The Realities of Translating Research into Classroom Practice

Abstract

This paper synthesizes key findings to facilitate the translation of research into classroom practice and provides guidelines for how effective instructional practices might be implemented, supported, and sustained in schools. Excerpts from a case study are presented to show how research-based instructional approach translates into classroom practices in a local school district that tailors the approach to the realities of the local situation. Abstract. In this paper, we review what the research suggests are the functions that allow a person in a leadership role to facilitate the translation of research into classroom practice. We describe how these functions were used to translate research into classroom practice in 2 school districts that are part of the Elementary and Middle School Technical Assistance Center (EM-STAC) project, a national research-to-practice effort.Examples of how these principles were put into practice and why different technical assistance approaches were used to implement research-based practices in a primary and middle school setting are discussed. We conclude with reflections on the intricate nature of effecting change at the local level, and the progress that can be made within those intricacies.

Attitudes of Principals Towards Students With Disruptive Behaviour: An Australian Perspective

“…Careful consideration, however, needs to be given to the models of professional learning required to support students with disruptive behaviour and the relationship between effective practices and individual teacher knowledge (Cook, Landrum, Tankersley, & Kauffman, 2003;Cook, Tankersley, & Harjusola-Webb, 2008). How these also combine within the context and the school (Gersten & Dimino, 2001) may in part be influenced by the attitudes of principals.…”

PB4L School-Wide: What Will Support the Sustainability of the Initiative?

“…A reciprocal relationship exists between effectiveness and implementation fidelity, as both rely on the other to support durable implementation (Gersten and Dimino 2001;McIntosh et al 2010McIntosh et al , 2009. It is important that positive outcomes are directly attributed to the complete and accurate implementation of the initiative (McIntosh et al 2010).…”

“…Generally, the more efficient a practice is, or is perceived to be, the more likely it is to be sustained (McIntosh et al 2013(McIntosh et al , 2010. In some cases, where evidence-based practices look good on paper, they may not be translated into practice (Gersten and Dimino 2001;Vaughn et al 2000). An initiative must meet certain efficiency criteria to support practical use in schools.…”

“…First, the resources required to implement the initiative must not exceed those available within schools (McIntosh et al 2009). Second, the initiative must meet the 'reality principle' which suggests that to be efficient, an initiative must include practices that can be realistically carried out alongside the normal daily demands of the school environment (Browne 2013;Gersten and Dimino 2001;McIntosh et al 2010).…”

The effects of real-time visual performance feedback on teacher feedback.

“…Toward that point, professional development for in-service teachers represents an attempt to introduce change in the adult's behavior with the distal goal of improving student outcomes. However, traditional professional development alone has proven insufficient for producing lasting change in teacher practice (Gersten & Dimino, 2001;Kornblet, 1997). Additional components are necessary for many teachers to augment the effects of professional development; accordingly, various interventions have been developed to do so (e.g., Hawkins & Heflin, 2011;Myers et al, 2011).…”