Evidence-based Practice in Education: Functions of evidence and causal presuppositions

Much educational debate today is dominated by a "what works" vocabulary, intimately associated with evidence-based practice (EBP). The vocabulary consists of concepts and ideas such as accountability, competency, effectiveness, employability, learning outcomes, predictability, qualifications, and testing. As schooling and education are considered successful when predetermined outcomes have been achieved, education is often believed to require assessment, measurement and documentation.

In th...