value added
a term used, particularly in relation to the performance of schools, for a measurable impact on pupil attainment which is more than that statistically expected. In other words, it appears that the school has improved its learners' levels of attainment more than that of other schools. However, without very detailed knowledge of the nature of school composition - the socioeconomic background of learners - and their out-of-school experiences, it is by no means easy to attribute causes for such phenomena.
values
principled preferences; standards; judgement of what things are good, valuable, important (in life).
variable
a factor or condition that is subject to change, especially one that is allowed to change in an educational research study to test a hypothesis.
variance
in statistics, the square of the standard deviation.
verbal reasoning
the ability to understand and use words and concepts logically. It is a key aspect of intelligence testing (see intelligence quotient).
verifiability
the capacity of being verified, checked as accurate, true, or authentic. It is a key principle of logical positivism which held that a statement was only meaningful if it could be empirically verified (checked) or if it was tautological (see falsifiable)
verification
the process or fact of being established as authentic, accurate, or true.
vertical
an approach to school management which organises procedures and processes up through pupil year groups rather than across them. Thus, a teacher of pastoral care in a vertical arrangement would deal with sets of learners from all age groups rather than one age group (see horizontal).
virtual communities
a group of people who primarily interact by communication media rather than face-to-face.
viva voce
an oral examination, most commonly associated with degrees at doctoral level. It is often shortened to viva.
vocational
relating or pertaining to a vocation or occupation. Vocational aspects of the curriculum are those with a particular application to the world of work.