OSEP Project Directors’ Conference Washington, DC

July 21, 2008

Tools for Bridging the Research to Practice Gap

Mary Wagner, Ph.D.SRI International

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Today’s agenda

Introduce two Department of Education activities to bridge the research to practice gapWhat Works Clearinghouse practice

guides (WWC—Institute of Education Sciences)

Doing What Works website (DWW—ED Office of Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development)

The information presented here does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Education or Institute of Education Sciencesnor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. government.

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What is a practice guide?

Purpose: provide practical recommendations to help educators address the everyday challenges they face in their classrooms and schools.

Developed by a panel of nationally recognized experts

Contents:Actionable recommendations Implementation steps to put recommendations into

practiceStrategies for overcoming potential roadblocks Indication of the strength of evidence supporting each

recommendation Subjected to rigorous external peer review

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WWC standards of evidenceStrong = consistent and generalizable evidence that an

intervention strategy or program causes an improvement in outcomes (randomized control trial)*

Moderate = evidence from studies that:allow strong causal conclusions but cannot be

generalized with assurance to the population on which a recommendation is focused

or are generalizable but have more causal ambiguity than

offered by experimental designs (e.g., statistical models of correlational data or nonequivalent control group design)

Low = expert opinion based on reasonable extrapolations from research and theory on other topics and evidence from studies that do not meet the standards for moderate or strong evidence.

*WWC guidelines consider a positive, statistically significant effect or large

(i.e., greater than 0.25) effect size as an indicator of positive effects.

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Available practice guides

Effective Literacy and English Language Instruction for English Learners in the Elementary Grades

Organizing Instruction and Study to Improve Student Learning

Encouraging Girls in Math and ScienceTurning Around Chronically Low-Performing

Schools

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Example: Effective Literacy and English Language Instruction for English Learners in the Elementary Grades

Recommendations:Screen for reading problems

and monitor progress (strong evidence)Provide intensive small-group reading

interventions (strong evidence)Provide extensive, varied vocabulary

instruction (strong evidence)Develop academic English (low evidence)Schedule regular peer-assisted learning

opportunities (strong evidence)

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Example: Effective Literacy and English Language Instruction for English Learners in the Elementary Grades

Expanded description of Recommendation 1“Conduct formative assessments with English

learners using English language measures of

phonological processing, letter knowledge, and word and text reading.

Use these data to identify English learners who require additional instructional support

and to monitor their reading progress over time.”

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Example: Effective Literacy and English Language Instruction for English Learners in the Elementary Grades

Summary of evidence to supporta rating of strong evidence21studies demonstrate measures of

phonological processing, letter and alphabet knowledge, and reading words or text are valid ways to determine which English learners will need more intensive reading instruction

Measures meet standards of the American Psychological Association for valid screening instruments.

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Example: Effective Literacy and English Language Instruction for English Learners in the Elementary Grades

Implementation steps: Districts should have procedures

and provide training on screening English learners for reading problems

If resources allow, collect progress monitoring (PM) data three times/year for those at risk of reading problems—weekly or biweekly for those at high risk

Use screening and PM data to make decisions about instructional support to help English learners learn to read

Use same benchmarks/standards for English learners and native English speakers.

Provide training on how teachers are to use formative assessment data to guide instruction

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Example: Effective Literacy and English Language Instruction for English Learners in the Elementary Grades

Example roadblock:Some teachers believe reading problems

may resolve themselves when English learners become proficient in oral English, so hesitate to refer students for additional help or to provide intensive instructional support in foundational areas of beginning reading.

Example of possible solution:Districts should develop/disseminate

information asserting that no evidence supports this assumption. Principals and reading coaches can examine school data to see link between kindergarten/first grade measures and later scores on state accountability tests.

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Practice guides in development

Reducing Behavior Problems in the Elementary School Classroom

Response to Intervention and Multi-Tiered Intervention for Reading in the Primary Grades

Adolescent LiteracyDropout Prevention

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Doing What Works website

Purpose: to help educators identify and make use of effective teaching practices.Disseminates IES practice guides and intervention reports on effective teaching practices

Has examples from real schools and teachers (video, slides) of ways practice guide recommendations may be implementedMust have evidence of positive outcomes Implementation strategy aligns with research

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Doing What Works websiteOffers “Planning Templates”—Tools for TA

providers to use in engaging educators and policymakers with the practices recommended by the WWC. They:Translate information in reviews into practical

policy/ program options appropriate to implementation by state, district, and school leaders

Facilitate TA providers and others having a comprehensive conversation on what it takes to implement the coherent set of practices in a Practice Guide, not partial approaches

Encourage systematic consideration of options, identifying what is in place, what new strategies might be good options, and what ideas are not likely to be feasible

Cross-reference existing DWW resources to the specific needs of TA providers and other clients

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How these tools can be used

Professional development—what teachers and other school leaders need to know (and aren’t learning in preservice programs)

Dissemination—OSEP channels can help “spread the word”

Technical assistance—align with the best knowledge of “what works”

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For more…

Visit the What Works Clearinghouse and Doing What Works websites

www.whatworks.ed.govwww.dww.ed.gov