This article provides clear and practical guidelines for researchers seeking to use national secondary datasets to conduct evidence-based research. Drawing from our own experiences, we discuss a six-step research process model (Bryan et al., 2010, 2017) to help researchers navigate the use of these datasets. We present examples from the school…

Since the 1990s, there has been a growing demand for evidence-based education policy and practice. This demand stems from concerns that education systems are not meeting the needs of a changing world and that education research lacks rigor. While this demand aims to improve the quality of education, silos between different actors often hinder how…

Developing an evidence-base for educational provision can be an arduous journey. To facilitate consistent and accurate implementation of promising approaches, research efforts need to answer questions relating to theoretical coherence, efficacy, effectiveness, cost, ease of use, and acceptability. An evidence-building framework can help us to…

Everyone "says" they want more "evidence-based" practice in schools. However, there is a widespread sense that research too rarely makes its way into schools and classrooms. Why is that? In this article, Frederick Hess describes three factors that make using research to inform school or classroom practice trickier than it looks…

In this paper, we present an argument for Practitioner Inquiry (PI). We briefly introduce PI, and we indicate how PI recasts the professional and political role of the Early Years Practitioner (practitioner). At the core of this article is the work of the early childhood pioneer, Friedrich Froebel (1782-1852). Froebel provided principles to…

Educators who are urged to use evidence-based practices to improve instruction often end up disappointed at the results, which fall short of those touted in the research and by the What Works Clearinghouse. Stanley Pogrow explains how common strategies researchers use to demonstrate evidence of success, such as statistical significance of or…

Advancing equity is a major challenge facing education systems globally. This creates an imperative for researchers to work with policymakers and practitioners to affect change. There have been many attempts to do this using various forms of action-oriented research and a considerable body of knowledge exists about their strengths and limitations.…

The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) serves as a central and trusted source of scientific evidence for what works in education. The WWC designs its resources to help educators, administrators, families, researchers, and policymakers make evidence-based decisions. In fall 2023, the WWC convened the Small Working Group of Experienced Education…

It is important for school counselors to learn more about antiracism and to incorporate antiracist concepts into their practice more consistently (Holcomb-McCoy, 2021; Mayes & Byrd, 2022; Stickl Haugen et al., 2022). Operating from a critical political standpoint perspective (Cushman, 1995; Prilleltensky, 1994), namely, critical race theory…

This tribute article highlights Professor Marion Bogo's groundbreaking work on simulation-based social work education. We highlight Professor Bogo's lifetime commitment to enhancing social work education through research, mentorship, and innovation. Professor Bogo advanced the use of simulation with trained actors by implementing a structured and…

The complex and ever-changing nature of the field of educational development has led to a scholarship of educational development (SoED) that is rich but also enigmatic. The authors outline four lenses through which SoED might be viewed, ultimately proposing a framework for SoED that empowers scholars to engage in a sophisticated negotiation…

The National Snapshot provides a baseline of how evidence is used by teachers and leaders across Australian schools. Better use of evidence is proven to lift student outcomes, so it's important to understand and advance its use in schools. The National Snapshot helps to do this by bringing together new and existing information to see a more…

Continuous improvement methods, widely used in fields such as medicine, can help educators identify and try out adjustments in practice, known as "change ideas," which contribute to better outcomes and more equitable systems for students. Since 2018, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has invested in 24 organizations across the…

The Global Research Agenda for Children with Disabilities (the Research Agenda) is a strategic framework that identifies priority research areas -- defined through a global research prioritization exercise -- to close critical evidence gaps, inform inclusive policies and programmes, and guide effective investments that support children with…

Ann Oakley, pioneering social researcher for nearly 60 years, is Professor of Sociology and Social Policy at IOE (Institute of Education), UCL's Faculty of Education and Society (University College London, UK). This article explores the innovation and influence of her work and the work of her close colleagues at the Social Science Research Unit…