This is the executive summary for the report, "Survey of Evidence in Education for Schools (SEE-S) Descriptive Report." In the United States, increased pressure through accountability policy and through the production and dissemination of scientifically based research are intended to create conditions for improving research use.…

Using findings from research and evaluation is essential to facilitate evidence-informed decision making across the adult learning and skills sector. This is especially pertinent at a time of rapid and far reaching change in how adult education is funded, commissioned and delivered. It is important to understand how and in what ways evidence is…

Education policy continues to press for increased use of research evidence in decision-making, yet decades of research point to weak links between research and practice. We see evidence-informed improvement not as a problem with schools, but with a larger evidence-use ecosystem. As a step toward building and strengthening multidirectional paths…

In this technical report, the Center for Research Use in Education (CRUE) presents the methodological design of a large-scale quantitative investigation of research use by school-based practitioners through the "Survey of Evidence in Education for Schools (SEE-S)." It documents the major technical aspects of the development of SEE-S,…

This replication-extension study (Earley & Galluzzo, 2015) examined the information seeking activities of British Columbia (BC) school trustees in an effort to understand the transmission of research. Trustees were asked to identify the sources they used for acquiring research and information in the process of decision-making. The frequency of…

This study investigates the decision-making inputs, processes, and practices around the acquisition of technology to facilitate teaching and learning at institutions of higher education. The goals of this study were four-fold: to understand the factors and sources that influence decisions about educational technology (EdTech) acquisition and use…

In this study, educators' requests for foundation grant funding to purchase desired educational materials or services were examined. Specifically, this study sought to review to what extent, and in what manner, educators utilize research and other forms of evidence to support their decision making. Data analysis revealed several themes. Although…

Using data strategically to guide decisions and actions can have a positive effect on education practices and processes. This facilitation guide shows education data teams how to move beyond simply reporting data to applying data to direct strategic action. Using guiding questions, suggested activities, and activity forms, this guide provides…

A variety of sources can help school business managers find the information and data they need to make informed decisions. The purpose of this article is to increase one's awareness of sources that one might use to access desired educational information. The author aims to introduce sources that can help alleviate some of the costs associated with…

Evaluators often assume that outcome studies assessing agency effectiveness should provide the most relevant data for decision makers who must form judgments about treatment in order to make policy, program, and clinical decisions. Yet evaluators have found that decision makers often fail to use results of evaluation studies. (Author/CTM)

The simultaneous presence of a revolutionary change in information technologies and a growing demand for fundamental changes in the education system have set in motion a reassessment of the relationship among information, research, and decision making. The International Bureau of Education (IBE) considered it necessary to introduce new elements…

Needs analysis is often ambiguous, leading to five types of misconceptions: (1) information needs can be easily identified; (2) information is best handled in institutional settings; (3) all information is of potentially equal value; (4) given sufficient information, decisions can be made; (5) information and education are unrelated. (Author/JM)

Approximately 400 superintendents, specialists and consultants, principals, and teachers in 63 San Francisco Bay Area school districts were surveyed by questionnaires to identify (1) critical decision processes in the field of education and (2) the information sources and kinds of information which are used to support decision making and planning.…

The concepts of need and needs assessment are examined in the context of information needs for college administrators. A description is included of the conceptual framework underlying the Needs Assessment Information System (NAIS), which was developed by the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems. Attention is directed to: (1)…

An analysis of the IBM/NEA Mastery in Learning (MIL) school renewal system, an electronic network that involves school faculties in collegial interaction with researchers and other educators in school reform, is the purpose of this paper. Developed by IBM (International Business Machines) and NEA (National Education Association), the MIL is a…