Evidence-Based Practice in the UK: What Will It Take? Robert E. Slavin University of York and Johns Hopkins University

Extraordinary Developments in Evidence-Based Practice Goldacre Review Education Endowment Foundation Realising Ambition Early Intervention Foundation Coalition for Evidence-Based Education Climate of Change

What is Evidence-Based Practice? Educators using interventions, materials, and technologies proven to be effective in rigorous experiments.  Randomised experiments  Other rigorous designs

What is Not Evidence-Based Practice (But Sounds Like It)? Top-down mandating of practices “supported by research.” Providing teachers with general principles supported by research Asking educators to become researchers themselves Asking each school to invent its own “research- informed” methods.

A Vision of Evidence-Based Practice Educators evaluating their needs and choosing among proven interventions Many proven interventions in each area, each with CPD, materials, and capacity Incentive funding from government to help educators implement proven interventions Assistance to help educators make wise choices and implement well (knowledge brokering)

What Can We Learn from the History of Evidence-Based Practice National Diffusion Network (NDN) - US Comprehensive School Reform (CSR) - US Investing in Innovation (i3) - US Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) - UK

What Initiatives are Needed to Support Evidence-Based Practice? Development and evaluation of proven interventions Summaries of evidence Creation of strong organisations to scale up proven models Incentive funding to schools Involving practitioners/governors/unions in demanding effective interventions Knowledge brokering

Where Does the UK Stand in Promoting Evidence-Based Practice? EEF EIF Realising Ambition Reviews of Evidence Strong Organisations Support for Schools

Next Steps Development Organisation building Evaluation Knowledge brokering Incentives to schools