Edubron

Policy and quality

Policy and Quality

This area of interest is concerned with policy and quality assurance in education. We adopt an academic perspective with a distinct policy-orientation and deliberately broad theme setting. Our point of departure is the strategic question as to which educational professionals and (policy) systems are needed now and in future to ensure high-quality education. The lines of research addressed here have been spearheads of Edubron’s activities since the early beginnings of the research group.

  •  Current research on school policy and education policy focuses on topics such as school culture, policy-making capacities, school leadership, professionalization and performance management. We also investigate issues of efficiency and effectiveness, for example regarding the contribution of school characteristics to education for sustainable development (ESD) and the role of academic optimism in the effectiveness of education for disadvantaged groups.
  • With regard to internal and external quality assurance, we study the working mechanisms of educational inspection and school self-evaluation. With these lines of research we want to contribute to quality development in Flemish education in general, and inform specific actors such as governments, pedagogical counsellors, inspectorates, network organizations and schools. Our aim is to develop instruments and strategies for quality assurance,  and carry out fundamental scientific research into their use.
  • At the cross-section of policy and quality assurance, we perform research relating to data-informed decision-making in the classroom and in the school. This line of research provides insight into how policymakers, school leaders and teachers use information to shape their policy and practice. It addresses topics such as the design of centralized tests and the use of school performance feedback.​ ​ ​ ​

The Edubron researchers involved in these areas of interest use both quantitative and qualitative methods. Where possible, we employ an international comparative perspective, as for example in the ongoing TIMSS study.


Members

  • ​Lies Appels: Education quality - Education equality - International large-scale assessments
  • ​Evelyn Goffin: Data literacy - Data usage - Quality assurance - Educational effectiveness - Sensemaking
  • ​Antje Kenis: Differentiation and STEM in primary education - (International large-scale) assessment
  • ​Ruud Lelieur: Academic optimism (trust - efficacy - academic emphasis) - Educational inequality - School effectiveness
  • ​Glen Molenberghs: Central tests - User research - Effects monitoring
  • ​Roos Van Gasse: Data use - Professional learning - Collaboration - Multi method research
  • ​Jan Vanhoof: Quality assurance - School self-evaluation - Informed policymaking - School management - Change management
  • ​Charlotte Van Tricht: Central tests
  • ​Dries Verhelst: Education for sustainable development (ESD) –  Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) – Assessment and evaluation

Spearhead(s)

  • Glen Molenberghs
  • Evelyn Goffin