Focusing on education’s impact: Essential factors that drive student achievement

As parents and educators, we’re always looking for ways to help students succeed. But with so many factors at play, it can be hard to know where to focus our efforts. Fortunately, decades of research by education expert John Hattie offer some clear guidance on what makes the biggest difference in student achievement.

Hattie’s groundbreaking “Visible Learning” research analyzed hundreds of meta-studies to rank various influences on student learning. His work provides a roadmap for evidence-based practices in education.

So, what tops the list? Perhaps surprisingly, it’s not class size or technology – it’s the collective efficacy of teachers. When educators believe in their ability to positively impact students as a team, it has a powerful effect. Other high-impact factors include teachers’ estimates of student achievement, cognitive task analysis, and response to intervention.

TEACHER COLLABORATION

Student-focused influences like self-reported grades and prior achievement also rank highly. This underscores the importance of helping students understand their own learning and building on existing knowledge.

Many of the most impactful practices center on effective teaching strategies and student engagement. Approaches like reciprocal teaching, feedback, metacognitive strategies, and direct instruction all show strong positive effects.

What does this mean for parents and schools? While there’s no one-size-fits-all solution, the research points to some key areas of focus: support teacher collaboration and professional development; use formative assessment and feedback to guide instruction; teach students metacognitive strategies; and build on prior knowledge and help students track their own progress.

Of course, putting research into practice takes ongoing effort. That’s why parent and community involvement in education is so crucial. The P.E.I. Home and School Federation is hosting several upcoming events to support this engagement.

SEMI-ANNUAL MEETING

Taking place Oct. 21, 6-8 p.m. at Central Queens Elementary School in Hunter River, topics include student health surveys, school breakfast programs, and food safety.

Speakers will share insights on healthy menus, program implementation, and funding sources. Courtney Shaffer, an inspector for the Chief Public Health Office will review what the food safety guidelines and supports exist for school food programs; Samantha Dougay, a dietician for P.E.I. School Food Program Inc. will discuss what is in a healthy breakfast menu; Heather Walker, a parent from Spring Park will demonstrate how their breakfast program actually works; while David Schult will present school breakfast program data from the Department of Education and Early Years.  Register by Oct. 16 at https://peihsf.ca/

VOLUNTEER WORKSHOPS

Training for volunteers takes place Nov. 4 at Ellerslie Consolidated School and Nov. 5 at Eliot River Elementary School, both 6:30-8:00 p.m. These free workshops offer guidance for home and school executive positions and general volunteering. Register by Oct. 30 by emailing peihsf@gov.pe.ca.

CROSSING GUARD AWARD

Awards recognize deserving individuals in our school communities. The P.E.I. Home and School Federation Crossing Guard Award celebrates individuals who help keep students safe every school day. Nominations due Nov. 1. Find the application at: https://peihsf.ca/Crossing-Guard-Award .

By staying informed about educational research and getting involved in our schools, we can work together to create the conditions for student success. After all, the evidence is clear – when it comes to education, our collective efforts truly do make a difference.

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David Schult, President of the P.E.I. Home and School Federation, lives in Charlottetown with his wife and two children, who attend UPEI and Colonel Gray Senior High School.