Evidence-based practice in education

The term ‘evidence-based practice’, applied in education, refers to an educational practice that is constantly updated by the results of a thorough research on ‘what works’ in the class. Moreover it refers to a model of relationship between research, policy making and practice that it’s not a linear one, starting from educational research and ending to the dissemination of the evidences into practice, but to a cyclic model, in which the practice interacts and cooperates constantly with the research. 

According to the model of evidence-based practice the researchers focus on a problem until it gets a solution and produce research findings that are always based on previous and tested ones. In this way the whole process results to the creation of a cumulative and constantly improved theory, with practical application for the practitioners.

Although, the model seems simple, provisional and advantageous however it accepts multiple interpretations by the stakeholders. On the one hand there are those who believe that the research findings and evidences are valuable, useful and can enrich the teacher’s wisdom without displacing it. On the other hand there are those who afraid that such a “positivistic” model will encourage the policy makers to intervene to the educational practice imposing strict rules and replacing the teachers’ judgment. Furthermore, the negative criticism highlights weaknesses of the model such as: That leads the interest of the researchers exclusively on the measurable educational outcomes, that endeavors the creation of universal theories underestimating the case studies, that favors policies with short-term goals, that is inefficient to complex problems etc.

The diagram describes the function of ‘evidence-based practice’ and the way it could be applied in education.