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This paper examines the extent to which teacher factors of the dynamic model of educational effectiveness can explain variation in student achievement in mathematics. It also searches for the extent to which any of these factors matters more for academically resilient students than for all the other low-socioeconomic-status students. Participants were all teachers (N = 66) of 14 schools in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas who teach mathematics to students of Grades 4-6 (N = 904). Teacher factors were measured through a student questionnaire, whereas mathematics achievement at the beginning and the end of the school year was measured through written tests. Student background characteristics were measured through a student questionnaire. Information on parents' occupational status was also collected. Multilevel modelling analysis revealed that all teacher factors explain variation in mathematics achievement. Differential effects for all factors but modelling and assessment were identified. Implications of findings are discussed.

The dynamic model does not only refer to different effectiveness factors and groupings of factors operating at different levels but also supports that each factor can be defined and measured using 5 dimensions: frequency, focus, stage, quality, and differentiation. The importance of taking each dimension into account is raised in this paper. Moreover, empirical support to the model and the use of this measurement framework is provided. Specifically, the paper refers to the methods and results of a study conducted in Cyprus which investigates the validity of the model at the classroom level by measuring teacher effectiveness in mathematics, language, and religious education. It is shown that the proposed measurement framework can be used to describe each classroom-level factor. The added value of using these 5 dimensions of the classroom-level factors to explain variation on student achievement is also identified. Finally, implications for the development of the dynamic model are drawn. (Contains 4 tables and 1 note.)

This paper investigates the sustainability and the impact of offering the dynamic approach (DA) to schools for more than 1 year in improving student achievement in mathematics (quality) and reducing the impact of socioeconomic status (SES) on achievement (equity). A sample of 56 schools in socially disadvantaged areas in three countries (i.e., Cyprus, Greece, and Ireland) and their Grade 4 and 5 students (n = 2,844) participated in this study. Two experimental groups used DA to develop school improvement strategies and action plans. The first experimental group, which employed DA for only 1 school year, was more effective than the control group in promoting student achievement in mathematics and reducing the impact of SES on achievement both at the end of the 1st and 2nd implementation year. Schools which made use of DA for 2 years were found to be the most effective at the end of the 2nd year.

This paper investigates the short- and long-term effects of both the home learning environment (HLE) and the teacher factors of the dynamic model of educational effectiveness upon student mathematics achievement. Written tests were administered to Grade 1 students (N = 1,444) of 48 primary schools at the beginning of Year 1 and at the end of Year 1, Year 2, and Year 3. A parent questionnaire measured student background factors and the HLE, whereas external observations measured the teacher factors. One aspect of the HLE (i.e., home learning materials) was associated with student achievement, not only at the end of Year 1 but also at the end of Year 3. Almost all teacher factors were associated with student achievement at the end of Year 1 and at the end of Year 3. The long-term effect of teachers was stronger than their short-term effect. Implications for research, policy, and practice are drawn.

This paper argues that research on differential teacher and school effectiveness can be used to explore the relation between quality and equity in education. The results of secondary analyses of 2 studies concerned with effectiveness in different phases of schooling (pre-primary and primary education) are presented. These secondary analyses reveal that the socioeconomic gap in student achievement in each of the 2 core subjects (mathematics and language) tends to be smaller in classrooms and schools that are more effective than others in promoting student learning outcomes (after controlling for prior achievement, socioeconomic status, and gender). Such a relation was not identified when searching for differential teacher and school effectiveness in terms of gender. Implications for research on promoting quality and equity are drawn.

This paper investigates the impact of national policies for improving teaching and the school learning environment (SLE) on student achievement. In each participating country (i.e., Belgium/Flanders, Cyprus, Germany, Greece, Ireland, and Slovenia), a sample of at least 50 schools was drawn and tests in mathematics and science were administered to all Grade 4 students (N = 10,742) at the beginning and end of school year 2010-2011. National policies were measured through (a) content analysis of policy documents, (b) interviews with policymakers, and (c) head-teacher questionnaires. Multilevel analyses revealed that most aspects of national policies for teaching and SLE were associated with student achievement in each subject irrespective of the source of data used to measure them. Implications are, finally, drawn.

Continuous Professional Development (CPD) programmes and especially coherent leader and leadership development programmes and policies have been at the centre of educational planning worldwide. The benefits for schools, staff, and pupils arising from professional development activities have been well researched into and elaborated on extensively. However, this is not the case in all educational settings. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the impact of leadership development programmes and at the same time to address the challenges for leader and leadership development in connection to the design and delivery of relevant CPD programmes. The study adopted a coherent methodological framework for evaluating professional development programmes that builds on Guskey's (2000) and Stake's (1967) models for evaluating CPD programmes and a sound methodology for analysing evaluation data (Rasch methodology). We discuss the implications of our findings (a) for the local contextual practices in Cyprus, (b) for designing leader and leadership development programmes, and (c) for evaluation studies of relevant CPD programmes. (Contains 5 notes, 9 tables, and 4 figures.)

This paper argues that Educational Effectiveness Research (EER) should establish closer links with research on teacher professional development. A dynamic integrated approach (DIA) to teacher professional development is proposed. The methods and results of a study comparing the impact of the DIA and the Holistic Approach (HA) to teacher professional development are presented. Teaching skills of 130 teachers and achievement of their students (n = 2356) were measured at the beginning and at the end of the intervention. Teachers found to be at a certain developmental stage were randomly allocated evenly into 2 groups. The first group employed the DIA and the second the HA. Teachers employing the DIA managed to improve their teaching skills more than teachers employing the HA. The use of the DIA also had a significant impact on student achievement. Implications of findings for the use of EER for improvement purposes are drawn. (Contains 4 tables.)

This paper investigates the extent to which changes in the effectiveness status of schools can be related to changes in the functioning of school factors included in the dynamic model of educational effectiveness. The methods of a follow-up study were identical to those of a study conducted 4 years ago in order to test the validity of the dynamic model. Since the follow-up study took place in the same schools where the original study took place, changes in the effectiveness status of schools and in the functioning of effectiveness factors were identified. Discriminant function analysis reveals that changes not only in the functioning of some school factors but also in the quality of teaching practice can help us classify the schools into those which improved their effectiveness status, those which remained equally effective, and those which even reduced their effectiveness status. Implications of findings for the development of educational effectiveness research are drawn. (Contains 6 tables.)

This paper presents the methods and the main results of the 6 studies which were conducted in order to test the validity of the comprehensive model of educational effectiveness. The synthesis of these studies reveals that some support to the model has been provided. It is also demonstrated that 2 characteristics of the comprehensive model concerned with its multilevel nature can be seen as starting points for the development of the dynamic model of effectiveness, which is able to establish strong links between effectiveness research and improvement of practice. Finally, the results of these studies reveal the importance of 4 elements of the dynamic model concerned with its attempt to (a) use a framework to measure the functioning of effectiveness factors, (b) take into account new theories of learning in defining classroom-level factors, (c) incorporate results of differential effectiveness research, and (d) illustrate the dynamic perspective of effectiveness. (Contains 1 table.)