Applying a Systems Approach to Research Use in Education

• In Event: Division H International Committee Symposium. Bridging the Research-Practice Gap: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Teachers' and Schools' Engagement With and in Research

Abstract

Objectives: Models of research-use (RU) tend to focus on specific elements of education systems or underplay the complexity of system change, which limits their value. This paper develops and applies a systems approach to inform models of RU in local systems for policymakers and practitioners.

Theory: The paper draws on systems theory, systems thinking (Lai and Huili Ln, 2017) and complexity (Thompson et al, 2016) perspectives alongside the authors practice as researchers, evaluators and system to develop a new framework of ‘systems dimensions’, applied to a consideration of a set of system change initiatives.

Methods: The paper re-analyses mixed methods research data from a set of systems change interventions undertaken by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF – England’s What works Clearing House for Education), using the above noted systems dimensions. This analysis aims to illuminate the nature and complexity of scaling-up RU in schools and draw out areas requiring greater attention if the scale-up of RU is to be successfully achieved.

The principal data set relates to two inter-linked evaluations of regional pilots in England with a common focus on enabling schools to embed research-informed evidence on the deployment of Teaching Assistants. The qualitative findings comprise 32 longitudinal semi-structured stakeholder interviews and 16 school case studies comprising semi-structured interviews, observation and documentary analysis. Quantitative data comprises impact evaluation using a synthetic control to examine change in pupil outcomes, and change over time analyses undertaken on data from pre- and post-pilot surveys. Further qualitative data draws on two further interventions (Blackpool lower secondary Literacy Project; Regional Implementation Leads pilot).

Results: The analysis points to the importance of understanding local systems and establishing relationships with key stakeholders; and attending to the implementation capacity of the research-user as a key actor in increasing the scale up of research-informed practices.
Further, the degree to which RU systems self-organise, is important. In the cases reported here, the RU systems operated through a complex set of interactions between actors at different system levels that relied on trusted relationships and a mutual understanding of coordinated, but differentiated, roles. This highlights the potential need for system leadership in RU systems, as well as ‘system brokerage’.

Significance: Whilst a systems approach is recognised as being important, there have previously been no systematic attempts to fully articulate what such an approach might involve, nor to apply it. The systems dimensions framework represents the first articulation of such an approach; and the application to the example projects provide a new analysis using this approach. Dealing with complex, emergent, unpredictable, adaptive systems requires research and evaluation methodologies to account for this; this paper aims to provide the basis for the development of such methodological work, and provide a framework for developers of RU initiatives.

References
Lai, C. & Huili Lin, S. (2017 Systems theory, in: C. Scott& L. Lewis (Eds) The international encyclopedia of organizational communication (Wiley).
Thompson, D. Fazio, X. Kustra, E. Patrick, L. & Stanley, D. (2016) Scoping review of complexity theory in health services research, BMC health services research, 16(1), 1-16.

Authors

• Mike Coldwell, Sheffield Hallam University
  Presenting Author

• Bronwen Maxwell, Sheffield Hallam University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Jonathan Sharples, University College London
  Non-Presenting Author