FEATURE ARTICLE
Strategies Click Into Place
Online resources translate research to practice
By Learning Forward
April 2012
Vol. 33 No. 2
Teachers might feel they take a risk every time they are asked to try out a new practice recommended by an expert or a researcher. It takes a lot of time and effort to learn a new strategy, prepare for class, and spend class time on implementation. While it might be reassuring to know that the practice has been researched and shown to help improve student learning, research seldom provides enough information to help teachers replicate the practice (Cochran-Smith & Zeichner, 2005). Researchers sift through the details to identify key principles (McIntyre, 2005), leaving teachers to figure out how to adapt practices in their classrooms (Penuel, Fishman, Yamaguchi, & Gallagher, 2007). Teachers who don’t understand why a certain practice might work better than the one
Read the remaining content with membership access. Join or log in below to continue.
Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem.
Three-Step Cycle of the Doing What Works Website
References
Acosta, B.D. (2011). Doing What Works: Implementing effective literacy and English language instruction for elementary English learners in Accomack County Public Schools. Unpublished report. Arlington, VA: The George Washington University Center for Equity and Excellence in Education.
Allen, E. & Seaman, J. (2007). Online nation: Five years of growth in online learning. Wellesley, MA: The Sloan Consortium, Babson College.
Brown, M. & Edelson D. (2003). Teaching as design: Can we better understand the ways in which teachers use materials so we can better design materials to support their changes in practice? (Design Brief). Evanston, IL: Center for Learning Technologies in Urban Schools.
Cochran-Smith, M. & Zeichner, K.M. (Eds.). (2005). Studying teacher education: The report of the AERA Panel on Research and Teacher Education. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Drill, K., Miller, S., & Behrstock-Sherratt, E. (2012, March). Teachers’ perspectives on educational research. Naperville, IL: American Institutes for Research.
Gersten, R., Chard, D., & Baker, S. (2000). Factors enhancing sustained use of research-based instructional practices. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 33(5), 445.
Lock, J.V. (2006). A new image: Online communities to facilitate teacher professional development. Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, 14(4), 663-678.
Masters, J., de Kramer, R., O’Dwyer, L.M., Dash, S., & Russell, M. (2010). The effects of online professional development on fourth grade English language arts teachers’ knowledge and instructional practices. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 43(3), 355-375.
McIntyre, D. (2005). Bridging the gap between research and practice. Cambridge Journal of Education, 35(3), 357-382.
Miller, S.R., Drill, K., & Behrstock, E. (2010). Meeting teachers half way: Making educational research relevant to teachers. Phi Delta Kappan, 91(7), 31-34.
Penuel, W.R., Fishman, B.J., Yamaguchi, R., & Gallagher, L.P. (2007). What makes professional development effective? Strategies that foster curriculum implementation. American Educational Research Journal, 44(4), 921-959.
Recker, M.M., Walker, A.A., Giersch, S.S., Mao, X.X., Halioris, S.S., Palmer, B.B., & Robertshaw, M.B. (2007). A study of teachers’ use of online learning resources to design classroom activities. New Review Of Hypermedia & Multimedia, 13(2), 117-134.
Ross, J.A., McDougall, D., & Hogaboam-Gray, A. (2002). Research on reform in mathematics education, 1993-2000. Alberta Journal of Educational Research, 48(2), 122-138.
Learning Forward is the only professional association devoted exclusively to those who work in educator professional development. We help our members plan, implement, and measure high-quality professional learning so they can achieve success with their systems, schools, and students.
CURRENT ISSUE
Recent Issues
APPLYING THE SCIENCE OF LEARNING
April 2026
Cognitive science illuminates how people learn. This issue shows how...
LEARNING WITH AI
February 2026
Generative AI can be a powerful tool for professional learning design and...
WHAT STUDENTS NEED NOW
December 2025
For all students to thrive, we need to understand who they are and what...
LEARNING COMMUNITIES FOR LEADERS
October 2025
Leaders need opportunities to connect, learn, and grow with peers just as...
