Implementing Improvement Science as a Problem-Finding Technique

• In Event: 45.056 - Arts and Accessibility: What Influence Does Research Have?

Abstract

AIR is a social science research firm working in the areas of evaluation research, workplace research, technical assistance, and assessment. In this session, AIR researchers will bring their experience evaluating arts model programs and conducting evidence reviews of arts integration and arts learning literatures. In addition to AIR’s knowledge of theory and research about the arts in education, the representatives from AIR bring the organization’s experience developing Networked Improvement Communities (NIC), the mode of inquiry proposed for this session (Bryk et al., 2011). This approach has been utilized by AIR to test, refine, and share promising practices about high school reform at a state level; teacher development at a regional level; and clinical experience with AERA and the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE). For example, working with teacher educators AIR organized NIC-type discussions at national meetings. Objectives of these sessions were to (1) explore what the field is thinking about studying clinical practice, (2) generate interest in conducting research on clinical practice, and (3) elicit suggestions for a research agenda. A chapter in an AERA monograph summarized the effort and results. AIR has continued applying the approach recently with the goal of improving the teaching of math, as chronicled in a publication of the Nellie Mae Education Foundation (Walters et al., 2017).
AIR will be a co-leader for this proposed session and will use the tools and structure integral to the improvement approach to structure the meeting discussions. In preparation for the session, AIR and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) co-chair will work with session participants to finalize the structure and agenda for the discussion, ensuring opportunities for AERA attendees to participate. AIR’s presentation and commentary paper will review the results of the improvement approach from its recent projects and clarify its significance to the problem of arts research and accessibility to the arts.

Author

• Meredith Jane Ludwig, American Institutes for Research