By allowing the debate to focus on what schools can do for us and not what we can do for schools, we create an argument that schools can only lose. John Hattie
In the world of education, we are surrounded by distractions that have resulted in one-sided monologue, rhetoric focusing on the negative, and very little dialogue in sight. In a new research paper published by Pearson Education...yes...Pearson Education...John Hattie is hoping to help us focus on what matters, and he is not pulling any punches in the process.
In the interest of full disclosure, I work for John Hattie as a Visible Learning Trainer since 2013. I am not out to promote his research report or his work; instead, I'm sharing it because I think it's important. I think this works matters, and believe we will be better educators when we focus on what really impacts learning. And I appreciate that you will indulge me in building my case.
The first time I met John Hattie was at the Festival of Education in New Zealand. After taking a leave from being a school principal in a community I loved to work to become a Visible Learning trainer, it was an important meeting for me. I wanted to connect with John.
I remember thinking, and later talking with John about it, that he was controversial, which I liked. I wanted to work with someone who provoked me to think differently. However, Hattie does not consider himself, nor does he mean to be, controversial. For him it's about the research and what it means. Hattie has collected the largest meta-analysis ever done in education, and Visible Learning is the top-selling academic book ever published.
His research comes from developed countries, and the studies have been peer-reviewed and completed. Unfortunately, despite Hattie's desire to not be considered controversial, his research definitely makes people upset. I believe it's less because of his findings, and more about what people interpret from his findings. Although it may also be about the fact that his research forces people (with an open mind) to question their long-held beliefs.
It all comes down to effect sizes and how we approach them. An effect size shows the effect that a particular intervention has on learning. John found from the Visible Learning research that the mid point of effects was 0.4. This was also supported through his analysis of large national student achievement databases (including USA) where the average progress made annually was 0.4. Anything with a .40 effect size or above is shown to provide more than a year's growth for a year's input., It is not about what works - because everything works - it is about what works best! After all, if something has a negative or even limited effect on learning...why do it?
Over the years since Hattie published his groundbreaking book Visible Learning, he has been revered by many, and fighting others on the interpretation of his work. School, state or ministry leaders looked at the influences that had the top 10 effect sizes and decided that is where they would spend their time, energy and resources. The only issue is that Hattie's work shows that is less about the top 10 and more about how you approach the top 10. Simply doing them is not enough.
Enter in the Politics of Distraction (Read here).
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