Resum
Un aspec e clau pe als in es igado s educa ius que p e enen que el seu eball con ibueixi
a can ia el sis ema educa iu en gene al i les escoles en pa icula és com p omou e que els
dissenyado s de polí iques i els docen s usin i possiblemen es comp ome in en la ece ca.
La di usió dels esul a s en in es igació educa i a és p oblemà ica en alguns sen i s.
No és de àcil accés pe a usua is po encials ni en el o ma imp ès ni elec ònic, pa icula -
men pe als docen s que no poden accedi a biblio eques ese ades a docen s o a se eis
de ece ca elec ònica. L’ús dels esul a s de la in es igació educa i a com a on d’in o -
mació pe a la p esa de decisions sob e la e o ma educa i a ha es a ecen men conside-
a com a à ea d’es udi. A ni ell nacional, al Regne Uni la majo pa de polí iques i es a è-
gies són donades a conèixe a a és de la in es igació educa i a i a a és del p océs d’aplicació
que in luencien els docen s a les escoles.
Es udis ecen s han demos a com els p o esso s de les aules i escoles poden usa i
p end e pa en in es igació pe al seu p opi ús i c ea , d’aques a mane a, nou coneixe-
men . No obs an això, es necessi a en end e bas an més sob e aques s p ocessos i sob e
com es po dona supo als docen s en els in en s esmen a s.
Pa aules clau: in lui el can i, es imonis clau, in es igació educa i a, p àc ics, in o ma
decisions, can i educa iu, nou coneixemen .
Abs ac
A key issue o educa ional esea che s who in end hei wo k o in luence change bo h in
he educa ional sys em and in indi idual schools is how o engage key s akeholde s bo h pol-
icy make s and p ac i ione s in using and possibly engaging in esea ch. The dissemina-
ion o he ou comes o educa ional esea ch is p oblema ic in se e al espec s. I is no
easily accessible o po en ial use s in p in ed o elec onic o m, pa icula ly o p ac i ione s
who do no ha e access o academic lib a ies o elec onic sea ch acili ies. The u iliza ion
o educa ional esea ch indings o in o m decisions abou educa ional change has only
ecen ly been opened up as an a ea o s udy. A a na ional le el in he UK, mos policies and
s a egies a e in o med by educa ional esea ch and h ough he implemen a ion p ocess hey
do in luence p ac i ione s in schools. Recen s udies ha e shown how p ac i ione s in
schools and class ooms can use and engage in esea ch o hemsel es o c ea e new knowl-
Educa 34, 2004 85-95
Doing and using educa ional esea ch:
engaging esea che s, p ac i ione s
and policy make s in p oduc i e pa ne ships
Ann Sh ee e
Uni e si y o Eas Anglia. School o Educa ion
21, Chambe lin Road, No wich, No olk, NR3 3LY, UK
[email p o ec ed]
Educa 34 001-176 7/1/05 13:09 Página 85
edge. Howe e i is clea ha much mo e needs o be unde s ood abou hese p ocesses
and how p ac i ione s can be suppo ed in hese endea ou s.
Key wo ds: in luence change, key s akeholde s, educa ional esea ch, p ac i ione s, in o m
decisions, educa ional change, new knowledge.
Resumen
Un aspec o cla e pa a los in es igado es educa i os que p e enden que su abajo con i-
buya a cambia el sis ema educa i o en gene al y las escuelas en pa icula es cómo cap a
a los diseñado es de polí icas y a los docen es pa a que usen y posiblemen e se comp ome-
an en in es igación. La di usión de los esul ados en in es igación educa i a es p oblemá-
ica en algunos sen idos. No es de ácil acceso pa a usua ios po enciales ni en o ma o imp e-
so ni elec ónico, pa icula men e pa a los docen es que no pueden accede a biblio ecas
ese adas a docen es o a se icios de búsqueda elec ónica. El uso de los esul ados de la
in es igación educa i a como uen e de in o mación pa a la oma de decisiones sob e la e o -
ma educa i a ha sido ecien emen e conside ado como á ea de es udio. A ni el nacional,
en el Reino Unido la mayo pa e de polí icas y es a egias son dadas a conoce a a és de
la in es igación educa i a y a a és del p oceso de aplicación que in luencian a los docen-
es en las escuelas. Es udios ecien es han demos ado cómo los p o eso es de las aulas y
escuelas pueden usa y oma pa e en in es igación pa a su p opio uso y c ea , de es a
mane a, nue o conocimien o. No obs an e, se necesi a en ende mucho más sob e es os
p ocesos y cómo apoya a los docen es en dichos in en os.
