Building effective learning environments

Support for teaching and learning is also generated by allocating material and human resources in ways that are aligned to the agreed goals and expectations of the school. Principals who plan for and provide strategic resourcing have an effect on the quality of student outcomes.

A Balanced School Accountability Model: An Alternative to High-Stakes Testing

by Ken Jones

This article argues that schools need to focus more on meeting the learning needs of students, and having high expectations for them, than on the results of public examinations.

Aiming for Student Achievement: How Teachers Can Understand and Better Meet the Needs of Māori and Pacific Island Students

by Jan Hill and Kay Hawk

This SET article examines the development of the AimHi project and research. The research explores the links between the world(s) of the student; the world(s) of home, and the world(s) of school, and how the collision of these worlds can impact on learning and achievement.

All Our Students Thinking

by Nel Noddings

This article will question some deeply held beliefs and is therefore quite provocative. The author considers, in terms of developing students’ thinking skills, whether all subjects are equally useful and whether teaching using pre-set unit plans is challenging for students. Read summary and reflective questions.

Assessment Through the Student’s Eyes

by Rick Stiggins

This article is very useful for New Zealand school leaders. The New Zealand Curriculum emphasises that the purpose of assessment is to improve learning: The reading makes the point that student's motivation to remain engaged with learning is enhanced when students are clear about assessment practices and purposes. The reading is also relevant to discussions about NCEA.

Engage Me or Enrage Me: What Today’s Learners Demand

by Marc Prensky

In this article the author argues that the current, wired, technology-savvy generation of students are engaged everywhere in their lives except at school; and it is therefore an educator's responsibility to present curricular in ways that will connect with students.

Enhancing Internal Capacity: Leadership for Learning

by Louise Stoll

In this article Louise Stoll argues that a vital clue to understanding why some schools are able to promote and enhance learning is the level of their internal capacity.

William Walker Oration: School Leadership and Student Outcomes - Identifying What Works and Why

by Viviane Robinson

This Monograph is the ACEL William Walker Oration for 2007, delivered on October 11, 2007 at the national conference of the Australian Council for Educational Leaders. The analysis presented in this monograph is the first of a series of analyses for the Education Leadership BES development.

Interview with Michael Fullan: Change Agent

by Dennis Sparks

This interview with Michael Fullan explores the links between instructional leadership, school culture, and change.

Leading Learning: Creating High-Achieving Learning Environments

by Robyn Collins

This article identifies factors that lead to greater success in terms of students' learning in all schools, which includes the development of school-wide learning communities.

Leading to Success: Judging Success in Primary Schools in Challenging Circumstances

by Stephen Englefield

This research paper looks at critical success factors in managing primary schools whose contexts are regarded as challenging. The author interviewed 14 'successful' United Kingdom primary principals working a mixture of challenging contexts from inner city deprivation and rural isolation, to schools with a diverse community cultural mix.

Listen to the Natives

by Marc Prensky

This article examines how educators in the 21st century need to embrace ICT implementation in schools, through the introduction of new terms of reference ('digital native'), and theories about student engagement, motivation, and collaboration.

Māori Education 2026

by Mason Durie

This article can be used with principals’ groups, senior management teams, teachers, and the wider community. From the thinking and discussion, it should be possible to develop policy and action. The paper provides an historical overview, and looks towards the future, focusing on educational initiatives for Māori.

Creating Culturally Safe Schools for Māori Students

by Angus Macfarlane, Ted Glynn, Tom Cavanagh, and Sonja Bateman

This article looks at ways to create culturally safe classrooms in New Zealand schools. It focuses on ways in which teachers and schools can create inclusive environments for Māori students, and reminds us that all students benefit from being in culturally inclusive classrooms.

Shared Culture: A Consensus of Individual Values

by Joan Richardson

This short article gives practical examples from schools where principals have tried different strategies to develop a culture in which the whole staff is engaged and comfortable.

Transforming High Schools

by Pedro Noguera

This article summarises research into secondary school reforms in the United States. The key factor in achieving successful change is the involvement of teachers, parents, and students in the change process.

Teachers Make a Difference: What is the Research Evidence?

by John Hattie

This very engaging paper was delivered at the Australian Council for Educational Research Annual Conference in 2003 by Professor John Hattie. It discusses the research evidence showing that “it is what teachers know, do and care about which is very powerful in the learning equation”.

Best Evidence Syntheses

by Ministry of Education

The New Zealand Ministry of Education’s Best Evidence Synthesis (BES) iterations draw together, explain and illustrate through vignette and case, bodies of evidence about what works to improve education outcomes, and what can make a bigger difference for the education of all our children and young people. The BESs are intended to be a catalyst for systemic improvement and sustainable development in education.

The Cultural Myths and Realities of Teaching and Learning

by Graham Nuthall

This article describes Professor Graham Nuthall’s personal journey as a classroom researcher and the ground-breaking research he conducted with Dr Adrienne Alton-Lee. This research challenged the assumption of many educators, that teaching necessarily equals learning.

The Research-engaged School

by Graham Handscomb and John MacBeath

This article sets out to show schools how to recognise and acknowledge the enquiry and research activity that is already taking place in schools, as well as challenge, and identify areas for further work and development.

The Ripple Effect

by Andy Hargreaves and Dean Fink

This article suggests ways to think about solving issues caused by competition among schools: for instance, providing coaching and sharing resources by distributing leadership skills in very successful schools across a wider area.

Using Best Evidence Syntheses to Assist in Making a Bigger Difference for Diverse Learners

by Adrienne Alton-Lee

This paper helps to clarify the background to the New Zealand Ministry of Education's Iterative Best Evidence Synthesis (BES) programme, and how it can make a difference in the achievement levels of all learners.

What We Know about Successful School Leadership

by Kenneth Leithwood and Carolyn Riehl

This article brings together some current thinking on school leadership into one document. The broad categories described as important for leadership success are: setting directions, developing people and developing the organisation.

Bucking the Trend

by Abi Newman

This article has relevance for principals working with students from different cultures. It has a UK context, and discusses children from Carribean communities. Also links to other papers that focus on this issue.