency and understanding. What does it mean? Rehearse and repeat is the second in a series of five ‘actions’ that students can take after receiving their work back. This technique, […]
