Funded Research

Integrating research-based information into the professional practices by teachers and school administrators: Towards a knowledge transfer model adapted to the educational environment

October 2008

Christian Dagenais, Université de Montréal

The trend towards using research knowledge to improve practices and policies is on the rise. In education, research utilization is a growing concern of researchers, decision-makers and practitioners, as it is considered a significant factor in the promotion of academic success. However, despite considerable efforts and notable progress in recent years, it seems that the products of research are still used only to a small degree by school practitioners. Empirical evidence reveals a complex set of factors that affect practitioner’s decision to use research in practice. These factors vary considerably, making it difficult to determine which conditions play a more important role than others for different categories of educational practitioners. In this context, the study focuses on research utilization by four groups of practitioners, namely, school administrators, teachers, educational consultants and professionals.

Executive summary: aimed at the general public  (PDF, 165 KB)

Executive Summary (PDF, 320 KB)

Full Report (PDF, 598 KB)


An attitude and self-reporting behavioural measure, the Questionnaire about the Use of Researchbased Information (QURBI), was developed to survey school practitioners in the province of Quebec. The responses of 2425 school practitioners allowed exploring the principal dimensions about the use of research-based information: type of research used, type of utilization, frequency of utilization, factors influencing utilization such as practitioners’ opinions about research, their individual expertise, activities informing practitioners about research findings and organizational factors.