Increasing Impact? An analysis of issues raised by the impact agenda in educational research

Abstract

The notion of ‘impact’ is interrogated in the context of academic education research. A moral agenda for increasing the impact of academic education research is distinguished from the ‘impact agenda’ reflected in UK research assessment practices. It is argued that, especially in the English case, academic educational research currently has relatively scant impact on policy and practice, and that this comprises a major concern, both with regard to evidence-informed good practice within the education system, and the often retrogressive practices that are undertaken instead. Various explanations for this lack of impact, and impediments to academic engagement with policy and practice, are identified and discussed. It is concluded that there is a moral imperative for education researchers, and the educational research associations that support them, to develop ways to better ensure impact of our vital research.