British Journal of Educational Technology
doi:10.1111/bjet.12308
Reviews
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Griffin, Patrick & Care, Esther ed (2015) Assess-
ment and teaching of 21st century skills Springer
(Berlin) isbn 978-94-017-9395-7 310 pp €99.99
(ebook €83.29)
http://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-94
-017-9395-7
Summary
While learning methods and approaches have
changed dramatically in the 21st century,
assessment—especially standardised testing—has
remained almost untouched. This volume presents a
collection of papers on an innovative approach to
collaborative testing. It describes the theoretical
framework of an international project and reflects on
a challenging perspective of what learning and teach-
ing mean today and will mean tomorrow. If the book
sounds likely to be close to your needs, I strongly
suggest you buy a copy.
Jesús García Laborda
The world has changed dramatically in the last fifty
years. Many would even say that education has
evolved in that time more than in the previous
3000. Whether this is true or not, what seems unde-
niable is that new paradigms, demands and needs
have significantly influenced learning and teaching.
This book reflects these by emphasising new educa-
tional principles; these include:
• the use of technology: with the need to develop
information and communication literacy;
• ways of thinking like creativity and innovation,
critical thinking, problem solving and decision
making;
• new ways of working through communication
and collaboration;
• ways of living in the world such as citizenship
(local and global), life and career and personal and
social responsibility—including cultural aware-
ness and competence.
For the authors, “the development of assessment
tasks has rested on the idea that while the skills may
be generic, their utility is demonstrated through stu-
dents developing and using them in their curricular
© 2015 British Educational Research Association
Vol 46 No 4 2015 E15–E20
studies” (p vi). This means that all knowledge is, in
the end, some kind of literacy. Thus assessing these
global skills means measuring different types of
literacy.
We also assess these literacies as either computer-
human or human-human—since both are part of
our current human nature.
The book develops these ideas in five parts compris-
ing fifteen chapters.
The first relates the method and framework of
research as described above. It justifies the need for
new assessment tools mostly based on collaborative
and computer-based experiential collection of evi-
dence. The second part presents the framework for
teachable problem solving skills and how to grow
these through digital networks. The third part exem-
plifies that by bringing forward specific principles of
testing within the framework—ones such as task
development, platform design and implementation,
automatic coding procedures for these collaborative
tasks, and the specific design and calibration of
tasks.
The book’s fourth part is quite attractive for an inter-
national readership as it presents practical applica-
tions from countries such as Australia, Singapore,
Finland, the United States, Costa Rica and the
Netherlands. The final part includes how to link
testing and teaching by over-riding the dangers of
teaching-to-the-test and how to achieve the educa-
tional opportunities and benefits that testing offers
education.
In many ways, Assessment and teaching of 21st
century skills challenges traditional aspects of edu-
cation and overall testing. It also relates what it says
to the learners’ future needs. Anticipating what
these needs will be in, say, twenty years from now is
(at the very least) difficult and certainly challenging
and risky. On the other hand, the oecd, the World
Bank and many other educational institutions need
to establish adequate educational policies based on
proven and sustainable principles that only external
standardised assessment can achieved.
E16 British Journal of Educational Technology
The book’s main problem is that it presents dichoto-
mous suggestions that set a contrast between exter-
nal exams and what goes on in the classroom. In this
sense, the last two chapters try to link standardised
education and classroom practice. However, this link
is rather weak and using models through national
organisations or ministries can hardly lead to
consensus.
Overall, this highly valuable volume is a solid foun-
dation from which we can develop international
tests—since its authors and advisers have leading
roles in international assessments such as pisa and
pirrls. However, its benefits go far beyond its
intended administrative and technical audience. It is
an excellent book that will probably better serve
researchers and even school administrators. The
principles and applications it guides us through will
be of great use to many and will certainly serve as
food for thought for many auudiences of educa-
tional stakeholders all over the world.
