Transcript Titel
Can research be of any use for schools?
Christiane Spiel
Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna
Yes, of course!
Christiane Spiel
Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna
Overview
(1)
Strategies for successful programs
(2)
Standards for evidence
(3)
Evidence based policy and practice
(4)
Bildung-Psychology as a framework
(5)
Example: TALK training program
The scientific perspective
How do successful prevention and youth developmental programs look like? What are the key strategies for success?
Successful programs
Successful programs
APA Task Force on Prevention:
Promoting Strength, Resilience, and Health in Young People
Greenberg et al. (2003) advocated for enhancing school-based prevention and youth development through coordinated
S
ocial,
E
motional, and academic
L
earning -> The SEL approach
(Weissberg & Greenberg, 1998)
Successful programs Key strategies that characterize effectiveness
involve student-focused, relationship-oriented, and classroom- and school-level organizational changes: teaching children to apply SEL skills and ethical values in daily life; fostering respectful, supportive relationships among students, school staff and parents; supporting and rewarding positive social, health, and academic behaviour through systematic school-family-community approaches.
The scientific perspective
What are the standards for evidence?
Standards of evidence
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Standards of evidence Society for Prevention Research (SPR)
(Flay et al., 2005) An
efficacious intervention
will have been tested in at least
two rigorous trials
that (1) involved defined samples from defined populations; (2) used psychometrically sound measures and data collection procedures; (3) analyzed their data with rigorous statistical approaches; (4) showed consistent positive effects (without serious iatrogenic effects); (5) reported at least one significant long-term follow up.
Standards of evidence
An
effective intervention
will have
(1) manuals, appropriate training, and technical support
available to allow third parties to adopt and implement the intervention;
(2) been evaluated under real-world conditions
in studies that included sound measurement of the level of implementation and engagement of the target audience (in both the intervention and control conditions);
(3) indicated the practical importance of intervention outcome effects; (4) clearly demonstrated to whom intervention findings can be generalized.
Standards of evidence
An
intervention recognized as ready for broad dissemination
will also provide (1) evidence of the ability to „go to scale“; (2) clear cost information; (3) monitoring and evaluation tools so that adopting agencies can monitor or evaluate how well the intervention works in their settings.
See also e.g., the Campbell Collaboration
Knowledge transfer
Evidence based policy and practice
Evidence in policy and practice In the field of education the adoption of instructional programs and practices has been driven more by ideology than by evidence in contrast to other political fields
(Slavin, 2008).
Evidence in policy and practice Some reasons
(Spiel, 2009):
To show evidence (results) of interventions in the field of education needs time
(years!) as e.g., reform in teacher education
The transfer of scientific knowledge to practice is costly and risky
(there are many possible inferences)
The demand to change established attitudes and behavior provoces resistance Formal structures
providing a systematic transfer from research to policy and practice
are lacking
Evidence in policy and practice Some Recommendations
(Spiel, 2009):
Supporting translational research Intensifying exchange and cooperation between science (researcher) and practice (teachers) Consolidation of school autonomy Engagement of policy, science, practice and the media
Bildung-Psychology
Bildung-Psychology as a framework
Bildung-Psychology
"Bildung" … is solidly anchored in the German language and enjoys a positive connotation encompasses the broad area of education and learning is defined on both a
formal
and a
content
level
Bildung-Psychology
"Bildung" … is solidly anchored in the German language and enjoys a positive connotation encompasses the broad area of education and learning is defined on both a
formal
and a
content
level Bildung =
product
(competences of a person) Bildung =
process
(development of the competences) (e. g. Hentig, 2001; Pekrun, 2002) Question: Which products are desirable from the perspective of a society?
(in history the answer has changed …) (e. g. Hentig, 2001; Barz, 1999)
Bildung-Psychology
Bildung-Psychology incorporates the
core ideas and credo of lifelong learning
addresses the
dissemination of available knowledge to practitioners
which is so fare not addressed in a professional way (Karoly, Boekaerts & Maes, 2005).
Bildung-Psychology
Activity Levels Functional Areas (Spiel, Reimann, Wagner & Schober, 2008)
Example
The TALK training program
TALK Training Program
( T raining zum A ufbau von L ehrerInnen K ompetenzen) Training program to foster teacher competences to encourage lifelong learning (Finsterwald et al., 2006; Schober et al., 2007; Spiel & Schober, 2003)
LLL in school
School lays the cornerstones for learning skills and the motivation to learn (Prenzel, 1994) And: Teachers the key-persons (Spiel & Schober, 2003)
=> LLL as an educational goal for schools
LLL in school
„The school is more likely to be a killer of interest than the developer.”
Travers (1978, p. 125) This résumé seems not to have aged at all:
•
Problems in learning motivation for a large portion of pupils
•
Decrease in learning motivation and interest with advancing grades (e.g. Jacobs, Lanza, Osgood, Eccles, & Wigfield, 2002; Gottfried, Fleming & Gottfried, 2001; Pintrich & Schunk, 2002)
LLL in school – data from Austria
•
Scholastic interest and learning goal orientation decrease with advancing grades
•
Pupils’ competences for self-regulated learning are estimated as low
•
Teachers’ self-efficacy to foster pupil competences for LLL is low Spiel & Schober, 2002 Finsterwald et al. 2008
LLL in school – data from Austria What are the places where you enjoy learning?
