The practice needs knowledge badly, which means a requirement for a scientific evidence base for the practice. Consequently, this places several demands on the research, which must be relevant to the practice 67 and should have good scientific quality. Knowledge in action is a living knowledge, in constant motion, in alternation between feeling and distance, between reaction and reflection, between part and whole, between trust and criticism. If we want a more knowledge-based practice, we must also have more practicebased knowledge. The values and practical wisdom are also important aspects of a successful work. This view of knowledge development is in line with the quest to develop the knowledge base for practical activities in several areas such as public health science, psychology, social work, criminal justice, and educational science. 68 In order to be able to implement evidence-based practice, the evidence base needs to be available. There has to be a reasonable knowledge base that can support the decision-makers. As pointed out above, a comprehensive knowledge base consists of several components. This includes knowledge about the distribution or prevalence of different phenomena, determinants or the causal web behind the phenomena, the consequences of the phenomena, possibilities for changing the phenomena or interventions, and possibilities for changes in policy and implementation of importance for changing the phenomena on a large scale. A comprehensive research approach is needed in educational research, where quantitative and qualitative approaches are used in tandem, thus enhancing empirically based cross-fertilisation. Moreover, different theoretical perspectives and practice-based knowledge are valued, and a more integrated framework is needed, shifting from unidisciplinary and multidisciplinary modes to interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary modes of research.
Knowledge gaps and concerns •
There is a need for studies on the implementation, methods, and sustainability of different educational innovations and measures both under optimal and realistic conditions. The scaling up should be grounded in evidence from practicebased research.
Green, L. W., Glasgow, R. E., Atkins, D., & Stange, K. (2009). Making evidence from research more relevant, useful, and actionable in policy, program planning, and practice. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 37(6S1), S 187–190. 68 Eriksson, C., Beckman, L., Edvardsson, I., Jensen, J., Larsson, A. & Meijer, K. (2014). Kunskapsutveckling för ökad samverkan mellan barn- och vuxenvård inom socialtjänsten [Knowledge development for increased cooperation between child and adult care in social services]. Örebro universitet: Studier i folkhälsovetenskap 2014:2. 67
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