2012 School Improvement: What does research tell us about effective strategies? 26–28 August 2012 Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre Darling Harbour, NSW Australian Council for Educational Research Conference Proceedings Contents Foreword v Keynote papers Professor Geoff N. Masters 3 Continual improvement through aligned effort Professor David H. Hargreaves 8 Endgame: a self-improving school system Dr Michele Bruniges 9 Developing and implementing an explicit school improvement agenda Ms Valerie Hannon 16 Innovating a new future for learning: Finding our path Concurrent papers Professor Kathryn Moyle 23 Differentiated classroom learning, technologies and school improvement: What experience and research can tell us Professor Brian Caldwell and Dr Tanya Vaughan 29 Transforming education through the Arts: Creating a culture that promotes learning Professor Stephen Dinham 34 Walking the walk: The need for school leaders to embrace teaching as a clinical practice profession Professor Helen Timperley 40 Building professional capability in school improvement Professor Helen Wildy 44 Using data to drive school improvement Associate Professor John Munro 48 Effective strategies for implementing differentiated instruction Mr Brian Giles-Browne and Ms Gina Milgate 55 Improving school practices for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students: The voices of their parents and carers Professor Mike Askew 59 Effective teaching: Lessons from mathematics Dr John Ainley 63 Lessons for improvement from international comparative studies Mr Mark Campling, Mr Stephen Savvakis and Ms Jane Sedgman 72 A personal and collective commitment to a focus on school improvement Professor Patrick Griffin 77 The influence of teaching strategies on student achievement in higher order skills Dr Michael J. Timms 86 SimScientists: An example of how technology can support differentiated instruction in the classroom Dr Michele Lonsdale, Ms Sharon Clerke and Dr Michelle Anderson 96 The neighbourhood just got bigger: Schools and communities working together for change Ms Lynette Virgona 99 Teachers are the key: Strategies for instructional improvement Professor Tania Aspland 105 Professional Practice Research: Ensuring teacher development through a critical approach to professional learning Dr Kath Glasswell 112 Building teacher capacity and raising reading achievement Dr Ben Jensen 116 Targeting the things that matter Poster Presentations 119 Conference program 123 Sydney Convention Centre Bayside Gallery floorplan 127 Conference delegates 131 Research Conference 2012 Planning Committee Professor Geoff Masters Conference Convenor, CEO, ACER Conference Planning and Management Committee Ms Kerry-Anne Hoad Director ACER Institute, Ms Lynda Rosman Manager Programs and Projects, ACER Institute, Mr Brendan Pye Project Director, ACER Institute Ms Margaret Taylor Senior Project Officer, ACER Institute Copyright © 2012 Australian Council for Educational Research 19 Prospect Hill Road Camberwell VIC 3124 AUSTRALIA www.acer.edu.au ISBN 978-1-74286-114-2 Design and layout by Stacey Zass of Page 12 and ACER Project Publishing Editing by Carolyn Glascodine and Kerry-Anne Hoad Printed by Print Impressions Research Conference 2012 iv Foreword Geoff Masters Australian Council for Educational Research Professor Geoff Masters is Chief Executive Officer Research Conference 2012 is the seventeenth national Research Conference. Through and a member of the Board of the Australian our research conferences, ACER provides significant opportunities at the national Council for Educational Research (ACER) – roles he has held since 1998. level for reviewing current research-based knowledge in key areas of educational policy and practice. He has a PhD in educational measurement from the University of Chicago and has published Research Conference 2012 brings together key researchers, policy makers and widely in the fields of educational assessment and teachers from a broad range of educational contexts from around Australia and research. overseas. The conference will explore the important theme of school improvement. Professor Masters has served on a range of It will explore our understanding of what defines whole school success and bodies, including terms as founding President of therefore what drives the structure and focus of a school improvement agenda. The the Asia-Pacific Educational Research Association; President of the Australian College of Educators; conference will draw together research-based knowledge about effective strategies Chair of the Technical Advisory Committee for in the key domains known to impact on whole school improvement efforts such the International Association for the Evaluation as, creating a culture that promotes learning, an expert teaching team, differentiated of Educational Achievement (IEA); Chair of classroom learning, effective teaching practices, analysis and discussion of data, targeted the Technical Advisory Group for the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment use of resources and an explicit improvement agenda. It will consider the role of small (PISA); member of the Business Council of scale and large scale innovation in school improvement and the importance of an Australia’s Education, Skills and Innovation alignment of efforts by governments, systems, communities, school leaders, teachers, Taskforce; member of the Australian National and students. Commission for UNESCO (and Chair of the Commission’s Education Network); and member We are sure that the papers and discussions from this research conference will make of the International Baccalaureate Research Committee. a major contribution to the national and international literature and debate on key issues related to school improvement. He has undertaken a number of reviews for governments, including a review of examination We welcome you to Research Conference 2012, and encourage you to engage procedures in the New South Wales Higher in conversation with other participants, and to reflect on the research and its School Certificate (2002); an investigation of options for the introduction of an Australian connections to policy and practice. Certificate of Education (2005); a national review of options for reporting and comparing school performances (2008); and a review of strategies for improving literacy, numeracy and science learning in Queensland primary schools (2009). Professor Masters was the recipient of the Australian College of Educators’ 2009 College Medal in recognition of his contributions to education. Professor Geoff N Masters Chief Executive Officer, ACER What does research tell us about effective strategies? vii Keynote papers Continual improvement through aligned effort Abstract an encroachment on the professionalism of teachers. It has been argued that Effective classroom teaching and teachers are best placed to decide what distributed instructional leadership are is appropriate in their particular settings; keys to improving student outcomes. that teaching is an art not a science; and Almost all school systems understand that there are no single ‘best’ ways of this, but not all systems take the logical teaching. next step of making the improvement of day-to-day teaching and the As a consequence, discussions of development of effective instructional teaching and the development of Geoff N. Masters leadership the primary focus of their standards for teachers often have Australian Council for Educational reform efforts. Instead, priority is given been limited to relatively superficial, Research(ACER) to secondary considerations such as observable aspects of teacher behaviour, redesigning school curricula, measuring including compliance. Has the teacher Professor Geoff Masters is Chief Executive Officer performance levels, increasing local covered the entire curriculum for and a member of the Board of the Australian autonomy and holding schools publicly the year level? Has the teacher Council for Educational Research (ACER) – roles participated in the requisite hours of he has held since 1998. accountable. Improvements in student outcomes depend on an alignment of professional development? Have they He has a PhD in educational measurement from participated in assessment moderation the University of Chicago and has published effort – by students, teachers, school widely in the fields of educational assessment and leaders, systems and governments – to activities? Do they comply with research. enhance the quality and effectiveness relevant legislative, administrative and Professor Masters has served on a range of of day-to-day teaching and learning. organisational requirements? Does the bodies, including terms as founding President of For all these groups, improvement teacher maintain an orderly classroom the Asia-Pacific Educational Research Association; depends on a commitment and belief environment? Is there evidence of President of the Australian College of Educators; the teacher using a range of teaching Chair of the Technical Advisory Committee for that performance can be further the International Association for the Evaluation improved; a clear understanding of strategies? of Educational Achievement (IEA); Chair of what improvement would look like; However, research shows unequivocally the Technical Advisory Group for the OECD’s a way of establishing current levels Programme for International Student Assessment that effective teaching – and thus (PISA); member of the Business Council of of performance as starting points for improved student learning – depends