Research Use by Leaders in Canadian Secondary Schools

1
Research Use by Leaders in Canadian Secondary
Schools

• Using interventions to increase the
• mobilization of knowledge in schools
• Principal Investigators Ben Levin Creso Sá
• Presenters Amanda Cooper Kathy Thompson
• Ontario Education Research Symposium, February
  17-19, 2010

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Research Questions

• How do secondary school leaders learn about
  research findings?
• In what ways do the school systems support the
  use of research?
• What knowledge do educational leaders have about
  some important research findings related to
  improving secondary schools?
• What interventions might improve the availability
  and use of research in schools?

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The Survey Two Parts
Sample

• 11 school districts
• 188 responses

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Findings on Research Culture

• Increasing profile of research in education
• 85 agree that the important role of research is
  evident within their district
• Reported district capacity and support
• Research-related PD (85)
• Data incorporated in school, district planning
  (78)
• Research articles circulated (75)
• Time and support for research
• Actual research use remains modest
• Only a quarter to a third report significant
  time spent on research related reading, events or
  networking

5
Findings on Knowledge Claims

• Of 6 well verified knowledge claims about
  secondary school student success, there was
• Agreement on 3 knowledge claims
• Student disengagement (94 agreement)
• Similar demographics, different outcomes (79
  agreement)
• Quality of teaching and learning (87 agreement)
•  Disagreement on 3 knowledge claims
• Failing a course affects drop out (63 agree 24
  disagree)
• Grades predict post-secondary success (39 agree
  36 disagree)
• Students believe that school prepares them (37
  agree 36 disagree)

6
Sources of Knowledge Reported Across all Claims
PD events, Seminars,
Conferences
Research Reports
Data Collected in your School District
Colleagues , Professional networks
Personal Experience
7
Implications for Districts

• Providing supports for research use
• Formal research capacity
• Research related PD
• Formal roles throughout the system
• Embedding research in processes and systems
• Placing research on meeting agendas
• Structured time to discuss research link to
  strategic plans
• More partnerships with third parties
• Universities, research providers
• Communicate research to the community
• Portals, shared spaces, data access

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Thank You!

• www.oise.utoronto.ca/rspe