Palab as cla e: in lui el cambio, es imonios cla e, in es igación educa i a, p ác icos,
in o ma decisiones, cambio educa i o, nue o conocimien o.
In oduc ion
In a ca ee in educa ion spanning h ee decades I ha e been in ol ed in edu-
ca ional esea ch in a numbe o di e en capaci ies all wi h he in en ion o
b inging abou change in some way. Some imes he esea ch ocus in ol ed
examining new app oaches o eaching and lea ning a o he imes he esea ch
was an a emp o be e unde s and some aspec o educa ion. As a eache ,
I ook ad an age o oppo uni ies o y ou di e en ways o eaching. O ig-
inally my esea ch in ol ed collabo a ion wi h o he eache s as pa o he
local b anch o he Na ional Associa ion o he Teaching o English. We
86 Educa 34, 2004 Ann Sh ee e
Summa y
In oduc ion
Wha s imula es educa ional changes
a a mic o o mac o le el?
How can educa ional esea ch
be conduc ed and dissemina ed?
How can educa ional esea ch in luence
changes in he educa ion sys em?
How can school-based esea ch conso ia
engage esea che s, p ac i ione s
and policy make s?
Wha a e he implica ions o in ol ing
esea che s, p ac i ione s and policy
make s in p oduc i e esea ch pa ne ships?
Re e ences
Educa 34 001-176 7/1/05 13:09 Página 86
explo ed he eaching o w i ing, poe y, media educa ion and in o ma ion
and communica ions echnology. La e I was in ol ed in local au ho i y led
esea ch in o speaking and lis ening suppo ed by he Cen e o Applied
Resea ch a he School o Educa ion and P o essional De elopmen in Edu-
ca ion a he Uni e si y o Eas Anglia. As a local au ho i y ad ise I led he
No olk O acy P ojec ha sough o de elop speaking and lis ening o lea n-
ing and con ibu ed o he Na ional O acy P ojec . When I subsequen ly led
he No olk Na ional Cu iculum Team I ensu ed ha an elemen o he wo k
in ol ed ac ion esea ch o suppo he de elopmen o he new cu iculum
in schools. As an o ice o he Na ional Associa ion o he Teaching o Eng-
lish I pa icipa ed in esea ch in o eache s’ pe spec i es o newly in oduced
examina ions and es s ha was epo ed o and used o lobby he hen go -
e nmen Depa men o Educa ion and Science. Recen ly as an educa ional
esea che I wo ked collabo a i ely wi h esea ch eams o eache s o coo di-
na e ac ions and o assis in in es iga ions ha would help us o be e unde -
s and he na u e o s uden s’ disa ec ion om school and hei pe spec i es
o he school and class oom con ex s. As an educa ional publishe and w i e
I ha e wo ked o make educa ional esea ch mo e accessible o p ac i ione s
in p in ed and elec onic o m. These expe iences, mos gained while wo k-
ing ou side o he academy al hough in collabo a ion wi h membe s o he
academy, ha e shaped my hinking abou educa ional esea ch.
