Evidence-based education is comprised of professional wisdom and empirical evidence. Professional wisdom includes individual experience and consensus. Empirical evidence includes scientifically-based research and empirical information.

Evidence Based Practices Chart

Evidence Based Practice: A program or instructional practice that is evidence based has gone through rigorous research, has demonstrated a record of success, and there is reliable, trustworthy and valid evidence to suggest the program is effective.  The evidence supporting these practices or instruction should be scientifically based research.

In NCLB scientifically based research is defined as research:

• Employs systematic, empirical methods that draw on observation or experiment
• Involves rigorous data analyses that are adequate to test the stated hypothesis and justify the general conclusion
• Relies on measurement or observational methods that provide valid data across evaluators and observers, and across multiple measurements and observations
• Is accepted by a peer-reviewed or a panel of independent experts through comparatively rigorous, objective and scientific review

To recognize scientifically based research ask yourself:

• Has the study been published in a peer-reviewed journal or by a panel of independent experts?
• Have the results of the study been replicated by other scientists?
• Is there consensus in the research community that the study’s findings are supported by a critical mass of additional research?