Research Use in School District Central Office Decision Making

2012 ◽  
Vol 40 (6) ◽  
pp. 786-806 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth N. Farley-Ripple
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
School District ◽  
Central Office ◽  
Research Use ◽  
District Central Office

Evidence-Based Decision-Making

2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (6) ◽  
pp. 860-883
Author(s):  
Bonnie M. Haecker ◽  
Forrest C. Lane ◽  
Linda R. Zientek
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
School District ◽  
Central Office ◽  
School Level ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Central Office Administrators ◽  
Evidence Based Practices ◽  
Rural Districts ◽  
Evidence Based Decision Making ◽  
District Central Office

Research has explored the use of evidence-based practices within schools but less is known about evidence-based decision-making among school district central office administrators. This study explored how individual and school-level characteristics of administrators were related to the implementation of evidence-based practices. Findings suggested that administrators were more knowledgeable about evidence-based practices if they were working in districts with existing policies in place to address the use of research in decision-making. Administrators were less knowledgeable about evidence-based practices in small, rural districts.

Evidence, Interpretation, and Persuasion: Instructional Decision Making at the District Central Office

2009 ◽  
Vol 111 (4) ◽  
pp. 1115-1161 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cynthia E. Coburn ◽  
Judith Toure ◽  
Mika Yamashita
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
School District ◽  
Central Office ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Urban District ◽  
Evidence Use ◽  
Instructional Decision Making ◽  
Central Offices ◽  
Instructional Decision ◽  
Office Level

Background/Context Calls for evidence-based decision making have become increasingly prominent on the educational landscape. School district central offices increasingly experience these demands. Yet there are few empirical studies of evidence use at the district level. Furthermore, research on evidence use among policy makers in noneducation settings raises questions about the models of decision making promoted by evidence-use policies, suggesting that they do not take into account key features of the interpretive process or the organizational conditions that shape how decision making unfolds. Purpose/Objective/Research Questions/Focus of Study The central premise of this article is that only by understanding the patterns by which personnel in school district central offices actually use information, and the factors that affect this use, can we begin to understand the promise and possibilities of evidence use. We ask: What is the role of evidence in instructional decision making at the central office level? What factors shape how decision processes unfold? Research Design We draw on data from a longitudinal case study of one midsize urban district, which we followed from 2002 to 2005. We relied on in-depth interviewing, sustained observation, and document analysis. We identified 23 decisions related to instruction that were captured in our data over the 3 years and for which we had at least three independent sources of information. We analyzed each decision using a coding scheme that was developed from prior research and theory and elaborated through iterative coding. We then used matrices to compare across decisions and to surface and investigate emerging patterns. Conclusions/Recommendations We argue that decision making in complex organizations like school districts is centrally about interpretation, argumentation, and persuasion. These processes are shaped in crucial ways by preexisting working knowledge and practices that guide how people come to understand the nature of problems and possible avenues for solutions. They are also influenced by organizational and political factors, including the organizational structure of the central office, resource constraints, and leadership turnover. We close by suggesting implications for efforts to foster substantive and productive use of evidence at the central office level.

scholarly journals Research use at the Ministry of Health in Burkina Faso: the decision-makers’ perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Dagenais
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Knowledge Transfer ◽  
Burkina Faso ◽  
Informed Decision ◽  
Communication Strategy ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Research Use ◽  
Informed Decision Making ◽  
Ministry Of Health ◽  
Policy Makers

Abstract Background Despite the increased emphasis placed on the use of evidence for policy development, relatively few initiatives have been developed to support evidence-informed decision-making, especially in West Africa. Moreover, studies examining the conditions under which policy-makers use research-based evidence are still scarce, but they show that their attitudes and opinions about research are one of the main determinants of such use. In February 2017, Burkina Faso’s Minister of Health planned to create a unit to promote evidence-informed decision-making within the ministry. Before the unit was set up, documenting the attitudes towards research at the highest levels of his Ministry appeared profitable to the unit’s planning. Method Individual interviews were conducted by the author with 14 actors positioned to consider evidence during decision-making from the Burkina Faso’s Minister of health cabinet. An interview grid was used to explore several themes such as attitudes towards research, obstacles and facilitators to research use, example of research use in decision-making and finally, ways to increase decision-makers’ participation in knowledge transfer activities. Interviews were partially transcribed and analysed by the author. Results The results show a mixed attitude towards research and relatively little indication of research use reported by respondents. Important obstacles were identified: evidence inaccessibility, lack of implementation guidelines, absence of clear communication strategy and studies’ lack of relevance for decision-making. Many suggestions were proposed such as raising awareness, improving access and research communication and prioritizing interactions with researchers. Respondents agree with the low participation of decision-makers in knowledge transfer activities: more leadership from the senior officials was suggested and greater awareness of the importance of their presence. Conclusions The conclusion presents avenues for reflection and action to increase the potential impact of the knowledge transfer unit planned within the Ministry of Health of Burkina Faso. This innovative initiative will be impactful if the obstacles identified in this study and policy-makers’ preferences and needs are taken into account during its development and implementation.

