Applying evidence in practice definitions and approaches Presentation

Applying evidence in practice: definitions and approaches Presentation for LSRN workshop: ‘the practicalities of research’ Julie Nelson, NFER 14 th November 2014

Evidence-informed practice: a coming together of professional skills, attributes and knowledge Professional knowledge and understanding Professional skills Professional values and attributes Adapted from The Education and Training Foundation (2014). Professional Standards for Teachers and Trainers in Education and Training – England [online]. Available: http: //www. et-foundation. co. uk/wpcontent/uploads/2014/05/4991 -Prof-standards-A 4_4 -2. pdf

Evidence-informed practice: a coming together of research and practice evidence Management/ performance data Research evidence EIP Practitioner assessments Professional expertise/ tacit knowledge

Case study External evidence Action research Practitioner enquiry Academic research Literature review Professional research What is ‘research evidence’? Meta analysis Longitudinal study Randomised control trial Reflective practice

A system for creating and applying ‘academic’ research Production Implementation Synthesis Transformation Adapted from Sharples, J. (2013). Evidence for the Frontline. London: Alliance for Useful Evidence.

Approaches to sharing and embedding ‘academic research’ Research, Development, Diffusion Knowledge producers disseminate their knowledge Problem-solving Practitioners identify problems and ask researchers to find answers Linkage Intermediaries help to translate evidence into guidance for practice Social interaction Researchers and practitioners work as ‘co-producers’ and users of evidence Adapted from Becheikh, N. , Ziam, S. , Idrissi, O. , Castonguay, Y. and Landry, R. (2009). ‘How to improve knowledge transfer strategies and practices in education? Answers from a systematic literature review’, Research in Higher Education Journal, 7, 1– 21.

Academic research and practitioner enquiry What is the purpose of the research? • For impact across a number of colleges? • To support one college’s development? • To aid personal development? What methods suit it best? • Statistically representative research for system -wide impact • Smaller-scale or case study based for personal development Who is best placed to conduct it? • Statistically-representative research professional research lead • Research for college/staff development conducted internally/in collaboration

Types of practitioner enquiry – synergy with academic research? Understanding (locally created for local use) • Collecting views of learners/staff on an approach or strategy • Understanding learner needs Innovation (locally created – pipeline for future research) • Identifying, developing and monitoring new pedagogical approaches • Taking a disciplined approach to ‘scale up’ • Scope for future larger-scale evaluation Implementation (externally created – locally applied and evaluated) • Taking key ingredients of a ‘proven’ evidencebased approach • Implementing these at local level • Monitoring, evaluating and reviewing the results

A system for creating and applying academic research Innovation Production Implementation Synthesis Transformation Adapted from Sharples, J. (2013). Evidence for the Frontline. London: Alliance for Useful Evidence.

We need more evidence of what works best! Published/shared examples of approaches Evaluations of effectiveness Evidence about the impact of different approaches on learner outcomes

Summary of themes and messages Systemic issues and solutions • Effective use of evidence requires system wide change Sharing and embedding academic research • Socially interactive approaches seem more beneficial than linear models Practitioner enquiry • First think purpose, then method, then producer. • Scope for synergy with academic research through innovation and implementation The evidence base – what works and why? • More examples of approach, and more evidence of their effectiveness, are needed

Over to you! How do we actually use research evidence in practice? Share your experiences of using research and conducting enquiry What would you like to do differently, or better? What could others learn from your approaches? Could your approaches be applied more widely across the system? How?

NFER provides evidence for excellence through its independence and insights, the breadth of its work, its connections, and a focus on outcomes. Julie Nelson: j. nelson@nfer. ac. uk @Nelson_Julie_A @The. NFER National Foundation for Educational Research The Mere, Upton Park Slough, Berks SL 1 2 DQ T: 01753 574123 F: 01753 691632 E: enquiries@nfer. ac. uk www. nfer. ac. uk