Fads or Facts? Sifting Through the Evidence to Find What Really Works

2019 ◽  
Vol 54 (5) ◽  
pp. 272-279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Moira Konrad ◽  
Caitlin J. Criss ◽  
Alana Oif Telesman
Keyword(s):  
Instructional Strategy ◽  
Evidence Based Practice ◽  
Instructional Decisions ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Evidence Based Practices ◽  
Significant Research ◽  
Practice Gap ◽  
Online Searches ◽  
Based Instruction ◽  
Problem Solving Process

Despite the requirement that teachers implement evidence-based instruction in their classrooms, a significant research-to-practice gap persists. Far too often, teachers resort to quick fixes found through online searches or rely on conventional wisdom to make instructional decisions. This is no surprise as identifying evidence-based interventions can be time-consuming, overwhelming, and confusing. Indeed, claims of practices being evidence based are ubiquitous, even for practices that clearly lack evidence to support their efficacy. In addition, once an evidence-based practice is selected, the process for implementing it and evaluating its effectiveness can be an additional challenge. The purposes of this article are to distinguish between an evidence-based practice as an instructional strategy and evidence-based education as a problem-solving process and to assist teachers in identifying, implementing, and evaluating evidence-based practices in their classrooms.

The Best-Laid Plans

2021 ◽  
pp. 45-58
Author(s):  
David A. Patterson Silver Wolf
Keyword(s):  
Evidence Based Practice ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Research To Practice ◽  
Front Line ◽  
Evidence Based Practices ◽  
Beliefs And Practices ◽  
New Science ◽  
Practice Gap ◽  
Sustained Recovery ◽  
Research To Practice Gap

This chapter opens with a story of how current beliefs and practices can have disastrous outcomes. It discusses the search to understand why front-line therapists and the treatment systems that employ them were not using empirically proven practices, and a new science that was investigating this research-to-practice gap. This chapter discusses the startling things discovered. Even if it could be guaranteed that every therapist would use evidence-based interventions with every patient every time, there would still be no way to measure and monitor the effectiveness of those validated treatments. In addition to evidence-based practice, a vital tool is still missing to make sure services result in sustained recovery. Along with evidence-based practices, performance-based practice is also needed.

Evidence-Based Practices for Anxiety: Has the Science-Practice Gap Narrowed?

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stacy Freheit ◽  
Gisel G. Suarez Bonilla ◽  
Christopher S. Vye ◽  
Bruce E. Clark
Keyword(s):  
Evidence Based ◽  
Science Practice ◽  
Evidence Based Practices ◽  
Practice Gap

The Client-Centred Evidence-Based Practice of Occupational Therapy

1998 ◽  
Vol 65 (3) ◽  
pp. 136-143 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Egan ◽  
Claire-Jehanne Dubouloz ◽  
Claudia Von Zweck ◽  
Josée Vallerand
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Therapy ◽  
Process Model ◽  
Evidence Based Practice ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Treatment Decision ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Problem Solving Process

Evidence-based practice has its roots in evidence-based medicine. This term refers to the formulation of treatment decision using the best available research evidence. While the concept has gained increased attention among health care workers in the recent past, practice based on scientific evidence has been recommended for over 300 years. However, all health-related professions continue to report difficulties adopting evidence-based practice. Notably, practitioners are often concerned that results of population-based research may not be relevant for their specific patients. This may be of particular concern for occupational therapists who aim to provide client-centred intervention, taking into consideration individual characteristics of the client, the environment and the occupation. As well, those wishing to practice evidence-based occupational therapy must determine which decisions are made during the course of therapy and what evidence may impact on these decisions. The Occupational Performance Process Model (Fearing, Law & Clark, 1997) outlines the occupational therapy problem solving process and assists therapists to integrate knowledge from both client and therapist. A framework for evidence-based occupational therapy is presented, based on this model.

Moving Research into Practice: Can We Make Dissemination Stick?

