Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1893/19364
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dc.contributor.authorGardner, Johnen_UK
dc.contributor.authorHolmes, Brynen_UK
dc.contributor.authorLeitch, Ruthen_UK
dc.date.accessioned2018-02-15T23:56:54Z-
dc.date.available2018-02-15T23:56:54Zen_UK
dc.date.issued2008-03en_UK
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1893/19364-
dc.description.abstractThere is a growing literature examining the impact of research on informing policy, and of research and policy on practice. Research and policy do not have the same types of impact on practice but can be evaluated using similar approaches. Sometimes the literature provides a platform for methodological debate but mostly it is concerned with how research can link to improvements in the process and outcomes of education, how it can promote innovative policies and practice, and how it may be successfully disseminated. Whether research‐informed or research‐based, policy and its implementation is often assessed on such ‘hard' indicators of impact as changes in the number of students gaining five or more A to C grades in national examinations or a percentage fall in the number of exclusions in inner city schools. Such measures are necessarily crude, with large samples smoothing out errors and disguising instances of significant success or failure. Even when ‘measurable' in such a fashion, however, the impact of any educational change or intervention may require a period of years to become observable. This paper considers circumstances in which short‐term change may be implausible or difficult to observe. It explores how impact is currently theorized and researched and promotes the concept of ‘soft' indicators of impact in circumstances in which the pursuit of conventional quantitative and qualitative evidence is rendered impractical within a reasonable cost and timeframe. Such indicators are characterized by their avowedly subjective, anecdotal and impressionistic provenance and have particular importance in the context of complex community education issues where the assessment of any impact often faces considerable problems of access. These indicators include the testimonies of those on whom the research intervention or policy focuses (for example, students, adult learners), the formative effects that are often reported (for example, by head teachers, community leaders) and media coverage. The collation and convergence of a wide variety of soft indicators (Where there is smoke ...) is argued to offer a credible means of identifying subtle processes that are often neglected as evidence of potential and actual impact (... there is fire).en_UK
dc.language.isoenen_UK
dc.publisherTaylor and Francisen_UK
dc.relationGardner J, Holmes B & Leitch R (2008) Where there is smoke, there is (the potential for) fire: Soft indicators of research and policy impact. Cambridge Journal of Education, 38 (1), pp. 89-104. https://doi.org/10.1080/03057640801890004en_UK
dc.rightsThe publisher does not allow this work to be made publicly available in this Repository. Please use the Request a Copy feature at the foot of the Repository record to request a copy directly from the author. You can only request a copy if you wish to use this work for your own research or private study.en_UK
dc.rights.urihttp://www.rioxx.net/licenses/under-embargo-all-rights-reserveden_UK
dc.subjectevaluationen_UK
dc.subjectimpact of researchen_UK
dc.subjectsoft indicatorsen_UK
dc.subjectanecdotal and impressionistic evidenceen_UK
dc.titleWhere there is smoke, there is (the potential for) fire: Soft indicators of research and policy impacten_UK
dc.typeJournal Articleen_UK
dc.rights.embargodate3000-01-01en_UK
dc.rights.embargoreason[Gardner et al_CJofEd_2008.pdf] The publisher does not allow this work to be made publicly available in this Repository therefore there is an embargo on the full text of the work.en_UK
dc.identifier.doi10.1080/03057640801890004en_UK
dc.citation.jtitleCambridge Journal of Educationen_UK
dc.citation.issn1469-3577en_UK
dc.citation.issn0305-764Xen_UK
dc.citation.volume38en_UK
dc.citation.issue1en_UK
dc.citation.spage89en_UK
dc.citation.epage104en_UK
dc.citation.publicationstatusPublisheden_UK
dc.citation.peerreviewedRefereeden_UK
dc.type.statusVoR - Version of Recorden_UK
dc.author.emailjohn.gardner@stir.ac.uken_UK
dc.contributor.affiliationFaculty of Social Sciencesen_UK
dc.contributor.affiliationConcordia Universityen_UK
dc.contributor.affiliationQueen's University Belfasten_UK
dc.identifier.scopusid2-s2.0-41149139758en_UK
dc.identifier.wtid647106en_UK
dc.contributor.orcid0000-0002-3844-7305en_UK
dcterms.dateAccepted2008-03-31en_UK
dc.date.filedepositdate2014-03-04en_UK
rioxxterms.typeJournal Article/Reviewen_UK
rioxxterms.versionVoRen_UK
local.rioxx.authorGardner, John|0000-0002-3844-7305en_UK
local.rioxx.authorHolmes, Bryn|en_UK
local.rioxx.authorLeitch, Ruth|en_UK
local.rioxx.projectInternal Project|University of Stirling|https://isni.org/isni/0000000122484331en_UK
local.rioxx.freetoreaddate3000-01-01en_UK
local.rioxx.licencehttp://www.rioxx.net/licenses/under-embargo-all-rights-reserved||en_UK
local.rioxx.filenameGardner et al_CJofEd_2008.pdfen_UK
local.rioxx.filecount1en_UK
local.rioxx.source0305-764Xen_UK
Appears in Collections:Faculty of Social Sciences Journal Articles

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