Connecting the Dots: An Overview of the Need for a Strengthened Research-Policy Connection

• In Event: Turning Insights Into Impact: Bridging the Gap Between Research and Policy in Education

Abstract

The goal of this workshop is to guide discussion on bridging the gap between education research and policy. We plan to highlight our own experiences in research-informed policy work to build on the current literature. Much of current literature in this area focuses on the contextual factors impacting existing policy, collaboration among researchers, policymakers, and educators, and a focus to make research more accessible.
Educational research does not exist in a vacuum. We argue and will focus this workshop on conducting research that can be implemented in the most beneficial manner for educators and students (Kaplan, 2023), bridging theory with practice through collaboration (Cohen et al., 2009; Hargreaves, 1996; Lopez, 2023; Nichols & Berliner, 2023; Penuel, 2020; Slavin, 2020). In addition to collaboration between researchers (and other stakeholders), partnerships with educators and policymakers as experts in their specific content areas allows research to be more informed and nuanced from the outset, which can have positive policy implications at the conclusion.
Scholars and practitioners that study and engage with policy work are more equipped with the knowledge of how policy is written and how it is implemented. In other words, they have a nuanced understanding of how research, collaboration, and policy are interconnected. Slavin (2002), for example, found that education programs that received funding were not always the programs with the most rigorous research backing. In another example in terms of measurement, Cohen et al. (2009) identified that inconsistencies can arise when constructs, such as “school climate,” are operationalized in different ways. Policy needs consistency and understanding with regard to operationalization of constructs. For this reason we argue that collaboration across many stakeholders is crucial. This is a key function of this workshop.
For research to impact policy, researchers must be familiar with the policy space. For one, the right people need to be alerted and have understanding of what has been found during the research phase. One common issue highlighted across the literature is that research is inaccessible to a wider audience (Cohen et al., 2009; Hargreaves, 1996; Kaplan, 2023; Lopez, 2023; Nichols & Berliner, 2023: Owen, Watkins, & Hughes, 2022; Penuel et al., 2020, Slavin, 2020). Nichols & Berliner (2023) explained that research must be accessible to not only policymakers, but also to the average citizen who votes for these policymakers.
In this workshop, we hope to guide fellow researchers in developing strategies that can help build a deeper connection between research and policy. We will ask researchers (and anyone else who has interest) to come to the workshop prepared to discuss how their research can impact policy at some level. Our intention is the workshop will be a starting point for discussion on how the connection between research and policy can become more accessible and applied.

Authors

• Annette R. Ponnock, Ponnock Consulting

• Anna Leah Davis, Yale University

• Ross Whiting, Dogwood Consulting

• Sharon L. Nichols, University of Texas - San Antonio

• Benjamin M. Torsney, Temple University