My iew o educa ional esea ch is essen ially a p agma ic one. Ini ially, I
became in ol ed wi h educa ional esea ch because I wan ed o mo i a e and
e-engage in lea ning he disa ec ed lea ne s in my classes. I was no o mal-
ly associa ed wi h a uni e si y and did no eel cons ained by his lack o o i-
cial backing o my independen in es iga ions. I chose o join a local g oup
in e es ed in he eaching o English —a olun a y g oup comp ising p ima-
y and seconda y eache s, lec u e s om he Uni e si y o Eas Anglia and
local au ho i y ad ise s. This ne wo k o p o essionals helped me o connec wi h
o he educa ional p o essionals in he UK. La e as a membe and o ice o
he Na ional Associa ion o he Teaching o English I was in ol ed in esea ch
ha sough e idence o coun e claims made by go e nmen agencies and o
ep esen p ac ising eache s’ iews and expe iences. The ou comes o esea ch
p ojec s ha I ha e been in ol ed wi h ha e been dissemina ed h ough con-
e ences and publica ions and some e en used o lobby poli icians and go -
e nmen o ice s. I would be deligh ed i he indings o any o he esea ch
p ojec s ha I had in ol emen wi h had a di ec in luence on p ac ice in
schools o go e nmen policy. Howe e he main con ibu ion o my esea ch
collabo a ions mus be in adding a p ac i ione ’s pe spec i e o he on-going
deba e abou educa ional issues.
Wha s imula es educa ional changes a a mic o o mac o le el?
I is wo h conside ing he ypes o esea ch ha can in o m o in luence edu-
ca ional changes. Be o e designing a possible in e en ion i would seem desi -
Doing and using educa ional esea ch Educa 34, 2004 87
Educa 34 001-176 7/1/05 13:09 Página 87
able o policy make s and p ac i ione s o unde s and he cha ac e is ics o
he phenomenon hey a e examining and o explo e ela ionships be ween
a iables. In an ideal wo ld hey would e alua e exis ing p ac ices, examine
he esul s o in e en ions and choose an app op ia e way o implemen hei
plans. They may be able o lea n om a e iew o p e ious esea ch.
Di e en ypes o esea ch using bo h quali a i e and quan i a i e me hod-
ologies, la ge and small scale ha e alue and ha e he po en ial o help in lu-
ence educa ional changes in a numbe o di e en ways. The ollowing lis o
di e en ypes o esea ch illus a es his poin :
—Desc ip i e s udies: esea ch ha aims o p oduce a desc ip ion o a s a e o
a ai s o a pa icula phenomenon, and/o o documen i s cha ac e is-
ics.
—Explo a ion o ela ionships: s udies ha examine ela ionships and/o s a-
is ical associa ions be ween a iables in o de o build heo ies and de el-
op hypo heses.
—E alua ion (1) na u ally occu ing in he sense ha he esea che makes no
ac i e a emp o con ol which g oups o people a e «in oduced» o
«exposed» o he expe ience, o si ua ions, o he s udy, bu a he obse e
phenomenon which would ha e occu ed wi hou hei p esence.
—E alua ion (2) esea che manipula ed whe e he e is an a emp as pa o
he esea ch o change people’s expe ience and as a consequence ha e con-
ol o e which g oups o people a e ‘in oduced’ o ‘exposed’ o he expe-
ience.
—Me hodological s udies which ocus on he de elopmen o discussion o
me hods.
—Re iews ha is s udies ha aim o b ing oge he in o ma ion, indings,
opinions o conclusions om a ange o p e ious epo s.
A a mac o le el hese ypes o esea ch ha e he po en ial o in luence he
de elopmen o na ional policy and s a egies. A a egional le el esea ch hey
can in o m local policy-making o ins ance by illumina ing local phenomenon,
e alua ing in e en ions and e iewing ele an esea ch. In England, local
educa ion au ho i ies o ins ance conduc de ailed audi s o es ablish he socio-
economic con ex , pe o mance o pupils and use hei indings o make plans
and se a ge s o imp o emen .
A he mic o le el, wi hin schools in England educa ional change is in lu-
enced by he implemen a ion o hese na ional policies and s a egies and local
au ho i y ini ia i es. Fo ins ance he na ional li e acy and nume acy s a e-
gies, educa ion ac ion zones and local d i es o imp o e pupils’ a endance a e
all applied by p ac i ione s in he con ex o hei own school’s ci cums ances.
