Visible Learning: A Synthesis of Over 800 Meta-Analyses Relating to Achievement

by John Hattie

We all like to think that our school is different; that somehow the culture, people, neighborhood, or special status of our school are unique. Any such differences however, relate to concerns that have little effect on achievement. In most western countries, take two students of the same ability, and it matters not which school they attend. That does not seem to stop the search for the point of difference for schools, and a lot of time spent debating school structural issues: the size of school, the class sizes, the tracking, and the finances—which are among the least influences on student achievement. Many of these matters concern teachers’ working conditions, and while I am not suggesting that we should cease to strive for excellent working conditions, focusing our concerns on these matters can be to the detriment of debating more critical matters that affect student achievement outcomes.