Challenges for Increasing the Use of Educational Research Results

Abstract

The usability of educational research continues to be a challenge in international policies and agendas, and scientific forums. In education, the perceived mismatch between the interests of the research community and the needs of the teaching practice is wide. We aim to understand how this dichotomy influences the uses, topics of interest and ways of accessing the results of educational research processes, and put forward proposals that facilitate the use of evidence to improve practice. This is a qualitative methodology typical of a comprehensive descriptive study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 key informants (2 education policy makers, 4 school managers and 4 teachers) in the province of Tarragona (Spain). The results show that the research evidence is mostly used in planning and process management. The topics of interest are heterogeneous (mainly methodologies and educational performance). Access to research results, although varied (journals, lifelong learning, on-line resources), is hampered by excessively technical language, lack of time and low perceived applicability. The conclusion is that policies to optimize the use of research involve initial and ongoing training, the promotion of collaborative dynamics involving teachers from the initial design of the research and the establishment of agreed values by the entire educational community.