The Impact Of Research

It is also important to find out whether this research knowledge has impact on education process and, if yes, how this impact is demonstrated. Viewed within the context of the last 30 years of criticism of education research, the results of our study raise serious questions about claims that research knowledge has minimal effects on policies and practices in schools. Most school leaders view research knowledge positively, are regularly exposed to information about research, retain a good deal of that information, and actively help their schools use that knowledge.

Even as educators work to dispel the myth that education research is of little worth, we must acknowledge that there is room for improvement. Principals vary in the way they evaluate and use research knowledge. In both the United States and Australia, principals who had completed higher levels of professional education, who said they would like to obtain a university position someday, and who reported reading more professional books had more positive attitudes about research knowledge, knew more about it, and were more likely to serve in schools that used it. On average, principals in the United States knew more about the details of research knowledge; principals in Australia, however, were more thoughtful about applying that knowledge in their schools. This is perhaps because their average work week was 10 hours shorter than that of U.S. principals, giving them more time for such reflection.

Because principals with more professional education (and the habit of reading professional books) were more likely to respect, know about, and use research knowledge, it follows that we should encourage principals to seek out more professional training and to spend more time reading and thinking seriously about the challenges they face in their complex jobs. And the fact that principals with less demanding work weeks were more thoughtful about applying research knowledge argues for simplifying and reducing the professional demands that U.S. school principals typically face.