The endeavour to bridge the gap between educational research and teaching practice represents a significant challenge within the academic and pedagogical communities. While there is much discourse about the necessity of research into practice, the truth is that teachers barely have enough time to do their job, never mind reading reams of indecipherable journal articles to glean one useful tip from 25 pages of drivel. The complexities and barriers inherent in the process of translating theoretical research findings into practical teaching methodologies make it implausible for the average teacher to navigate. So instead, we have mandated hundreds of hours of professional development to ‘educate’ and update teacher knowledge on everything new.
If one were to look at the array of ‘accredited’ PD out there, one’d find 241 (NESA-accredited PD courses with riveting titles like Who’s Driving the Bus?, Educational Leaders Steering Practice, Effective Questioning, and Fast Feedback: I mean, the alliteration jumps off the page. Full disclosure: I know nothing about these PD courses. They may be fantastic, but if they are anything like the ones I took when teaching, they had little to do with cutting-edge research and even less to do with being useful and practical. The fact is that despite the burgeoning body of educational research, the direct application of these insights into classroom practice remains sporadic and, in many instances, ineffective (Coburn & Penuel, 2016). The disconnection between theoretical knowledge and practical application necessitates thoroughly exploring the underlying causes and potential solutions.
At first glance, the relationship between educational research and teaching practice seems straightforward: Develop a theory, test it, and apply the successful outcomes. Yet, the chasm between these stages is vast and filled with nuanced complexities. Educational research often revels in abstraction: A realm where theories are pristine and sequestered to controlled environments. How many times as a classroom teacher have you heard of some new theory and knew inherently – that won’t work in my classroom? That’s because your classroom is the real world—messy, unpredictable, and as diverse as the students it serves. Educational research often operates within a paradigm that values theoretical over practical knowledge, creating a rift between researchers and practitioners (Biesta, 2007). This dichotomy is exacerbated by the differing objectives and success metrics that guide academic researchers and educators (see any of my Publish or Perish Series 1, 2 or 3 for more on the absurdity of academic research). Whereas publications and peer recognition often measure academic success, teaching success is evaluated through student outcomes and engagement. The lack of a common framework for evaluating success across these communities hinders the integration of research into teaching practice.
A significant barrier to applying research findings in educational settings is the accessibility and interpretability of academic literature. Imagine trying to decipher the Rosetta Stone without a key. That’s akin to the struggle many educators face when attempting to interpret academic research. The language of academia is dense, jargon-filled, and often inaccessible to those not steeped in the methodology. This linguistic barrier not only obscures the practical implications of research findings but also alienates the practitioners who benefit most from these insights.
The worlds of educational research and teaching practice often operate in silos, each with its own priorities and pressures. On the one hand, researchers are driven by the pursuit of knowledge, measured in publications and peer recognition. Conversely, teachers are on the front lines, evaluated by the tangible outcomes they achieve with their students. This division creates a disconnect, where research may be deemed irrelevant by educators who see little reflection of their daily challenges in academic studies.
Moreover, the pace at which research is conducted and disseminated is glacial compared to the speed at which teaching must evolve to meet students’ needs. This temporal mismatch means that when research findings make their way into the classroom, they may already be outdated or overtaken by new pedagogical challenges. Case-in-point is the reports we now see in the news concerning behaviour in Australian classrooms, which is promoting new policies. The halls of academia are buzzing with research ideas concerning behaviour, standardised behaviour, and best-practice case studies. However, the buzzing will soon fade, and we’ll see research findings come to the fore in 18-24 months if we’re lucky. By then, three or four more trends and reports will have hit the news, and while the concerns about behaviour will still be there (they’re perennial), the zeitgeist will have moved to the ‘next’ thing.
So, how do we bridge this divide? The journey begins with fostering greater collaboration between researchers and educators. This partnership should not be a one-way street where research is handed down to teachers. Instead, it must be a dialogue where educators’ on-the-ground experiences inform the research agenda, and researchers work alongside teachers to co-create and test practical solutions. While this sounds practical and reasonable, the incentives don’t align with this type of research. That notwithstanding, publications like The Conversation do an admirable job of interpreting academic research into easily digestible articles for practitioners and laypeople alike.
Translation efforts like these need to be intensified. Summaries, policy briefs, and practitioner-focused articles that distil research findings into digestible, actionable insights can serve as bridges between academia and practice. Moreover, professional development programs should incorporate these research translations, equipping educators with the latest evidence-based strategies tailored to their specific contexts.
The task of translating educational research into effective teaching practice is no small feat. It requires a paradigm shift in conducting, communicating, and implementing research. The goal is not merely to bridge the gap between theory and practice but to create a seamless continuum where research informs practice, and practice, in turn, shapes research.
Implementing research-based practices in educational settings is fraught with challenges. In navigating this complex landscape, we must remember that the ultimate goal is to enhance the educational experiences and maximise the potential of our students.
Maximising Student Potential 