USE OF RESEARCH EVIDENCE TO IMPROVE TEACHING PRACTICES. RESULTS FROM CATALONIA (SPAIN)

"The European, national, and local educational policy is experiencing an increasing interest in using research evidence to inform educational practices. The use of research evidence is associated with multiple benefits at the political, organizational, and personal levels. Despite the known benefits, it seems that teachers make unconscious or irregular use of research evidence. This paper examines the beliefs and perspectives of primary and secondary teachers of Catalonia (Spain) about the use of research evidence to inform their practice. To analyze the teachers' beliefs, we use a survey designed ad-hoc for this purpose. 652 primary and secondary teachers from Catalonia (Spain) comprised the final sample, mainly working in public schools (91%). Discussions with colleagues, information obtained in professional development training, and websites/social media, are the main sources of knowledge used by teachers to support and inform their practice, making little use of academic journals and/ or professional publications. Research evidence is mostly used to make personal decisions, as teachers consider that research evidence can help them expand, deepen, and clarify their understanding of teaching and pedagogy. Although, they identify mental and time costs that can be barriers to the use of research evidence. Despite Catalan teachers having a positive view of research evidence, they make little use in their daily practice, and, in consequence, the Evidence-Informed Practice perspective (EIP) is not assumed at the school level, being necessary to promote the vision for evidence-use in the school context."