Research School Network: Putting Evidence into Practice: What is Evidence Literacy? Staffordshire Research School discuss how to increase ​‘evidence literacy’.

We have recently been involved with carrying out ​‘focus groups’ with the EEF in order to understand how evidence is being used within schools. We look forward to reading the results when they are published. From the discussions we are having with schools it seems that there is a developing social norm to use research evidence to support decision making. It got us thinking: ​‘What is the best way to use research evidence?’ ​‘What does an effective use of evidence look like in schools?’

As teachers and leaders, we make decisions based on the information we have available to us. However, not all information is created equally, and not all sources are reliable. In today’s world, where information is readily available is much more readily at our fingertips, it is becoming increasingly important to become evidence literate.

We believe that being evidence literate means being able to critically evaluate information, whether it’s in the form of articles, research documents, case studies, scientific studies, or social media posts. It means being able to identify reliable sources and distinguish them from unreliable ones. It also means being able to understand and interpret data and statistics.

Here are a few tips to follow if you want to increase your evidence literacy:

Before accepting any information as true, it’s important to check the source. Is it a reputable organisation or a blog from an individual? Is it a scientific study published in a peer-reviewed journal or a study conducted by a company trying to sell a product? Knowing the source of information can help you determine its reliability.

Everyone has biases, whether they are conscious or unconscious. It’s important to be aware of potential biases in the information you’re receiving. For example, if an article is written by a political organisation, it’s likely to have a bias that aligns with that organisation’s views. Similarly, if a study is funded by a private educational company, it’s important to consider whether the study’s results may be influenced by that funding.

Statistics can be tricky to understand, but they are often used to support arguments and claims. It’s important to know what statistics mean and how they can be manipulated. For example, a study may claim that a certain intervention strategy reduces the risk of children failing the phonics screening check by 50%, but what does that really mean? Does it mean that half of the children who have the intervention will avoid failure, or does it mean that the risk of failing is halved for each individual?

No single source of information is always reliable. It is important to use multiple sources to verify information and get a more complete picture of a topic. If you read an article that makes a claim, try to find another article that either supports or refutes that claim.

In conclusion, being evidence literate is essential in today’s world. It allows us to make informed decisions based on reliable information, rather than being swayed by misinformation. By checking sources, looking for bias, understanding statistics, and using multiple sources, we can become more evidence literate and better equipped to navigate the increasingly complex information landscape in order to make the best possible decisions for the pupils in our care.

The EEF have created the Teaching and Learning Toolkit, which supports teachers and school leaders to look at the evidence behind a strategy. The padlocks give an indication of how strong the evidence base is. You can find the toolkit here – https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/teaching-learning-toolkit