What Works vs. Whatever Works - Página 2

Listen to the Data 

It is important to understand that making informed decisions based on student data is the key to ensuring learning success for all students, and is especially important for those who struggle with learning. Yes, the education community still faces considerable hurdles, not the least of which is to figure out efficient ways for basic research (e.g., the carefully designed studies that do not always appear to be applicable or relevant to classroom practice) to serve as the foundation for the development of effective practices. And yes, consideration needs to be given to practices that are effective but not yet proven (e.g., the jockey's intuition), repair strategies that work for unexplained reasons and factors (e.g., temperament, spontaneous social interactions) that are subject to forces outside of our control. That said, we have an obligation make every effort to scrutinize the evidence about "what works" and to resist the temptation of settling for "whatever works."

Putting Data to Work

For the research community, the challenges are well known and the opportunities are increasingly well defined:

• How do we build and organize a knowledge base in different areas of content and instructional practice?
• How do we "prove" that our knowledge can take hold in real classrooms and have a positive impact on student learning?
• How do we convey knowledge about best practices and decision making to educators and support their implementation of these practices with fidelity?
• Can we establish policies and procedures that allow for these practices to be replicated, scaled up, and sustained over time?

Members of the practitioner community, in school districts, school buildings and individual classrooms need to engage in open and meaningful dialogue among themselves (and with parents!), addressing such questions as:

• What do you want me to do, and what evidence should I consider as relevant to making this change?
• Why do you want me to change what I'm doing?
• How will making a change make my life easier?
• How will making a change effect the learning and behavior of my students?
• Why should I believe you?
• Who is going to help me do this, and how long will I receive this support?
• Will I be penalized if these efforts don't work, and what do I do to fix the mess if it doesn't work as planned?

It is precisely this tension between "what works" and "whatever works" that holds great promise to inform educational practice.

Some Web Resources Worth Considering:

• Best Evidence Encyclopedia
  A project of the Center for Data-Driven Reform in Education at Johns Hopkins University, this site distills evidence from a number of different sources about promising practices and interventions in education.
• What Works Clearinghouse
  Postings on this site are vetting through the Institute for Educational Sciences (IES) of the US Department of Education. The site contains reviews and effectiveness ratings of a wide range of programs and practices.
• Social Programs That Work
  A website produced by the Coalition for Evidence-Based Policy that shares reviews of educational interventions that have undergone randomized trials.
• Promising Practices Network
  Delivered by the RAND Corporation, this site highlights research-based programs that focus on improving outcomes for children, youth and families.
• Comprehensive School Reform Quality Center
  This site posts reviews of research on school-wide improvement activities and a sample of educational services providers.

For information about standards and evaluating evidence-based practices:

• The Campbell Collaboration
• Research Evidence in Education Library
• Research and Training Center on Early Childhood Development