What is “evidence-based practice” in geography education?

Abstract

Educationalists developed the concept of “evidence-based practice” during the 1990s because of concern about the relevance of educational research to practitioners and about its impact on their practice. This article outlines the different kinds of research evidence related to geographical education, which might inform practice. It then discusses the problematic nature of the concept of “evidence-based” in relation to the nature of classroom practice, the accessibility of evidence to geography teachers and the values underpinning professional judgements.

Keywords:

• evidence-based
• qualitative research
• quantitative research
• action research
• ethnography
• practitioner