The use of Improvement Science (IS) for the dissertation in practice (DiP) must be encouraged because the questions and concerns addressed in these projects go beyond answering basic research. Authors of dissertations in practice will bring philosophical assumptions, select research designs, and situate themselves somewhere along the practitioner…

In this brief, we discuss embedding and framing the evolving literatures related to improvement and implementation sciences into a general intervention perspective. From that perspective, we sketch out some basic considerations related to improvement and implementation research, practice, and policy.

The purpose of this monograph is to advance thinking about transforming how schools play their role in addressing barriers to learning and teaching. In the process, the authors discuss embedding and framing the evolving literatures related to improvement and implementation sciences into a general intervention perspective. Part I of this monograph…

In this research brief, SRI presents six lessons about equitable scaling from a retrospective study of the Deeper Learning + Diffusion of Innovation and Scaled Impact Initiative (DL+D initiative). Funded by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation beginning in 2018, the goal of the DL+D initiative was to generate knowledge about how fundamental…

The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed Canada with the country facing a public health crisis, an economic crisis, and struggling to address significant social inequities, particularly those driven by racism and colonialism. Strategic investments in universities and colleges must be made now to ensure a safe re-opening, a strong recovery and…

The Better Math Teaching Network (BMTN) is a networked improvement community (NIC) of researchers and high school teachers from New England who use improvement science principles to deepen student engagement in algebra content. The BMTN began as a pilot during the 2015-16 school year and concluded in fall 2021. Key learnings from the network…

This report presents an overview of the history, collective learning, and concluding products of a networked improvement community (NIC) that operated and evolved between 2017 and 2021: the Student-Centered Assessment Network (SCAN). SCAN comprised a group of teachers from three Rhode Island high schools; a coordinating team of researchers,…

The Research+Practice Collaboratory provides a compelling case that illustrates the ways in which the collaboratory structure--which is distinct from partnerships, centers, consortia, and other common structures--can make Grand Challenges in education "investable." The collaboratory structure, we suggest, has features that allow…

Although there is a growing body of evidence designed to facilitate understanding of teacher preparation, the studies are not always useful to preparation providers because the outcomes emerge long after teacher candidates have left preparation programs. But many providers seek answers to questions about the arrangement of activities within their…

As a systemic approach to improving educational practice through research, "What Works" has come under repeated challenge from alternative approaches, most recently that of improvement science. While "What Works" remains a dominant paradigm for centralized knowledge-building efforts, there is need to understand why this…

There is growing concern among researchers and governmental officials that knowing what works in education is important, but not enough for school improvement. Sound evidence alone is not sufficient for large-scale, sustainable change, both because practitioners may consider it irrelevant to their own problems of practice or run into challenges…

There is growing concern among researchers and governmental officials that knowing what works in education is important, but not enough for school improvement. Sound evidence alone is not sufficient for large-scale, sustainable change, both because practitioners may consider it irrelevant to their own problems of practice or run into challenges…

This brief outlines a series of proposals for using federal policy to bolster school leadership. The Elementary & Secondary Education Act (ESEA) should highlight the unique role that principals play by targeting funding within the law to build principals' capacity as instructional leaders, culture builders and talent managers. ESEA should also…

In this white paper, the author addresses the current issues faced by policy makers for improving the K-12 education system in the United States. Reliance had been on: (1) incentives; and (2) accountability standards. These two policy levers promised a quick, easily understood response for a relatively small investment. While the logic of these…

Higher education is under enormous pressure to improve outcomes and reduce costs. Information technology can help achieve these goals, but only if it is properly harnessed. This article argues that one key to harnessing information technology is business model innovation that results in more "open" and "unbundled" operations in learning and…