The problem with research accessibility
To begin with, one of the most significant barriers is accessibility. Research is often written in complex academic language that can be difficult to understand. It may also be published in journals that require expensive subscriptions, making it hard for teachers to access the information they need. Even when teachers do find relevant research, their busy schedules and the pressure of daily responsibilities often leave little time for reading and applying it in practice.
What actually is “research”?
Another key issue is the question of what counts as research, which can make it difficult for teachers to decide what research they should engage in and implement. On the one hand, there are large-scale, formal studies (such as randomised controlled trials) that are considered the gold standard for producing reliable evidence. On the other hand, teachers often rely on their own research, via observations and experiences, to guide their practice.
While these informal methods can provide valuable insights, they may also be affected by personal bias or lack the rigour of formal studies. Meanwhile, formal research may not always reflect the complex and varied realities of real-world classrooms, making it harder for teachers to see its relevance.
Are there any effective initiatives to help?
Finally, although there have been many initiatives aimed at bridging the gap between research and teaching, these efforts face challenges of their own. Differences in language, expectations and roles between researchers and educators can make collaboration difficult. Plus, in some contexts, the push for teachers to use research without enough support can feel overwhelming or unclear.
What the research says about the barriers researchers and teachers face
A recent study sought to uncover the struggles education researchers and teachers face when disseminating and accessing research respectively. Specifically, education researchers gave their perspectives on the barriers to circulating educational research in schools, whereas teachers were asked what prevented them accessing and implementing research. Let’s take a look at the main findings of the paper:
1. Barriers to disseminating research in schools (by education researchers)
- Not enough time – Education researchers are often very busy, spending most of time doing research, writing reports and teaching. This leaves them little time to share their work with teachers, particularly in a way that’s easy to understand.
- Lack of funding – It’s already hard enough to get research funding. And it’s even harder to get funding to share the results. Without money to hire helpers or communicate clearly with schools, important findings often stay hidden.
- A disconnect between researchers and schools – Often, researchers work exclusively in universities and may seem out of touch with everyday classroom life. Because of this, teachers might not trust their advice, believing that the research does not apply to them.
- Few outlets to share information – There aren’t many magazines or websites made for teachers to read about research. So, even if researchers want to share their work, there’s nowhere easy to put it where teachers might see it.
2. Barriers to accessing and implementing research in schools (by teachers)
- Not enough time – Teachers are very busy with planning, teaching and managing students. This means they often don’t have the time to read or apply research in their everyday work.
- Difficult to understand or access research – For teachers, research is often written in psych jargon heavy language or hidden behind paywalls. Not only do they find it hard to read long, detailed papers, this problem is exacerbated when it’s unclear if the content will actually help their classroom practice.
- Poor connection with universities – Many teachers feel research is too far removed from real-life teaching. Consequently, they often don’t trust advice from researchers who aren’t currently working in schools.
- School culture – In some schools, research simply isn’t part of the culture. School leaders may not promote it, which discourages teachers who want to try new ideas or change how they teach.
- Lack of awareness – Some teachers shared that they weren’t shown how to find or use research. This particularly applied to those without extra training or qualifications.
Practical takeaways for researchers
From the findings, the authors provided two suggestions for researchers in education:
- Make your research accessible – Research is often shared in academic journals that teachers and students may not have access to. Hence, researchers could try to find ways to share their work with a wider audience, whether via newsletters like Substack or by allowing free access on online platforms.
- Invest in communication skills – Researchers could seek opportunities to develop the necessary skills to communicate their findings in an accessible way.
Practical takeaways for teachers
Meanwhile, the authors provide another two suggestions for teachers and schools:
- For teachers – While engaging in research might be time-consuming in the short-term, it may actually help teachers become more effective and efficient in the long-term. To help teachers bypass the issue of paywalls, the authors suggest online sites like ResearchGate, EdArXiv, and PsyArXiv which provide free access to many articles.
- For schools – Create a culture that encourages research; for example, provide teachers with time and resources for CPD that fit around their schedule rather than eating into it. If you’re interested in accessible, time-saving and research-based resources to upskill your teachers, check out our Teacher CPD Academy here.
Final thoughts
While research has the potential to greatly improve teaching and learning, barriers like time constraints, lack of access and school culture often prevent it from reaching classrooms. By understanding these challenges, teachers and researchers can work together to ensure that valuable research truly benefits students and improves education.
