Keynote Speakers

Drew Gitomer

The Productive Use of Disagreement in Observational Ratings

[Abstract]

Bio: The current and inaugural holder of the DeMarzo Chair in Education at Rutgers Graduate School of Education (GSE), studies the assessment and evaluation of teaching. His research has examined policy-related issues in teaching and teacher education and considers a range of constructs that are related to teaching quality—teacher knowledge, teacher beliefs, student achievement, and quality of classroom interactions. From work in student performance assessment and portfolios, the scope of Gitomer’s research has focused on the design and validation of assessments that support the improvement of instruction. Recent work has focused on the failure of teacher effectiveness research and policy to appropriately consider issues of race, culture, and context in developing measures and making judgments of teaching quality.

In his keynote lecture, he will consider recent syntheses of educational effectiveness research as well as work that highlights racial, cultural, and contextual issues to consider productive paths forward for improving educational outcomes. 

Andrea Wullschleger

Empowerment through collaboration? Analyzing collaborative school improvement processes at different levels of the education system based on a social network approach

[Abstract]

Bio: Andrea Wullschleger is a Professor in the Department of Research and Development at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (School of Education). She is Head of the Centre for Research on the Professional Development of Teachers. Her expertise lies in the field of school improvement and teacher collaboration. She has contributed to a deeper understanding of collaboration in school teams for the purpose of school improvement, utilizing a social network approach. In her current projects in collaboration with the University of Zurich, she is engaged in studying the regulation of routines within instructional teams, as well as fostering collaboration within and between schools, all aimed at advancing teaching and learning.

In her keynote lecture, she will focus on collaboration networks within school teams across different areas of school improvement, exploring their impact on instructional quality and student achievement. Additionally, she will explore potential future methodological and theoretical avenues within this context.

Jaap Scheerens

Educational Effectiveness as a scientific research discipline

[Abstract]

Bio: Jaap Scheerens is Professor emeritus with the University of Twente in the Netherlands and currently associated with the research institute Oberon, in Utrecht. In his capacity as Professor of Educational Organization and Management, he was in charge of a research program on educational effectiveness and educational evaluation. During his career he was Scientific Director of a network of education faculties in the Netherlands and Director of the research institute of the Faculty of Education at the University of Twente. For many years he carried out activities for the OECD, as a chairman of a network to develop process indicators on educational systems and schools, and as chairman and member of the Questionnaire Experts Groups for PISA 2009 and 2012. He also coordinated numerous research projects funded by the European Union and worked as a consultant for the World Bank and UNESCO. He published 20 books and over 100 articles in international journals. He has also been involved as consultant and lecturer in many educational activities in Italy. He is currently a member of scientific advisory boards of INVALSI in Italy.

His keynote lecture will address the state of the art on educational effectiveness, regarding research, theory and practice, and a prospective on the future.

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