Evidence for the Frontline project moves into action!

Over the last couple of months, a CEBE working group has been speaking with a diverse range of teaching professionals to identify their needs in terms of accessing and using research evidence. 

The outcomes of the various discussions have proved to be highly consistent with one another, enabling the group to come to some clear decisions about the types of services and products that should be offered through the Evidence for the Frontline project. Broadly, the key messages were:

- Help practitioners identify and use good quality evidence, and filter out snake-oil solutions

- Be practice-focussed, not academic

- Start with enthusiasts and over time engage the mainstream

- Work via practical topics/subject areas, around which peer groups can engage at a both local and national level

- Ensure interaction is two-way: researchers need to learn from practitioners.

Although it is early days, practical plans are focusing around creating a matchmaking/brokering service that can support conversations between teaching professionals around research use in practice, whilst linking to appropriate resources and experts in academia.

A practitioner-focused meeting in May will decide how to take the project practically forward, followed by discussions with any interested agencies and research organisations. Please contact Andrew Morris for details - [email protected]