Knowledge Creation as an Approach to Facilitating Evidence-Informed Practice in Early Years Settings

• In Event: Knowledge Creation, Evidence-Based Funding Models, and Whose Opinions Count in Educational Policy Making

Abstract

This paper reports on a project examining research use within 18 early years settings in Camden (London). Specifically it examines how the use of knowledge creation activity within learning communities has provided an effective way of overcoming two of the key issues associated with facilitating and understanding the extent to which practice may be considered ‘evidence-informed’: namely the methodological issue of ‘self reporting’, and the analytical issue of ascertaining which information led to which decisions. Employing in depth semi-structured interviews, e-survey data and an amended version of the Knott and Wildavsky research-use scale, our data indicates that the impacts of knowledge creation activity are positive. Our data also augments current understanding as to what being ‘evidence-informed’ actually means in practice.

Authors

• Chris Brown, Institute of Education University of London

• Sue Jane Rogers, Institute of Education - London