Getting Started with

Evidence and Effect Sizes

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What is an effect size?
This is a method research is used to quantify the difference between two groups. For
example, learning styles, homework or remote teaching and retrieval practice.

Effect sizes allow researchers to compare the differences on experimental classes or

control groups. In a experimental group, pupils may receive an intervention which is
expected to effect a specific outcome. This is typically using the following:

p = value
r = measure
d = difference between to groups

For example, d=0.70

There is a good summary by Professor Rob Coe for those who want to learn more.
A range of effect sizes
Low Impact Medium Impact Strong Impact

School Choice +0.02 Full vs. Preterm Birth Weight +0.57 Strategy with prior knowledge +0.93

Performance Management -0.01 Critical Thinking +0.49 Mnemonics +0.80

Summer Holiday Length -0.01 Relative Age Within Class +0.45 Deliberate Practice +0.79

Lack of sleep -0.05 Teacher Expectations +0.43 Rehearsal +0.73

Social media -0.07 Mindfulness +0.28 Spaced practice 0.65+

Television hours -0.18 Teacher Personality +0.24 Teacher Not Labelling Students +0.61

Bullying -0.20 Growth vs. Fixed Mindset +0.16 Metacognition +0.58

Illness -0.44 Family Structure +0.16 Re-reading +0.53

ADHD - 0.90 Student Control Over Learning +0.02 Study Skills +0.45
Source: Visible Learning
Developing a school research evidence culture is a necessary factor in enabling
teachers to thrive. This is difficult to achieve in a demanding profession, but it is not
impossible.

“Research shows that the strongest evidence cultures are associated with
dedicated time across staff groups; open learning cultures; high levels of
research engagement across the school; strong, prioritised support structures”
(DfE, 2017).

Highly engaged schools have all staff engage in research, with an expectation that
some staff beyond the leadership team engage in research outside of their
organisation. On my travels, I have seen happier schools promote research use for
school improvement, focused on promoting awareness of research and how to use
evidence in school improvement and teaching and learning in the classroom. This is
achieved through a variety of avenues and on a regular basis. This resource offers an
initial evaluation check to help get started with research in schools.
 Ross McGill has worked in over 170 schools, colleges and
universities across the U.K., including schools in Belarus, Canada,
Cyprus, China, Germany, Malaysia, Spain, Switzerland and the UAE.

Known online as @TeacherToolkit,

the ‘most followed educator on social media in the UK’,
he has built one the most influential education websites,
sharing resources with 12 million readers across the world.
 www.TeacherToolkit.co.uk / Support@TeacherToolkit.co.uk

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This resource by Ross Morrison McGill is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License, based on all work published at www.TeacherToolkit.co.uk / @TeacherToolkit Limited.
 Licence
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