All Aboard! Open to Learning Through Applied Research Practices and Evaluative Thinking in the Ontario Public Education System

Session Type: Symposium

Abstract

Developmental evaluation – learning as we go - is positioned as a leadership responsibility focused on decision-oriented use that builds a culture of evaluative thinking. Keeping up with research and evaluation findings, inquiring into the empirical basis for assertions about what works and what doesn’t becomes standard operating procedure. (Patton 2013) The symposium examines how a ministry builds the systems’ capacity to use evidence to inform decisions and implementation through applied research practices in the public education system, and embedding evaluative thinking in our relentless effort to realize success for all students. Using logic modeling as tool for infusing evaluative thinking to guide DE facilitates our open to learning stance and encourages use of applied research.

Sub Unit

• Division H - Research, Evaluation and Assessment in Schools / Section 1: Applied Research in the Schools

Chair

• Richard Franz, Ontario Ministry of Education

Papers

• Using Logic Modeling as a Tool to Infuse Evaluative Thinking and Guide Developmental Evaluation - Mary Jean Gallagher, Ontario Ministry of Education; Keiko Kuji-Shikatani, Ontario Ministry of Education

• The Big Reveal: Applied Research, Emergent Design, and Partnerships - Pauline McNaughton, Ontario Ministry of Education; Megan Borner, York Region District School Board/Association of Educational Researchers of Ontario; Hema Vyas; Hana Saab, Ontario Ministry of Education

• I’m More Than an Ant in a Building - Jean Courtney; Kelly C Brown; Hema Vyas