I is also he case, ha in he pu sui o imp o emen , school leade s in he
UK ha e inc easingly become adep a using esea ch me hods o ins ance
using pupil pe o mance da a o assess he e ec i eness o hei p o ision and
o iden i y g oups o pupils o speci ic suppo .
88 Educa 34, 2004 Ann Sh ee e
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How can educa ional esea ch be conduc ed and dissemina ed?
The e a e se e al di e en in e es g oups ha ha e a po en ial s ake in engag-
ing in and using esea ch o in o m p ac ice. Rep esen a i es o hese g oups
o en ha e a pa o play in deciding he ocus o esea ch p ojec s and assess-
ing hei quali y h ough hei ep esen a ion on bodies ha awa d unding
o educa ional esea ch. Expe esea che s wo king wi hin he academy
om di e en esea ch backg ounds b ing o his endea ou he knowledge
and expe ience o conduc ing esea ch and a e able o judge i s quali y. P ac-
i ione s in schools, eache s, school leade s and go e no s and hose who
suppo hem may be in e es ed in de ining he ocus o o engaging in
esea ch pa icula ly whe e i has he po en ial o shape app oaches o imp o -
ing p ac ice in schools. Educa ional ad ise s, school inspec o s, consul an s
and lec u e s who ha e mo e o an o e iew o schools also ha e a pe spec-
i e on he issues su ounding school imp o emen and he elemen s ha
need u he examina ion. Policy make s a na ional and local le el oo ha e
a es ed in e es in deciding he ocus o educa ional esea ch and in he ind-
ings bo h o help de ine he mos signi ican p oblems and o e alua e solu-
ions o hem.
Educa ional esea che s can in p ac ice be in ol ed in esea ch in a a ie y
o ways depending on he ocus o he esea ch and he unding body. The
ollowing examples ha e been ound in England in ecen yea s.
A. Educa ional esea che s wo king independen ly in he academy and using
schools as si es o esea ch o using s a is ical da a o iden i y esea ch
ques ions based p edominan ly on he esea ch li e a u e, designing in es-
iga ions and publicising indings a esea ch con e ences and in educa-
ional jou nals.
B. Educa ional esea che s wo king co-ope a i ely wi h p ac i ione s o iden-
i y esea ch ques ions ha a e ele an o hem and designing in es iga-
ions ha a e conduc ed by he esea che and eeding-back o and dis-
cussing indings wi h p ac i ione s and he educa ional communi y a
esea ch con e ences and in educa ional jou nals.
C. Educa ional esea che s wo king collabo a i ely wi h p ac i ione s o iden-
i y esea ch ques ions ha a e ele an o hem; designing in es iga ions ha
a e conduc ed by he esea che and p ac i ione and p esen ing eeding-back
o and discussing indings wi h colleagues in school and he educa ional
communi y a esea ch con e ences and in educa ional jou nals.
D. P ac i ione esea che s, suppo ed by a esea che , iden i ying esea ch ques-
ions ha a e ele an o hem and designing in es iga ions ha a e con-
duc ed by he p ac i ione and eeding-back o and discussing indings
wi h colleagues and he educa ional communi y a esea ch con e ences
and in educa ional jou nals
E. P ac i ione esea che s iden i ying esea ch ques ions ha a e ele an o
hem and designing and conduc ing in es iga ions wi hou he suppo o
educa ional esea che s and eeding-back o and discussing indings wi h col-
Doing and using educa ional esea ch Educa 34, 2004 89
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leagues in school and possibly a wide audience o p ac i ione s in o he
schools and possibly he educa ional communi y a esea ch con e ences
and in educa ional jou nals.
These scena ios p esen he educa ional esea che wi h e y di e en
ways o wo king om i ually independen o collabo a ions wi h p ac i-
ione s o li le o no in ol emen in school-based esea ch p ojec s. Whe e
educa ional esea che s a e in ol ed and he e is an in en ion o in luence
p ac ice i would seem impe a i e ha hough be gi en o how o engage
p ac i ione s in app op ia e ways, pe haps by conside ing p ac i ione s’ pe -
spec i es, i s ly when o ming esea ch ques ions and me hodology and sec-
ondly when planning bo h o communica ing indings and he possible
implica ions o p ac ice.
