Evidence for the Future and the Future for Evidence

Elspeth McCartney, Helen MarwickUniversity of Strathclyde

HEA Social Sciences Conference 21, 22 May 2014, The Studio, Birmingham

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• Now, in 2064, ‘teachers’ are only one, limited, source of information, with no claim to intrinsic authority

• Learning is lifelong, pervasive, pluralistic and liquid

• Learners are properly sceptical, and interrogate claims about expertise and the validity of information

Looking back from the future

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• They expect to teach using classroom practices with demonstrated evidence that ‘work’ to enhance pupil learning

• The ethics of using methods and approaches unsupported by research evidence has been challenged

• Practices that show ‘poor’ evidence are now decried as an assault, time wasting or inconsequential

Teachers are similarly sceptical

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• Challenges to non-evidence-based practice came in the early 21st Century from representatives of pupils with developmental, social, religious, cultural and linguistic differences

• Their experiences had not always been heard

The rights of diverse learners

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• Teachers and learners sought evidence as available in social care, health, and personal development settings

• This was provided, moving from feasibility studies, to counterfactual randomised studies, then real-world implementation studies, and checking for long-term effectiveness of approaches

A badge of an ethical professional

Doctors Educationalists, with the

best of intentions, often do harm

and they do it often on a very, very

wide scale before they realise that

they should have been more diligent

about demanding good evidence for

the basis of their practice.

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• Educational studies were judged for quality

• Many failed, and better studies ensued• ‘What Works?’ slowly became an

answerable question in some curricular areas

Implementation science came in

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Political mandates reduced

• Learning approaches were no longer mandated as manifesto commitments unless they met rigorous levels of evidence

• Otherwise, authorities and schools could be sued by parents

If we win power, re

ading will

be taught in the traditional

most effective manner.

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• Evidence from policy studies using large scale data sets was also applied

• Studies showed inequalities of educational outcome for pupils raised in areas of social deprivation and in poverty, and for those with disabilities and language diversity

Policy studies developed

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• This led to better understanding of the cumulative effects of disadvantage

• Actions by health, social and educational services at all levels lessened health and educational inequalities

Better understandings

A range of evidence-based approaches can reduce the attainment gap. These span: high-quality, pre-school education; whole-school reforms based on timely, relevant data; and closer partnerships between home and schools.

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• Trials were costly, but clarified many practice issues

• Some showed little difference between approaches

• Policies of equality, diversity and social justice were sustained

It was expensive

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• Reviews of teachers’ views of research had shown negative as well as positive views

• These were similar to those of health staff moving towards ‘evidence based medicine’

• Here are paraphrases of some positive views:

Teachers’ views were considered

Having research evidence for

practice prevents inappropriate

or time- wasting activities in

class.

Without strong research evidence for good practice, teachers can be pushed into doing whatever politicians dictate.

Having research evidence for practice allows teachers to justify their professional decisions.

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And some more negative views

Education research isn’t helping people live with daily reality.

Educational research is often

not applicable to individual

classroom situations.

Teachers are less interested in

research if they believe that the

intention in sharing the research

evidence is to impose a particular style or model on their

teaching.

Teachers have concerns about their ability to evaluate research information.Research is often full of jargon and statistics that are hard to understand.

‘Practitioner’ research is associated with emancipatory,

democratic and theoretically-

informed approaches that

encourage reflective practice.

Whereas ‘What Works’ research is

seen as an oppressive, dictatorial,

descriptive and theoretically naïve

approach that stifles reflective

practice.

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• Little was known about student teachers’ views as they progressed towards practice

• HEA-funded research addressed this, with a focus on students’ views of educational research about diverse pupil groups

• In line with the HEA theme of the contribution of HE to teacher education

Clearly, views are important

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• HEA Social Sciences Strategic Project ‘Developing workshop materials summarising evidence-based classroom approaches to support student teachers in responding effectively to issues of diversity and inclusion’

• Now in the past - January - July 2014, Strathclyde University. Will discuss the situation then.

