Background: Data-based decision making (DBDM) and research-informed teaching practice (RITP) are key to teacher and school improvement.Currently, however, DBDM and RITP represent two distinct approaches to developing evidence-informed practice (EIP) and do not correspond to the all-encompassing notion of EIP envisaged by many academics and commentators.Purpose: DBDM and RITP are usually employed independently of each other. Each is associated with its own theoretical perspectives and research base, and each has its own pitfalls and strengths. Yet the approaches employed appear to be complementary, suggesting that there might be value in combining DBDM and RITP into one overarching process for achieving EIP. This paper presents the conceptual analysis and arguments for this proposal. Sources of evidence:Drawing from literature and previous research in the fields of DBDM, RITP and EIP, we describe both DBDM and RITP, before comparing and contrasting the integral aspects of each.Main argument: Our analysis leads us to suggest that not only is there overlap between these two approaches, but the strengths of each appear to mirror and compensate for the weaknesses of the other. As such, we argue that it is important that decisions in education are based on a combination of personal judgement, research evidence and local school data. This is Combining the Best of Two Worlds restricted Page 3 of 39 because such a combination is likely to lead to equitable, effective and efficient decisions that are informed by values and preferences, grounded in context and steeped in practices that have been shown to be effective elsewhere. Conclusions:We suggest that an effective strategy for EIP might be to achieve 'the best of two worlds' by integrating DBDM and RITP. In line with evidence-informed practices in medicine and management, this means EIP in education can finally be engaged in as a holistic approach to educational decision-making that critically appraises different forms of evidence before key improvement decisions are made. Our proposed approach, Evidence informed School and Teacher Improvement, is thus designed with the aim of enhancing the quality of educational provision by employing these evidence types as part of a systematic cycle of inquiry, focused on continuously improving the quality of learning in schools.Keywords: data-based decision making, research-informed teaching practice, evidenceinformed practice, evidence-informed school and teacher improvement, professional learning community, knowledge mobilisation.Barends, Eric, Denise M. Rousseau, and Rob B. Briner. 2014. "Evidence-based Management.The Basic Principles."

Question and conceptual approach Data use has become increasingly important in education, as it may improve student achievement (Datnow, Park, & Kennedy-Lewis, 2013). However, teachers often do not use data effectively (Ingram, Louis & Schroeder, 2004). Therefore, several professional development programs have been developed to support schools in effective data use (e.g. Wayman, Midgley, & Stringfield, 2006). An example of such a program is the data team procedure. An important question is whether this approach leads to sustainable changes in educators' data use (Fullan, 2007). Data use will only become and remain sustainable if it is implemented permanently (Desimone, 2009), for example by establishing organizational routines (Sherer & Spillane, 2011). Organizational routines are re-occurring action patterns, involving multiple actors (Feldman & Pentland, 2003). These routines consist of an ostensive aspect, which includes formal regulations and norms (e.g. scheduled data use meetings), and a performative aspect, which includes everyday practice (e.g. actual data use during these meetings). This results in the following research question:

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Science and technology education has become increasingly important. However, for most teachers, it is challenging to provide this content. Therefore, professional development programmes are used to support teachers in this regard. In this qualitative study, effective characteristics that should be present in such programmes were identified. Moreover, four particular professional development programmes were investigated to see whether they included these characteristics. Eleven review studies and meta-analyses were analysed to identify the effective characteristics of professional development programmes for science and technology education. Five content characteristics were distinguished: focus, activities, collaboration, coherence of content, and duration. In addition, three contextual characteristics were distinguished: coherence with context, individual factors, and organisational factors. The materials from four professional development programmes for science and technology education were collected and analysed and interviews were held with principal investigators who were involved in the design of these programmes and with educators who worked with these programmes. The characteristics duration and coherence with context appeared to be fully addressed in respectively two and one programmes. The other characteristics were incorporated to a limited extent or not at all. Overall, the present study illustrated the apparent challenges in designing professional development programmes. ARTICLE HISTORY