Use of Research Evidence / Page 3
I have spent my career working with the researcher and practitioner (and policymaker) communities. The frustration expressed by each of these communities about the other is palpable. Practitioners complain that researchers are unrealistic in their expectations of what it takes to run a program and unable to provide research that fits within their real-world constraints. […]
When knowledge developers are better attuned to the needs of practice and policy, the use of research evidence may thrive, and our efforts as researchers can be more valuable to those who work every day improve youth outcomes
Recognizing that structure and function are complementary ways of understanding brokerage will be important to facilitating the use of research evidence.
This two-part special issue focuses on strategies to improve the use of research in child welfare.
Studying Ways to Improve the Use of Research Evidence: Presenting a Strong Rationale in Your Application
In this post, we share some observations about the work that has been proposed thus far, as well as tips for potential applicants as they prepare their letters of inquiry.
In this video, Senior Program Officer Kim Dumont outlines the three lines of inquiry the Foundation has prioritized, as well as what our program staff and reviewers look for in letters of inquiry and full proposals in our improving the use of research evidence focus area.
The William T. Grant Foundation funds systematic studies to identify, create, and test strategies to ensure that research evidence reaches the hands of decision makers, answers their most pressing questions, and is used in ways that benefit youth. Potential applicants looking to prepare a strong letter of inquiry on improving the use of research evidence […]
The William T. Grant Foundation is pleased to announce five research grants awarded in October, 2016, which will increase our understanding of programs, policies, and practices that reduce inequality in youth outcomes, and one grant that will improve the use of research evidence in ways that benefit youth. All of the inequality grantees will conduct […]
Five new research grants will build stronger theory and empirical evidence in our focus areas of reducing inequality and the use of research evidence.
Research can serve the public interest when it is used to inform decisions. But for researchers at all levels of the career ladder, getting your work used in ways that shape policy and practice can be a challenge.
The Commission on Evidence-based Policymaking is an opportunity that doesn’t come every year, and may not come again. Let’s make the most of it.
We want to know what it takes to get research evidence used and what happens when it is used.
New Resources for Researchers: Read the “William T. Grant Digest” Issue 1
The introductory issue of the William T. Grant Foundation Digest features essays and commentary on the value of qualitative and mixed-methods research in reducing inequality and the potential for researcher access to big data to yield useful research evidence.
It’s important to recognize that the form of research contributes to the social sense-making process, and can create a body of shared understandings based on research principles. Research designed for use, with specific guidance for practice, can embed common ideas in state school improvement delivery systems.
Despite widespread efforts by intermediaries to shape education by conveying research to policymakers, a recent study finds that very few of these policymakers report using research when making decisions. As other studies have found instances where research can shape policy and practice in a variety ways, what explains this contradiction? And what does it mean for efforts to improve the use of research evidence?