Jesús García Laborda (received April 2015)
Associate Professor, Universidad de Alcalá, Spain
jesus.garcialaborda@uah.es
Hirumi, Atsusi ed (2013) Online and hybrid learning
design fundamentals iste (Washington & Eurospan,
London) isbn 978-1-56484-335-7 200 pp £31.50
http://www.iste.org/resources/product?id=2800
Summary
This interesting book on the systematic design of
rich, engaging and effective e-learning experiences
can make an extremely useful guide for beginning
educators and instructional designers working with
school education. This is thanks to its very practical
approach, precise description of methods, high
number of meaningful examples, and practical
guiding tools. If this review makes you feel that
Hirumi’s book is very likely to be relevant, borrow a
copy to see if purchase is worthwhile.
Giuliana Dettori
Online and hybrid learning design fundamentals
describes the basic tasks that make up the systematic
design of high quality online and hybrid learning
resources. It aims to offer the readers useful tools,
techniques and insights to help them to design rich,
engaging and memorable learning experiences; it is
based on the idea that the more we bring grounded
practice and systematic design to light, the more we
can increase the quality of e-learning experiences
and improve education. Together with two other
volumes, Designs in action and Trends and technolo-
gies, it forms a little series on Grounded designs for
online and hybrid learning, addressed to educators
© 2015 British Educational Research Association
Vol 46 No 4 2015
and instructional designers involved in K-12 educa-
tion. The book includes chapters by different
authors, but is not the standard edited book: the
book’s editor (who wrote several chapters himself)
carefully planned the topics to be covered and their
logical organisation.
The first topic addressed is the definition of a frame-
work for designing and sequencing meaningful
interactions in e-learning environments, identifying
three different levels of interactions taking place
during learning—that is, those within the learner’s
mind, between the learner and other human agents,
and between the learner and non-human resources.
All of them are important and need to suitably plan-
ning and management—because they affect learn-
ers’ attitudes and achievements.
Assessment is also a key element of successful learn-
ing design. It is crucial that teachers define a set of
concrete and measurable learning objectives, clearly
communicate them to the learners, and align assess-
ment to them. Lack of clarity on expectations and
discrepancy between learning objectives and assess-
ment are very frequent errors leading to unsatisfac-
tory learning outcomes.
Practical tools helping to prepare students for suc-
cessful online learning appear in detail, together
with examples of how online instruction can, and
should, be designed for children with special needs.
We also find here the addresses and descriptions of a
number of banks of open, reusable educational
resources (oer), in order to help educators reduce
production time and costs.
Technology continues to increase access to learning
opportunities but may not enhance the quality of
the learning experience if learners and teachers are
not prepared to exploit its potential. Learners rarely
have suitable study strategies to maximise their
learning in technology-rich environments, despite
their familiarity with many IT-based tools. In order
to prepare for success, learners need to build appro-
priate and effective study skills, both general and
unique to e-learning. Teachers need to revise their
teaching, integrating suitable approaches to facili-
tate course delivery and learners’ engagement,
structuring learning and interactions, making
changes in the presentation of learning materials,
devising suitable assessments, and fostering the
creation of learners’ communities.
Assessment and teaching of 21st century skills has a
very practical approach, with meaningful examples,
a precise description of methods, and practical
guiding tools—such as evaluation tables and appli-
cation tips. It can be an extremely useful guide for

beginners and a helpful reminder for the more expe-
rienced readers.
Giuliana Dettori (received March 2015)
Researcher at the Institute for Educational Technology of
CNR, Genoa, Italy
dettori@itd.cnr.it
Pedler, Mike & Abbott, Christine (2013) Facili-
tating action learning McGraw-Hill (Maidenhead &
New York) isbn 978-033524597-0 204 pp £19.99
http://www.mheducation.co.uk/9780335245970
-emea-facilitating-action-learning-a-practitioners
-guide
Summary
This most helpful book supports action learning prac-
titioners in organising collaborative working and
knowledge generation and implementation. The case
studies help inspire and motivate readers to take
action, and the book as a whole leans towards prac-
tical guidance rather than being loaded with theory.
