Use Of Research-based Information Research Articles

A Study of Ghanaian Inclusive Basic School Teachers’ Perspectives and Uses of Research Evidence in Pedagogical Practice

International research findings offer inclusive education teachers various pedagogical tools to support student diversity in inclusive classrooms to counter educational disadvantages. However, according to previous research, embedding research evidence in pedagogical practice at the classroom level is rare in schools. Our study explored Ghanaian teachers’ perspectives in 10 purposively selected inclusive Basic Schools in Ghana. The study focused on teachers’ frequency of use of Research-Based Information (RBI), the type of use of RBI, opinions about RBI, awareness of useful activities that facilitate the use of RBI, individual expertise, or skills necessary for RBI use in everyday practice, organizational factors that influence the use of RBI. The study identified non-use and minimal to moderate use of RBI in professional practice. Sources of RBI were mostly from non-scholarly journals because the schools did not subscribe to peer-reviewed journals, and teachers were not willing to use their financial resources to access close-ended journal articles. An independent t-test was not significant between female and male participants. However, a Pearson product-moment correlation to assess the relationship between the various factors about RBI use found positive associations between organizational factors and expertise and between awareness factors and expertise to use RBI. Education must promote increased adoption of RBI in professional practice to enhance educational quality for all students. This can be accomplished by building ongoing solid school-university partnerships to develop context-specific frameworks that support inclusive teachers to conduct and use more research in their practice.

163 Assessment of implementation, needs, and challenges of equine Extension programs

Extension programs aim to provide quality education and solutions to problems in agriculture through the use of research-based information. While youth and adult equine Extension programs are available for implementation at the county, regional, and state level, equine-specific programs are not equally utilized or adopted compared with other livestock programs. The objective of this study was to evaluate how equine Extension programs are utilized and delivered in TN counties and to understand perceived barriers for program implementation by Extension personnel. An equine program needs assessment survey (Qualtrics, Provo, UT) was distributed to all Extension County Directors, Agriculture & Natural Resources (ANR) and 4-H Agents and Specialists in TN from February to May 2022. Respondents were prompted with programming questions including demographics, active programming, types of equine programs offered, resources needed, and perceived barriers to implementing programs. Based on removal of individual identifiers from this post collection data set, the University of TN Institutional Review Board deemed this work as non-human subject research and subsequent approval was not required. Descriptive statistics were calculated using Stata/SE 17 (College Station, TX). A total of 44 counties and regions were represented, where the highest proportion of respondent (n = 61) positionappointments were ANR County Agents (49.18%, n = 30), 4-H County Agents (34.43%, n = 21), and split appointment ANR and 4-H County Agents (6.56%, n = 4). Currently, active equine programming at the county level (n = 55) is mostly youth focused (52.73%, n = 29), and many counties currently do not have an active program (36.36%, n = 20). Respondents (n = 61) indicated the largest need for Extension publications (68.85%, n = 42), how-to videos (57.38%, n = 35), and news releases (57.38%, n = 35) for use at the county level. When specifically asked why developed programs were not adopted at the county level, respondents (n = 60) indicated time constraints (21.67%, n = 13), lack of interest (21.67%, n = 13), and cost (21.67%, n = 13) as the largest perceived barriers. Specific to cost, respondents (n = 61) felt program costs should include a manual and educational materials (55.74%, n = 34), program sign (49.18%, n = 30), and a state processing fee (44.26%, n = 27) when registration or program coordination is handled outside of the county. Equine-specific Extension programs do not appear to be well-adopted at the county level in Tennessee for various reasons. Creative efforts must be made to implement equine-specific Extension programs and meet equine clientele needs.

Relationship between Critical Thinking Disposition and Use of Research-based Information among Nurses in Japan

Relationship between Critical Thinking Disposition and Use of Research-based Information among Nurses in Japan

Evaluation of the Processes and Outcomes of Implementing a Competency Model to Foster Research Knowledge Utilization in Education

To encourage the use of research-based information (RBI) in education in Quebec, the Centre de transfert pour la reussite educative du Quebec CTREQ and the RENARD team, a knowledge transfer research team, developed the Competency Model for Knowledge Translation to Support Educational Achievement among Quebec Youth. They then developed a pilot project involving 24 school practitioners working in seven schools in Quebec to validate the content of this framework and to encourage its implementation. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the processes and outcomes of this pilot project’s implementation. Qualitative methods were used, involving data from: 1) three series of interviews with project participants, and 2) tracking sheets used to monitor activities carried out by project participants as well as by the project leaders supporting them in its implementation. Results showed the RAC implementation was able to influence participants’ perceptions regarding their role in the process of fostering RBI use and provided them with resources to fulfil that role. It also appeared that participants were able, to varying degrees, to extend this learning into their professional practice. The present article also highlights elements of the pilot project that facilitated or impeded the achievement of these outcomes and suggests areas to be considered for future interventions and studies related to the implementation of a competency model to encourage RBI use.

Using concept mapping to identify conditions that foster knowledge translation from the perspective of school practitioners

This article examines the efficacy of using concept mapping to identify the key dimensions that influence the use of research-based information by school practitioners, including teachers, educational counsellors, and school administrators. This mapping exercise was the first step in developing a competency framework for translation of research-based knowledge in education. Its aim was to provoke collective reflection of key stakeholders in the education sector who are already playing a role in knowledge transfer in their settings, to find out what should be done to make the scientific knowledge more useful to professional practices in schools. Altogether, the exercise identified eight domains that, according to respondents, influence the use of research in schools. These results were subsequently validated by three subgroups of participants and compared against the scientific literature on the topic to lay the foundation for identifying competencies that should be included in the framework. The map produced in the exercise described in this article presents a first picture of how things should be, in education, in order for teachers, educational counsellors, and school administrators to be informed by research-based information. The concept mapping methodology used in this study combined qualitative and quantitative approaches and was based on the active participation of key stakeholders. In the context of a project to develop a competency framework to foster knowledge translation, we consider this method to be appropriate and compares favourably with other group techniques.

