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Education Sciences
Special Issues
Evidence Informed Practice in Education
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Evidence Informed Practice in Education

A special issue of Education Sciences (ISSN 2227-7102).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2019) | Viewed by 26046

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Tim Cain

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Education, Edge Hill University, St Helen’s Road, Ormskirk, Lancashire L39 4QP, UK
Interests: mentoring; music education; teacher research; research utilisation
Dr. Bronwen Maxwell

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Sheffield Hallam University, City Campus, Howard Street, Sheffield S1 1WB, UK
Interests: policy and practice impact and implementation; teacher professional learning; school-led research; evidence-informed teaching

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Across the world, there are calls from policy for education practice to become more ‘evidence-informed’. This is often framed in terms of ‘what works’, with the view that, if research can discover what works, and education professionals can both implement ‘what works’ and cease doing what does not work, the quality of education will improve and this will be recognised in terms of student outcomes.

Although superficially attractive, evidence-informed practice is highly contentious. On the one hand, it can be argued that educational research is being moved from a peripheral status to have a more central role, both in policy and in practice. This presents new opportunities for researchers to work closely with professionals and to achieve practical impact for their research. On the other hand, there are well-founded concerns that conceptualisations of ‘evidence-informed practice’ that focus primarily on the so-called ‘what works agenda’ narrow down what research is acceptable, take a reductionist view of practice, and might ultimately replace the traditional, humanistic values of educators with the instrumental, pragmatic values of ‘what works’.

The aim of this Special Issue is to present empirical research and to contribute to philosophical discussion that leads to new knowledge about evidence-informed practice in any aspect of education. Topics will include research that views evidence-informed practice from the perspective of research or practice, in formal or informal education settings. The editors are contacting established scholars to invite them to contribute; other scholars are welcome submit independently. Please send a structured abstract to both of the editors.

Prof. Dr. Tim Cain
Dr. Bronwen Maxwell
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Education Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Evidence-informed practice
  • Research-informed practice
  • Research utilization
  • Knowledge mobilization

