Back to CRME Home PageCollaborative Group for Research in Mathematics Education
The validity and reliability of the inspection procedures for initial teacher education
Project team: Keith Jones, Ann Sinkinson (University of Cambridge)
This project was carried out in collaboration with the University of Cambridge.
Publications
Sinkinson, A. and Jones, K. (2001), The Validity and
Reliability of OFSTED Judgements of the Quality of Secondary
Mathematics Initial Teacher Education Courses, Cambridge
Journal of Education, 31(2), 221-237.
Abstract: The inspection by
OFSTED's Initial Teacher Education and Training (ITET) team of
courses of initial teacher education is high stakes. An
unsatisfactory report can lead to course closure. Even a
satisfactory report can lead to reductions in quota resulting in
a spiral of decline in course viability. The high stakes nature
of the inspection means that there has to be complete confidence
in the level of validity and reliability of the inspection
process. This paper presents an analysis of the complete cohort
of published inspection reports of providers of secondary
mathematics initial teacher education Post-graduate Certificate
of Education (PGCE) courses carried out by the OFSTED ITET team
in the period 1996-1998. The analysis demonstrates that there is
considerable variation in the reports in terms of word length,
how particular criteria seem to be applied and how judgements are
expressed. With the complexity of the framework for inspection it
is impossible, given the current model of inspection report, to
properly distinguish between consistency of application and the
loading given to any particular criterion. Attention to the
transparency of the inspection process and to matters of validity
and reliability is crucial if there is to be confidence in the
inspection system.
Click
here for full article in pdf format.
Jones, K. and Sinkinson, A., (2000), A Critical Analysis of
Ofsted Judgements of the Quality of Secondary Mathematics Initial
Teacher Education Courses, Evaluation and Research in
Education, 40(2), 79-93.
Abstract: The quality of initial
teacher education courses has been the subject of adverse comment
and media speculation for some time. During 1996/7, OFSTED began
a comprehensive round of inspections of secondary initial teacher
education providers using an extensive framework of inspection.
This paper reports the results of the first round of inspection
of secondary mathematics PGCE providers. Almost three-quarters
were judged to be good or better. In examining the inspection
reports from a critical perspective, this paper focuses on the
level of consistency in the judgements made in the published
inspection reports. The analysis demonstrates that there is
considerable variation in the reports, in terms of word length,
how particular criteria seem to be applied, and how judgements
are expressed. With the complexity of the framework for
inspection, it is impossible, given the current model of
inspection report, to properly distinguish between consistency of
application and the loading given to any particular criterion.
Attention to the transparency of the inspection process is
crucial if there is to be confidence in the inspection system.
Click
here for full article in pdf format.
Conference Presentations
Sinkinson, A. and Jones, K. (2000), The Validity and Reliability of OFSTED Judgements of the Quality of Secondary Mathematics Initial Teacher Education Courses. Paper presented at the Symposium on 'Critical Issues in Mathematics Initial Teacher Education' at the British Educational Research Association Annual Conference, The University of Wales, Cardiff, September 7th - 9th, 2000.
Jones, K. and Sinkinson, A. (1999), A Critical Analysis of OFSTED Judgements of the Quality of Secondary Mathematics Initial Teacher Education Courses. Paper presented at the Symposium on 'Critical Issues in Mathematics Initial Teacher Education' at the British Educational Research Association Annual Conference, The University of Sussex, Brighton, September 2nd - 5th, 1999.
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