{"id":57351,"date":"2021-05-20T00:00:23","date_gmt":"2021-05-20T04:00:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/world.edu\/?p=57351"},"modified":"2021-05-19T16:33:31","modified_gmt":"2021-05-19T20:33:31","slug":"we-have-the-evidence-for-what-works-in-schools-but-that-doesnt-mean-everyone-uses-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/world.edu\/we-have-the-evidence-for-what-works-in-schools-but-that-doesnt-mean-everyone-uses-it\/","title":{"rendered":"We have the evidence for what works in schools, but that doesn\u2019t mean everyone uses it"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By June 2020, the\u00a0COVID-19 crisis had forced schools to close<\/a>\u00a0in 188 countries, disrupting the learning of more than 1.7 billion children. The OECD estimated the impact of these school closures would be at least two months of lost teaching for half of primary and secondary school students.<\/p>\n

In Australia,\u00a0modelling by the Grattan Institute<\/a>\u00a0estimated disadvantaged students \u2014 including those from low socioeconomic families, Indigenous backgrounds and remote communities \u2014 had lost around two months learning during the remote learning period in Victoria.<\/p>\n

Some states have invested in tutoring schemes\u00a0to help students catch up<\/a>. This includes the Victorian government\u2019s A$250 million\u00a0Tutor Learning Initiative<\/a>, South Australia\u2019s\u00a0Learning+<\/a>\u00a0program and New South Wales\u2019 plan to\u00a0employ up to 5,500 staff<\/a>\u00a0to support students who may have fallen behind.<\/p>\n

Evidence suggests some groups of students, such as\u00a0students in the most disadvantaged schools<\/a>, have felt the effects of lockdowns more than others. Evidence also suggests small-group tuition can make a difference. But this is only the case if the tutoring itself is evidence-based.<\/p>\n

Between March and September 2020,\u00a0we surveyed 492 teachers<\/a>\u00a0and school leaders from 414 schools across New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria and Queensland about their use of evidence \u2014 particularly research-based evidence. Our sample included primary, secondary, combined (K-12) and special schools. They included a spread of government, Catholic and independent schools.<\/p>\n

While the study was not specifically prompted by the pandemic, our emphasis on the use of research evidence became particularly relevant as schools \u2014 like the rest of the world \u2014 grappled with the virus.<\/p>\n

While most educators said they regularly consulted evidence, only 43% did so for university-based research. Participants cited a lack of time and a lack of access to the evidence they needed.<\/p>\n

Less than half regularly consult university research<\/strong><\/h4>\n

School leaders and teachers involved in tutoring initiatives \u2014 and teaching more broadly \u2014 have to make nuanced decisions about how best to address learning.<\/p>\n

They must draw on various sources of evidence to understand how different factors have influenced their students\u2019 learning and then decide on the most effective way forward.<\/p>\n

A key question, therefore, is how confident and able are our leaders and teachers to use evidence to inform their responses to the effects of COVID-19?<\/p>\n

Our survey aimed to find out:<\/p>\n