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The need for an evidence-based, research-into-
practice strategy for policy and practice
The case for schools to be research-
engaged, professional learning
communities is predicated on a
research-into-practice strategy as the
basis for knowledge mobilization. In the
introduction to this monograph, two
main drivers justifying such an approach
were identified. The first adopts
a supply-side, societal or macro-
perspective centring on the
unsatisfactory nature of the status
quo, where government and
non-government organisations (e.g.
charities and private agencies) invest
considerable financial resources in
educational research without seeing an
economic return for their investment; a
return which is only realised through
the adoption and implementation of
findings leading to improvements in
practice. Even where research evidence
is relevant and rigorous, failure of
take-up among knowledge users
(practitioners and policy makers) is all
too commonplace. The disconnect is
indicative of clear shortcomings of the
present institutional roles and
relationships and suggests a new model
of knowledge mobilization is needed ??if only to avoid the considerable waste
of scarce public and non-public
resources in research that ultimately
benefits few. The second driver
assumes a demand-side, educational
and school perspective, again targeting
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the status quo, where every school is
nowadays under increasing public
scrutiny and accountability from its
multiple stakeholders, and where there is
an expectation of continuous annual
improvement in student learning
outcomes for all students across the
ability range. Enabling schools to meet
such challenging goals, and to sustain
them, clearly calls for the most expansive
and creative capacity building strategies
predicated on optimizing the quality of
teaching, learning and leadership. Again,
a review of the shortcomings of the
status quo regarding school practice
suggests a new model of knowledge
mobilization is required, one centred on
quality teaching, learning and leadership
and anchored in highly professionalized
teachers and leaders. This brings the
argument back to schools as ?esearch-
engaged??professional learning
communities (Dimmock, 2012).