The Ad Hoc Practice Committee of Division 15 (Educational Psychology) of the American Psychological Association seeks short proposals from members for Education Practice Briefs. The purpose of these briefs is to summarize educational research in an easily digestible form for teachers, administrators, and other educational stakeholders, focusing on implications for evidence-based practice. The plan is for these briefs to reach a couple million teachers, as well as the academic community. Briefs should be about 2 pages but can reference longer documents. The authors must be willing to work with Division 15 and with professional organizations, such as the National Education Association, in preparing and formatting the brief and developing dissemination strategies. Division 15 members and others are encouraged to submit proposals for briefs that offer immediately useful information to practitioners on topics that are timely. A template highlighting key elements and length of final briefs can be found here.
In 2020, preference will be given to proposals that address one of the topics of interest to the National Education Association (see below), but the Practice Committee will consider proposals to address other topics as well:
- Bias: Implicit and Explicit Bias (especially in relationship to disciplinary strategies, student engagement, and absenteeism).
- Trauma: The impact of trauma on students, identifying trauma, and building trauma-sensitive schools and communities.
- Low-Performing Schools: Evidence-based interventions for improving low performing schools.
- Recess: Effects of recess/free play on educational outcomes, students’ mental health, and school climate.
- Student Accountability: Contrasting the effects of disciplinary and grading practices that focus on student accountability/negative consequences vs. practices with greater sensitivity to students’ life experiences.
- School Transitions: Effects of integrating school transition strategies on student outcomes and how effective strategies differ for various school levels (ranging from “pre-K to K” to “high school to postsecondary.”)
- Fine Arts/Foreign Languages: Effects of access to fine/performing arts and foreign language programs on various student outcomes (e.g., absenteeism) and parent engagement.
Proposals for briefs should contain the following: (1) How the authors frame the problem being addressed, (2) summary of some of the major research finding (2 or more examples), (3) summary of some of the implications for practice (2 or more examples), (4) specification of the primary and secondary audiences that would be addressed (e.g., teachers, administrators, parents, policy makers, professional development providers), (5) the author(s)’ qualifications for writing the brief (including previous research publications, experience writing for educators, etc.), and (6) the names and contact information of 2-3 other experts in the field who could be invited to review the brief. Proposals can be from 1-3 pages long, single spaced, and should be submitted by April 17, 2020.
A dedicated Google Form has been created to receive submissions, here: EdPsych.us/PracticeBriefSubmissions
Although no funding can be provided to aid in the preparation of briefs at this time, writing a brief does offer a service opportunity that can have potentially significant practical impact. Please send questions to Committee Chair, Alysia Roehrig, at [email protected].