The Power of Evidence-Based Practices in Improving Student Outcomes

Abstract

Boys and Girls Club Paterson and Passaic Agency Evidence-Based Practice in Education Services Micro-Practice Evidence-based practice is an approach that requires professionals and all decision-makers in an agency or an organization to pay close attention to evidence to inform their decision-making. In most cases, the evidence-based practice aims to eliminate outdated practices and replace them with updated and more effective ones through defined shifts from traditional decision-making approaches to scientific research. Education is one of the areas in that most professionals have based their practices on expertise derived from experiences and passed down in the form of tradition. It is a poor practice that remains unjustified by evidence fostering poor academic performances for many students. However, with evidence-based practices, the new phase in education brings a change in expertise which improves teachers' and students' performances significantly. Then what is this evidence-based practice in teaching, or what is evidence-based education? According to Wiltshire, 2007), evidence-based education practice is an educational approach that is always backed by rigorous and high standard research, consistently replicated with positive outcomes, and supported by the effects of student outcomes. It is a practice that allows educators to eliminate guesswork from their teaching approaches and instead provide specific approaches and programs to improve student performances. It is imperative to note that in America, evidence-based teaching has dominated the field of education since the 21st century after the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) included the practice as part of education law applied to all schools receiving federal funding (Song, 2019). Evidence-based practices in education enable the teachers to avoid frustrations associated with implementing unjustified teaching programs that lead to students' failure. Evidence-based practices are grounded on justified evidence, making finding and implementing an effective practice less frustrating and have proven outcomes on students' performances (Wiltshier, 2007). EBPs use evidence from interventions where one group of students uses a specific intervention over a period of time and academic performances compared to students who have been studying without any intervention. If results show educational improvements in the controlled group, then such intervention becomes substantial evidence of the applicability of such a teaching strategy for the benefit of students. For instance, in spaced repetition evidence-based learning technique, the students can improve their learning rates as the content under study remains exposed to their memory from time to time, which enhances a psychological spacing effect, thus improving performance in the long run. Another excellent example of evidence-based education practice is when a teacher asks many questions and observes students’ responses. Such an approach enables learners to connect new materials with earlier learning. To enhance students’ performance in such a case, the teacher provides step-by-step demonstrations to work out the problem and guides the learners by asking good questions and giving feedback. Chances of forgetting such content are minimal, positively impacting such students’ academic performances. As applied in different areas, evidence-based practice enhances effectiveness in operation management and the general performances of the persons cared for and the professionals in general. For instance, in the health/social work and education sector, which best consider evidence-based approaches, the practice involves a combination of three primary components: the value of patients or the person being cared for, the expertise of the professional, and the most viable research evidence available. Such a combination enhances positive outcomes in response to the patients and learners who remain equipped with scientifically justified approaches in all service areas. To this effect, one can argue that the primary reason for applying evidence-based practice is to enable professionals to make use of the available research to inform practice. This reason helps eliminate the guesswork in such expertise and employ justified research while engaging in the practice. Another reason for using evidence-based practice is to enable professionals to utilize research-based evidence to inform complex judgments/decisions needed to support, protect and empower their service users. Such a reason allows professionals to remain sure about the effectiveness of their practices while attending to their target audiences, enhancing their performances as professionals, thus positively impacting their users’ outcomes. Another reason why professionals must use evidence-based practice is to enable them to have their audience's best interests in mind. The practice enhances knowledge and skill acquisition which triggers the professionals' self-esteem while attending to the target audiences. To this effect, the user can remain focused, aiming at the best interests of the target to ensure positive outcomes in the long run. One of the benefits of using evidence-based practice in education is that it enhances students’ academic performances (Albarqouni, Hoffmann, and Glasziou, 2018). For instance, evidence-based practice enables the teacher to combine their expertise with explicit practices, programs, and instructions backed by research which equips the students with excellent knowledge and skills enhancing their academic performances greatly. EBPs also increase the accountability of all their users attributed to the availability of data to back up the selection of educational programs and practices. Such a benefit proves essential as it facilitates support for parents, students, administrators, and others attributed to defined knowledge that comes with supportive evidence. EBPs improve the quality of care. For instance, in the social work/health sector, EBPs enable the caregivers to prioritize their target audiences' benefits, thus ensuring defined research that provides logical evidence before attending to the client’s needs. Conducting such research enables caregivers to employ justified approaches while attending to their targets, which defines improvements in the quality of care that comes with this practice. However, regardless of how beneficial an approach may sound, there must be cons that limit its effectiveness. EBPs limit teachers’ autonomy in their profession. The practice dictates how the teachers should teach and what to teach. Initially, teachers had a great deal of independence in their teaching practices and trusted all education-related decisions. Thus, they generated a wide range of strategies, tools, tips, and resources to help group and individual students excel in their studies. Unfortunately, such trusts are no more as EBPs' practice is not grounded on assumptions but rather on research-based evidence tying such teachers to employ the available evidence throughout their work. Another demerit of EBPs is that it is based on who gets funded. Federal, state, and private institution funds schools to employ EBPs. Over-reliance on such funds limits educators’ potential to select the most viable teaching practice that qualifies for funding and whose effects on students’ performance remain positive. For this reason, the application of EBPs is a significant limitation to applying a variety of teaching strategies available for teachers to use due to limited funds needed to conduct formal research studies. Last but not least, real learning from a classroom perspective cannot be quantified as teaching remains based upon statistics (Albarqouni, Hoffmann, and Glasziou, 2018). A standard metric used in this practice is effect size which is the difference between the standard deviation of the intervention and control group. Such a consideration limits the primary purpose of teaching and actual teaching behind embracing effects conclusions that prove a significant problem in making teaching approaches decisions. Paterson and Passaic's Boys and Girls Club operate as a non-profit organization that helps young people become potentially productive, caring, and responsible citizens. It is an agency that provides quality educational, recreational and athletic support for children of lower and middle-income generating families (Inc, 2022). The organization's programs are based on micro-practices to protect society's most vulnerable individuals in various aspects of life, including education and substance abuse counseling. As an intern in this organization, one can confirm that this agency provides affordable and high-quality licensed afterschool programs to over a thousand children. Paying close attention to the power hour program that I am engaged in as an intern in this organization, it is clear that it serves as an interactive afterschool homework assistance program that helps the children aged between 5 and 13 complete their homework daily and thus feel prepared for school the following day. The agency also offers a kids college program, an online tutoring...