70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 4th grade 8th grade 11th grade Home Other places School
LLL in school – data from Austria Main reasons for pupil failure (teacher perception): classroom teacher character of the pupil intelligence/talent em otional state learning com petencies fam ily concentration effort m otivation in general / interest
0
1.7
3.4
4.2
5.9
7.6
7.6
10
11.9
12.7
13.6
20
20.3
30 percentage of 118 mentions 40 50
TALK Training Program Aims:
To
provide teachers
with the competences - to systematically implement the enhancement of LLL into their regular educational responsibilities - to design their instructional process in ways to encourage their pupils to develop the skills and competences associated with LLL To initiate
school development
- to effectively implement the concept of LLL - to intensify cooperation among teachers
Target Variables of LLL Core factors relevant for LLL
(independent of specific context features):
• Motivation
– enduring motivation and an appreciation for education and learning
• Self-Regulated Learning
– competencies which are needed to successfully realize this motivation through concrete learning activities (Achtenhagen & Lempert, 2000; Artelt, Baumert, Julius-McElvany & Peschar, 2003)
Target Variables of LLL Motivation Self-regulated learning
©TALK
Target Variables of LLL
Target Variables of LLL
Cooperative learning skills e.g.
Communication skills Conflict & group management Dealing with diversity
Motivation
Social Skills
Self-regulated learning
©TALK
Target Variables of LLL
Social Skills
Motivation
Cognitive abilities
Self-regulated learning
©TALK - Metacognitive competences - Creative and critical thinking/ problem solving
TALK Training Program
Curriculum: TALK is conceptualized for teachers instructing in secondary schools Teachers participated in TALK as
school teams
support of the school principal) (3-5 teachers, TALK is conducted within the framework of a
three semester course
of studies in a university setting (blocked into one or two days workshops) The support offered to the teachers, in the context of a „cognitive apprenticeship,“ is increasingly reduced („fading“) (Mandl, Prenzel & Gräsel, 1991)
TALK Training Program Curriculum: 1st & 2nd Semester
Teachers are encouraged to
optimize their classroom instruction
in accordance with the target variables of LLL
TALK Training Program Optimize the classroom instruction by providing qualified learning situations and school environments
e.g., • • • •
problem-focused learning
(real-life problems, considering students‘ interest)
autonomy-oriented learning
open solutions, increasing personal responsibility) (tasks with
competence oriented learning
(informative feedback instead of controlling feedback)
positive emotional and social school climate
(mutual trust and cooperation)
Example for a classroom project
Goal:
Promotion
of learning motivation with a specific focus on
selfconcept
Topic: Aliens will come to visit NASA – it is the intention to show them achievements, knowledge and competencies of humans Tasks for the students: • •
identification of their own abilities and competencies identification of the abilities and competencies of their classmates
•
exchange of results
Project: preparation of products for the Aliens based on the individual abilities and competencies
TALK Training Program Curriculum: 3rd Semester
Teachers should
initiate projects at their schools
which are directly tied into TALK, and
pass the content on to colleagues who did not attend the program
TALK teachers can and should choose specials focuses to address points relevant to their individual schools They are supervised across all phases of project development
Evaluation of TALK
Sample: TALK group: Control group:
41eachers 780 pupils 55 teachers 1792 pupils
Euclidean Distance Matching on class level to control for possible baseline differences (Spiel et al, 2008)
Evaluation of TALK Summative evaluation
Pretest-Posttest-Follow-up Design (4 measurement points)
Formative evaluation
• • • Specific Features
multi-method approach
(questionnaires, training diaries, focus groups, interviews, etc.)
multi-informant approach
(TALK-teachers, pupils, principals, teacher colleagues) application of of changes
direct and indirect
measurements
Working model
interferences interferences interferences TALK teacher classroom pupils
Evaluation of TALK
motivation cooperation knowledge/competencies to promote the core competencies for LLL perception core competencies for LLL
Working model - Results
TALK interferences teacher interferences classroom interferences pupils
Evaluation of TALK
motivation cooperation knowledge/competencies to promote the core competencies for LLL perception IRN, interest, SRL IRN, failure, feedback, SRL core competencies for LLL © Arbeitsbereich Bildungspsychologie & Evaluation
Teachers’ knowledge and competencies
mean 5 4 3,79 3,02 3
method awarness (time 2)
3,59 2,90 4,05 2,85 2 1 motivation * interest * achievement feedback * scale 1-5 (same as before - much more aware) 3,85 3,02 SRL * TG CG 3,63 2,95 shared responsibility * * significant interaction effect
Transfer into educational practice
•
Sensibilization and systematic self observation
(e.g., intentional feedback) • Increase in
self-perceived method awareness
•
Intentional use of educational methods
instead of intuitive use • Increased delightness to
test new educational methods
• Increase in
treating pupils as individuals
as a group (individual reference norm – IRN) than • Increase in
cooperation within the schools
Teachers als lifelong learners TALK teachers request an additional refreshing unit TALK teachers recommend to include the main elements of the TALK training program in the basic curriculum of teacher education
Conclusio
“Nothing is as practical as a good theory!”
(Kurt Lewin)