18.036 - Research Taking Flight: How Researchers Can Ensure Their Work Makes an Impact

Session Type: Symposium

Abstract

In recent years, initiatives by William T. Grant Foundation, Spencer Foundation, and the Institute for Education Sciences have prioritized understanding research use by practitioners and policymakers. As education researchers build a body of knowledge on the utility of research for these target audiences, new questions emerge – are we satisfied with the level of research use at the state and district level? What role should researchers play in promoting research use? How can researchers themselves engage in research translation and communication? This symposium brings together research-use experts and education industry communication professionals for an interactive panel discussion.

Sub Unit

• Division L - Educational Policies and Politics / Division L - Section 9: Policy Implementation and Going to Scale

Chair

• Jacqueline Kerstetter, Center on Standards, Alignment, Instruction, and Learning (C-SAIL)

Papers

• What Research Do Local Educational Leaders Use? - James P. Spillane, Northwestern University; Caitlin Farrell, University of Colorado - Boulder

• Connecting Academic Researchers and Intermediary Organizations - Laura W. Perna, University of Pennsylvania

• Eliminating Barriers That Separate Policy and Practice - Bari E Walsh, Harvard University

• Engaging Parents, Teachers, and Journalists With Data Visualizations - Dakarai I Aarons, Data Quality Campaign