It’s a readable text for aspiring action learning prac-
titioners aiming to drive forward and implement
such ideas, and to share learning at system-wide
scale. It also serves as a quick reference guide for the
personal libraries of more seasoned practitioners and
other leaders and developers. If the content of this
book is likely to be relevant to you, I recommend that
you buy a copy for your own use.
Nancy El-Farargy
Today we increasingly see instances of partnership
working and co-production across teams, depart-
ments, organisations and sectors. Here, people need
to collaborate and engage in meaningful relation-
ships and dialogue at all levels, in order to work
on specific projects, address urgent issues, and
even to deliver coordinated services. These develop-
ments require facilitators and key people to meet
regularly to generate ideas for eventual action and
implementation.
Sub–titled A practitioner’s guide, Facilitating action
learning focuses on individuals who aim to catalyse
and embed learning and action at organisational,
professional and system-wide levels. The authors
credit the work of Reg Revans and direct the princi-
ples of the book towards leaders, managers, busi-
ness coaches, trainers and facilitators. Whilst,
perhaps unwittingly, some may enact action learn-
ing under different guises, the book aims to support
all practitioners in “learning to do it right” (p 2).
The book describes the development of typical
action learning practitioners and leaves us with the
impression that these people integrate learning and
Reviews E17
change, link theory and practice, and (through
inquiry and further experimentation) potentially
become beacons of organisational transformation.
These then share their learning by working colla-
boratively across wider organisations, communities
and systems.
After an introduction / summary, Pedler and Abbott
offer eight chapters:
1. Action learning: its origins and principles
2. Facilitating action learning: an overview
3. The accoucheur: initiating action learning
4. The set adviser
5. The organisation developer
6. Becoming critical
7. An action learning way of working
8. Developing your practice
Each chapter starts with an overview and a bulleted
summary and closes with “My practice notes” to
support consolidation of learning and reflection on
practice. There are also practical examples and case
studies to help us further reflect on learning. The
book closes with references (arranged by chapter), a
subject index, and an author index.
The introduction hints at a growing demand for
action learning and “emphasises the value of
knowledge created in the context of action” (p 1).
With acknowledgement to Revans, the authors
portray action learning as people working in small
groups (“sets”) who are driving improvement.
Essentially, it’s where individuals voluntarily meet
regularly, committed to act and resolve or improve
on an organisational task, problem or opportunity.
The process further has three phases:
• Alpha: The decision or strategy system
• Beta: The influencing or negotiation cycle
• Gamma: The learning process as experienced
uniquely by each action learning set
Action learning is for real life issues that need
addressing—“problems”. But it is the learning that
is crucial; the authors cite Revans that learning
equates to programmed knowledge plus questioning
insight, and when this learning is greater than envi-
ronmental change, then people, organisations and
societies flourish.
Chapters 3 to 5 follow the facilitation and develop-
ment of the action learning practitioner in a series of
roles. A single case study across these three chapters
illustrates the outputs and benefits of action learn-
ing, and demonstrates the developmental process of
embedding and making the most of action learning.
Chapter 6 is concerned with “becoming critical”
and encourages practitioners to review existing
© 2015 British Educational Research Association
E18 British Journal of Educational Technology
structures, practices and power relations within
their context. It differentiates between effective prac-
tice, reflective practice, and critically reflective prac-
tice, and highlights the importance of political
acumen in understanding how organisations func-
tion. Then Chapter 7 focuses on spreading learning
“beyond the boundaries of any individual system,
organisation, profession and community” (p 143).
Here are really inspiring and fresh perspectives dis-
cussed in relation to, for example, shared goals,
learning exchanges, self-initiation, personal exper-
tise, and skills in leadership and collaborative
working to name a few.