2013 ◽  
Vol 79 (2) ◽  
pp. 163-180
Author(s):  
Bryan G. Cook ◽  
Lysandra Cook ◽  
Timothy J. Landrum
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Education Research ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Evidence Based Practices ◽  
Ongoing Research ◽  
What Works ◽  
Effective Dissemination ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Practice Gap ◽  
Traditional Approaches

Although researchers in special education have made significant advances in defining and identifying evidence-based practices, scholars often constitute an insular group that disseminates research findings primarily through outlets and venues targeting like-minded researchers using traditional approaches. Thus, despite tangible results in determining what works, using dissemination approaches that fail to resonate with or influence practitioners represents an important but often overlooked contributor to the ongoing research-to-practice gap in special education. The authors argue that empirical and theoretical literature outside of special education may offer insight into how ideas take hold, which may be especially relevant to the effective dissemination of evidence-based practices. Drawing on Heath and Heath's (2008) model, the authors describe 6 characteristics of messages that are likely to “stick”: (a) simple, (b) unexpected, (c) concrete, (d) credible, (e) emotional, and (f) stories. The authors consider each in terms of implications for dissemination of special education research findings, and urge special education researchers to consider researching, refining, and applying dissemination strategies that can make special education research matter on a broader scale.

What Makes or Breaks Evidence-Based Supervision? Staff and Organizational Predictors of Evidence-Based Practice in Probation

2021 ◽  
pp. 0306624X2110491
Author(s):  
Sara Debus-Sherrill ◽  
Alex Breno ◽  
Faye S. Taxman
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Culture ◽  
Survey Data ◽  
Evidence Based Practice ◽  
Organizational Factors ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Evidence Based Practices ◽  
Weak Evidence ◽  
The Impact

Research on staff and organizational factors that affect receptivity, adoption, feasibility, and utilization of innovations in justice settings is limited. This study uses survey data from 349 employees in one probation agency to assess how staff and perceived organizational factors influence attitudes related to evidence-based practices (EBPs) and their self-reported use. Staff characteristics, including education and knowledge about EBPs, and perceptions of the organization, including cynicism about the organization’s ability to change, predicted EBP outcomes. Staff age, tenure at the agency, and caseload size affected perceptions of organizational culture, but did not predict attitudes or use of EBPs. There is weak evidence for a relationship between self-reported use of EBPs with attitudinal support for EBPs, prior EBP training, and knowledge of EBPs. This study contributes to an emerging body of literature about the impact of various individual and organizational factors on support for EBPs with important lessons for implementation.

Effects of Schema-Based Instruction on Immediate, Generalized, and Combined Structured Word Problems

2019 ◽  
Vol 54 (2) ◽  
pp. 101-112
Author(s):  
Corey Peltier ◽  
Tracy E. Sinclair ◽  
Joshua M. Pulos ◽  
Andrea Suk
Keyword(s):  
Student Performance ◽  
Word Problems ◽  
Evidence Based Practice ◽  
Functional Relation ◽  
Probe Design ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Intervention Package ◽  
Resource Room ◽  
Improved Performance ◽  
Based Instruction

Instruction targeting the underlying math problem structure is identified as an evidence-based practice for students with a specific learning disability (SLD). Furthermore, schema-based instruction is identified as a potentially evidence-based practice for students with a SLD. This study extended prior work by (a) using a teacher as the implementer, (b) evaluating the efficacy of an adaptable intervention, and (c) evaluating student performance on generalized and combined schema structure problems. The participants included 12 fourth- and fifth-grade students with a disability and receiving supplemental mathematics instruction in a resource room setting. The intervention package consisted of a problem-solving mnemonic and schema-based instruction for mathematics. A multiple-probe design across participant groups was used to establish a functional relation. Students improved performance on word problems representing simple, generalized, and combined schema structures. The aggregated Tau-U effect size (ES) for this study was 95% (CI90 [83%, 100%]) and the aggregated between-case standardized mean difference (BC-SMD) was 3.05 (CI95 [2.54, 3.60]).

