Building on Umberto Eco's concept of Ur-Fascism, this essay examines how authoritarian traits permeate mathematics education. Through a reflective analysis of my prior research within the context of Cyprus, I discuss troubling patterns of centralised control, rigid traditions, and hierarchical structures shaping the educational landscape. These…

The evidence-based decision-making movement often assumes that once evidence is available (e.g., via the What Works Clearinghouse), decision-makers will integrate it into their practice. Research-practice partnership studies have shown this is not always true. In this paper, we argue that instead of assuming research will be useful and used, we…

The evidence-based decision-making movement often assumes that once evidence is available (e.g., via the What Works Clearinghouse), decision-makers will integrate it into their practice. Research-practice partnership studies have shown this is not always true. In this paper, we argue that instead of assuming research will be useful and used, we…

Risk-based decision-making is widely considered to be the best means of presenting the science of climate change and for developing and presenting climate change evidence for policymaking. This paper examines some of the justifications provided by climate and decision scientists for their preferred approach, and argues that, although risk-based…

During emergency situations, such as natural disasters or the current pandemic, there may not be immediate access to research-based information or information may be nonexistent or conflicting. In such scenarios, Extension personnel may be required to make best guesses based on "what is known so far." Depending on the urgency of the…

Education reform efforts stemming from the Programme in International Student Achievement have strengthened in recent years, particularly in response to the growth of global references societies -- high achieving educational jurisdictions such as Finland, Hong Kong-China, and more recently Estonia and Singapore. Despite political rhetoric,…

Purpose: Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to a type of algorithms or computerized systems that resemble human mental processes of decision-making. This position paper looks beyond the sensational hyperbole of AI in teaching and learning. Instead, this paper aims to explore the role of AI in educational leadership. Design/methodology/approach:…

Although the field of school psychology has made progress toward the use of tests and assessment practices with empirical support over the past 20 years, many school psychology practitioners still engage in what can be described as low-value value assessment practices that lack compelling scientific support potentially taking time and resources…

The education enterprise struggles to get evidence-supported practices and programs operating in schools and classrooms. Three factors are contributing to this reality: (1) a limited understanding of evidence-supported practices at the practitioner level; (2) the centralized selection of (sometimes evidence-weak) improvement strategies; and (3)…

Increasing instructional quality in higher education is a key goal of educational development (ED) work, yet demonstrating complex outcomes remains challenging and lacks practical guidance. Evaluating ED services often relies on a reductionist approach characterized by linear assumptions of causal pathways to measure the extent to which…

Some researchers have taken evidence-based practices (EBPs) as the main solution for enhancing the learning outcomes of students with disabilities. The manner in which the application of EBPs assumes teaching strategies to be aligned with students' learning problems or disability situations betrays a mechanical approach to dealing with issues of…

This special issue examines how relationships between research and policy in environmental and sustainability education (ESE) can be strengthened. Our contribution draws on three cases from outside the ESE space to analyse policymakers' perspectives on using evidence to inform decision-making, and to show that government-based policymakers develop…

Purpose: In this manuscript, we aimed to (1) illustrate the differences in school-university partnership under the school reform and renewal models and (2) describe the practice of and learning about school-university partnership by reflecting on the three large, federally funded projects, all conducted under the school renewal model.…

This paper reviews the discourse on the concept of evidence-based special education in Germany. A short overview of the current situation in regard to available evidence-based educational materials for schools in Germany and the USA is given. Critical objections on the topic within Germany will be outlined thereafter. With these in mind, a…

Today, we revisit our initial stance of eliminating standardized test scores from the college admissions process to improve equity and student diversity. With refreshed data about test-optional admissions, we address the import of institutional responsiveness to redress persistent equity gaps that impact our state's workforce diversity and hiring…