The final chapter moves into the development of
continuing practice (rather than competence alone)
and offers a suggested overview of the best ways of
being an action learning adviser. These include
potential education and training opportunities,
being the action learning practitioner through self
development and by embedding the “rhythm of
professional development”. A journey of “knowing,
doing and being” is presented, as well as some of
the stages and techniques of being the reflective,
expert and critical practitioner. There is then a brief
discussion on managing personal power, after
which the book ends with a developmental
overview of experiencing, reflecting, reading and
writing.
Overall, the book presents a useful route-map to
being an action learning practitioner, and the case
studies enrich and enliven the text by demonstrating
the applicability of action learning in various con-
texts. There are some theoretical and historical
underpinnings presented throughout, however, the
book is essentially practice-based in its aim of
knowledge generation for implementation. Addi-
tionally, the book highlights how individuals, teams
and organizations equally benefit from the learning
and knowledge generated. In this light, it will be
useful to leaders and organizational developers, who
wish to implement a relatively established educa-
tional approach to manage change, enhance perfor-
mance, and deliver lasting impacts. In summary,
this book is a key guide that aims to support people
who really want to implement the best ideas
through engaged, committed and collective
action.
Dr Nancy El-Farargy (received March 2015)
The National Health Service, Edinburgh, UK
nfarar@gmail.com
Perry, Fred L & Nichols, Joe D (2015) Understand-
ing research in education Routledge (New York &
London) isbn 978-1-138-77642-5 243 pp £34.99
http://www.routledge.com/books/details/
9781138776425/
© 2015 British Educational Research Association
Vol 46 No 4 2015
Summary
Ostensibly, this textbook was written for those who
want and need to be consumers of educational
research. It serves that readership extremely well.
Equally, however, I would warmly recommend it to
those preparing their first educational submissions
for publication; they’ll find splendid advice here about
what to do—and what not to do. If this book is very
likely to be relevant to your work, I strongly suggest
that you buy a copy.
John Cowan
The writers set out to cater for those who, for one
reason or another—but principally as postgraduate
students—are consumers of published educational
research. I welcome its publication; and I frankly
confess that I found many points in this clear
account of what a reader should expect from well
written research as worthy of my own attention as
that of what the writers call “consumers”.
Throughout the text, the writers break off into exer-
cises that allow readers to check their understand-
ing, without feeling that they are sitting a test. The
exercises seem to flow helpfully with the narrative.
The carefully written text ensures that the informa-
tion it presents is readily accessible to the reader. An
early example of this is the succinct and clear expla-
nation of sampling terminology and strategies. Each
chapter, incidentally, concludes with not only the
pertinent references, but also a helpful list of key
terms and concepts.
So what do the writers cover? First, they launch into
thorough but readable coverage of the nature of
research . . . and the centrality of the research
question—for this, regrettably, is absent in some
research papers. Next, they deal with how to find
research—or rather how to find the research which
consumers wish to read and use. Their coverage of
literature searching is effective, pertinent, and
needed by many who have not progressed beyond
simple Googling.
Next, in considering the framework of a written
article, I noted their identification of five essential
pieces of information that an abstract should
contain. Readers of research literature will wish
that all writers had read this and taken it to heart. In
the chapter after this, on the framework of a
primary research article, I welcomed the detailed,
clear and helpful contrasting of different types of
variable.
In grappling, on behalf of their readers, with
research design, the writers effectively condense into
one chapter the key points of many a lengthy

textbook on researching for education students. I
particularly liked the picture of the “Research mine-
field” which brings it all together; and the perceptive
presentation of various effects on findings for which
readers of research papers should be on the lookout.
Understanding data gathering, which features next,
is typical of the searching and helpful nature of this
book. It covers, for example, not only the various
methods of collection of verbal data, but also advises
readers of the potential weaknesses of which they
should be aware. This leads later into a summary of
methods for determining the reliability of chosen
procedures, an explanation of the various reliability
coefficients used in such researching, and such sub-
tleties as the multiple facets of construct validity.
