Teachers and school leaders: making a difference through evidence-based practice

A research paper for ACT Government schools

ISBN 978-0-9757487-4-9

© Australian Capital Territory, Canberra 2007

Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright ACT 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission from the ACT Department of Education and Training, ACT Government, PO Box
1584, Tuggeranong ACT 2901.

Produced for the ACT Department of Education and Training by the Measurement, Monitoring and Reporting
Directorate.

Telephone: Canberra 6205 9214
Fax: Canberra 6205 8353

ACT Government Homepage address

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Introduction
The purpose of this paper is to provide a research base for the ACT Department of Education and Training’s discussion paper for ACT government school teachers: Teachers and school leaders: making a difference through evidence-based practice.
Evidence-based practice is defined as the collection and analysis of relevant data and research and the application of this evidence to teaching and learning and to whole school improvement.
The conceptual framework of the School Excellence Initiative underpins the paper. This places student achievement and learning at the centre of any discussion.
In the research literature, there are many, often contradictory definitions of data, information and knowledge.
This paper will use ‘data’ as a collective (singular) noun and define terms as follows:
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data: a collection of facts from which conclusions may be drawn and judgements made

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research: a thorough inquiry and investigation into a subject, including the collection and application of data

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information: the result of processing, manipulating and organising data

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knowledge: information that is shaped, comprehended and embedded in meaningful contexts

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practice: the