WWC Practice Guide Evidence Levels

Summary

The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) practice guides offer educators evidence-based strategies to address educational challenges. Each guide presents multiple recommendations categorized by levels of evidence—Strong, Moderate, and Minimal—indicating the reliability of supporting research. Strong evidence signifies well-designed studies with positive outcomes, while Moderate evidence suggests potential benefits that may not be clearly linked. Minimal evidence relies on expert opinion due to insufficient research. The WWC emphasizes the importance of high-quality, diverse studies in shaping effective educational practices, making their resources valuable for educators seeking to enhance student outcomes.

Takeaways

• 📚 The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) provides evidence-based practice guides to help educators address challenges in education.
• 🔍 Practice guides combine the best available evidence and expert insights, offering practical strategies for educators.
• 📊 Recommendations in practice guides are assigned a level of evidence: Strong, Moderate, or Minimal.
• ✅ Strong evidence indicates consistent positive findings from well-designed experimental studies across diverse populations.
• ⚖️ Moderate evidence suggests some support for the effectiveness of practices, though the direct impact may be uncertain.
• ❓ Minimal evidence indicates weak or contradictory evidence, often based on expert consensus rather than rigorous research.
• 🧑‍🏫 WWC certified reviewers assess research related to each recommended practice to determine evidence levels.
• 👩‍🎓 A panel of nationally recognized experts collaborates with WWC reviewers to ensure recommendations are coherent and well-supported.
• 📈 Examples of Strong and Moderate evidence recommendations illustrate the varying levels of research support for educational practices.
• 🌐 WWC practice guides are available for free download, providing valuable resources for educators to enhance student outcomes.

Q & A

What is the purpose of the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) practice guides?

The purpose of WWC practice guides is to provide educators with evidence-based practices to address current challenges in education, offering strategies that can be implemented in classrooms and schools.

How many levels of evidence are there in WWC practice guides, and what are they?

There are three levels of evidence in WWC practice guides: Strong, Moderate, and Minimal. These levels indicate the strength of the research evidence supporting the recommended practices.

What criteria must a recommendation meet to receive a Strong evidence rating?

A recommendation receives a Strong evidence rating when there is consistent evidence that it meets WWC standards without reservations and indicates improvement in outcomes for a diverse student population, supported by well-designed experimental studies.

What distinguishes a Moderate evidence rating from a Strong evidence rating?

A Moderate evidence rating indicates some evidence that the practice meets WWC standards but may not definitively show that the observed improvement is directly due to the practices. It often relies on quasi-experimental studies.

Why might a recommendation be rated as Minimal evidence?

A recommendation is rated as Minimal evidence when the evidence does not meet WWC standards, is ineligible for review, or shows weak or contradictory effects. It is included based on expert opinion and consensus about its necessity.

What role do WWC certified reviewers play in determining the level of evidence?

WWC certified reviewers assess all related research for each recommended practice and collaborate with a panel of experts to assign a level of evidence based on various criteria such as sample size and study design.

Can you give an example of a recommendation from a WWC practice guide with a Strong evidence rating?

In the 'Assisting Students Struggling with Mathematics' practice guide, the recommendation to 'Provide systematic instruction during intervention to develop student understanding of mathematical ideas' received a Strong evidence rating, supported by 43 studies.

What is the significance of the ESSA tiered rating system in relation to WWC evidence ratings?

The Strong and Moderate evidence categories from WWC align directly with the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) tiered rating system, indicating the quality of evidence supporting practices in improving student outcomes.

What does a Minimal evidence rating imply about the research supporting a recommendation?

A Minimal evidence rating implies that while the evidence may not fully support the recommendation according to WWC standards, it may still be considered valuable based on expert opinion and consensus.

Where can educators find the WWC practice guides and more information?

Educators can download free practice guides from the WWC website at whatworks.ed.gov, where they can also find more information about the WWC and its resources.