Earlier today I listened to a presentation by the very well-known John Hattie and his trusty off-sider Deb Masters. It was about “Visible Learning”. I enjoyed the company of four colleagues from my school and the interaction with 200 colleagues across the Diocese of Wagga Wagga. Following are unedited notes and personal questions that derived from John Hattie’s first presentation.
With a Focus on “Achievement”….
Average effect size is 0.4. Effect size of smaller class size = 0.22.
From all his studies and meta-analysis, which involves one million students and tens of thousands of teachers, the message is that we need to adopt learning approaches and strategies which have an effect size of greater than 0.4. This is the benchmark! Keeping in mind that 0.4 is the benchmark…..
Out of school curricular experiences = 0.09 effect size. Why do we have excursions?
Ability grouping = 0.12. Why do we grade classes?
Homework = 0.31. Hhhmmmm
Team teaching = 0.19. What questions does this raise about 2013 “connected learning” with more than one teacher in the room?
Exposure to reading = 0.42
Not labelling students = 0.61. For one, this supports the ‘non-grading’ in Year 7. Should this only be for Year 7?
Acceleration = 0.68. Do we / should we accelerate students?
Classroom Behavioural = Does this explain the need/ongoing requirement for ‘Teach More, Manage Less’? How much does TMML assist with learning outcomes?
Classroom discussion = 0.82. The more the discussion among students, the more teachers have to listen to how students are thinking and talking. Teachers can therefore respond to the students and their needs rather than continue to lecture them on ‘what they need to know.
VISIBLE LEARNING IS…..
WHEN TEACHERS SEE THE LEARNING FROM THE EYES OF THE STUDENT AND WHEN STUDENTS SEE THEMSELVES AS THEIR OWN TEACHERS.
70 to 80 % of what happens in the classroom is not seen or heard by the teacher. WOW! Therefore, classroom observation by teachers should be about how kids learn not about how teachers teach. What implications does that have for those teachers involved with the “connected learning” initiatives (at Mater Dei Catholic College, Wagga Wagga) next year?
Leave it with you,
Greg.
LEARN AND LEAD 