Cu en ly, many published esea ch a icles do no desc ibe whe he o no
p ac i ione s we e in ol ed in designing esea ch s udies o hei esponse o he
indings o implica ions. Recen ly I ha e e iewed wen y- i e esea ch a i-
cles po en ially o in e es o eache s o ind ou i eache s we e in ol ed in
hese ways. Resea che s epo li le o mo e o en no in ol emen by p ac i-
ione s in six y pe cen o he a icles compa ed wi h jus o e o y pe cen
ha ing a signi ican p ac i ione in ol emen .
The a ay o possible scena ios desc ibed abo e p esen s he educa ional
esea che wi h he possibili y o a ange o di e en oles ad ise and sup-
po e o p ac i ione esea che s, lead esea che and ac i e dissemina o . The e
a e implica ions he e o e o he ange o expe ise needed by educa ional
esea che s o ul il hese oles and he p ac ical cons ain s o ime and esou ces
o ca y hem ou . Fo ins ance communica ing indings and conside ing he
implica ions wi h p ac i ione s a e likely o be pa icula ly ime consuming
and he e o e a signi ican cos .
How can educa ional esea ch in luence changes in he educa ion sys em?
The e is a g owing in e es in he use o esea ch e idence o in o m he
imp o emen o p ac ice no jus in educa ion bu in o he public se ices and
p i a e o ganisa ions as well (Nu ley, 2002; Des o ge, 2001; Choo, 1998). This
in en ion o make use o esea ch implies ha i needs o be communica ed o
s akeholde s in a way ha can be easily unde s ood and accessed.
A he le el o b inging esea ch o a wide audience he e a e de elop-
men s in he UK. O e he las ew yea s he e ha e been ini ia i es ha b ing
esea ch ou comes and p ac i ione s in o con ac h ough esea ch websi es
ha p o ide diges s o ecen esea ch epo s (UK websi es include: DFES,
GTC, NCSL).
The e is also a need o indi iduals o c oss ins i u ional bounda ies o aise
awa eness o esea ch and ways o wo king (Choo, 1998). In he educa ional
con ex o example, mo e in e ac ions be ween schools, he academy and pol-
icy make s a e needed. The e is some esea ch o sugges ha head eache s,
90 Educa 34, 2004 Ann Sh ee e
Educa 34 001-176 7/1/05 13:09 Página 90
while no seeking o eplica e s udies, do use esea ch o p o ide backg ound
in o ma ion abou issues pe inen o hei school o ins ance o illus a e ha
p oblems can be app oached in di e en ways o o illumina e issues (S oll e
al., 2002). O he esea ch shows ha some eache s do use esea ch o in o m
hei p ac ice in he class oom and adap he indings o sui hei ci cum-
s ances (McG ane, 2001).
Educa ional esea che s need o ollow h ough hei esea ch o a dissem-
ina ion phase i hey a e se ious abou in luencing educa ional change. To do his
hey need o be e unde s and how esea ch can be used o in o m decisions
by p ac i ione s abou imp o ing p ac ice and o de ise ways o wo king wi h
p ac i ione s ha allow ans e able ideas o be examined in new con ex s.
How can school-based esea ch conso ia engage esea che s, p ac i ione s
and policy make s?
Al hough only ound in a small numbe o schools, p ac i ione esea che s
ei he independen ly o in collabo a ion wi h esea che s in he academy ha e
in luenced educa ional changes wi hin indi idual schools and some imes his
has eached o he schools as well (Co dingley and Bell, 2002). In England he
School-based Resea ch Ini ia i e led by he Teache T aining Agency, a go -
e nmen agency, unded ou conso ia in No wich, Newcas le, Leeds and
Manches e and Sal o d. Each conso ium comp ised schools, local educa ion
au ho i ies and uni e si y depa men s commi ed o engaging in and wi h
esea ch. The p ojec was o e seen by a s ee ing g oup o ep esen a i es om
go e nmen agencies, eache s, head eache s, he esea ch communi y and he
ou conso ia. The ole o his g oup was o ad ise and o moni o he wo k
o he p ojec . I b ough oge he a ange o pe spec i es om he academic
o he p ac ical ha c ossed ins i u ional bounda ies and helped o demon-
s a e h ough he wo king o he g oup he challenges aced by all pa ies
engaged in his complex en e p ise. The esea ch communi y ound ou mo e
abou he p essu es on schools ha inhibi ed o helped he esea ch ac i i y.
