EDI Activates 18 of the Top 30 Influences on Student Achievement, As Measured by Hattie
John Hattie, a professor of education from Australia and New Zealand, published Visible Learning in 2009 (with additional books in 2012 and 2015). The purpose of his research was to identify what works and what doesn’t in education in statistical terms. It was a groundbreaking analysis because, for the first time, educational methods could be compared in terms of effectiveness. The Times Educational Supplement called Hattie’s research “the holy grail of education.”
In reviewing Hattie’s descriptions of educational influences, Dataworks has found that Explicit Direct Instruction (EDI), which was developed by Hollingsworth and Ybarra as a collection of research-based teaching strategies for design and delivery of lessons, actually activates 18 of top 30 effects (out of 195 total). That means the EDI approach to education is a useful system for making learning visible, according to Hattie’s research.
Effect Size
Hattie analyzed 900+ meta-studies of educational programs and procedures, and came up with an “effect size” for each of 195 “influences” on learning (138 in 2009 and 150 in 2012). The range is from 0 to 1.62, with the larger effect being more valuable. Hattie found that .40 was the “hinge point” of usefulness.
Hattie said, “There is no fixed recipe for ensuring that teaching has the maximum possible effect on student learning, and no set of principles apply to all learning for all students. But there are practices that we know are effective and many practices that we know are not.” He concluded that if teachers are using practices that have a less than .40 effect, then it “may mean that teachers need to modify or dramatically change their theories of action.”
Visible Learning and Teaching
Hattie says “visible teaching and learning occurs when there is deliberate practice aimed at attaining mastery of the goal, when there is feedback given and sought, and when there are active, passionate, and engaging people (teacher, students, peers) participating in the act of learning.” Mansell (2008) describes this “holy grail” of education as “improvement in the level of interaction between pupils and teachers.”
Implications for Schools
Furthermore, Sebastian Waack from Edkimo, who writes the Visible Learning blog, says Hattie’s research has two main implications for teachers and schools. “First, teachers are the central aspect of successful learning in schools. Second, Hattie’s results suggest that school reform should concentrate on what is going on in the classroom and not on structural reforms.” This supports the EDI mission of focusing on instructional excellence in the classroom.
Following are the specific ways that EDI correlates with Hattie’s top influences on learning. The effect size and year of publication are noted in the text for each influence.
Summary of How EDI Uses Top Effects of Hattie Research
| High Influence on Learning | Effect Size | Rank (of 195) | EDI Approach to Achieve the Effect |
| Collective Teacher Efficacy | 1.57 | 2 | Develops culture of instructional excellence |
| Conceptual Change Programs | 1.16 | 5 | Uses concept development with non-examples |
| Teacher Credibility | .90 | 7 | Uses Engagement Norms systematically |
| Micro Teaching | .88 | 8 | Uses video, lesson demos, and feedback |
| Cognitive Task Analysis | .87 | 9 | Uses pair-shares and steps |
| Classroom Discussion | .82 | 10 | Uses frequent pair-shares and CFUs |
| Interventions for Learning Disabled | .77 | 11 | Involves all students with content |
| Teacher Clarity | .75 | 13 | Focuses on LO, CD, SD, and CFUs |
| Feedback | .73 | 15 | Uses frequent CFUs and 7 steps for feedback |
| Formative Evaluation | .68 | 16 | Uses TAPPLE during the lesson |
| Concept Mapping | .64 | 20 | Often uses graphic organizers, some animation |
| Problem-Solving Teaching | .64 | 21 | Uses Skill Development and Extended Thinking |
| Classroom Behavioral | .63 | 22 | Relies on Engagement Norms |
| Vocabulary Programs | .63 | 24 | Embeds 2-7 vocab words in each lesson |
| Spaced vs Massed Practice | .60 | 27 | Supports lessons with 3 periodic reviews |
| Teaching Strategies | .60 | 28 | Uses modeling, steps, TAPPLE, etc. |
| Direct Instruction | .60 | 29 | Includes 7 lesson design components |
| Repeated Reading Programs | .60 | 30 | Uses tracked and choral reading frequently |
Details of How EDI Uses Top Effects of Hattie Research
| Collective Teacher Efficacy (1.57 in 2015) | |
| The Influence: This involves helping all teachers understand that the way they do their work has a significant impact on student results –for better or worse. Also, it involves stopping them from using other factors (e.g., home influence, poverty, or lack of motivation) as an excuse. Teachers aim to make a difference despite any hindrances. | EDI Approach: When EDI is implemented in a school, it gives teachers tools and language that enhances their ability to make a difference. EDI teachers see what they do works, and as this “visible influence” is implemented throughout the school, a culture of instructional excellence is created. |
