What We’re Talking About, When We Talk About Research in Schools
Posted by Lisa Grable on February 25 2015 at 7:21 p.m.
This paper describes the continued challenges associated with school-based research of technology and teacher training training programs, more than 10 years after the strong push for scientifically-based research in education began at the U.S. federal level. The authors’ experiences with implementing experimental designs, using high stakes test scores and online surveys as measures of program success, and negotiating data collections with wary teachers are discussed.
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here's where you can view our slides: http://academicexperts.org/conf/site/2015/presentation/45460/
Posted in reply to Lisa Grable
Over-arching questions to consider for this presentation: 1. How do evaluators, working within limited budgets and often hostile conditions, capture the effects of an intervention in ways that are authentic, in a world obsessed with test scores? 2. How do we communicate our findings in ways that acknowledge that the complexities of school-based research, without undermining our credibility as researchers in the eyes of policymakers?
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You know, Lisa, I was thinking about our work, and I think that pushing back starts with making our voices heard. Conversations about educational research, accountability, testing, and teacher quality come up ALL the time in all kinds of venues, and I think a good first step (beyond just constantly emailing politicians and trying to produce good evaluation reports) is to chime in where we can and try to be a positive force in educating the general public. As John Wesley said, “Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as ever you can.”"
Posted in reply to Lisa Grable
Back when NCLB was in the works, I was able to convene folks for brown bags where we discussed what the proposals for the law would mean to school systems (no more Eisenhower funds) and university work with teachers and schools. People thought I was crazy. But we were able to prepare state ed leaders for the RFPs they would have to craft. It can be hard to be proactive. All this work is part of an organic, dynamic system and researchers have an important voice in terms of seeing and reporting evidence.
Posted in reply to Amy Overbay
I think people still think we're crazy! :^D
But I think that it is important to have the meta-conversations where we can talk about policy and what it means for us, and not just react to it or act as if it were unchangeable and inevitable.
Posted in reply to Lisa Grable
We'd like some input from you, dear readers. We'll post some questions here and please hit Reply to This Post below if you'd like to join in!
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