P ac i ione s om schools became mo e awa e o he ime es ain s on
esea che s and he expe ise ha hey b ough o he en e p ise. Local au ho -
i y ad ise s we e able o wo k wi h schools and uni e si y depa men s in a
e y di e en way o hei no mal school imp o emen ole. Ci il se an s oo
we e made cognisan o he complexi ies o engaging in esea ch ac oss ins i-
u ional bounda ies.
The School-based Resea ch Ini ia i e p o ides ou examples o educa-
ional esea che s wo king collabo a i ely wi h p ac i ione s, in a suppo ing ole
and co-ope a i ely. Se e al esea ch p ojec s om he No wich A ea School
Conso ium’s (NASCs) esea ch in o s uden s who we e disa ec ed o disen-
gaged om lea ning illus a e hese ways o wo king.
—Fo ins ance in he i s phase o he wo k each seconda y school unde -
ook i s own explo a o y s udies in o de o desc ibe disa ec ion and o
Doing and using educa ional esea ch Educa 34, 2004 91
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c ea e a sha ed unde s anding among s a in hei school. Indi idual schools
we e suppo ed by someone om he School o Educa ion a he Uni e -
si y o Eas Anglia who p o ided suppo o he esea ch. In one ins ance
a doc o al esea ch s uden helped a school esea ch g oup o conduc
explo a o y enqui ies in o eache ’s pe cep ions o disa ec ion and o p e-
pa e, adminis e and analyse a su ey o he iews o all membe s o s a .
This s udy enabled he school’s esea ch g oup o de elop an insigh in o
he ange o iews held by s a and p o ided hem wi h su icien in o -
ma ion o design u he in es iga ion in o he causes and possible ways
o ackling he p oblem o s uden s’ disa ec ion wi h school (Gu e idge,
1999).
—In he second phase o he esea ch, c oss-school esea ch g oups sough o
unde s and he issue om a wide pe spec i e. In hese g oups eache s
and esea che s wo ked collabo a i ely o iden i y esea ch ques ions,
e iew ele an esea ch li e a u e, design esea ch me hodologies, analyse
da a and d aw ou indings. In he case o a s udy o e ec i e sys ems o
ewa ds and sanc ion in se en seconda y schools his was achie ed by
esea ch ha sough o desc ibe he phenomenon and o explo e ela-
ionships be ween a iables (Sh ee e and Bodding on, 2002). The esul
o he enqui y helped p ac i ione s o be e unde s and wha wo ked
unde wha ci cums ances. In a subsequen p ojec one school unde ook
i s own esea ch and used he indings o in o m plans o a new sys em o
ewa ds and sanc ions.
—Following he o icial end o he p ojec a e y expe ienced educa ional
esea che led an enqui y in o he a i udes and achie emen s o some s u-
den s who become disengaged om ma hema ics. The esea ch eam wo ked
co-ope a i ely wi h p ac i ione s o iden i y esea ch ques ions. The eam
designed an in es iga ion, ca ied ou he enqui y and epo ed indings
o eache s (Na di and S ewa d, 2001).
