School Educators’ Use of Research: Findings from Two Large-Scale Australian Studies

ABSTRACT

Increasingly, there are expectations internationally that schools will use research to inform their improvement initiatives. Within this context, this paper brings together findings from two large-scale Australian studies – the Monash Q Project and the University of Newcastle’s Quality Teaching Rounds Project – to explore educators’ patterns of engagement with research. The combination of these studies provides data from a larger and more diverse sample (n = 774) than other recent Australian studies, and integrates insights from direct and indirect approaches to investigating educators’ research engagement. The analysis highlights several common themes associated with educators’ research use including: the perceived credibility of different sources; the relevance and usability of research; and affordances of access to research and time to use it well in practice. Newer and more nuanced insights include: the interrelationships between collaborative and directed research use; the need for research to be convenient in terms of access and usability; the role of trusted colleagues in helping to bridge gaps between research and practice; and educators’ distrust of research itself. The paper argues that these insights provide important cues as to how systems and school leaders can help educators to increase and improve their use of research in practice.

KEYWORDS:

• Schools
• research use
• research engagement
• education
• evidence use

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Australian Research Council;Paul Ramsay Foundation;

Notes on contributors

Joanne Gleeson

The work reported in this article is from the Monash Q Project and the Quality Teaching Academy, which are both partnerships funded by the Paul Ramsay Foundation. Research on Quality Teaching Rounds has also been supported by Australian Research Council Discovery Project funding. There are no financial or non-financial competing interests to declare.

Dr Joanne Gleeson is a Senior Research Fellow with the Q Project in the Faculty of Education at Monash University, investigating how educators use research evidence in their practice. Her broader interests encompass youth transitions and employability, adolescent career development and education. Joanne is on Twitter @dr_gleeson.

Jess Harris

Jess Harris is an Associate Professor in the School of Education at the University of Newcastle. Her research spans a range of areas, highlighting her interest in the fields of school change, educational leadership and communication. Jess has substantial expertise in qualitative research methods, with a focus on analysing the everyday practices of teachers, students and school leaders to develop local solutions to issues in their school community. Jess is passionate about understanding practices used by school leaders, teachers, students and community members to improve schooling for all students both in Australia and internationally.

Blake Cutler

Blake Cutler is a PhD candidate and Research Assistant in the Faculty of Education at Monash University. His primary areas of interest are in research use, initial teacher training, and issues of social inequality in schools, with a particular focus on the experiences of LGBTIQ+ students and educators. Alongside his research commitments, Blake is a practising K-12 music teacher and he tweets at @blakeacutler.

Brooke Rosser

Brooke Rosser is a PhD candidate and Research Assistant at the Teachers and Teaching Priority Research Centre in the School of Education at the University of Newcastle. Her PhD research utilises quantitative and qualitative data to explore the importance of teachers’ professional relationships and examine the capacity of collaborative teacher professional development to build social capital for enhanced teaching practice and student learning. Brooke’s research aims to provide practical insights for school leaders seeking best-practice approaches to strengthening teacher professional communities in schools.

Lucas Walsh

Lucas Walsh is Professor of Education Policy and Practice, Youth Studies, in the Faculty of Education at Monash University. He is currently a chief investigator on The Q Project (Quality Use of Evidence Driving Quality Education) funded by The Paul Ramsay Foundation. Recent books include: Imagining Youth Futures: University Students in Post-Truth Times (Springer, with Rosalyn Black), and Young People in Digital Society: Control Shift (Palgrave Macmillan, with Amanda Third, Philippa Collin, and Rosalyn Black).

Mark Rickinson

Mark Rickinson is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education at Monash University. His work is focused on understanding and improving the use of research in education. He is currently leading the Monash Q Project, a five-year initiative with the Paul Ramsay Foundation to improve the use of research evidence in Australian schools.

Mandy Salisbury

Mandy Salisbury is a PhD candidate and Research Assistant in the Faculty of Education at Monash University. She has worked in the early years and primary sectors in teaching and leadership roles, and also has commercial experience. Mandy has a passion for supporting teachers and pursuing equitable educational opportunities and outcomes. Mandy is on Twitter @MandySalisbury.

Connie Cirkony

Connie Cirkony is a Research Fellow with the Q Project in the Faculty of Education at Monash University, investigating how educators use evidence in their practice. Connie’s background is in science and environmental education, and in educational practice and policy. Her research is focused on improving students’ learning experiences. Connie is on Twitter @ConnieCirkony.