scholarly journals Upaya Peningkatan Daya Tarik Wisata di Kabupaten Sumenep melalui Smart City System

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 30-43
Author(s):  
Nur Inna Alfiyah
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Smart City ◽  
Research Use ◽  
Tourist Attraction ◽  
Use Of Technology ◽  
City System ◽  
Tourism Information ◽  
Tourist Information ◽  
Government Innovation

Abstract This research aims to explain the efforts by local government to increase tourist attraction in Sumenep Regency, through the realization of smart city as a government innovation in providing tourist information to public. This research use descriptive explanatory method by looking at the obstacles in tourism development in Sumenep, which were then followed by decision-making actions carried out by the local government, so the smart city masterplan was born as a government program. The masterplan program then gave birth to innovations in the use of technology to make it easier for tourists to find out tourism information in Sumenep Regency. Keyword : Tourism, Decision making, Smart city Abstrak Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menjelaskan upaya peningkatan daya tarik wisata di Kabupaten Sumenep melalui realisasi smart city sebagai inovasi pemerintah dalam memberikan informasi wisata kepada masyarakat. Metode dalam penelitian ini menggunakan deskriptif eksplanatif dengan melihat terlebih dahulu kendala-kendala dalam pengembangan wisata di Sumenep yang kemudian disusul dengan tindakan pengambilan keputusan yang dilakukan oleh pemerintah daerah, sehingga kemudian lahirlah masterplan smart city sebagai program pemerintah. Program masterplan ini kemudian melahirkan inovasi-inovasi penggunaan teknologi guna memudahkan wisatawan untuk mengetahui informasi wisata yang ada di Kabupaten Sumenep. Kata Kunci: Pariwisata, Pengambilan keputusan, Smart city

Becoming STEAM

2020 ◽  
pp. 104-129
Author(s):  
Kelli Thomas ◽  
Douglas Huffman
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
School District ◽  
School Districts ◽  
Teacher Learning ◽  
Real World ◽  
Budget Planning ◽  
Community Connections ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
History Of

This chapter shares a brief history of the STEM to STEAM movement, shares two case descriptions drawn from the perspectives of leaders in two school districts in which schools adopted a STEAM focus, describes challenges and opportunities associated with implementation of a STEAM initiative, and proposes five features to consider when implementing models to becoming a STEAM-focused school or school district. The five features drawn from analysis of the two cases are intentional efforts by school districts to gain buy-in; adequate time for teacher learning and planning through authentic and relevant professional development; community connections, real-world and problem-based or project-based; mutual decision-making and support between teachers and administrators; and budget planning and allocation.

“I Don’t Want to Come Off as Pushing an Agenda”: How Contexts Shaped Teachers’ Pedagogy in the Days After the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election

2018 ◽  
Vol 56 (2) ◽  
pp. 444-476 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alyssa Hadley Dunn ◽  
Beth Sondel ◽  
Hannah Carson Baggett
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Teacher Education ◽  
School District ◽  
Presidential Election ◽  
Curriculum And Instruction ◽  
Education Practice ◽  
The Public ◽  
Current Climate ◽  
To Come

Guided by perspectives on the sociopolitical contexts of schooling, control of teachers’ curriculum and instruction, and teaching of elections, we use findings from a national questionnaire to explore the contexts that shaped teachers’ pedagogical decision making following the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Our findings reveal that classroom, school, district, state, and national contexts often manifested in pressure from colleagues, parents, the administration, the district, and the public. This pressure is reflective of the lack of trust, autonomy, and professionalism for teachers in our current climate. The days immediately following the election revealed new understandings about teachers’ views on neutrality, opportunities for agency within control of teachers’ work, and a call for justice-oriented pedagogy. Implications for teacher education, practice, and research are discussed.

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