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spring 2009
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The wonders of eepBy Andrew Morris An important new tool has recently arrived for anyone interested in using evidence for educational improvement. The educational evidence portal (www.eep.ac.uk) helps users find educational evidence from a wide range of reputable sources in just a single search. Praised by Baroness Estelle Morris at its launch in Social Science Week as a "critical tool for developing an evidence-using culture in education", eep has been designed for both the professional and lay user. It is being developed by organisations determined to help make research evidence more easily accessible for busy people. They are working together continuously to expand the material available and enhance the means of accessing it. The portal offers several ways of finding documents. For people seeking a wide range of documents it searches the web areas of any combination of contributing organisations (32 to date). For more focused results you can search the growing database of selected resources. And for specific areas – including topics such as brain science and peer coaching – you can rapidly access key documents and web links through the specialised Resource Areas which have been developed in association with relevant organisations. If you want to focus on a specific sector you can apply a filter; if you are in a hurry you can choose summary documents only. You can also select evidence-based guidance materials or reviews of research or other types to suit your need. A three-minute online video demonstration explains just how to make best use of the excellent resources available. The way in which eep has developed is, in itself, an object lesson in cooperation. Interested individuals wishing to develop the use of evidence in education came together voluntarily to plan the project and drive it forward. A Development Group comprising a dozen interested organisations and users is led and managed by CfBT Education Trust. A user group made up of teachers, policy officials, researchers and others helps steer the development work. Funding comes from a range of organisations including CfBT, DCSF, TDA, HEA and Becta. The database is being developed in conjunction with British Education Index, and the original software was developed in collaboration with Microsoft as part of its Partners in Learning programme. The EPPI centre provides technical back-up and is leading R&D work to introduce next-generation text-mining technology to the portal. Work on developing a universal taxonomy to support browsing across all sectors of education is being led by a library specialist from DCSF; truly a collaborative enterprise. Important though the portal is as a practical tool, its development can be seen as part of a wider movement towards an evidence-using culture in education. For this reason the portal project is continually moving forward and the development team reaching out to other related initiatives. Collaboration is underway with CERUK, the database of current research in the UK, and EPPI, the centre for systematic reviews of research. To ensure it is suitable for a wide range of users – teachers, trainers, parents, employers, governors, community members, local authority staff and a host of others – feedback is gathered on users’ experience. A 60-strong user panel feeds in ideas, as do the 30-plus organisations contributing material. So whoever you are, wherever you are, why not try your hand at eep, and don’t forget to let the organisers know what you think of it. Did you find the article useful? Vote now |
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