Over the past few decades, educational transformation seems to have assumed a new dimension with evidence-based practice being at the core of this transformation. Currently, different countries have designed educational policies to incline the educational profession into evidence-based approach as it has been in the field of medicine. However, this issue encompasses immense controversy among policy makers and educators, as well as within educational research community. This controversy has emerged due to matters related to the significance of educational research in several aspects. First, educational research has been observed to be inadequate in developing a reliable educational knowledge that can be used by educational institutions and governments to develop appropriate educational policy. Secondly, educational research has been reported to be noncumulative and fragmented with numerous methodological faults. Thirdly, evidence-based practice in education is claimed to exhibit political dimensions. Finally, educational research encompasses ambiguity in definition. These are the issues in evidence-based practice that compromise its relevance and quality. On the other hand, it is apparent that there is a culture gulf between the precepts of research and the teaching profession. In this research paper, I will carry out a comprehensive literature review to answer the question; is evidence-based practice appropriate in education? To accomplish this, this research will present issues raised by evidence-based education. In addition, it will provide a critical analysis of the key models involved to demonstrate the culture gulf between the teaching profession and evidence-based practice.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Ambiguity in Defining Evidence-Based Practice
Diverse Attributes of Professional Action
Professional Judgment and Evidence-Based Education
Obstacles to Evidence-Based Education
Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper conducts a critical literature review to evaluate whether the application of evidence-based practice is appropriate within the field of education. It specifically explores the conceptual tensions between medical models of research and the normative, moral nature of teaching, while examining the existing "culture gulf" between researchers and educators.
- Ambiguity in the definition and implementation of evidence-based education.
- Critical analysis of professional action models applied to teaching.
- Philosophical perspectives on professional judgment and Dewey's theory of knowing.
- Identification of systemic obstacles hindering effective evidence-based educational reform.
- Evaluation of the disconnect between research-based interventions and classroom reality.
Excerpt from the Book
Diverse Attributes of Professional Action
Ideally, the adoption of evidence-based approach in the field of education is based on diverse assumptions. The idea of evidence-based practice bears its origin in the field of medicine where it has proved to be appropriate in many aspects. This is the reason why proponents of evidence-based practice assert that scientific knowledge forms the basis for any practice (Shavelson & Towne, 2002). As such, it is perceived that any practice that lacks this aspect is not reliable. In line with this notion, the attitude towards adopting evidence-based practice in education calls for the establishment of a culture that values evidence over empirical assumptions. However, transforming the education system into evidence-based practice seems to raise more questions than answers. Foremost, evidence-based education seems to encompass immense positivism in the assumptions related to evidence-based practice in education. It is also observed to undermine the values of the teaching practice.
To demonstrate the inappropriate nature of professional action in education, a critical evaluation of its precepts is deemed necessary. In reality, professional action entails interventions whose success focuses on the ends, a phenomenon which appears seemingly different in educational practice. According to the casual model of professional action, evidence-based practice is defined by the professional action, in this case intervention. In medicine, such treatment outcome depends solely on the treatment administered to counter a health consequence. As such, evidence-based practice is viewed as a philosophical approach to define ‘what works.’ The notion of ‘what works’ entails intervention as the cause, whereas the outcome serves as the effect (Slavin, 2004). In this respect, effective intervention is determined on the basis of relationship between the intervention and outcome. This aspect is explained by Biesta (2007) who reports that “Effective interventions are those in which there is a secure relation between the intervention (as cause) and its outcomes or results (as effects)” (p. 7). In this context, it implies that professional action relies on effectiveness as the key aspect of professional action.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: This chapter highlights the rising influence of evidence-based practice in education, noting its roots in medicine and the resulting controversy regarding its methodological and political implications.
Ambiguity in Defining Evidence-Based Practice: This section discusses the lack of consensus on whether evidence-based practice constitutes a specific decision-making process or the adoption of pre-validated empirical approaches.
Diverse Attributes of Professional Action: This chapter critically analyzes the application of "casual models" from medicine to education, arguing that such models fail to account for the moral and normative dimensions of teaching.
Professional Judgment and Evidence-Based Education: This section utilizes Dewey’s theory of knowing to contrast evidence-based practice with the complex, experience-based nature of professional teaching judgment.
Obstacles to Evidence-Based Education: This chapter details the systemic barriers to reform, focusing on issues of accountability and the problematic cultural divide between academic researchers and classroom practitioners.
Conclusion: This chapter synthesizes the literature review to conclude that evidence-based reforms often prioritize technical questions over the educational reality of schools.
Keywords
Evidence-based practice, educational reform, professional action, research methodology, teaching profession, educational policy, Dewey theory, school accountability, medical model, educational epistemology, professional judgment, culture gulf, empirical research, teaching practice, normative education.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this research paper?
The paper examines the relevance and appropriateness of "evidence-based practice" within the educational sector, questioning if a model derived from medicine can be successfully applied to schools.
What are the primary themes discussed?
Key themes include the ambiguity of definitions, the differences between medical and educational professional models, the role of professional judgment, and systemic barriers between researchers and educators.
What is the author's central research question?
The central question is: Is evidence-based practice truly appropriate in the context of education?
Which methodology does the author employ?
The author conducts a comprehensive, critical literature review to analyze existing models and controversies surrounding evidence-based education.
What does the main body of the text address?
It addresses the philosophical and practical conflicts between evidence-based research and the realities of the teaching profession, including a critique of the "casual model" of intervention.
What keywords characterize the study?
Primary keywords include evidence-based practice, educational reform, professional action, educational epistemology, and the culture gulf between research and practice.
How does the author view the "casual model" of professional action?
The author argues it is largely inappropriate for education because it treats schools as technological environments where means and ends can be clearly separated, ignoring the moral complexity of learning.
What role does John Dewey’s philosophy play in the argument?
Dewey’s theory is used to illustrate that effective teaching is based on experience and "trial and error" rather than the blind application of predetermined scientific recipes.
Why are researchers and educators described as being separated by a "culture gulf"?
They are separated because researchers are often viewed as out of touch with school realities, while teachers are frequently relegated to mere implementers of research, leading to resistance and disconnect.
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- Caroline Mutuku (Autor:in), 2018, Is Evidence-Based Practice Appropriate In Education?, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/433487
