The University of Southampton
University of Southampton Institutional Repository

The validity and reliability of Ofsted judgements of the quality of secondary mathematics initial teacher education courses

The validity and reliability of Ofsted judgements of the quality of secondary mathematics initial teacher education courses
The validity and reliability of Ofsted judgements of the quality of secondary mathematics initial teacher education courses
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.
validity, reliability, methodology, education, research, educational research, Ofsted, inspection, initial teacher education, initial teacher training, ITE, ITT, mathematics
0305-764X
221-237
Sinkinson, Anne
9452ffa7-4ff0-4d24-8c74-58268757ee70
Jones, Keith
ea790452-883e-419b-87c1-cffad17f868f
Sinkinson, Anne
9452ffa7-4ff0-4d24-8c74-58268757ee70
Jones, Keith
ea790452-883e-419b-87c1-cffad17f868f

Sinkinson, Anne and Jones, Keith (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. (doi:10.1080/0305764012006155).

Record type: Article

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.

This record has no associated files available for download.

More information

Published date: 2001
Keywords: validity, reliability, methodology, education, research, educational research, Ofsted, inspection, initial teacher education, initial teacher training, ITE, ITT, mathematics
Organisations: Mathematics, Science & Health Education

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 9808
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/9808
ISSN: 0305-764X
PURE UUID: 103ba67a-09f5-43a5-8a17-f94ea37a59fe
ORCID for Keith Jones: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-3677-8802

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 23 Oct 2004
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 04:57

Export record

Altmetrics

Contributors

Author: Anne Sinkinson
Author: Keith Jones ORCID iD

Download statistics

Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.

View more statistics

Atom RSS 1.0 RSS 2.0

Contact ePrints Soton: eprints@soton.ac.uk

ePrints Soton supports OAI 2.0 with a base URL of http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/cgi/oai2

This repository has been built using EPrints software, developed at the University of Southampton, but available to everyone to use.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we will assume that you are happy to receive cookies on the University of Southampton website.

×