Practitioner Perspectives on Emerging Research Needs and Improving Relevance in Education Research. Technical Working Group Summary

Overview & Synopsis

In March 2014, The National Center for Education Research (NCER) and the National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER), in the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) at the U.S. Department of Education, convened a Technical Working Group (TWG) of practitioners to provide input on research needs in education and how research could be more relevant and useful to the field. Fifteen expert practitioners in the field of education were invited to attend, including individuals working in state education and legislative offices, districts, and schools as well as non-profit organizations and postsecondary institutions. The TWG discussion focused on five broad sessions: (1) making research available through effective dissemination; (2) research needs for elementary, middle, and high school; (3) research needs for early intervention; (4) research needs for post-secondary/career readiness; and (5) researcher-practitioner collaborations. This meeting summary covers all sessions of the technical working group and includes both presentations and discussions among participants.