Educational Effectiveness Research and Educational Policies. Evolution of the theoretical framework

Abstract

Drawing on the introduction of educational effectiveness research (EER) in the Italian context, this article offers a review on the current state of the theory and the research conducted on educational effectiveness. Some developmental issues are identified, in order to produce a critical comparison between the comprehensive model for EER and the dynamic multilevel one.
The multilevel approach is then investigated according to the following dimensions: policies, schools, and classrooms. Finally, this paper explores the research implications of the dynamic model, and postulates its inclusion within the Italian educational system’s evaluations.