The scena ios desc ibed abo e aise many p ac ical issues o educa ional
esea che s in he academy and p ac i ione s. Fo ins ance, whe e esea ch is
unde aken collabo a i ely, who akes owne ship o he esea ch? P essu e
poin s occu , in my expe ience, a he poin s o da a collec ion and analysis
especially when his in ol es a la ge amoun o da a and epo w i ing. I
equi es a high deg ee o commi men and mo i a ion om indi iduals o
hese ac i i ies o be comple ed. Issues ela ing o he quali y o he esea ch
pa icula ly he esea ch me hod also a ise. In he case o he No wich A ea
Schools Conso ium he e was an elemen o pee e iew and eedback o
esea che s. The e we e laws in his app oach as no all o he e iewe s el
con iden abou con ibu ing o his exe cise. In my expe ience i is no jus
esea che s who do no ha e ime o dissemina e indings. P ac i ione
esea che s ha e conside able demands on hei ime. O en hey do no ha e
he esou ces a ailable o sha e hei wo k wi h o he s. Resea ch is ime con-
suming and some pa icipan s’ lose in e es be o e he wo k is concluded.
92 Educa 34, 2004 Ann Sh ee e
Educa 34 001-176 7/1/05 13:09 Página 92
Schools ha e shi ing p io i ies and oppo uni ies o dissemina ion can be
missed i hose in ol ed in he esea ch lea e o ge d awn in o o he wo k.
Dissemina ing indings can also be di icul i he e is a lack o unding o
app op ia e oppo uni ies o sha ing ou comes and p ocesses. Du ing he
NASC p ojec he e we e oppo uni ies o do his in No olk and na ionally
h ough con e ences.
Wha a e he implica ions o in ol ing esea che s, p ac i ione s
and policy make s in p oduc i e esea ch pa ne ships?
The educa ional esea ch sec o needs o be mo e accessible o o he educa-
ional p o essionals and he po en ial con ibu ion o educa ional esea ch o
school imp o emen be e unde s ood. Educa ional esea ch is p edomina e-
ly he domain o esea che s and policy make s bu i can be occupied by p ac-
i ione s seeking o de elop hei own unde s andings in ways ha seem app o-
p ia e o hem. The con ibu ion o di e en ypes o esea ch needs o be
be e app ecia ed. No all esea ch s udies lead di ec ly o ou comes ha can
in luence changes. Some p ecede he designing o in e en ions and help p ac-
i ione s o policy make s unde s and he si ua ion and he ela ionships
be ween a iables.
Resea ch can in luence p ac i ione s and o he s bo h by di ec ly adding o
hei knowledge o educa ional phenomenon and indi ec ly by sugges ing
o he eade an al e na i e way o ackling an issue. The e would appea o
be a g owing in e es among academics, policy-make s and p ac i ione s abou
he con ibu ion e idence in o med p ac ice can make o school imp o emen .
I seems o me ha he ecen his o y o school imp o emen ini ia i es span-
ning he las i een yea s has encou aged e lec ion on wha has wo ked and
wha has no and he ac o s a ec ing success and ailu e. In England and Wales
he e is a g owing e idence base om na ional da a se s and school inspec-
ions o in o m a mo e de ailed analysis o he success o na ional ini ia i es
and schools’ pe o mance. The deba e can he e o e be based o some deg ee
on e idence a he han opinion and specula ion and p ac i ione s can b ing
hei pe spec i es o he in e p e a ion o he e idence.
I school imp o emen h ough e idence in o med p ac ice is a way o -
wa d he e is a need o s uc u es o make i iable. In England and Wales a
he p esen ime he e a e con lic ing demands on p ac i ione s, esea che s
and local educa ion au ho i ies ha make collabo a i e wo king di icul . The e
is li le ime a ailable and limi ed unding o esea ch s udies o lou ish. Edu-
ca ional esea ch cen es need o be unded so ha hey can b ing di e en
s akeholde s oge he o engage in and wi h esea ch. This would enable
esea che s o co-ope a e and collabo a e wi h p ac i ione s and local au ho -
i y ad ise s o c ea e knowledge and in luence p ac ice.
Mo e a en ion needs o be gi en o how esea ch can be dissemina ed.
Mo e ou le s need o be ound o he dissemina ion o educa ional esea ch pa -
icula ly websi es ha make s udies immedia ely accessible. The medium is
Doing and using educa ional esea ch Educa 34, 2004 93
Educa 34 001-176 7/1/05 13:09 Página 93