There follows an eminently understandable—yet
scholarly and rigorous—compilation of advice to
the reader who is minded to make a critical evalua-
tion of the value and meaning of reported results.
Explained in some depth is the importance of a criti-
cal and reasoned discussion before conclusions are
established, including the questions that every con-
sumer should address in their reading. The book
concludes with typically thorough and helpful
appendices dealing with constructing a literature
review, and going to the next level of statistics.
This is a text primarily for the target readers, for
whom it covers not only consuming research but
producing and presenting it. I envisage many active
researchers finding it a useful read.
John Cowan (received March 2015)
Emeritus Professor of Learning Development, UK Open
University
J.Cowan@napier.ac.uk
Ridden, Phil & Heldsinger, Sandy (2014) What
teachers need to know about assessment and reporting
acer Press (Victoria & Eurospan, London) isbn 978-
1-74286-111-1 160 pp £25.95
http://www.isbs.com/collections/acer-press/
products/9781742861111
Summary
Teachers involved in literacy and numeracy testing
will find in this book a valuable support to under-
stand the why, how and what to assess. It is an
informative volume that will give you practical infor-
mation, guidance and deep understanding of what is
behind a test. A must for Australian teachers, it is a
great help for general practitioners and a valuable
tool for the international audience. I suggest you
borrow a copy if this book seems relevant.
Jesús García Laborda
Reviews E19
As seen in a number of papers and reviews in the
British Journal of Educational Technology, assessment
is one of the fields where technology is currently
increasing its presence. It is also becoming quite
common to have online assessment in a number of
contexts, such as citizenship, professional skills
measurement, and foreign language competence.
However, many believe that IT-based assessments
are just about computers. Yet, as experience shows,
IT usage is just one aspect of the wider whole process
of testing and assessing. In other words, teachers
need to understand in depth what assessing implies
and what consequences it has. What teachers need to
know about assessment and reporting makes all this
clear.
The short book aims to provide an over-view of basic
experiential and practical knowledge in assessment
(Chapter 1) that is an integral part of teaching and
learning processes (Chapter 2) and requires more
than content knowledge (Chapter 3). As the
authors suggest, assessment—whether external or
internal—intended for high-stakes decisions, for
informal classroom testing, or for many other
purposes—has seen a significant improvement in
quality, design and delivery. This book serves well to
help us understand methods and implications of
assessment and reporting from different teachers’
and administrators’ perspectives.
Although all eight chapters are well trimmed and
interconnected, we can observe two distinguishable
parts. The first concerns the importance of a ration-
ale for assessing in and out of the classroom (Chap-
ters 1–4); the second is about the information
assessment provides and the meaning of informa-
tive reporting.
The book is rooted in the Australian National assess-
ment program—Literacy and numeracy (naplan).
This is a set of standardised tests of primary school
learners’ language (spelling, grammar and punc-
tuation), reading and writing skills, and mathemati-
cal ability. These tests aim to revise and improve
educational policies, curricular aims and objectives,
teaching methods, and each learner’s progress. The
book addresses all these aspects in a simple and
reader-friendly manner.
Overall, this is surely a good guide for those involved
in the naplan tests. However, it is of potential inter-
est to many people not fully aware of the processes
and implications of such testing. With this in mind,
the last chapter explains the applicability of the book
outside Australia.
This kind of book could make such assessment and
testing accessible to international audiences. It
© 2015 British Educational Research Association
E20 British Journal of Educational Technology
could also introduce trainees to topics that many
teachers learn only by experience. Also, going back
to IT, we can hardly understand modern delivery
systems without some knowledge of what is behind
a computer-based test. The idea of the centrality of
the devices behind IT-based assessments needs to go,
© 2015 British Educational Research Association
Vol 46 No 4 2015
and, in this way, What teachers need to know about
assessment and reporting can help a lot.
Jesús García Laborda (received May 2015)
Associate Professor, Universidad de Alcalá, Spain
jesus.garcialaborda@uah.es