Adaptation Challenges in Complex Rivers Around the World: The Guadiana and the Colorado Basins

Integrated water resources management provides an often-recommended governance framework to manage water resources in a sustainable way. The application of this framework on Transboundary Rivers brings additional challenges, which can be exacerbated due to climate changes and extremes (such as droughts). These changes affect the operation of water infrastructures and will affect water management practices. Thus, the understanding and development of adaptation measures (across socio-economic, environmental and administrative systems) are critical, mainly on drought prone transboundary river basins. The paper draws on research conducted to 1) assess climatic risks in those watersheds, 2) describe the challenges in water resources management in the context of climate change, and 3) draw lessons for improving the use of research-based information. Two case studies were selected, the Colorado River Basin (North America) and the Guadiana River (Iberian Peninsula), the latter of which in the context of the five river basins shared between Portugal and Spain. Research and experience in these Basins show that several paradoxes in multistate water management and governance across borders militate against the accurate assessment of socio-economic impacts and the effective use of scientific information for meeting short-term needs in reducing longer-term vulnerabilities. Lessons drawn from both studies, but not always learned in practice, abound. These lessons include an expanded use of incentives for improving collaboration, water-use efficiency, demand management and for the development of climate services to inform water-related management as new threats arise. Recommendations are established for more effectively linking risk assessment approaches with resilience strategies that are applicable in practice and available to decision makers in a changing climate.

Use of research-based information by school practitioners and determinants of use: a review of empirical research

The trend towards using research knowledge to improve policies and practices is on the rise. However, despite considerable effort and notable progress in recent years, it seems that school practitioners continue to make little use of research and it is not clear what conditions would facilitate or obstruct this use. This review focuses exclusively on the available empirical1 research about (a) the use of research by school practitioners and (b) the determinants of use, and identifies future directions for research.

Use of Research-based Information among Leaders of Public Health Agencies

Background: Researchers have identified numerous policies and programs effective in reducing public health problems, yet many of these programs and policies have not been implemented throughout communities and states. Purpose: To assess the use of research-based information among leaders in the local public health system. Methods: We conducted a mailed survey of county commissioners and directors, and selected managers (n = 591) of all local public health agencies located in Minnesota. Results: Forty-nine percent of respondents reported not using research information in making decisions about priority areas. The most common ways of accessing research information were by: (1) reading a research article, (2) through a state/federal health agency, or (3) attending conferences. However, these methods varied from those reported as the most effective ways for accessing research information, which included: (1) having a summary of journal articles regularly sent to them, (2) having funding agencies provide research information, and (3) through a staff-prepared summary. Discussion: Findings suggest that while many agency leaders use research evidence in public health practice, there is room for improvement. Translation to Health Education Practice: To increase use of research information, effective methods for disseminating research need to be identified, evaluated, and broadly used.

Lay perceptions of evidence-based information – a qualitative evaluation of a website for back pain sufferers

BackgroundIn an evidence-informed patient choice the patient has access to research-based information about the effectiveness of health care options and is encouraged to use this information in treatment decisions. This concept has seen growing popularity in recent years. However, we still know relatively little about users' attitudes to the use of research-based information, possibly because people have been unexposed to this type of information. After developing the BackInfo website where the results of Cochrane systematic reviews on the effects of low back pain were adapted and presented to lay users we evaluated how users responded to this information.MethodsFocus group meetings were held with 18 chronic back pain sufferers, after they had been sent a link to the website before the meetings.ResultsThe focus groups suggest that the most important challenges to the use of BackInfo's research-based information are not primarily tied to the comprehension or presentation of the information, but are mainly associated with participants' attitudes towards the credibility of research and researchers, and the applicability of research results to themselves as individuals. Possible explanations for participants' lack of trust in research and their apparent difficulties in applying this research to their own situations include aspects that may be typical for the general public including the media's presentation of research, and a lack of familiarity with and feelings of distance to research evidence. Other aspects may be typical for patient groups with chronic and unclear medical conditions, such as a lack of trust in the health care establishment in general.ConclusionIn order to enhance the credibility and applicability of research evidence, providers of research-based information could explore a number of possibilities including the use of including personal stories to illustrate the research outcomes.

The potential for research-based information in public health: identifying unrecognised information needs.

ObjectiveTo explore whether there is a potential for greater use of research-based information in public health practice in a local setting. Secondly, if research-based information is relevant, to explore the extent to which this generates questioning behaviour.DesignQualitative study using focus group discussions, observation and interviews.SettingPublic health practices in Norway.Participants52 public health practitioners.ResultsIn general, the public health practitioners had a positive attitude towards research-based information, but believed that they had few cases requiring this type of information. They did say, however, that there might be a potential for greater use. During five focus groups and six observation days we identified 28 questions/cases where it would have been appropriate to seek out research evidence according to our definition. Three of the public health practitioners identified three of these 28 cases as questions for which research-based information could have been relevant. This gap is interpreted as representing unrecognised information needs.ConclusionsThere is an unrealised potential in public health practice for more frequent and extensive use of research-based information. The practitioners did not appear to reflect on the need for scientific information when faced with new cases and few questions of this type were generated.

Management of leg ulcers in a rural community.

A report of a study which examined the use of research-based information by nurses treating leg ulcers in the community.