Since the onset of the pandemic, the importance of creating and expanding evidence-based solutions to support learning recovery has gained increasing significance. Educational institutions are navigating through unprecedented challenges caused by disruptions and widening achievement gaps, underscoring the critical need for effective, research-supported interventions. The focal point is not just on developing these products but also ensuring their adoption and successful implementation in schools and classrooms nationwide.
The Leveraging Evidence to Accelerate Recovery Nationwide (LEARN) Network, funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences, is a pioneering initiative driving this endeavor. Spearheaded by SRI International, a reputable nonprofit renowned for bringing innovations to fruition, the LEARN Network is dedicated to fostering learning progression by enhancing the utilization of evidence-based educational tools.
The Network comprises four specialized product teams committed to modifying and positioning literacy and math-enhancing evidence-based products to cater to educators’ needs effectively. Through offering learning opportunities and mentorship, the LEARN Network seeks to empower these teams and others in the education sector to facilitate equitable and sustainable scaling of educational products. This involves comprehending educators’ challenges, needs, decision-making processes in product procurement, and developing resources for researchers, developers, and educators to promote the widespread adoption of effective solutions.
Recently, EdSurge engaged with educational researchers Kerry Friedman and Jessica Mislevy concerning the significance of incorporating evidence-based practices, educator feedback, and a systemic approach right from the initial phases of product development. Friedman, an ex-educator with a 12-year background in research and technical assistance, focuses on empowering educators and system leaders to employ evidence in their practices. As the project leader for the LEARN Network, she collaborates with researchers and developers to enhance capacity building and the design of evidence-based products and programs. Mislevy, the director of digital learning and technology policy at SRI Education, specializes in conducting mixed-method evaluations of products engineered to enhance student outcomes in K-12 and post-secondary education. She serves as a co-principal investigator with the LEARN Network, concentrating on the effective adoption and scaling of evidence-based practices and programs by educators.
EdSurge: Why are evidence-based products and programs so vital, especially at this point in time in America’s schools?
Mislevy: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on educational systems nationwide has been profound, disrupting students’ learning and exacerbating existing educational inequities. The 2022 data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress reflects this, with the first-ever recorded decline in mathematics and the largest average score drop in reading in decades. Studies emphasize that the quality of learning products and programs significantly influences student outcomes. Now, more than ever, it is crucial to introduce products that can enhance educational outcomes for all learners and bridge persistent achievement disparities in school districts. However, many effective products fail to reach educators due to the overwhelming array of options available. Selecting products that are not only effective and suitable for students’ needs and environments but also affordable and user-friendly can be challenging.
What key considerations should researchers and developers keep in mind while designing and scaling products and programs?
Friedman: Scaling is often viewed as the final step by researchers; however, designing a scalable innovation commences right from the initial ideation phase. This is where our LEARN Network framework comes into play. We adapted SRI International’s Invent-Apply-Transition (I-A-T) framework to align more closely with the education sector, integrating Liberatory Design principles emphasizing equity and systemic thinking.
Both the I-A-T framework and Liberatory Design stress the importance of understanding users’ needs right from the outset. This comprehension forms the bedrock of the Invent phase of the I-A-T framework. In the Apply phase, you gauge the broader market, identifying key stakeholders, infrastructure, policies, and competition to hone your innovation. Finally, the Transition phase ponders how to scale your product, envisioning it at a systemic level and exploring avenues to establish a financially sustainable approach.
We have devised the Learn to Scale Toolkit to steer researchers through these phases and bolster the scaling process. Furthermore, we have showcased several products in their progression from development to scalability in our Stories of Scaling series.
How is the Network working to increase the use of evidence-based products and programs in schools?
Mislevy: Our efforts span both the supply and demand sides. On the supply end, the LEARN Network offers capacity building to researchers and developers to scale their evidence-based products effectively. We aid them in adapting their products while considering educator context, decision-making processes, and usability. This involves a blend of personalized and team coaching sessions to deliver tools and training, alongside fostering teamwork and collaboration. Besides SRI scaling experts, we engage other expert voices to enrich these discussions. On the demand side, we strive to comprehend the needs and obstacles educators encounter in adopting and scaling evidence-based products better. We translate these insights into actionable strategies for developers to enhance the likelihood of product adoption and scalability.
Does the Network have any insights into school and district needs or how they select programs and products?
Mislevy: The LEARN Network conducted an in-depth study on K-12 education procurement practices to gain a better grasp of how decision-makers select products to adopt in their schools and districts and the role of evidence in those decisions. Through extensive interviews with a diverse set of education leaders and stakeholders and nationally representative surveys of public school and district leaders via the RAND American Educator Panels, we explored the motivating factors behind product procurement, the involved parties in the decision-making process, and the information sources leaders rely on while picking products. For instance, routine curriculum reviews commonly drive educators to procure core curriculum materials, while student outcome data reviews frequently lead to the purchase of supplementary materials.
We observed that teachers typically play a pivotal role in identifying and evaluating potential products for their schools and districts, with school and district administrators being chiefly responsible for the final selection of products. In terms of influence, research and evidence rank among the more persuasive sources guiding procurement decisions, although recommendations from fellow education leaders and end users tend to hold greater weight. Our research offers valuable insights for developers to comprehend the systemic dynamics influencing when and why products are acquired and who participates in that procurement process to enhance the likelihood of product acceptance and scalability. We have recently released the first of several planned research briefs on the LEARN Network website, providing valuable lessons for developers gearing up to launch their products in the market or scale them to broader audiences.
The information featured in this content was supported by the Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, under Grant R305N220012 to SRI International. The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Institute or the U.S. Department of Education.
