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Policymakers
A number of research programmes, projects and centres wish to develop their interactions with policymakers. At the same time, several parts of the policymaking community are experimenting with ways of drawing on research-based evidence. To bridge these, a number of independent initiatives bringing together the two communities were explored.
NERF commissioned a project to examine the interface between policy and research. Working Paper 8.1 reports on a study of a series of DfES research<>policy seminars and offers recommendations for effective interactions.
This report makes a small contribution to the growing debate about how research evidence can link more effectively with policy and practice in education. It looked specifically at one area for potential impact - the interaction between researchers and policy makers in the presentation and discussion of research evidence. It is based on observations from a small NERF study of five seminars convened by the then Research Coordination team at the DfES between March and September 2004. The seminars provided opportunities for researchers and policy makers to explore research evidence and to discuss how it might be used in the policy making process.
The report covers seminar purpose and design, pedagogic factors, communications and potential impact. It identified factors associated with successful interaction at such seminars and suggested two areas for further investigation which are likely to improve the process of interaction.
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