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 373 KiB  
Article
The Role of Evidence-Based Practice in German Special Education—State of Research and Discussion
by Yvonne Blumenthal, Bodo Hartke and Stefan Voß
Educ. Sci. 2019, 9(2), 106; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci9020106 - 16 May 2019
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4166
Abstract
This paper reviews the discourse on the concept of evidence-based special education in Germany. A short overview of the current situation in regard to available evidence-based educational materials for schools in Germany and the USA is given. Critical objections on the topic within [...] Read more.
This paper reviews the discourse on the concept of evidence-based special education in Germany. A short overview of the current situation in regard to available evidence-based educational materials for schools in Germany and the USA is given. Critical objections on the topic within Germany will be outlined thereafter. With these in mind, a discussion on the described points of criticism will follow in closing. Overall, the concept’s essential elements, such as the social and internal evidence, are not given sufficient consideration. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Evidence Informed Practice in Education)
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14 pages, 246 KiB  
Article
School-University Links for Evidence-Informed Practice
by Tim Cain
Educ. Sci. 2019, 9(2), 97; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci9020097 - 3 May 2019
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4333
Abstract
A range of studies has identified barriers to evidence-informed practice in schools, many of which recommend school-university links as a means for removing these barriers. In England, public policy also promotes school-university partnerships, which expects these to have benefits for both schools and [...] Read more.
A range of studies has identified barriers to evidence-informed practice in schools, many of which recommend school-university links as a means for removing these barriers. In England, public policy also promotes school-university partnerships, which expects these to have benefits for both schools and universities. Secondary analysis of data from five qualitative research projects reveals that school-university links are formed around activities, including postgraduate degrees, research projects and evaluations, Teacher Research projects, research dissemination conferences and seminars, Initial Teacher Education, research-informed Continuous Professional Development (CPD), and bidding for funding. Although, superficially, these activities might seem to enable more and better, evidence-informed practice in schools, school-university links are founded on activities that are declining, those that are short-term, and those that heavily rely on the enthusiasm of a few people. This paper concludes by offering suggestions for improving school-university links, so as to enable research to better inform practice. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Evidence Informed Practice in Education)
12 pages, 216 KiB  
Article
Provision of School Data and Research Based Teacher Professional Development: Does It Work? Data- and Research-Informed Development of Schools in the Danish “Program for Learning Leadership”
by Lars Qvortrup
Educ. Sci. 2019, 9(2), 92; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci9020092 - 27 Apr 2019
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3980
Abstract
In the beginning of 2015, a consortium consisting of 13 Danish municipalities with 240 schools, almost 80,000 students and 10,000 professionals together with a university based research institution and a competence development center launched the school development project “Program for Learning Leadership.” The [...] Read more.
In the beginning of 2015, a consortium consisting of 13 Danish municipalities with 240 schools, almost 80,000 students and 10,000 professionals together with a university based research institution and a competence development center launched the school development project “Program for Learning Leadership.” The project provides data for teachers and school leaders in order to support pedagogical practices and school leadership. It also provides research based competence development packages with professional teams organized in professional learning communities as the central target group for receiving research results and transforming these results into professional practice. Based on a quantitative survey performed in 2015 and repeated in 2017, the project shows that school data and competence development can support positive school changes and improve teachers’ professional self-evaluation, and that competence development should focus on professional teams (professional learning communities) rather than on individual teachers. However, it is still too early to identify the effects for students’ learning and development achievements. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Evidence Informed Practice in Education)
15 pages, 364 KiB  
Article
School Development in Culturally Diverse U.S. Schools: Balancing Evidence-Based Policies and Education Values
by Rose Ylimaki and Lynnette Brunderman
Educ. Sci. 2019, 9(2), 84; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci9020084 - 17 Apr 2019
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3886
Abstract
This article problematizes evidence-based policies in the USA, using Dewey’s (1916) education theory and findings from a school development project in 71 culturally diverse Arizona schools. The study asked three questions: (1) How do formal and informal school leaders work in teams to [...] Read more.
This article problematizes evidence-based policies in the USA, using Dewey’s (1916) education theory and findings from a school development project in 71 culturally diverse Arizona schools. The study asked three questions: (1) How do formal and informal school leaders work in teams to mediate between evidence-based policy requirements at federal, state, and district levels and the needs of culturally diverse students? (2) What leadership team practices contribute to school development as measured by improved student outcomes in school letter grades? (3) What values from evidence-based policies and democratic education are evident in effective school development? Evaluation methods featured qualitative interviews with leadership team members in 71 schools as well as a descriptive analysis of school letter grades based primarily upon student outcomes. Results indicated improved student outcomes in letter grades and enhanced leadership capacity and democratic values as well as evidence-based values that contributed to school development. The article concludes with next steps to expand the project to another region of the USA and a call for a balanced use of evidence (including standardized test scores) constructed through Dewey’s notion of democratic values of education. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Evidence Informed Practice in Education)
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13 pages, 228 KiB  
Article
Understanding the Role, Expectations, and Challenges That Policy-Makers Face in Using Educational Research
by Georgeta Ion, Simona Iftimescu, Carmen Proteasa and Elena Marin
Educ. Sci. 2019, 9(2), 81; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci9020081 - 15 Apr 2019
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4309
Abstract
This study provides an insight into the challenges faced in establishing a closer collaboration between educational research and its use in the policy-making process. It aims to identify the factors influencing transfer from research to policy-making and the policy-makers’ needs, expectations, and perception [...] Read more.
This study provides an insight into the challenges faced in establishing a closer collaboration between educational research and its use in the policy-making process. It aims to identify the factors influencing transfer from research to policy-making and the policy-makers’ needs, expectations, and perception on the use of educational research. Thirteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with representatives of Romanian national and local institutions. Specific software was used to facilitate data management and coding. The results indicate that there is a disconnect between policy-makers’ expectations and the input they receive from the research community, as well as a lack of an institutional framework to facilitate communication and interaction between them. There are systemic blockages on both sides: politics and the cost of opportunity for decision-making, a high level of bureaucracy, limited resources and accessibility of results, a lack of financing and of institutionalized communication, as well as a lack of consultation and cooperation between the two parties. The results indicate a willingness on the policy-makers’ side to acknowledge the importance of using research to inform decisions and their role in facilitating this process. This implies that researchers have limited control over the subsequent stages and could indicate the early point in the research process when other actors should be involved in order to ensure the potential or actual impact of research on policy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Evidence Informed Practice in Education)
11 pages, 207 KiB  
Article
Knowledge, Evidence, and the Configuration of Educational Practice
by Jim Hordern
Educ. Sci. 2019, 9(2), 70; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci9020070 - 31 Mar 2019
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4772
Abstract
This paper examines the context of evidence-informed practice (EIP) by inquiring into how educational practice is defined and organised, and how predominant understandings of educational practice are concomitant with preferences for particular forms of evidence. This leads to discussion of how certain educational [...] Read more.
This paper examines the context of evidence-informed practice (EIP) by inquiring into how educational practice is defined and organised, and how predominant understandings of educational practice are concomitant with preferences for particular forms of evidence. This leads to discussion of how certain educational research traditions speak (or are unable to speak) to these evidence requirements, and how this shapes the nature of EIP. While the rise of EIP can be understood as part of the increasing attention paid by governments to systemic ‘improvement’ in education systems, it can be argued that the lack of a coherent body of educational knowledge in many national traditions enables governments to exercise control not only of definitions of ‘what works’ in education but also over conceptualisations of educational practice. For some policy makers and practitioners, the much-remarked dislocation between ‘evidence’ and teaching practice in many national contexts can only be solved by a narrowing of what counts as knowledge alongside a more prescriptive control over what counts as acceptable educational judgement. However, such an alignment serves to exclude wider educational purposes and arguably instrumentalises pedagogical relations. Meanwhile, some continental European countries maintain traditions that may serve to mitigate such developments, although these traditions are not without challenge. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Evidence Informed Practice in Education)
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