| Conceptual Change Programs (1.16 in 2015) | |
| The Influence: This refers to not just introducing new concepts but also discussing relevant and common misconceptions. | EDI Approach: Every EDI lesson focuses on concept development, and often non-examples of the concept are given. This helps to change any prior misunderstandings of the concept. |
| Teacher Credibility (.90 in 2015 and 2012) | |
| The Influence: Students’ views of a teacher as credible depend on three things. First is building trusting relationships with students so they know you care about them personally and about how they learn. Second is being competent with the subject matter and managing class behavior. Third is being passionate about the subject, about teaching, and about helping students succeed. | EDI Approach: With EDI, teachers engage students with content nearly every two minutes. This provides an active structure that eliminates many behavioral problems and shows that teachers care about how students learn. It builds trust and can show one’s passion. |
| Micro Teaching (.88 in 2015 and 2009) | |
| The Influence: This is the use of mini-lessons with post-discussion feedback with other teachers, usually done with video for teacher training. Teachers are able to see how they teach, analyze it, and get valuable feedback from their peers. | EDI Approach: EDI training programs use video of teachers demonstrating effective teaching. The workshop attendees are asked to analyze what they see. EDI training also makes use of lesson demonstrations where three teachers teach parts of a lesson with coaching and feedback. |
| Cognitive Task Analysis (.87 in 2015) | |
| The Influence: Cognitive Task Analysis (CTA) is a type of analysis aimed at understanding tasks that require a lot of cognitive activity from the user, such as decision-making, problem-solving, memory, attention, and judgment. This is attending to how the students are thinking. | EDI Approach: EDI lessons provide this influence in two ways—pair-shares and steps. Teachers are encouraged to ask higher-order questions that challenge the way students think about the content and help them monitor and practice their thinking in pair-shares. Secondly, every lesson identifies steps for performing the skill. This aids the students in managing how they think about a problem. |
| Classroom Discussion (.82 in 2015 and 2012) | |
| The Influence: This is a method of involving the whole class in a discussion. Students improve communications skills, and teachers see if students have learned the concepts taught. | EDI Approach: With EDI, this effect is achieved through frequent pair-shares. It gives students frequent opportunities to communicate, use the academic vocabulary, and start to own the concept and skills. Teachers also are able to see what’s been learned by combining pair-shares as part of Checking for Understanding and use of whiteboards. |
| Interventions for Learning Disabled (.77 in 2015) | |
| The Influence: Hattie explains that many of the strategies used for disabled students (such as strategies for organizing new material; techniques to use while reading, writing, or doing math; and systematic steps to use on a task or reflecting on how they learn) are also exceptionally useful for able-bodied students. | EDI Approach: With EDI lessons, students are shown specific steps for grasping new material, often using graphic organizers, Rule of Two paired problems to demonstrate skills, and underlining or circling key details. Students are actively involved with the content in a systematic way. |
| Teacher Clarity (.75 in 2015 and 2009) | |
| The Influence: This means that teachers have to be very clear about what they want their students to learn. It goes beyond posting the Learning Objective on the board. It involves clear objectives, clear explanations, clear demonstrations, clear practice, and clear questioning (based on Frank Fendick’s definition which Hattie analyzed in his study). | EDI Approach: When teachers use EDI, they always identify the learning objective, provide clear explanations and demonstrations of the concept, offer regular practice of skills with steps, and ask specific checking for understanding questions as often as possible. This enhances teacher clarity. |
| Feedback (.73 in 2015 and 2009) | |
| The Influence: Hattie considers feedback one of the most powerful influences. Teachers should give feedback on task, process, and self-regulation rather than praise which contains no learning information. Also, the best feedback, related to formative assessment, is when students show teachers what they learned. | EDI Approach: EDI lessons thrive on effective feedback. First, Checking for Understanding questions are asked every two minutes to find out what students know about what is being taught. Then, during the CFU process, the teacher uses 7 steps for effective feedback. These steps focus on the task and how the students came up with their answers. |