Embedding school cultures and climates that promote evidence-based practice implementation for youth with autism: A qualitative study

Autism ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 136236132097450
Author(s):  
Nathaniel J Williams ◽  
Lindsay Frederick ◽  
Alix Ching ◽  
David Mandell ◽  
Christina Kang-Yi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
School Culture ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Evidence Based Practice ◽  
School Leaders ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
School Cultures ◽  
Evidence Based Practices ◽  
Practice Implementation ◽  
Culture And Climate ◽  
School Culture And Climate

Schools play a major role in delivering behavioral health services to autistic youth. School culture and climate are strong predictors of the extent to which these services incorporate evidence-based practices; however, little is known about how school leaders shape culture and climate. Drawing on the concept of culture and climate embedding mechanisms, we conducted a qualitative study to understand the ways in which school principals embed cultures and climates that support effective implementation of evidence-based practices for youth with autism. Semi-structured interviews with 32 teachers in schools that implemented three closely related evidence-based practices for youth with autism (discrete trial training, pivotal response training, and visual schedules) explored teachers’ experiences regarding (a) implementation of the three evidence-based practices, (b) perceptions of school culture and climate, and (c) principals’ behaviors, practices, and decisions that supported or detracted from the aspects of culture and climate that supported successful implementation. Thematic analysis detailed seven mechanisms that principals used to embed cultures and climates that shaped evidence-based practice implementation. These mechanisms represent actionable targets for school leaders and inform strategies to improve the implementation of evidence-based practices for youth with autism in schools. Lay abstract Schools play a major role in providing services to youth with autism; however, not all schools use evidence-based practices, defined as interventions that are proven to improve youth well-being through rigorous research. School culture and climate are strong predictors of whether or not a school uses evidence-based practices; however, little is known about how principals can create school cultures and climates that support the use of these practices. This study interviewed 32 teachers in elementary schools that implemented three closely related evidence-based practices for youth with autism to better understand how principals create school cultures and climates that support effective services. Analysis of the teachers’ responses identified seven strategies principals can use to create school cultures and climates that support the implementation of effective practices for youth with autism. The strategies include the following: (a) support teachers to obtain professional development focused on autism, (b) align performance expectations and evaluations with the needs of students with autism and evidence-based practice delivery, (c) allocate resources to ensure adequate staff, materials, and training are available to implement evidence-based practices, (d) be open and flexible to allow teachers to use the building and resources as needed to meet students’ needs, (e) provide direct assistance, feedback, and coaching to troubleshoot challenges or involve outside experts to do so, (f) openly value the work of special education teachers and provide recognition to those who develop expertise in evidence-based practices, and (g) look for opportunities to integrate special and general education teachers and students to foster a truly inclusive climate.

The Limitations and Strengths of the Evidence-Based Practice Attitude Scale as a Measure of Correctional Employees’ Attitudes: A Psychometric Evaluation

2017 ◽  
Vol 62 (12) ◽  
pp. 3947-3964 ◽  
Author(s):  
Breanna Boppre ◽  
Jody Sundt ◽  
Emily J. Salisbury
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Evidence Based Practice ◽  
Psychometric Evaluation ◽  
Attitude Scale ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Correctional Staff ◽  
Mental Health Providers ◽  
Health Providers ◽  
Evidence Based Practices

Evidence-based practices (EBPs) hold tremendous potential for improving the outcomes of corrections interventions. The implementation of EBPs requires support from staff at all levels of an organization; however, the study of correctional staff attitudes toward organizational change and EBPs is in its infancy. The current study examines the psychometric properties of the Evidence-Based Practice Attitude Scale (EBPAS), an instrument originally designed for mental health professionals, to measure correctional employees’ readiness to implement EBPs. The results indicate mixed conclusions regarding the use of the EBPAS with correctional staff. We found that the total scale and subscales are reliable and exhibit high internal consistency. However, the results of an exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis failed to replicate the factor structure from previous research with mental health providers. The findings indicate potential drawbacks regarding the construct validity of the EBPAS for use with correctional personnel.

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