From evidence‐based practice to practice‐based evidence: the idea of situated generalisation

Tracing Teacher Learning through Shifts in Discourses: The Case of a Mathematics Teacher

“…Despite these limitations, this study could provide an internal generalizability that can be extended to other cases. In fact, findings presented in this paper are in line with the idea of situated generalization (Simons et al, 2003) that the transfer of knowledge from one context to another takes place while experience turns into evidence, considering the process as a fundamental aspect of one's own practice based on interpretation and judgment of oneself and of others.…”

“…Further validation was established through member checking by having Mary review a draft report of the results and interpretations. In order to ensure a potential transferability beyond the case, a situated generalizability was applied based on practice-based evidence (Simons, Kushner, Jones, & James, 2003 During the interviews, Mary often referred to the rules of participation in mathematical practices within the classroom. The rules included listening to the teacher, taking notes, attendance, proper ways of asking questions, practicing (key) questions and exercises determined as imperatives for doing and learning mathematics within the classroom.…”

“…Although it might take some time to get out of those comfort zones, both focusing on their conversations and self-talk about their own practice, and more specifically how we use mathematical words and how we create and bring mathematical narratives and routines in action, might help them a lot to look at the ways of learning in and from practice. Furthermore, since self-evaluation of our own work is always limited to our own understanding, teachers might gradually seek to expand their inquiry to a collegial level with whom they have a relationship based on trust and professional respect and even towards a more collective level to conduct research and share their experience with teachers in other schools (Simons et al, 2003). Instead of beginning to conduct an inquiry of own practice alone, teachers can have a teacher from their school or from another school who they feel like they can work and cooperate easily.…”

Linking theory and practice: teacher research in history and geography classrooms

“…This argumentation was made explicit and exposed to peer review. Given the local nature of many educational research projects -either large-scale quantitative or small-scale qualitative -these elements of situated generalization (Simons et al 2003) should be part of any research. Hardly any research projects exits in which insights can be generalized to any context on the sole basis of the research design and statistics.…”

Las murallas invisibles entre la investigación educativa y los docentes

“…Precisamente para ejemplificar la forma en que los docentes validan los conocimientos que provienen de la investigación, en el estudio de Simons et al (2003) se menciona el concepto de "generalización situada" (situated generalisation). Con este término, los autores explican que, para los profesores, la generalización de los resultados de una investigación no es algo tan simple.…”