Public Policy and Higher Education: Strategies for Framing a Research Agenda

Conducting policy relevant research remains elusive yet important since evidence-based policymaking results in better public policy decisions. But how can this be done? What are some promising practices to help make academic scholarship more policy relevant? This monograph provides strategies that when addressed should improve the chances of a study becoming relevant to policy audiences. It provides: practical examples, theoretical perspectives, discussions of key stakeholders, and promising research strategies for framing work in policy relevant ways. By being more intentional about the policy relevance of our work and connecting research with emerging policy debates, we can increase the likelihood that future policy solutions will be evidence-based and informed by the most recent and rigorous research in our field.This the 2nd issue of the 41st volume of the Jossey-Bass series ASHE Higher Education Report. Each monograph is the definitive analysis of a tough higher education issue, based on thorough research of pertinent literature and institutional experiences. Topics are identified by a national survey. Noted practitioners and scholars are then commissioned to write the reports, with experts providing critical reviews of each manuscript before publication.

Autorentext
Nicholas W. Hillman is an assistant professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. David A. Tandberg is an associate professor of higher education and an associate director of the Center for Postsecondary Success at Florida State University.

Brian A. Sponsler is director of the Postsecondary and Workforce Development.

Zusammenfassung
Conducting policy relevant research remains elusive yet important since evidence-based policymaking results in better public policy decisions. But how can this be done? What are some promising practices to help make academic scholarship more policy relevant? This monograph provides strategies thatwhen addressedshould improve the chances of a study becoming relevant to policy audiences. It provides:

• practical examples,
• theoretical perspectives,
• discussions of key stakeholders, and
• promising research strategies for framing work in policy relevant ways. By being more intentional about the policy relevance of our work and connecting research with emerging policy debates, we can increase the likelihood that future policy solutions will be evidence-based and informed by the most recent and rigorous research in our field.

This the 2nd issue of the 41st volume of the Jossey-Bass series ASHE Higher Education Report. Each monograph is the definitive analysis of a tough higher education issue, based on thorough research of pertinent literature and institutional experiences. Topics are identified by a national survey. Noted practitioners and scholars are then commissioned to write the reports, with experts providing critical reviews of each manuscript before publication.

Inhalt

Executive Summary vi

Foreword ix

Introduction 1

Goals of This Monograph 5

What Is Public Policy? 6

Theories of the Policymaking Process 9

Traditional Views of Policy-Relevant Research 16

Toward an Expanded View of Policy-Relevant Research 18

Summary 20

Sources of Higher Education Policy 21

State Policy Actors in the Postsecondary Context 22

Federal Policy Actors in the Postsecondary Policy Context 33

Summary 42

Supplying Policy-Relevant Research 44

Problem Identification 48

Research Design 49

Policy Implications 52

Dissemination of Results 54

Utilization of Results 56

Summary 60

Bearing More Fruit? The Prospects of Conducting Policy-Relevant Research 63

The Limitations of Using Academic Research in Policymaking 64

Does the Use of Research Lead to Better Policymaking? 66

Narrowing the Gap: Framing Studies in Their Appropriate Policy Context 67

Summary 73

Summary and Reflections 75

Trends in Policy Scholarship in Higher Education 76

Can Higher Education Research Be More Policy Relevant? 79

Final Reflections 81

Notes 83

References 84

Name Index 92

Subject Index 95

About the Authors 97