Four Six Ways to Improve Research Use

1. Four Six Ways to Improve Research Use Ronald Dietel American Educational Research AssociationAnnual Meeting New York City - March 26, 2008

2. Campbell Report: R&D Funding Policies of NIE We understand the political pressure for “dissemination” of the results of R&D, but we conclude that NIE has done little to attack the problem… We do not think that work in the field can be halted until theory catches up… Research on knowledge-utilization could be more extensively funded as an essential basis for policy in this area. Roald Campbell & others, 1975

3. Education Research Could Improve Schools, But Probably Won’t Research is not readily accessible–either physically or intellectually–to the potential users. Summaries of major studies appear in periodicals like Education Week, but the detailed results (usually written for other researchers in academic-speak) are usually available only in separate reports or in relatively low-circulation journals that don’t reach those who most need to know. Ronald Wolk, Education Week, 2007

4. International Focus on Research Use-OECD • Use-inspired basic research • Systematic accumulation and dissemination of knowledge • Stronger research-use capacity • Research-based continuous improvement strategies

5. 1. Use-Inspired Research • Is it useful for the intended audience? • Is it credible? • Is it timely?

6. 2. Increase Teacher Research Knowledge and Beliefs • Believe that research is valuable • Know where to find research • Know good research from poor research • Have time to use research • Know what to do when things don’t work

7. 3. More Exemplars of Effective Practice • What Works Clearinghouse • Research Centers & Organizations • R&D Labs • Comprehensive Centers

8. 4. Communicate in Plain Language • Schools of Education • AERA • Professional Associations

9. Simplify Writing For example, one indication of the move towards the ikonic mode is shown when the child turns the sensorimotor “understanding” that an object exists regardless of his/her perception of it to an ikonic conception of it; the sensorimotor skills of walking and grasping form the basis for the running and catching games of later childhood and early adulthood. Most importantly, these sensorimotor skills will now be available to contribute to intermodal activity as the individual moves through other modes.

10. Tables and Graphs

11. More is Messy • Research Questions • Are the district’s formative assessments aligned to state and school district content standards? • Do the district formative assessments improve learning in mathematics? • What is the correlation between performance on the district assessments and performance on the state test? • Formative assessments that are not aligned to standards are not useful in guiding and informing instruction, Smith and James, 1992 • Analysis of mathematics content standards that had been used to design third-grade assessments, was then used to design instruction--with learning experts • Random selection of 400 students who received different types of math instruction (ten lessons each) before taking the district mathematics assessment: • Data on mathematics alignment • Evidence collected in mathematics formative assessment using different mathematics curricula and instruction • Learning experts analysis of data • Triangulation of data • Study Results

12. Less is Lovely Do the district formative assessments improve learning in mathematics?

13. 5. Research Use Center • Synthesize Existing Knowledge • Lessons from Other Disciplines • Research on Research Use • Spread to others

14. 6. What AERA, IES and We Can Do • Promote use-inspired basic research • Make it part of what we do • Promote funding • Regular collaborative activities

15. Six Ways to Improve Research Use • Quality research • Increase teacher knowledge • More exemplars • Communicate in plain language • Research use center • Shared roles and responsibilities

16. ron@ucla.edu