The many forms of research-informed practice: a framework for mapping diversity

This article investigates the interaction between educational research and practice in school systems, through a bi-dimensional framework. Forty-four papers were selected and analysed, and were grouped based on their pertinence to the categories: system level (macro - meso - micro) and locus of need (state - university - practitioner). The use of this framework proved to be useful for a more contextualised and fine-grained analysis of the various writings. It appears that, if educational research (ER) is to have a more significant impact on schools, various conditions have to be present: between others, pertinence of research, adequate resources, better fit between research and practitioners' needs, orientation to action, more effective interaction between tacit and rational knowledge and presence of consultants/advisors. What emerges also from several sources is the need to displace the centre of gravity of ER from academia to schools and classrooms, through an extended use of practitioner and action research.