University of Colorado Boulder
School of Education
http://nepc.colorado.edu
PROMOTING RESEARCH EVIDENCE FOR
EDUCATIONAL POLICYMAKING
Prof. Kevin Welner
University of Colorado Boulder School of Education
Director, National Education Policy Center
American Youth Policy Forum Webinar
Research, Policy, and Practice:
The Role of Intermediaries in Promoting Policies
February 27, 2014
The Importance of
High-quality Research
• “Research can be made to say anything”
• Distinguishing “Research” from “Highquality Research”
• “High-quality Research” = solid evidence
of what’s happened in the past
The Problem of Parallel Conversations
• Conversation #1: Among Researchers
Key Standard = Peer Review
Key Goal = Knowledge Building
• Conversation #2: Among and Between Policymakers,
Practitioners, Position Advocates, the Public,
Community Organizations, and the Media
Key Standard = Persuasiveness & Marketing
Key Goal = Change Policy and Practice
Bridging the Parallel Conversations
Types of NEPC Publications
• Think Twice
• Research Briefs
• Policy Briefs
• Legislative Policy Briefs
Plus…
• Best of the Blogs (republished blogs)
• Education Review (book review journal)
Repeated Problems Our Reviewers Find
• Weaknesses in research methods, such as the
confusion of correlation with causation, ignoring
regression to the mean, and failure to account for
selection or attrition bias.
• Long-distance leaps from evidence, to causal
conclusions, and then to unsupported
recommendations.
• The selective use of ‘research’ to bolster predetermined findings (cherry picking).
Repeated Problems Our Reviewers Find
• Weaknesses in research methods, such as the
confusion of correlation with causation, ignoring
regression to the mean, and failure to account for
selection or attrition bias.
• Long-distance leaps from evidence, to causal
conclusions, and then to unsupported
recommendations.
• The selective use of ‘research’ to bolster predetermined findings (cherry picking).
Repeated Problems Our Reviewers Find
• Weaknesses in research methods, such as the
confusion of correlation with causation, ignoring
regression to the mean, and failure to account for
selection or attrition bias.
• Long-distance leaps from evidence, to causal
conclusions, and then to unsupported
recommendations.
• The selective use of ‘research’ to bolster predetermined findings (cherry picking).
Repeated Problems Our Reviewers Find
• Weaknesses in research methods, such as the
confusion of correlation with causation, ignoring
regression to the mean, and failure to account for
selection or attrition bias.
• Long-distance leaps from evidence, to causal
conclusions, and then to unsupported
recommendations.
• The selective use of ‘research’ to bolster predetermined findings (cherry picking).
Repeated Problems Our Reviewers Find
• Weaknesses in research methods, such as the
confusion of correlation with causation, ignoring
regression to the mean, and failure to account for
selection or attrition bias.
• Long-distance leaps from evidence, to causal
conclusions, and then to unsupported
recommendations.
• The selective use of ‘research’ to bolster predetermined findings (cherry picking).
Repeated Problems Our Reviewers Find
• Weaknesses in research methods, such as the
confusion of correlation with causation, ignoring
regression to the mean, and failure to account for
selection or attrition bias.
• Long-distance leaps from evidence, to causal
conclusions, and then to unsupported
recommendations.
• The selective use of ‘research’ to bolster predetermined findings (cherry picking).
Our Dissemination Strategy
• If you build it, they will yawn.
• Accessible work is necessary but not sufficient.
• Use intermediary organizations with more capacity
to reach a broad audience, including media.
• Use social media.
• Try to develop relationships.
• Collaborate with partners.
The Larger Problem
Disincentives to Heed Research
• Education research has a well-known bias against
superficial, politically expedient ‘solutions’
(w/apologies to Colbert).
• Policy makers tend to not want to hear that their
pet ideas are unlikely to succeed.
• The policy maker audience is, generally speaking,
not clamoring for high-quality research.
The Quasi-Solution
• No Magic Bullet Here Either
• Bridge the Parallel Conversations
• Invite Expert Scrutiny
Questions & Answers
University of Colorado Boulder
School of Education
http://nepc.colorado.edu