University Of Southampton

Marrying rigour and relevance: towards effective education for all

The relationship between research and practice has long been a key concern in education and the social sciences more generally. For the field of educational effectiveness, this issue is at the forefront even more, given that the very intention of EER has from its origins been not just to identify the characteristics of effective education, but to influence policy and practice for greater effectiveness. At the same time, the field has always striven to put our knowledge of educational processes onto a sound scientific footing by employing rigorous research designs and analytical methods, which have increased in sophistication over the years.

In contrast to the views of some critics of the field, we feel that this methodological rigour is essential to provide practitioners and policymakers with information that is sufficiently robust to be used as a basis for decision making, and the theme of this conference reflects this belief.

It is therefore the aim of this conference to explore ways in which we can continue to produce research that is both rigorous and relevant, and also look at ways in which complex methods, designs and findings can be communicated and co-constructed with practitioners and policymakers. As such we aim to build on traditional strengths of our field, while being aware of the challenges we face.

The second part of the conference title likewise reflects both longstanding concerns in the field and recent developments. The principle of equity and positive educational outcomes for all students, whatever their background, has always motivated researchers in our field, but has if anything become even more central as many societies are confronted with growing inequality and complexity, and we hope to stimulate discussion on ways we can contribute to improving quality education for all students.

The conference should therefore be relevant to researchers, practitioners and students with an interest in educational effectiveness.

Four keynote speakers confirmed: ‘Professor Roel Bosker, University of Groningen; Professor Katharina Maag-Merkki, University of Zurich; Professor Pam Sammons, University of Oxford and Professor Sam Stringfield, University of Cincinatti’.

please click on the following link for more information on the JURE SIG 18 pre-conference 2014

We are looking forward to welcoming you in Southampton!