Promoting Research Use Among K–12 Educational Leaders

• In Event: Moscone Center North Roundtable Session 6
  In Roundtable Session: Research to Practice: An Evidence Perspective

Abstract

Academic research can be a valuable vein of information that, if mined judiciously, helps leaders make better decisions leading, ultimately, to better outcomes. Yet, K-12 teachers and administrators remain skeptical about the value of research due, in large part, to the volume of ineffectual “research-based innovations” they have endured over the years (David & Cuban, 2010). This paper reports findings from a capstone survey of participants of an 8-year-long project to facilitate K-12 leaders’ engagement with research. Only a few participants said that they consulted research prior to being included in the project but about half said that they were more likely to do so by the end. Additional findings along with implications for districts and researchers will be discussed.

Author

• Scott D. Tunison, University of Saskatchewan