Co-creating evidence in education: fostering cooperation between educators, researchers, and policymakers to create rigorous education research

Group Submission Type: Pre-conference Workshop

Proposal

Co-creation of evidence is the collaborative process of researchers and stakeholders generating knowledge together in order to ensure research is applicable to real world situations. This three-hour workshop will provide participants with theoretical frameworks and practical tools for creating rigorous, policy-relevant education research. The workshop leaders come from academia, government, and NGOs to provide insight on how to collaborate. Concepts explored will include:

ENGAGING AN ECOSYSTEM OF DECISION-MAKERS, RESEARCHERS, AND EDUCATORS
We will discuss how to take a sectoral approach to research and policy engagement; partners can come from government, civil society, the private sector, international funders, and a wide range of sector-specific players.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS THAT ADDRESS DECISION-MAKERS’ FELT NEEDS
Co-creation of evidence means developing research projects that arm decision-makers with the information they need to improve their policies and programs.

MAINTAINING STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT THROUGHOUT A RESEARCH PROJECT
We will provide participants with tools that will help them craft a research project that not only caters to partners’ needs at the beginning of the project, but also keep stakeholders engaged throughout the entire project, building their buy-in.

BUILDING CAPACITY OVER TIME
Some of the most impactful work is done through building the capacity of those who make education decisions to make those decisions based on rigorous evidence. Capacity building can be done organically through the process of evidence co-creation.

EMPOWERING DECISION-MAKERS TO USE EVIDENCE, BEYOND DISSEMINATION
Researchers are often invested in disseminating the results of their research to the educators and policymakers who helped enable it—but disseminating a paper, developing a brief, or even holding an event may not truly empower decision-makers to make changes based on the research.

Learning objectives:
1. Participants understand the purpose of co-creating rigorous evidence on what works with educators
2. Participants are able to create and navigate partnerships with educators and policymakers, including:
­- choosing a partner
­- identifying a champion
­- navigating complex partner dynamics and competing interests
­- co-defining a research project that is academically interesting and policy-relevant
­- maintaining stakeholder engagement throughout the project
3. Participants apply their new skills and co-creation framework to their own research projects

Sub Unit

• General Pool

Workshop Organizers

• Bridget Konadu Gyamfi, Innovations for Poverty Action

• Cynthia Bosumtwi-Sam, Ghana Education Service

• Sharon Wolf, University of Pennsylvania

• Bethany Park, Innovations for Poverty Action

• Adrienne Lucas, University of Delaware