Developing Evidence-informed practice: engaging teachers with research

The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version.The field of education is awash with research. What is important for teachers however is accessing the right research, in the right way, at the right time. This paper presents an innovative way forward for teachers who want to develop evidence-informed practice and for those who want to be engage further with research. We start with explaining the concept of translational research, which is a systematic approach to the practical application of research knowledge. We have followed this approach in the development of the MESHGuides project, which provides research summaries for teachers. The research evidence is presented in a visual format so that it is accessible and can inform teacher’s professional judgements and practices. This approach is informed by initiatives adopted in the field of medicine. Furthermore, we are developing the MESHConnect initiative that aims to create and engage communities of teachers both in and with research. This initiative aims to develop teachers by engaging them in the broader community of researchers in education, so that they are able to develop a critical perspective on research to inform their own professional practices

Mobilising Knowledge through Global Partnerships to Support Research-informed Teaching: Five Models for Translational Research

Education Futures Collaboration Charity The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version. The Publisher's final version can be found by following the DOI link.Improving the quality of teaching is of global concern: UNESCO’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4c in the Education 2030: Framework for Action calls for high quality teaching for all. The OECD challenges the education system to improve Knowledge Management. JET’s (2015) special issue: Translational Research (TR) and Knowledge Mobilisation in Teacher Education introduced the concept of ‘translational’ or ‘theory to practice’ research - well-established in medicine but not in education. Five TR models were subsequently developed by the MESH charity’s international network with organisations in South Africa, Bangladesh, Australia, Pakistan, UK. These distinct models engage 1) university staff and teachers 2) subject associations, 3) research units, 4) an international NGO working in crisis settings, 5) PhD tutors and students. Each model shares common features forming the MESH Translational Research methodology introduced in this article. A TR repository is part of the MESH knowledge mobilisation strategy giving teachers access to research summaries which, overtime, accumulate knowledge. TR publications called MESHGuides (www.meshguides.org) complement existing forms of publication. This article proposes the MESH TR methodology as one affordable and scalable solution to OECD and UNESCO’s challenges of keeping teachers up-to-date and making new knowledge accessible to teachers regardless of location