Third meeting of the EARLI SIG 18 Educational Effectiveness 29.-31.08.2012

Welcome to EARLI SIG 18

From Theory to Theory. Empirical Analyses in Relation to Theoretical Models of Educational Effectiveness

In the last years, the methodology of educational effectiveness research and the strategies to analyze the impact of school systems on student learning respectively have been significantly enhanced. However, the embedding of the empirically identified results in theoretical models of educational effectiveness has to be taken into account more systematically.

Therefore, it is the aim of third biennial meeting of the EARLI Special Interest Group 18 to examine the relationship between theory and empiricism of educational effectiveness; that is on the one hand, to empirically validate existing theoretical models of educational effectiveness and on the other hand, to develop further theories of educational effectiveness. Furthermore, the investigation of the interdependency between educational effectiveness theory and empirical analyses of the effects of school and teaching factors on school, teacher and student development in different subjects and different sectors of education (early years, primary, secondary and higher education) is of special interest.

The discussions held at the conference should provide further development of educational effectiveness theory considering the complex processes of student learning and the multilevel structure of educational systems. The keynote lectures will be given by five international researchers who are widely experienced in theoretical and empirical modeling of educational effectiveness. However, they differ in terms of their research topics and analytical strategies. By contrasting the different approaches, there will be the opportunity to shed light on the structure of educational effectiveness theory.

The conference is relevant for education researchers, methodologists and practitioners with an interest in educational effectiveness.