Research School Network: NEW & IMPROVED – THE EEF’s PUTTING EVIDENCE TO WORK: A SCHOOL’S GUIDE TO IMPLEMENTATION 5 Reasons Why the Newly Updated Guidance Report is Even Better Than the Original

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NEW & IMPROVED – THE EEF’s PUTTING EVIDENCE TO WORK: A SCHOOL’S GUIDE TO IMPLEMENTATION

5 Reasons Why the Newly Updated Guidance Report is Even Better Than the Original

Implementation Recommendations Poster

When your favourite, most used tool is updated you want to know, how can it be any better than the trusted version you’ve reached for in the course of daily, weekly and ongoing work?’

For me, the EEF’s guidance report Putting Evidence to Work: A School’s Guide to Implementation, published in February 2018 has been an invaluable aid to school improvement activity, professional development and personal reflection.

IT DOESN’T MATTER HOW GREAT AN EDUCATIONAL IDEA OR INTERVENTION IS IN PRINCIPLE; WHAT REALLY MATTERS IS HOW IT MANIFESTS ITSELF IN THE DAY-TO-DAY WORK OF PEOPLE IN SCHOOLS.

EEF Putting Evidence To Work: A School's Guide to Implementation 2019

My original hard copy is ever present in my school bag’ and bears the notes, annotations and scribbles from countless conversations with colleagues in all sorts of contexts; I reach for my faithful copy and reference it regularly, in coaching, training and planning to name but three common activities – it is my trusted ally in my daily work, so its replacement is a big ask!

However, as illustrated below, it’s showing the signs of much use and age, the middle pages now being a self-ejecting handout and the booklet itself looking rather dog-eared – it’s therefore a good time for me to renew and refresh my go-to resource!

Andy implementation report

Before highlighting the updates, modifications and improvements, a quick reminder about the guidance report itself.

PUTTING EVIDENCE TO WORK: A SCHOOL’S GUIDE TO IMPLEMENTATION’ AIMS TO:

  • give schools the support they need to put evidence to work in their classrooms and implement new programmes and approaches effectively
  • outline how good and thoughtful implementation is crucial to the success of any teaching and learning strategy
  • support creating the right conditions for implementation
  • introduce a structured process of planning, delivering and sustaining change

    In doing so, it offers six recommendations to help schools give their innovations the very best chance by working carefully through the who, why, where, when and how of managing change.

HOW, THEN, IS THE NEW UPDATED VERSION DIFFERENT?

KEY UPDATE #1: removal of the five step cycle of evidence-informed school improvement

5 step out 4 step in implementation process

The EEF had developed and utilised a five-step approach to evidence-informed school improvement. It aimed to frame research evidence in a school’s context, rather than the other way around, integrating the best available external evidence with professional expertise and internal data’ 1:

  • Decide on what you want to achieve
  • Identify possible solutions
  • Give the idea the best chance of success
  • Did it work?
  • Secure and spread change

These elements are now catered for in the newly updated implementation process. Steps one and two are inherent and discrete within the expanded Explore section (see #2 and 3 below) whilst steps three and four mainly reside within Deliver and step five focused on in Sustain.

Phasing out the older five-step approach in favour of the newly updated implementation process is a great example of strategic abandonment – leaving something behind in favour of a more effective approach. It will simplify, enhance and focus around this valuable, newly updated guidance report and associated resources (see #5 below).

The expanded Explore section referenced above, with more guidance on how to identify school improvement priorities and make evidence-informed decisions on what to implement is the most sizeable modification, with the original two pages being extended to eight pages. So, on to #2 and #3.

“Typically, the application of a single strategy alone will be insufficient to successfully support the implementation of a new approach.”

