A “Barometer” for What Works Best for Improving Student Learning

Ingham ISD Principal’s AcademyNovember, 2012

Outcomes

• Review of Hattie’s findings in Visible Learning

• Principles of effective instruction

Agenda

1.0 Review from previous session

2.0 Principles of instruction

Review From Previous Session

JOHN HATTIEVISIBLE LEARNING

“We need a barometer of what works best, and such a barometer can also establish guidelines as to

what is excellent…excellence is attainable: there are many

instances of excellence, some of it fleeting, some of it aplenty…”

Setting the Stage

Zero EnhanceDecrease

• Effect sizes allow an appropriate scale to be developed that show many outcomes obtained from thousands of studies that are converted to a single scale (seen below).

1.0-1.0

Understanding “Effect Sizes”

• Allows for a common metric

• Effect sizes highlight the importance of the magnitude of differences

• 1.0 = dramatic effect – Considered “blatantly obvious, and grossly

perceptible difference”– Example: difference between someone who is 5’3”

and 6’0”

Visible Learning Basics

• The average effect size for all interventions attempted in education = 0.4– “The average summarizes the typical effect of all

possible influences in education and should be used as the benchmark to judge effects in education” (p. 16)

• An effect size of 0.5 = one grade level gain on evaluation

• What teachers DO matters!

Representing 250,000,000 kids

Representing 250,000,000 kids

Implications

• Remember, the benchmark is .4

• Almost everything “works” (or has above a zero effect size)– 90% of all effect sizes in education are positive– The 10% that are negative, half are “expected”

(e.g. effects of disruptive students)– Consequently, 95% of all the things we do in

education have positive effects (influences) in achievement

Implications• “When teachers claim they are having a

positive effect on achievement or when a policy improves achievement this is almost a trivial claim: virtually everything works…” (p. 16)

• Setting the bar at zero is a very low bar

• Any innovation that has an effect size greater than .16 – but less than .4 is in need of more consideration– It isn’t as easy as saying those things aren’t worth

doing because it depends on costs, interaction effects, etc.

Contrast: teacher as “activator” vs. teacher as “facilitator”

.74

.73

.64

.69

.59

.58

.56

.34

.41

.33

.31

.21

.23

.15

.12.18

.06

.33

• Read the document entitled, “Teacher Observation and Debrief Activity” that contains an excerpt from John Hattie’s book “Visible Learning”– Based on what you read, what would your

assessment of this teacher be?– Connect the information on the transcription

of the lesson with the domains and criteria that are a part of your teacher evaluation process to anchor your assessment.

Activity

.74

.73

.64

.69

.59

.58

.56

.34

.41

.33

.31

.21

.23

.15

.12.18

.06

.33

There are many misconceptions of “direct instruction.”

Principles of Instruction

• Take 20 minutes and independently read the first five instructional principles in the article, “Principles of Instruction.”– Feel free to leave the room and sit where you

feel comfortable reading– As you are reading, identify things within the

article that resonated with you– How does this information compliment our

learning around “Visible Learning” and the first article, “A Case for Fully Guided Instruction?”

Activity

Next Time

• Remember, our next meeting will not be until January…Happy Holidays!

• We will continue to unpack and demystify some of the “innovations” included in John Hattie’s meta-analysis– This will be done using additional resources to

extend our learning outside of the book, “Visible Learning”

Next Time

• We will discuss how the information we are learning connects to the Professional Learning Standards released by MDE and the teacher evaluation process.

Thank You!

Kim St. Martinkimstmartin@me.com

References

• Hattie, J. (2009). Visible learning. New York: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group.

• Hattie, J. (2011, May 1) Influences on achievement. Open Universiteit Nederland.

• Rosenshine, B. (2012). Principles of instruction American Educator (12-19).