Improving K-12 teachers’ conceptual competencies in consuming empirical research

ABSTRACT Research competencies can empower teachers to inquire into their work and innovate in the field. In particular, conceptual competencies in consuming empirical research (CCER) are expected of K–12 teachers, but little is known about how teachers develop CCER. To address this gap, the authors conducted a case study with 12 teachers enrolled in a hybrid graduate course on educational research at a public, comprehensive university in the USA. Data generated from the 15-week course activities and assignments were analyzed. Findings show that teachers’ CCER improved through a three-stage process. In each stage, teachers achieved success but encountered challenges. The varied performance among teachers could be explained by three factors: extensiveness of literature review, conceptual understanding of research topic, and specificity of research focus. This study contributes to the literature by generating detailed evidence of how K–12 teachers develop CCER. Implications for course design and future studies are discussed.