What works in schools? Revising expert and novice teachers' beliefs about school effectiveness: An international comparison

Fleckenstein et al. (2015) found that teachers' beliefs about school effectiveness were misaligned with findings of John Hattie's (2008) first comprehensive meta-analysis concerning the determinants of student achievement. The beliefs of expert teachers were more congruent with Hattie’s findings than those of novice teachers who were more likely to underestimate achievement-related variables and overestimate variables related to school surface and infrastructure conditions and student-internal factors. This study re-examines these findings with current samples in Germany and Norway and compares teachers' beliefs with Hattie's updated meta-analysis from 2023. It also examines whether pre-service teachers’ beliefs are influenced by the type of higher education institution (Pädagogische Hochschule vs. University) and the cultural background (German vs. Norwegian). This research aims to understand how professional experience, higher education and cultural context influence teachers' beliefs, and to provide insights for enhancing professional development and educational policy.