Becoming an evidence-based SENCO

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Dr Gary Jones - @DrGaryJones – jones.gary@gmail.com
https://evidencebasededucationalleadership.blogspot.com
Becoming an evidence-based SENCO – six steps to
making evidence-based decisions
researchSEND, Saturday 18 November, 2017

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By the end of this session I hope to
have provided you with
 A brief overview of Effective SEN support: research evidence
on effective approaches and examples of current practice in
good and outstanding schools and colleges
 A comprehensive definition of evidence-based practice
 An awareness of common misconceptions about evidence-
based practice
 Highlight a number of techniques/tools that you can use to
make decisions based on the best available evidence
 A stimulating 30 minute session
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Key message
 Evidence-based practice is ethically essential within SEND
 But significant challenges to its adoption – time, money, skill,
motivation, opportunity
 Some reasonably straightforward techniques which anyone can
use to help make decisions evidence-based
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 1. Inclusive culture, leadership
and management
 2. High quality teaching
 3. Use of expertise
 4. Personalisation
 5. Flexible use of evidence-
based strategies
 6. Progress tracking
 7. Communication and
collaboration
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The only definition of evidence-
based practice you will ever need
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BARENDS, E., ROUSSEAU, D. & BRINER, R. 2014. Evidence-Based Management
: The Basic Principles. Amsterdam: Center for Evidence-Based Management.

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Common misconceptions about
EBP
 Evidence-based practice ignores the expertise and knowledge
of teachers and head-teachers.
 Evidence-based practice is the same as research-based
practice
 Evidence-based practice involves teachers undertaking
research

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Evidence-based practice –
tools and techniques
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Asking well formulated
questions
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The PICO format
 P — Pupil or Problem. How would you describe
the group of pupils or problem?
 I — Intervention. What are you planning to do
with your pupils?
 C — Comparison. What is the alternative to the
intervention/action/innovations
 O — Outcomes. What are the effects of the
intervention/action/intervention?

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Using the PICO format
 For pupils requiring additional learning support (P)
how does the provision of 1 to 1 support (I)
compared with group support (C) affect achievement
rates.

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Now try
 P — Pupil or Problem. How
would you describe the group of
pupils or problem?
 I — Intervention. What are you
planning to do with your pupils?
 C — Comparison. What is the
alternative to the
intervention/action/innovations
 O — Outcomes. What are the
effects of the
intervention/action/intervention?
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Acquiring the evidence
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What to do if you cannot access
journal articles
 Use Google Scholar
 Use Twitter
 Contact the author
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Appraising the evidence
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Appraising research evidence
 Why am I reading this?
 What are the authors trying to
achieve in writing this?
 What are the authors claiming
that is relevant to my work?
 How convincing are these
claims, and why?
 In conclusion, what use can I
make of this?
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Aggregating the evidence
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21. 21Author/sources Description Year Setting Who Commentary
Research
literature
Sims, Moss
and Marshall*
2017 Two mixed 11-
18 schools
Ofsted -
outstanding
10 teachers
in school A
and 7
teachers in
school
The research finds that
journal clubs are a viable,
scalable model of teacher-
led professional
development, capable of
creating sustained increases
in evidence-informed
practice.
School data
(quantitative)
Professional
Learning
Programme
2017 The school All staff Some space in professional
learning calendar for half-
termly journal clubs
Stakeholder views School staff
meeting
2017 The school All teaching
staff including
teaching
assistants
General acceptance of idea
in principle, though
suggested it should be
trialled with a group of 7 -10
volunteers
Practitioner
Expertise
Senior
Leadership
Team
2017 The school HT, 2 DHs
and School
Research
Lead
No direct experience though
school research lead has
attended sessions on journal
clubs at researchED and is
aware of available resources

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Acting on the evidence
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23. Framework for analysis of context
Participants’ will
Sizing up a context
No
Commitment
Some
Commitment
Strong
Commitment
Extant know-
how limited
Limited
capacity
Very small-
scale test
Very small-
scale test
Very small-
scale test
Good
capacity
Very small-
scale test
Very small-
scale test
Small-scale
test
Substantial
know-how
exists
Limited
capacity
Very small-
scale test
Small-scale
test
Large-scale
test
Good
capacity
Small-scale
test
Large-scale
test
Implement
BRYK, A. S., GOMEZ, L. M., GRUNOW, A. & LEMAHIEU, P. G. 2015.
Learning to improve: How America's schools can get better at getting better.

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Assessing the research
evidence?
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After-Action-Review
 What did we set out to do?
 What actually happened?
 Why did it happen?
 What are we going to do next time?
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Professor Robert Coe, 2017

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In summary
 Evidence-based practice is ethically essential within SEND
 But significant challenges to its adoption – time, money, skill,
motivation, opportunity
 Some reasonably straightforward techniques which anyone can
use to help make decisions evidence-based
27

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@DrGaryJones
jones.gary@gmail.com
http://evidencebasededucationalleadership.blogspot.com