Staff

Dr RJ Coe

Contact

Biography

Robert Coe is Reader in the School of Education and Director of Secondary Projects in the Curriculum, Evaluation and Management (CEM) Centre, Durham University. He has overall responsibility for the CEM Centre’s work with secondary schools and colleges, including the ALIS, Yellis and MidYIS projects which support thousands of schools in monitoring their own performance.
Before embarking on an academic career, Robert Coe was a teacher of mathematics, with experience in a range of secondary schools and colleges. He left teaching in 1995 to study full-time for a PhD at Durham University, and then stayed on as a Research Associate and Lecturer. His research interests are wide-ranging and include evaluation methodology; Evidence-Based Education and the involvement of practitioners in research; school effectiveness and improvement, including the methodology of school effectiveness research; the use and effects of feedback, especially in performance monitoring information systems; and the statistical comparability of examinations in different subjects and over time.

Research Groups

• Assessment, Evaluation and Effectiveness
• Maths and Science Education

Publications

Books: authored

• A.J. Visscher & R. Coe 2002. School improvement through performance feedback. Contexts of learning; 10; Exton, PA. (Additional information)

Books: sections

• Tymms, P. & Coe, R. 2009. Conclusions: Assessment in an Era of Globalization. In Multicultural Psychoeducational Assessment. Grigorenko, E. Madison, WI: Apex. 469-485.
• Coe, R.J. 2007. Common Examinee Methods. In Techniques for monitoring the comparability of examination standards.. Newton, P., Baird, J., Goldstein, H., Patrick, H. & Tymms, P. London: Qualifications and Curriculum Authority.
• Coe, R.J. 2006. What do we really know from school improvement and effectiveness research? In Educational Studies: Issues and Critical Perspectives. Kassem, D., Mufti, E. & Robinson, J. Maidenhead: Open University Press.
• Coe, R. 2004. Issues arising from the use of effect sizes in analysing and reporting research. In But what does it mean? The use of effect sizes in educational research. Schagen, I. & Elliot, K. Slough: National Foundation for Educational Research. 80-100. (Additional information) (View publication online)
• R. Coe 2002. Evidence on the Role and Impact of Performance Feedback in Schools. In School Improvement through Performance Feedback. A.J. Visscher & R. Coe Lisse, Netherlands: Swets & Zeitlinger. 27-39. (Additional information) (View publication online)

Journal papers: academic

• Davies, P., Davies, N., Hutton, D., Adnett, N. & Coe, R. 2009. Choosing in schools: locating the benefits of specialisation. Oxford Review of Education 35(2): 147-167.
• Davies, P., Shqiponje, T., Hutton, D., Admett, N. & Coe, R. 2009. Competition, cream-skimming and department performance within secondary schools. British Educational Research Journal 35(1): 65-81. (Additional information)
• Telhaj, S., Admnett, N., Davies, P., Hutton, D. & Coe, R. 2009. Increasing within-school competition: a case for department level performance indicators? Research Papers in Education 24(1): 45-55.
• Coe, R.J. 2008. Comparability of GCSE examinations in different subjects: an application of the Rasch model. Oxford Review of Education 34(5): 609-636.
• Tymms, P.B., Merrell, C. & Coe, R.J. 2008. Educational Policies and randomized Controlled Trials. The Psychology of Education Review 32(2): 3-7 & 26-29.
• Luyten, H., Peschar, J. & Coe, R. 2008. Effects of Schooling on Reading Performance, Reading Engagement and Reading Activities of 15-year-olds in England. American Educational Research Journal 45(2): 319-342. (Additional information) (View publication online)
• Davies, Pl., Telhaj, S., Hutton, D, Adnett, N. & Coe, R. 2008. Socioeconomic background, gender and subject choice in secondary schooling. Educational Research 50(3): 235-248.
• Shayer, M., Ginsburg, D. & Coe, R.J. 2007. Thirty years on - a large anti-Flynn effect? The Piagetian test Volume & Heaviness norms 1975-2003. British Journal of Educational Psychology 77(1): 25-41. (Additional information)
• Penny, A.R. & Coe, R. 2004. Effectiveness of consultation on student ratings feedback: A meta-analysis. Review Of Educational Research 74(2): 215-253. (Additional information) (View publication online)
• Barmby, P. & Coe, R. 2004. Evaluating the MEI 'Enabling Access to Further Mathematics' Project. Teaching Mathematics and its Applications 23(3): 119-132. (Additional information) (View publication online)
• Tymms, P. & Coe, R. 2003. Celebration of the success of distributed research with schools: the CEM centre, Durham. British Educational Research Journal 29(5): 639-653.
• Visscher, A.J. & Coe, R. 2003. School Performance Feedback Systems: Conceptualisation, Analysis, and Reflection. School Effectiveness and School Improvement 14(3): 321-349. (Additional information) (View publication online)
• Coe RJ 1998. Can feedback improve teaching? A review of the social science literature with a view to identifying the conditions under which giving feedback to teachers will result in improved performance. Research Papers in Education 13(1): 43-66.

Reports: official

• Coe, R., Jones, K., Searle, J., Kokotsaki, C., Mohd Kosnin, A. & Skinner, P. (2008). Evidence on the effects of selective educational systems. London, (Additional information) (View publication online)
• Coe, R.J., Searle, J., Barmby, P., Jones, K. & Higgins, S. (2008). Relative difficulty of examinations in different subjects. CEM Centre, School of Education. Durham University.
• Coe, R.J. & Tymms, P.B. (2008). Summary of research on changes in educational standards in the UK. Institute of Directors. London,
• Coe, R.J. (2007). Changes in standards at GCSE and A-level: Evidence from ALIS and YELLIS. Centre for Curriculum, Evaluation and Management. Durham, Durham University. (Additional information) (View publication online)
• Barmby, P. & Coe, R (2004). Evaluation of the Repayment of Teachers' Loans Scheme. Curriculum Evaluation and Management Centre. Durham, Durham University. (Additional information) (View publication online)
• Tymms, P., Coe, R. & Barmby,P. (2002). Module 2 summary: LEA focus. (Additional information)
• Tymms, P., Coe, R. & Barmby, P. (2002). Primary quality mark research: module 1 summary. (Additional information)

Media Contacts

Available for media contact about:

• Education: Examination standards
• Education: Assessment
• General policy: Evaluation of policy impact

Please note that the staff pages are currently in development and may not contain full information. The publications included within staff profiles are illustrative of the research conducted in the department and do not constitute a full publication record. Please contact the content maintainer for further information via links below.