tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29610685.post9114599287930824342..comments2023-02-13T07:20:46.166+02:00Comments on M&E Blog: 22 Approaches for Raising Student AchievementBenita Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10124085540716614485noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29610685.post-36350052006656038972011-05-11T17:13:42.884+02:002011-05-11T17:13:42.884+02:001. Remember this is a cost effectiveness study. It...1. Remember this is a cost effectiveness study. It claims rapid assessment is most cost-effective - It doesn't say the other strategies aren't effective. It says that rapid assessment is the most cost effective IN THEIR CONTEXT. <br /><br />2. Context is important if we think about effectiveness. We cannot - or should not - just take what was written as the Holy Gospel about learner improvement. Although experiments and quasi experiments are usually able to protect against more of the threats to internal validity (Did A really cause x% increase in B?), they are weaker on external validity (the issue of whether the findings can be generalized to different contexts). There really is no guarantee that these results will hold in South African township schools, because the studies don't discuss the circumstances under which this is true. Think of it this way - milk may generally be a very cost effective supplement to a child's nutrition. Generally, it is a good idea for parents to give milk to their children (as part of a balanced diet which adequately covers the food groups) and it is very cost effective. EXCEPT if the child is lactose intolerant: Then making a child drink milk is going to be very cost-ineffective (think of the doctors bills!). It also won't help to give a child only milk - they probably do need some carbs and fiber and fruit too. <br />3. Context is important when you look at costs too. A cost effectiveness analysis cannot blindly be translated to another context - the unit costs in South Africa will be different and the assumptions about what is already available will be totally different. In American schools you probably buy software if you want to implement ICT solutions, in South Africa you have to buy the software, buy the computers, provide the technology support, and pay insurance and security for all this. <br /><br />4. What I did find very useful is that the book discusses 22 strategies (I never thought of actually distinguishing and counting the different strategies) and provides a little bit of programme theory to support their use. Very nice.Benita Williamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10124085540716614485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29610685.post-34658467385751752662011-05-11T09:52:33.065+02:002011-05-11T09:52:33.065+02:00A colleague made the following observation:
Do y...A colleague made the following observation: <br /><br />Do you buy their story given their conclusion on student achievement as a way to go than comprehensive school reform. It is in the USA, particularly Cincinnati that they have conducted a study of what really makes a sustainable impact. The study promotes collective impact that focuses on one issue and in this case, education. Stakeholders looked at all variables that makes the school work and invested resources and worked on resolving those issues – this approach according to this study was the most effective way social problems should be addressed.Benita Williamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10124085540716614485noreply@blogger.com