The strategic project

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• Collection of applicable education research evidence:

• from Faculty staff, as a scholarly community

• and from targeted literature searches

Outline of the project

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• Large research studies that provide information on the relationships amongst bio-psycho-social aspects of child experience and educational attainment

Two types of evidence

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• ‘What Works’ reviews of classroom interventions. In 2014 there were few completed UK examples

• The US Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences ‘What Works’ Clearinghouse (WWC) reports relevant to diverse populations

Two types of evidence

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• Workshops were piloted on Strathclyde PGDE, BEd and BA Childhood Practice teaching students

• Participants respond to questionnaires pre-, post- and a month after the workshop

Workshop format

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• Participants decide whether statements similar to those presented above are ‘Not close to …’ or ‘Close to my views’.

• They read and discuss a summary of policy research and a WWC Quick Review.

Workshop format

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• Sosu & Ellis (2014). Closing the Attainment Gap in Scottish Education. York: Joseph Rowntree Foundation. http://www.jrf.org.uk/sites/files/jrf/education-attainment-scotland-summary.pdf

Policy example used: all courses

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• BACP: Head Start Impact Study: Final report• BEd: Reciprocal Teaching: Students with learning

difficulties. • PGDE: Closing the Social-Class Achievement

Gap: A difference-education intervention improves first-generation students’ academic performance and all students’ college transitions.

• All http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/pdf/quick_reviews

WWC examples used - Quick Reviews:

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• Participants are asked at the start of the workshop about their uses of research evidence in their teaching practice, its utility, sources and any problems.

• They discuss whether they know about the sources (JRF, WWC) of the examples, and whether they are surprised at the findings

Information sought

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• Participants are asked about translating the evidence in the workshop examples into their practice, and how it could become more informative for teachers

• They are presented with potentially useful websites

Information sought

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• The post-workshop questionnaire asks about the impact of the workshop, and to suggest how research could be made more useful for students by universities

• The follow-up questionnaire asks whether they have accessed websites, and about their intentions and any changes of views

Information sought

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• Academic colleagues have supplied a range of research material

• Critical policy studies and reviews of evidence, and ‘What Works’ classroom studies were requested

• However, policy reports, research on teacher education and analyses of large pupil data sets were received, but no ‘What Works’ examples

• Literature searches found these

So far (May 2014)

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• Workshops are being piloted for feasibility with small numbers of volunteers from the courses

• We will then review the workshop materials and investigate scaling up the numbers of participants

So far (May 2014)

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• The workshops may provide insights into student views, and what support they will need as they move into the new evidence-based teaching profession future.

Next steps

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• Is the future outlined at the start the one the teaching profession still wants?

• Is the conceptualisation of evidence agreed?

• Was the effort worth the change?

However: back to now, 2064

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• Medicine recognises the need for ‘real life’ studies after RCTs, to monitor effectiveness.

• How did/will education cope with translational/real world applications?

However: back to now

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• Thank you for listening.

Discuss?

Theory without practice is empty; practice without theory is blind.

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• BERA (2014). The Role of Research in Teacher Education: Reviewing the Evidence. London: BERA

• Connolly, P. (2009) Paradigm Wars, Evidence and Mixed Methods in Educational Researchhttp://www.paulconnolly.net/publications/ pdf_filesTERN_Presentation_2009.pdf

• Florian, L. & Pantić, N. (2013), Eds. Learning to teach. Part 2: Exploring the Distinctive Contribution of Higher Education to Teacher Education. York: HEA

• Helmsley-Brown, J. & Sharp, C. (2003). The use of research to improve professional practice: a systematic review of the literature. Oxford Review of Education, 29 (4) 449 – 470.  

• Schleicher, A. (2012), Ed. Preparing Teachers and Developing School Leaders for the 21st Century:. OECD Publishing.

Key readings