The Research Informed Teaching Revolution Early Years

Research Informed teaching is big news! Indeed one might argue that there has been a bottom up revolution encouraging teachers’ use of research (e.g. ResearchED). But at the same time there is a gap between what teachers do and what research suggests might provide effective ways to support young children’s learning. It’s not that a wealth of educational research doesn’t exist (just look at the What Works Clearinghouse, the Best Evidence Encyclopaedia or Hattie’s Visible Learning), but the Early Years sector is often under-represented. This book is an attempt to address this disparity and provide Early Years leaders and practitioners with an understanding of how to embed this research within their everyday practice offering top tips of how others in the field have done this and considering topics such as outdoor learning, early writing skills and parental engagement. Drawing on the wisdom of those at the top of their game, this book intends to provide just that: a practical handbook for EYs practitioner and leaders that can help make the research use revolution a reality.

Drawing on the wisdom of those at the top of their game, this book intends to provide a practical handbook for EYs practitioner and leaders that can help make the research use revolution a reality.

We know that educators and education systems at large face countless decisions every day. We also know that grounding educational decisions in research can improve the likelihood of desirable teaching and learning outcomes, as well as reduce the likelihood of unintended consequences. Research is just one among many types of evidence used in educational decision-making, however. So being “evidence informed” is as much about engaging with research evidence as it is engaging with practice-based evidence (e.g., professional judgment) and data-based evidence (e.g., school performance data). How can educators become evidence-informed? In our view, the best approach is to learn from examples from experts of how research can be integrated with these other types of evidence, and so regularly inform our own everyday practice. With that in mind, this practical handbook offers 16 illuminating chapters that provide a wealth of advice and perspectives on the subject written by North American educators who are striving to realize the idea of research-informed practice. Key themes – reflective practitioners, networks and collaboration, trust -emerge to help teachers formalize, prioritize and mobilize the use of research-evidence in schools.

Research informed teaching is big news! There has been a bottom up revolution encouraging teachers' use of research. But at the same time there is a gap between what teachers do and what research suggests might provide effective ways to support student learning. It's not that a wealth of educational research doesn't exist, but what teachers, school and school system leaders need is an understanding of how to embed this research within everyday practice. Drawing on the wisdom of those at the top of their game, this book intends to provide just that: a practical handbook for teachers and leaders that can help make the research use revolution a reality. With contributions from leading 'do-ers' in the field of knowledge mobilisation including: Daniel Muijs (Ofsted); Cat Scutt (Chartered College of Teaching); Jonathan Sharples (EEF); Julie Nelson (NfER); Adam Boxer (teacher and blogger); Gary Jones (blogger); David Weston (Teacher Development Trust) and Caroline Creaby (Sandingham Research School), the book provides a wealth of insight. This knowledge is then further distilled into useable guidance and best practice principles that can be readily implemented at classroom, school and teaching school alliance level.

Research informed teaching is big news! There has been a bottom up revolution encouraging teachers' use of research. But at the same time there is a gap between what teachers do and what research suggests might provide effective ways to support student learning. It's not that a wealth of educational research doesn't exist, but what teachers, school and school system leaders need is an understanding of how to embed this research within everyday practice. Drawing on the wisdom of those at the top of their game, this book intends to provide just that: a practical handbook for teachers and leaders that can help make the research use revolution a reality. With contributions from leading 'do-ers' in the field of knowledge mobilisation including: Daniel Muijs (Ofsted); Cat Scutt (Chartered College of Teaching); Jonathan Sharples (EEF); Julie Nelson (NfER); Adam Boxer (teacher and blogger); Gary Jones (blogger); David Weston (Teacher Development Trust) and Caroline Creaby (Sandingham Research School), the book provides a wealth of insight. This knowledge is then further distilled into useable guidance and best practice principles that can be readily implemented at classroom, school and teaching school alliance level.

We know that educators and education systems at large face countless decisions every day. We also know that grounding educational decisions in research can improve the likelihood of desirable teaching and learning outcomes, as well as reduce the likelihood of unintended consequences. Research is just one among many types of evidence used in educational decision-making, however. So being 'evidence informed' is as much about engaging with research evidence as it is engaging with practice-based evidence (e.g., professional judgment) and data-based evidence (e.g., school performance data). How can educators become evidence-informed? In our view, the best approach is to learn from examples from experts of how research can be integrated with these other types of evidence, and so regularly inform our own everyday practice. With that in mind, this practical handbook offers 16 illuminating chapters that provide a wealth of advice and perspectives on the subject written by North American educators who are striving to realize the idea of research-informed practice. Key themes - reflective practitioners, networks and collaboration, trust - emerge to help teachers formalize, prioritize and mobilize the use of research-evidence in schools.

A focal point of early childhood education is how young children build knowledge and the ways that practitioners, parents and carers can help them to do so. Many adults find it challenging to identify what knowledge young children are building and how they do so, making it difficult to support young children’s learning and development in the most effective ways. This essential guide will help you to identify and develop young children’s knowledge and understanding in early years settings, not only in terms of statutory requirements but far beyond them. Building Knowledge in Early Childhood Education draws on empirical research findings from the Young Children As Researchers (YCAR) project to examine everyday activities and reveal the means that young children use to build knowledge and understanding, as well as exploring the similarities between learning behaviours in early childhood and adult life. Interweaving everyday activities in practice with research and theory, this book covers: how young children construct knowledge; learning, problem-solving and exploring; concepts and conceptualising in early childhood; evidence-based decision-making; how young children behave as researchers. Offering practical advice and suggestions to create opportunities that identify and facilitate young children’s own constructions of knowledge and understanding, this book is essential reading for practitioners, students and all those interested in the theories surrounding young children as researchers.

From a critical perspective, some early childhood educators have proposed that the knowledge base used to ground the field actually serves to support the status quo, reinforces prejudices and stereotypes, and ignores the real lives of children. The purpose of this book is to deconstruct early childhood education, identifying and evaluating the themes and forms of discourse that have dominated the field, leading to the construction of specific theories and forms of practice that privilege particular groups of children and adults and oppress others. An alternative avenue for early childhood education is posited that focuses on social justice and human agency.