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Science, Evidence, and Inference in Education Report of a Workshop (2001) / Chapter Skim
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Theme 2: The Interface of Research and Practice in Education: Linking Quality with Utility
Pages 7-10

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From page 7...
... THE ROLE OF RESEARCH IN REFORM: POWERFUL YET MISUNDERSTOOD Discussants agreed that oversimplifies} expectations about the role of research in reform efforts undermined its potential impact. Specifically, several discussants rejected the common metaphor of"translating research into practice," arguing that even the highest quality research cannot provide simple answers to the complex problems of teaching and learning.
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From page 8...
... Discussants basically agreed that while both communities value quality, the relative emphasis on various aspects of quality differs. Participants offered examples that illustrated the contrast: in simple terms, researchers cherish scientific controls and generalizations about effects; practitioners value adaptation and richly contextualized information about implementation.
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From page 9...
... engaging in jointly authored work of interdisciplinary teams of researchers. When university-based researchers try to conduct this kind of work, one discussant argued, "the incentive to do innovative work goes down." She also suggested the requirements for tenure and promotion at most universities pose dilemmas for junior faculty who finch it difficult "to articulate the value of what they are doing." Despite these difficulties, participants suggested that the research effort can be greatly enriched by engaging in this interface.
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From page 10...
... They agreed that policy decisions made by superintendents, state aides, and federal policy makers are driven by the power of anecdote. Participants suggested that the case for systematic evidence could be made stronger by harnessing the power of a story to illustrate broad conjectures One discussant suggested that synthesis work was an essential exercise for the research community as well.
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  • broad conjectures
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  • six invited
  • student achievement


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