Research-informed practice: A framework
What’s the idea?
Research-informed practice is about trying to make beneficial changes to your teaching, and trying to stop or avoid changes that might be harmful or ineffective – all guided by research evidence of what works (Kvernbekk, 2016).
What does it mean?
Barends et al. (2014) provide a comprehensive definition of research-informed practice. They say it ‘is about making decisions through the conscientious, explicit and judicious use of the best available evidence from multiple sources to increase the likelihood of a favourable outcome.’ (p. 2)
They suggest that there are six steps to this process that we have adapted for you:
- Asking – break down your issue into a well-formulated and answerable question
- Acquiring – devise a search strategy to look for the relevant research evidence
- Appraising – critically evaluate the quality, trustworthiness and relevance of the research evidence
- Aggregating – pull together various sources of research evidence
- Applying – using the best available research evidence when making a decision and act upon it
- Assessing – evaluate both the impact of your decision and how well you did as a research-informed practitioner (adapted from Barends et al., 2014, p. 2).
Points to remember
- Scientific research is not the only source of evidence. You should also look at school or organisational data, your own expertise and stakeholder views
- Qualitative and quantitative researchQuantitative research usually emphasises quantification in the collection and analysis of data. are equally valuable
- Evidence does not give you the answer. You must use your professional judgment and knowledge of your own context to make decisions
- There is no certainty in evidence-informed practice – it only increases your likelihood of getting favourable outcomes for pupils.
What are the implications for teachers?
Evidence-informed practice can help you increase your chances of:
- Introducing or continuing more effective teaching and learning strategies
- Stopping or avoiding strategies that are ineffective or do more harm than good
- Making effective use of your time
- Developing your own professional skills and expertise.
Want to know more?
- Barends E, Rousseau D and Briner R (2014) Evidence-Based Management: The Basic Principles. Amsterdam: Center for Evidence-Based Management.
- Jones G (2018) Evidence-Based School Leadership and Management: A Practical Guide. London: SAGE.
- Kvernbekk T (2016) Evidence-Based Practice in Education: Functions of Evidence and Causal Presuppositions. London: Routledge.
This article was published in May 2019 and reflects the terminology and understanding of research and evidence in use at the time. Some terms and conclusions may no longer align with current standards. We encourage readers to approach the content with an understanding of this context.
