Teachers’ Perceptions of Evidence-Informed Practice: An Analysis According to School Complexity Level in Catalonia
Abstract
The research-informed approach is attracting increasing interest in European and national education policy, as well as in local education policy in Catalonia (Spain). Previous studies have revealed that it is associated with multiple benefits for improving equity and inclusion. This is particularly relevant in the case of vulnerable children: teachers’ use of research can facilitate more inclusive practices, benefiting the learning outcomes of such children. In the present paper, we analyse teachers’ perceptions of the importance of evidence-informed practices according to the level of complexity of the schools where they work. In doing so, we applied an ad-hoc survey to 314 early childhood, primary and secondary teachers working in high-, medium- and low-complexity schools in Catalonia. The measure of school complexity, as defined by the Catalan administration, classifies schools and distributes resources according to socioeconomic and administrative complexity indicators. Descriptive and comparative analyses were conducted. The findings revealed that although teachers acknowledge the value of educational research, its use is shaped by organisational conditions and the broader school context. Low-complexity schools provide more favourable environments for the systematic use of evidence, highlighting both an opportunity and a challenge to enhance these conditions in more complex settings. Nevertheless, differences across schools by complexity level are generally subtle, with only a few statistically significant variations. Time for training and regular practice evaluation emerge as key factors for implementing teachers’ evidence-informed practice across all school types.
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