Mei Kuin Lai – författare

Professional learning networks (PLNs) have been promoted as one way of improving practice in research methodologies and frameworks aimed at the improvement of practice. However, such networks are not yet the norm and there is a growing need for books that provide a theoretical and practical account of how to develop and utilise networks effectively. Mei Kuin Lai and Stuart McNaughton address this need by providing a theoretical and practical account of how PLNs focused on collaborative analysis of data can be integrated into design-based research interventions to improve practice and student learning outcomes.

Drawing primarily on examples from a design-based research intervention, the Learning Schools Model, topics covered include theoretical approaches to understanding networks, network purposes and features, constraints and enablers and future directions in utilising networks within design-based research. This intervention is one of the few demonstrations of a consistent and replicable effect of analysing and discussing data in networks on student outcomes within a wider design-based intervention design. The authors discuss the constraints and enablers of the context that influence how PLNs might be implemented across different contexts. Examples of how PLNs can demonstrate fidelity to the general structure of effective networks while adapting to local variations are also provided, enabling readers to conceptualise and design similar networks appropriate to their context.

Professional learning networks (PLNs) have been promoted as one way of improving practice in research methodologies and frameworks aimed at the improvement of practice. However, such networks are not yet the norm and there is a growing need for books that provide a theoretical and practical account of how to develop and utilise networks effectively. Mei Kuin Lai and Stuart McNaughton address this need by providing a theoretical and practical account of how PLNs focused on collaborative analysis of data can be integrated into design-based research interventions to improve practice and student learning outcomes.

Drawing primarily on examples from a design-based research intervention, the Learning Schools Model, topics covered include theoretical approaches to understanding networks, network purposes and features, constraints and enablers and future directions in utilising networks within design-based research. This intervention is one of the few demonstrations of a consistent and replicable effect of analysing and discussing data in networks on student outcomes within a wider design-based intervention design. The authors discuss the constraints and enablers of the context that influence how PLNs might be implemented across different contexts. Examples of how PLNs can demonstrate fidelity to the general structure of effective networks while adapting to local variations are also provided, enabling readers to conceptualise and design similar networks appropriate to their context.

Thereis an increasing focus on research-practice partnerships that adopt research designsaimed at improving educationalpractice while advancing research knowledge. There is now a need for books thatprovide a theoretical and practical account of successful research designs thathave been tested and replicated over time and contexts. This book addressesthis need by providing thefirst comprehensive account of the Learning Schools Model (LSM), a design-basedresearch-practice partnership that has been tested over 15 years and across contexts and countries(n=5). This model has successfully built teacher and school capacity andimproved valued student outcomes for primarily indigenous and ethnic minority students from lowersocio-economic communities.

Thequality of research into the model has been recognised locally andinternationally. The International Literacy Association reprinted a paper onthe original model in their volume “Theoretical models and processes of Reading(6th Ed)”. The authors won the University of Auckland’s Research ExcellenceAward (2015), awarded for research of demonstrable quality and impact,for their research into the Model.

This book addressesseveral gaps in the existing literature on research-practice partnerships.  Firstly, understanding applications incontexts beyond the USA where much of the seminal work is located adds to ourcollective understanding of contexts in terms of constraints and enablers. Secondly, we provide a theoretical accountof partnership development and demonstrate how these are practically developedin situ to address the known need for stronger theoretical understandings of partnershipdevelopment and better training in developing partnerships. Finally, our bookdemonstrates how research can be both responsive to context and yet have robustand replicable research designs that improve valued student outcomes over timeand contexts. This in turn provides an alternate research approach forcountries where randomisedcontrol trials are often the “gold standard” for interventions.

Thereis an increasing focus on research-practice partnerships that adopt research designsaimed at improving educationalpractice while advancing research knowledge. There is now a need for books thatprovide a theoretical and practical account of successful research designs thathave been tested and replicated over time and contexts. This book addressesthis need by providing thefirst comprehensive account of the Learning Schools Model (LSM), a design-basedresearch-practice partnership that has been tested over 15 years and across contexts and countries(n=5). This model has successfully built teacher and school capacity andimproved valued student outcomes for primarily indigenous and ethnic minority students from lowersocio-economic communities.

Thequality of research into the model has been recognised locally andinternationally. The International Literacy Association reprinted a paper onthe original model in their volume “Theoretical models and processes of Reading(6th Ed)”. The authors won the University of Auckland’s Research ExcellenceAward (2015), awarded for research of demonstrable quality and impact,for their research into the Model.

This book addressesseveral gaps in the existing literature on research-practice partnerships.  Firstly, understanding applications incontexts beyond the USA where much of the seminal work is located adds to ourcollective understanding of contexts in terms of constraints and enablers. Secondly, we provide a theoretical accountof partnership development and demonstrate how these are practically developedin situ to address the known need for stronger theoretical understandings of partnershipdevelopment and better training in developing partnerships. Finally, our bookdemonstrates how research can be both responsive to context and yet have robustand replicable research designs that improve valued student outcomes over timeand contexts. This in turn provides an alternate research approach forcountries where randomisedcontrol trials are often the “gold standard” for interventions.

In a context where schools are held more and more accountable for the education they provide, data-based decision making has become increasingly important. This book brings together scholars from several countries to examine data-based decision making. Data-based decision making in this book refers to making decisions based on a broad range of evidence, such as scores on students’ assessments, classroom observations etc.

This book supports policy-makers, people working with schools, researchers and school leaders and teachers in the use of data, by bringing together the current research conducted on data use across multiple countries into a single volume. Some of these studies are ‘best practice’ studies, where effective data use has led to improvements in student learning. Others provide insight into challenges in both policy and practice environments. Each of them draws on research and literature in the field.