Evidence based research in education

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Evidence based research in education

• Cathy Gunn
• University of Auckland

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Overview
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Objective

• Capture contextual complexity
• Learn from collective experience
• Enhance educational design

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Aims

• Move research beyond simple observation one
  off case studies
• Engineer situations to enhance and understand
  learning
• Combine rigor of experiment with sensitivity of
  case study research

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A rose by any other name!

• Evidence based research

• Design based research

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Why

• Tradition superstition relied on for too
  long

• Integrate research practice
• Instructional science needs to progress and be
  transformed

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How

• Integrate professional wisdom with empirical
  evidence to inform instructional development
  decisions

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How

• Teaching methods are backed by quality data AND
  educational theory

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How

• Results reflect or advance theory AND demonstrate
  impact in context

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How

• The functional relationship between intervention
  behavioral response is established clearly
  defined

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So whats different?

• A key aim is to identify, explore, confirm
  advance theoretical concepts

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So whats different?

• Move beyond impact observation to a fully
  engineered approach
• The researcher is a key player

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So whats different?

• Instructional engineering research are
  instrumental to learning outcomes

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So whats different?

• Relevance of theory is proved by ability to work
  in real world contexts

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A practical example

• Learning theory underpins activities
• Explicit strategies for students
• Pilot new learning activities
• Evaluate, reflect and refine before full
  implementation
• Conclusion - it works fine but doing it takes
  energy, time and commitment

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Integrated approach

• Pre and post lecture self-assessment tests for
  mastery
• Animations for learning through visualization
• Online resources for review, reflection
  integration of information
• Tutorials to address sticky issues

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Engineering

• Empower students with explicit expectations
• Set achievable milestones help them stay on
  task
• Be available in regular contact
• Explain integrate different learning strategies

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Benefits to students

• Increased confidence motivation through
• sustained communication
• 24/7 access to resources and activities
• control over learning process via feedback
• coaching to make informed choices

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What next?

• Further developments for other levels
• Longitudinal tracking of
• improvement in academic performance
• retention of students
• recruitment of mature students facilitation of
  life long learning

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Benefits of evidence based research

• Empower, engineer evaluate
• Improve, enhance integrate
• Understand respond to dynamics of situations
• Build innovation on what is already known to work

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Benefits (2)

• Meet accepted professional standards for research
• Produce compelling evidence of effectiveness
• Respect contextual difference and complexity
• Build top quality learning environments for
  students