Tests that have the biggest impact [on learning] are those that urge teachers to change what they are doing in the classroom.
John Hattie has some interesting things to say about what impacts on learning, based on data he has collected for many years across Western educational settings as found in his book, Visible Learning.
- Do computers and technology make a difference?
- What about classroom design?
- Or high stakes testing like NAPLAN?
With the controversy surrounding the Building Education Revolution program in schools, Hattie has found that changes in classroom design don’t have a great impact on learning. Nor does technology per se…..it’s more about how the technology is used, that makes the difference. And guess what? It’s students rather than the teachers that seem to be using technologyin the classroom!
As for testing such as NAPLAN, unless teachers change the nature of what they do in the classroom based on the data they recieve – 4 months later!!! – then this testing doesn’t have a great impact either. His point here is that teachers need to be proactive in using effective formative asssessment so that instead of being surprised by NAPLAN data, they are actually ahead of it and are making changes to their teaching.
As for the Myschool website, Hattie re-iterates what we all know as educators that the greatest variability in student achievement and teacher capacity lies within a school NOT between schools. So the data provided by MySchool, in his opinion, is not really that helpful.
I was intruiged by his comment that those teachers who make the biggest impact on learning are those who see themselves as making a difference not those who see themselves as a facilitator of learning or constructivists of learning. Teachers who view themselves as change agents regularly reflect on their practice to consider if what they are doing is improving student learning. These teachers ask themselves……
Are we learning this as opposed to are we getting through the material?
That’s what makes the difference!
Thanks for the heads up on this podcast, Michelle!!!
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Oh dear! Someone is interfering with Enid Blyton’s books! Apparently her publishers are updating some of the language…….
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