Which Way at the Crossroads?

This paper was prepared for a keynote speech at the 1991 International Congress of School Effectiveness and Improvement (ICSEI) held in Cardiff. I had been asked to use the occasion to look both forwards and backwards: to reflect on the achievements of past research and to spell out the need for future studies. The congress had been established at a London conference in 1988 in order to bring together those interested in research into schools. Over the years, the numbers attending its annual meeting have grown steadily. The international journal associated with the congress, in which this keynote was subsequently published, has established itself as a high-quality instrument of dissemination. Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less travelled by, And that has made all the difference.      The Road Not Taken, Robert Frost This article is about factors that make a difference. In this case we look at schools rather than roads, but Frost’s words also provide a metaphor for the journey that researchers of school effectiveness have been making over the last twenty or so years. Like Frost, many of us would choose the less travelled route if we were confident it would lead us to where we want to go. The problem is that we are not always sure where that is! This paper will explore what might be a reasonable goal and then consider the different routes available—to keep to the metaphor: to decide which way at the crossroads.