Professional knowledge and research-informed practice: Time for a rethink?
Written by: Gemma Moss and Rachel France
7 min read
GEMMA MOSS, PROFESSOR OF LITERACY AND DIRECTOR OF ESRC EDUCATION RESEARCH PROGRAMME, UCL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION, UK
RACHEL FRANCE, RESEARCH FELLOW, ESRC EDUCATION RESEARCH PROGRAMME, UCL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION, UK
Research-informed practice in England
The concepts of evidence-based and research-informed practice have become increasingly central to school improvement in England. With its origins in evidence-based medicine (EBM), evidence-based practice (EBP) aims to identify ‘what works’ and use that information to guide professional practice. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and the aggregation of outcomes from well-conducted studies are the preferred sources of evidence. In line with other What Works Centres in the UK (What Works Network, 2018), the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) was founded on this prospectus.
The EEF’s activities focus on: summarising the best available evidence, through systematic reviews and synthesis; generating new evidence, through runnin
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