| Providing formative evaluation (.68 in 2015) (.90 in 2009) | |
| The Influence: This refers to any activity used as an assessment before or during the learning process itself. | EDI Approach: EDI lessons use TAPPLE as a systematic approach to Checking for Understanding. Its stated purpose is to verify learning while the lesson is being taught in order to make a decision about whether to move on or re-teach. This helps both teacher and student know how they’re doing. It’s an interactive process that makes learning visible. |
| Concept Mapping (.64 in 2015) (.57 in 2009) | |
| The Influence: Creating a graphic representation of what is being learned and how it connects to other concepts. Engages students in higher-level thinking and provides a product for assessing the depth of student understanding. | EDI Approach: EDI lessons favor graphic organizers for presenting concepts and skills. EDI lessons are often animated and taught by connecting concepts to examples. Relevance is brought out in each lesson. |
| Problem-Solving Teaching (.63 in 2015) (.61 in 2009) | |
| The Influence: This influence involves defining a problem, identifying possible solutions, designing a plan to solve the problem, and then evaluating the outcome. | EDI Approach: EDI lessons utilize this influence when students are presented with a problem (often in math) and guided to solve it. In addition, some lessons have Extended Thinking questions that pose additional problems that students have to work out based on what they have just learned. |
| Classroom Behavioral (.63 in 2015) (.80 in 2009) | |
| The Influence: Enforce specific and reasonable set of classroom rules increasing student control over himself or herself. | EDI Approach: Use engagement norms to keep students engaged on content which minimizes any behavioral problems. |
| Vocabulary Programs (.62 in 2015) (.67 in 2009) | |
| The Influence: Vocabulary instruction led to major improvements in reading comprehension. Effective vocab programs included definitions and context as well as multiple exposures to the words. | EDI Approach: EDI lessons have vocabulary teaching embedded within them. Two to seven words are defined or explained in context in each lesson. Academic vocabulary is repeated throughout the lesson in instructions and steps. |
| Spaced vs Massed Practice (.60 in 2015) (.71 in 2009) | |
| The Influence: It is the frequency of different opportunities rather than merely spending more time on task that makes the difference to learning, according to Hattie. This puts the emphasis on deliberative practice, which provides time to not only gain mastery but also fluency with skills. | EDI Approach: EDI lessons are always supported with at least three periodic reviews of the concept and skills. Reviews are recommended at 2,6,15, and 30 days after the initial lesson is taught. |
| Teaching Strategies (.60 in 2009 and 2015) | |
| The Influence: A wide range of strategies can be implemented by teachers. These include explanation and elaboration, modeling and demonstration, reminders to use certain procedures, step by step prompts, dialogue, teacher questioning, and clear instructional goals. | EDI Approach: Teachers using EDI are encouraged to explain, elaborate, model, and demonstrate when introducing concepts or skills. Also, all skill development is done through a series of steps in each lesson. The TAPPLE procedure for CFUs involves dialogue and teacher questioning. Of course, each EDI lesson starts with a clear learning objective, and what is learned is reviewed in Relevance. |
| Direct Instruction (.60 in 2015) (.59 in 2009) | |
| The Influence: Hattie points to research that says direct instruction involves seven steps: clear learning intentions; success criteria of performance; engagement of students’ attention and interest; presentation of lesson using input, modeling, and CFUs; guided practice; closure to review and clarify; and independent practice to reinforce the skill or content in a real-life or different but relevant context. | EDI Approach: EDI lessons also include seven components that are similar to Hattie’s list. EDI starts with a Learning Objective, identifies the Concept (or what is to be learned), engages students with pair-shares and relevance, presents the lesson with modeling and CFUs, offers guided practice with steps, includes closure, and concludes with independent practice to use the concept or skill in new ways. |
| Repeated Reading Programs (.60 in 2015, .67 in 2009) | |
| The Influence: Repeated reading consists of re-reading a short and meaningful passage until a satisfactory level of fluency is reached. | EDI Approach: In many ELA lessons, especially at younger grades, the same passage is used repeatedly as an example for more practice in skill development. Yet, this also gives students more practice in reading, and it is often done chorally or by echo with the teacher. |