EEF Putting Evidence To Work: A School's Guide to Implementation 2019

KEY UPDATE #2: more guidance on how to identify a tight area for improvement using a robust diagnostic process

EEF school implementation GR p14 15

I’ve always loved the phrase identify a key priority that is amenable to change’, the first note in the Explore stage on the implementation process diagram2; however the simplicity of the statement hides the complexity of the act. Therefore, the addition of associated guidance including a double page resource (pages 14/15) is great news. The four-step framework added now provides even more support in the process of identifying the real issue and seeks to secure even more effective focus at the very earliest stages of implementation.

KEY UPDATE #3: extra guidance on how to make evidence-informed decisions on what to implement

EEF school implementation GR p17

Once schools have identified and specified an educational challenge, they inevitably turn to considering how they can best meet it through potential programmes and practices. The goal is to identify interventions and approaches based on existing evidence of what has — and hasn’t — worked before. Questions to consider at this stage include:

  • How have similar problems been tackled before in similar locations to mine? 
  • How strong is the evidence behind the approach?
  • How easy will it be to implement?
  • Is it cost effective?’3

Pages 16 and 17 now add valuable insights and some key principles on how we can answer these questions and be ever more evidence-informed in our decision-making by:

a) Building a rich evidence picture 

b) Getting beyond the surface

c) Focusing on the how’ as well as the what’

d) Being an intelligent consumer

e) Integrating research evidence with professional judgement

This new element will add significantly to the professional development of teachers and leaders as we strive to be ever more effective in making evidence-informed judgements for improving the chances of implementing effective change for improved outcomes for those we serve. Future blogs will explore these professional characteristics in more detail.

KEY UPDATE #4: a refined definition of active ingredients’

EEF school implementation GR p21

For me, the notion of active ingredients’ has been such an influential aspect of my own professional development. The ability to distil the essential key principles and practices that underpin an approach (as well as the values and vision of the context) has proven to be a challenging but absolutely essential element of ever more effective implementation.

In the new version of the guidance report, active ingredients are now defined on page 21 with greater clarity and simplicity as the key behaviours and content that make it (an approach/​intervention) work4. This will aid understanding and communication in order to ensure they are at the heart of the hard thinking within the explore and prepare phases.

KEY UPDATE #5: a valuable array of extra, supplementary resource

Page 40 of the new version signposts to a wealth of free, practical resources which have also been created to help schools develop a deeper understanding of the recommendations and apply them in their context. This includes:

  • an interactive online course, including video case studies
  • an implementation planning template
  • examples of implementation plans
  • implementation theme summaries (e.g. Professional Development, Active Ingredients)
  • … and much more

This valuable library of linked resources all available via the guidance report’s page on the EEF website will provide schools with aligned tools and ongoing support to bring alongside their school improvement work. I for one will be utilising them!

Introduction Jonathan Sharples

CONCLUDING COMMENTS

As attached as I am to my trusted version 1’ copy of this invaluable guidance report, I can’t wait to get my hands on the new and improved’ version! With this updated guidance report and associated resource at our finger tips even more is possible.

It has been a great professional privilege to work alongside school leaders and other organisations in so many settings using the original guidance to date. The amazing opportunities to develop my own understanding of the framework and evidence-informed school improvement through time spent with the report’s authors and Research School Network colleagues have been transformational. 

Thank you and well done all involved in creating Implementation 2.0’ – here’s to even more insightful conversations and associated planning for securing uncommon common sense’ amidst ever changing school improvement landscape, for the benefit of the pupils in our schools.

CLICK HERE FOR THE UPDATED GUIDANCE ON HOW TO MAKE, AND ACT, ON EVIDENCE-INFORMED DECISIONS

References:

  1. Education Endowment Foundation (2018) Putting evidence to work: a school’s guide to implementation – page 4
  2. Education Endowment Foundation (2018) Putting evidence to work: a school’s guide to implementation – page 8 and (2019) page 5
  3. Education Endowment Foundation (2019) Putting evidence to work: a school’s guide to implementation – page 16
  4. Education Endowment Foundation (2018) Putting evidence to work: a school’s guide to implementation – page 21

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