Is engaging in evidence‐informed practice in education rational? What accounts for discrepancies in teachers' attitudes towards evidence use and actual instances of evidence use in schools?

Abstract

Whilst beneficial, the consistent and regular use of evidence to improve teaching and learning in schools is proving difficult to achieve in practice. This paper attempts to shed new light on this issue by examining the applicability of a model of rational behaviour as it relates to the notion of evidence-informed practice (EIP). Specifically, exploring the question: 'if EIP is rational behavior, why aren't all teachers engaged in it?', we examine whether the beliefs and perspectives of teachers in relation to EIP, align with their evidence-use behaviours. We then assess what factors (if any) prevent teachers/schools who wish to engage in EIP from doing so. To examine beliefs, instances of, and barriers to evidence use, we employ a Gradient Boosted Tree predictive model to analyse data from a survey of 696 practitioners in 79 schools. Our findings suggest that, should they wish to increase EIP within their schools, school leaders need to: 1) promote the vision for evidence-use (i.e. actively encourage its use); 2) illustrate how research and evidence can be effectively employed to enhance aspects of teaching and learning; and 3) establish effective learning environments, in which learning conversations around the use of evidence, can flourish. Simultaneously we caution that evidence use will never be fully or meaningfully realised unless school leaders prioritise EIP as a school commitment. Simultaneously, it is unlikely that such prioritisation will occur until EIP forms part of any education system's accountability regime.

The convivial space – exploring teacher learning through practitioner research

“…These brief examples evidence ways in which the projects avoid some of the common pitfalls of PR such as superficial hints and tips for example (Brown and Zhang, 2016). Our research explores how this work is developed and mediated in the school and attempts to uncover how teachers' social interactions around these projects (and around the work of the IU in general) can lead to further teacher learning.…”

“…Wilkins (2011) rightly suggests this growing acknowledgement of the role of PR in teacher learning is as much about the impact on the practitioner researchers themselves, as the impact of the PR itself. Important to this point is Brown and Zhang's (2016) comment that the experience of 'research engaged schools' is that research engagement can shift school behaviours from the superficial to 'a learning culture in which staff work together to understand what appears to work and why' (781). This comment touches the interdependence of PR with collegiality, defined by Halsall (1998) as 'mutual assistance, joint work and sharing' (30).…”

Achieving Evidence-Informed Policy and Practice in Education

“…These ideas first and foremost are theoretical in nature, with practical considerations resulting from this theory. The first of these theories is that of Optimal Rationality (Brown, 2014a;Brown & Zhang, 2016). Simply put this is a theory of rationality that suggests what we do is sometimes not fully aligned with what we know might be the best course of action.…”

“…The section on evidence-informed practice begins with an examination in Chapter 2 of the rationality of evidence use ('Is Using Evidence to Inform Teaching Practice Rational? '), based on an article by Brown and Zhang (2016) that first appeared in the British Educational Research Journal. Specifically, exploring the question: 'if the pursuit of EIPr represents a rational decision on the part of schools, why aren't all teachers engaged in it?…”

“…I then assess what factors (if any) prevent teachers/schools who wish to engage in EIP from doing so. To examine beliefs, instances of, and barriers to evidence use, I illustrate how in Brown and Zhang (2016) we used a Gradient Boosted Tree predictive model to analyse data from a survey of 696 practitioners in 79 schools. I then detail how the findings from this analysis suggest that, should they wish to increase EIP within their schools, school leaders need to: (1) promote their vision for evidence-use (i.e.…”