The use of research evidence (URE) in policy and practice is relevant to many academic
disciplines; and indeed many policy and practice domains. Different methods and approaches to
measuring, evaluating, promoting and describing the various ways in which evidence and
policy/practice interact have sprung up, reflecting the broad and diverse areas where this is a
concern. There has also been an explosion of research into how evidence is produced and used,
with dedicated journals and increased funding for URE work emerging over last 15 years. Yet at
the same time, those engaged in the scholarship and practice of URE face challenges advancing
the field in terms of both accumulation of knowledge over time and across disciplines and
intervention and improvement in evidence use. Our shared interest in advancing URE and its
efforts, in collaboration with the William T. Grant Foundation, brought us together to “map the
field” in this research report, with the objective of provoking a conversation about where we are and what we need to
move forward.

In addition to the research report, the authors also provide two additional resources:

Finding Support: Organizations Funding URE Work

Scholars across disciplines and countries are engaging in work related to the use of research evidence (URE). Their work is funded by a range of sources, from private philanthropies to government agencies, demonstrating the scope and scale of commitment across the globe. This document clarifies the scope of support for this work and promotes funding opportunities and potential collaboration among URE scholars and leaders across organizations.

Influential Works: Knowledge Utilization References

Our first step in “mapping the field” was to learn more about who does this work and who has influenced their efforts. In this document, we share one of the first products – a reference list. More than 120 resources, spanning decades, disciplines, and formats are included.

Keywords: Use of research evidence, evidence-based policy and practice, evidence use, knowledge utilization, research use, knowledge broker, improvement science, program evaluation,  education policy, research-practice partnerships, studies of research use, research impact

Authors: Elizabeth N. Farley-Ripple, Annette Boaz, Kathryn Oliver, Robert Borst, Xiaoxue Zhang 

A new introduction to public health’s most elemental topic

Food is baked in to most things that public health is and does. But for a field charged with carrying torches as divergent as anti-hunger and anti-obesity, it’s unlikely, even impossible, to shape a unified approach to complex concepts like food environment, food access, or even nutrition.

Food and Public Health,  offers a contextualized, accessible introduction to understanding the foundations (and contradictions) at the intersection of these two topics.  Edited by CRESP Senior Associate Director, Dr. Allison Karpyn, and featuring contributions from twenty-four insightful authors, the book distills the historical, political, sociological, and scientific factors influencing what we eat and where our food comes from, then offers actionable insights for future nutritionists, social workers, dietitians, and researchers in public health.

Guiding the reader through more than a century of food-focused regulation, policy, and education, Food and Public Health is an essential introduction to:

· food production and availability on a global and neighborhood scale
· dietary guidelines, agricultural subsidies, rationing, and other attempts by governments to shape their citizens’ diets
· best practices in health promotion and chronic disease prevention
· food insecurity and its paradoxical role as driver of both hunger and obesity

Enriched with real-world examples and case studies, Food and Public Health offers a crucial link between kitchen tables and populations for the classroom.

Keywords: Public health, Food, Education, Nutrition, Policy, Food Environment, Food Access, Healthy Food Marketing

Allison Karpyn

For too many students and teachers, a nurturing, safe, positive school climate is out of reach.
Issues such as adverse childhood experiences, bullying, and chronic absenteeism present daily
challenges. Measures to address these challenges have fallen short and are often punitive actions
that are disproportionately applied to students of color and those with disabilities.
Responsive Classroom is an evidence-based social and emotional learning (SEL) approach to
teaching that integrates social and emotional skill development with academic instruction.
Research shows SEL programs and initiatives like the Responsive Classroom approach are associated
with improved academic achievement, school climate, and instructional quality. The cost-benefits
are compelling: Responsive Classroom has been shown to yield a 9:1 return on investment (ROI).
Policymakers have the opportunity to scale evidence-based SEL programs like Responsive
Classroom to more schools, districts, and communities. Comprehensive and locally determined
policy solutions should be inclusive; offer guidance and supports to teachers and school leaders,
such as technical assistance and professional development; and reach students grades pre-K to 12.

Full reference list: PB18-003 References

Keywords: Responsive Classroom, Social and Emotional Learning (SEL), School Climate, Academic Achievement, Instructional Quality

CRESP

Research supports the long-term use of highly trained instructional coaches for improving the teaching of middle school mathematics and increasing the mathematics achievement of students. Coaches work with teachers, both in and outside of classrooms, through goal setting, modeling, collaborative planning, observation, student data analysis, and reflection. Effective instructional coaching in mathematics has been shown to:

• Improve student learning in mathematics;
• Increase teacher knowledge of mathematical content; and
• Improve mathematics instruction.

Research indicates that effective coaching programs have the following components:

• Support from school leadership;
• Knowledgeable and skilled coaches;
• Regular interaction between coaches and teachers;
• Focus on both content knowledge and pedagogical skills; and
• Long-term commitment to coaching from district and state administration.

Keywords: education, mathematics, mathematics achievement, instrucational coaching in mathematics, mathematics coaches, middle school mathematics, mathematics instructional coaching initiative

CRESP, Sue Giancola, Coffey, Riser