We know that educators and education systems at large face countless
decisions every day. We also know that grounding educational decisions
in research can improve the likelihood of desirable teaching and
learning outcomes, as well as reduce the likelihood of unintended
consequences. Research is just one among many types of evidence used in
educational decision-making, however. So being 'evidence informed' is as
much about engaging with research evidence as it is engaging with
practice-based evidence (e.g., professional judgment) and data-based
evidence (e.g., school performance data). How can educators become
evidence-informed? In our view, the best approach is to learn from
examples from experts of how research can be integrated with these other
types of evidence, and so regularly inform our own everyday practice.
With that in mind, this practical handbook offers 16 illuminating
chapters that provide a wealth of advice and perspectives on the subject
written by North American educators who are striving to realize the idea
of research-informed practice. Key themes - reflective practitioners,
networks and collaboration, trust - emerge to help teachers formalize,
prioritize and mobilize the use of research-evidence in schools.