This exploratory paper seeks to shed light on the methodological challenges of education systems research. There is growing consensus that interventions to improve learning outcomes must be designed and studied as part of a broader system of education, and that learning outcomes are affected by a complex web of dynamics involving different inputs,…

This article, which presents an interdisciplinary research agenda grounded in a constructivist institutional approach, begins by unpacking relevant terms. It explains the new institutional approach in political science that simultaneously narrows the focus and broadens the scope of political research by encouraging a return to the…

A new vision set forth by the "Framework for K-12 Science Education" (National Research Council, 2012) highlights the importance of developing students' abilities to think about systems as opposed to isolated facts. However, little evidence exists on how to foster students' conceptualization of systems. It has been argued that…

To reduce the number of chronically absent students in schools annually, cities and municipalities across the United States have implemented programs, initiatives, and invested resources into educational reforms that would lead to improvement in school attendance. Drawing on ecological systems theory and interview data, we examined how…

This article is part of a wide-scope research examining teachers' perceptions regarding the organizational profile of their school. Research participants were asked about nine parameters that outline the school's organizational structure (Chen-Levi, 2019). Main research questions were: How do the three different groups of position-holders in the…

The study examined parents' involvement (PI) and students' academic performance (SAP) in Ryakasinga Centre for Higher Education (RCHE)-Sheema district-Uganda. The objectives were to examine the effect of parenting, learning at home, and volunteering on students' academic performance in RCHE. The study was underpinned by Systems theory. The sample…

Children who develop a negative student self-concept are more likely to disengage from school and this disengagement can lead them to eventually drop out. This study was designed to examine the experiences of an instructor-inclusive team tasked with using a logic model to identify a systemic problem that negatively impacted students and led them…

Across the OECD, enormous effort and investment has been made to reinforce the quality, production and use of education research in policy and practice. Despite this, using research in education remains a challenge for many countries and systems. The OECD launched the Strengthening the Impact of Education Research project to respond to this…

This qualitative research study examined the role of student services practitioners in the success of minoritized graduate students at a 4-year private, Christian university. This study aimed to examine the practices of student services practitioners--including their experiential, philosophical, and practical approaches to student success--through…

Agent-based models combine data and theory during both development and use of the model. As models have become increasingly data driven, it is easy to start thinking of agent-based modelling as an empirical method, akin to statistical modelling, and reduce the role of theory. We argue that both types of information are important where the past is…

This paper discusses the instructional design experiences and processes shared by a multi-disciplinary group--including more than a dozen faculty, staff, and students--while developing a series of online courses on Model-based Systems Engineering (MBSE) for professional engineers, a project sponsored by the National Science Foundation. The team…

The National Association of School Psychology recognizes the role that family engagement holds on school functioning and student outcomes. This article describes a qualitative study using constructivist grounded theory to explore systems-level family engagement practices in urban schools that implemented a Comprehensive Behavioral Health Model…

India is home to the largest population of adolescents in the world, of which nearly half experience one or more adverse childhood experiences. Despite rising interest in building trauma-sensitive school systems globally, such initiatives are limited in India. This paper presents the development, implementation, and acceptability of the Fostering…

This study investigates the perceptions and responses of educational leaders in K12 settings concerning the mental health needs of students who have been impacted by Opioid Use Disorder. We adopt a bio-ecological view to frame the participants' lived experiences. Employing a basic qualitative design, we interviewed ten educational leaders of…

This collection summarises reflections from a group of Department for International Development (DFID) education advisers, spanning a number of different contexts and aspects of the topic of education projects that are working at scale to improve learning outcomes. In the first contribution, Gibbs shares a case study of an approach used to track…