Conceptualizing school effectiveness

The theoretical status of existing school effectiveness models is analyzed by using perspectives from organizational theory and models of classroom effectiveness. This leads to the formulation of a basic framework for conceptualizing school effectiveness that includes variables at the levels of the school, the context of the school and the classroom, while background variables of pupils are also taken into account. One of the conclusions is that hypothesis construction and empirical research on cross-level relationships within this basic framework are of central importance to enhance our understanding of school effectiveness

Developments in the educational effectiveness research programme

Educational effectiveness as a research programme moved from an input-output paradigm to an input-process-output paradigm and, in view of the fact that so-called contextual school effectiveness is gaining in importance, this might be more properly termed a context-input-process-output-based approach. The aim of this introductory chapter is to put the state of the art of educational effectiveness research into perspective by summarizing the most important developments in output measurement, the identification of relevant input-, process- and contextual conditions and the causal modeling of these categories. Specific consideration is given to the improvement of substantive multi-level models of educational effectiveness and to available theories that could help to reveal the explanatory mechanisms behind these models

Schoolkwaliteit en de kennisbasis voor onderwijseffectiviteit

Wat maakt scholen nu tot goede scholen en lessen tot goed onderwijs? Daarover is al het nodige onderzoek gedaan. Dit artikel biedt een samenvatting van inzichten uit onderzoek en een overzicht van alle variabelen die ertoe doen. Vanuit deze kennisbasis voor onderwijseffectiviteit kunnen scholen gericht werken aan beter onderwijs

Theories on educational effectiveness and ineffectiveness

Following Snow’s (1973) description of an “inductive” process of theory formation, this article addresses the organization of the knowledge base on school effectiveness. A multilevel presentation stimulated the conceptualization of educational effectiveness as an integration of system-level, school-level, and classroom-level factors. Next steps in theory formation, based on the formation of broader constructs and eclectic use of available theories, are considered in a confrontation with different appreciations of the strength of the current knowledge base. It is concluded that a range of different interpretations of the rationality paradigm (synoptic planning, contingency theory, creating market mechanisms, and cybernetics) does rather well in explaining both positive and negative outcomes. Alternative theories like loose coupling and self-organizing enlarge the scope of potentially effectiveness-enhancing factors as well as variables and mechanisms associated with ineffectivenes

Issues in the interpretation of the results of school effectiveness research

In this chapter three issues in the interpretation of the results of school effectiveness research are discussed: criterion choice, effect size and stability of effects. With respect to the first issue the overall conclusion is, that criterion choice and definition depend on the effectiveness perspective and the particular theory one wishes to corroborate. The issues of effect size and stability of school effects are treated both from the angle of a synthesis of available empirical results and from the angle of conceptual analysis. An overall evaluation of the available data on effect size and stability leads to the conclusion that school effectiveness models are not as shaky as certain critics would have it, but at the same time not established as firmly as enthusiastic school improvers treat them. Various suggestions as to the improvement of future school effectiveness research are offered, notably more refined research designs and more elaborate theory development

The meaning of school effectiveness

School effectiveness is defined in the way it is used in school effectiveness research. Basically this means that between school differences in students’ performance are attributed to malleable school variables, after adjustments have been made for student background conditions. Research is guided by conceptual models in which school conditions are often defined at the level of the school context, the school as an organization, and the classroom.\ud A brief summary will be given of the most important results from empirical school effectiveness research. Next the paper will look at conceptual and theory related interpretations that can be given to these results. The ambition of school effectiveness research is to establish malleable factors that are robust and generalizable across different contexts. Examples are: time, opportunity to learn and a structured approach to teaching that includes frequent monitoring of students’ progress as classroom level conditions, and supportive "educational" leadership at school level. The theoretical basis for these factors will be analyzed by looking at more general theories as well as a few "middle range" theories and models. The balance on the appropriateness and usefulness of the school effectiveness research approach will be made up by addressing a few critical issues, such as: the alleged narrowness of the most frequently used effectiveness criteria and the usefulness for educational practice and policy