Background: The use of research in policy settings is complex, unpredictable and influenced by a range of poorly understood social factors. This makes it difficult to plan for, facilitate and evaluate policy impacts arising from research. Aims and Objectives: 1. Propose and test tools for planning for and facilitating research impact, based on a…

Background: Evidence-based practice in social care and health is widely promoted. Making it a reality remains challenging, partly because practitioners generally see practice-based knowledge as more relevant than empirical research. A further challenge regarding the creative, contextual use of research and other evidence including lived experience…

Barriers to using research in practice are well documented. This paper describes an innovative process developed by the Centre for Research on Families and Relationships to address these barriers. We supported people to define what they needed to know; how existing evidence could help; and how to use evidence in practice. An action-focused…

This paper explores ways in which IRISS (Institute for Research and Innovation in Social Services) promotes the delivery of cost effective social services in Scotland that support the achievement of positive outcomes. The approach to evidence-informed practice is characterised as four pillars of activity. The first focuses on improving awareness…

Educational effectiveness research (EER) has accumulated much knowledge in the areas of school effectiveness research (SER), teacher effectiveness research (TER) and school/system improvement research (SSIR). Yet many schools and educational systems are not making enough use of the material and their insights. The article reviews evidence of…

A survey of Scottish registered nurses (680 of 936 responded) revealed a correlation between higher education levels and their use of research in practice. Nurses who read at least one journal regularly, had more study leave, or attended research classes also had higher levels of research use. (SK)

Review of academic and industry perspectives on commercial applications of research identified the following: (1) significant barriers, especially institutional and cultural ones; (2) the complexity of the commercialization process; and (3) need for integrated involvement of the research community, industry, financial institutions, and the public…

In interviews, Scottish adults aged 55-96 in formal, self-help, and distance learning or not participating in group learning reflected on the process of working together to make meaning and on beliefs about learning, education, knowledge, and wisdom. The research process itself was a learning experience for subjects and interviewer. (SK)

A workshop series designed to change attitudes and culture in accident and emergency departments in Britain sought to influence clinical practice by sharing the experience of researchers and practitioners. It was considered an effective way to disseminate research, but real change must also involve other departments in the hospital. (SK)

Critically reviews a study commissioned by the Scottish Education Department (SED) on the transition to adulthood of young people with special educational needs. Although the research serves the political purposes of the SED, it contains sampling problems and unrepresentative case studies and fails to address cost effectiveness. (KS)

The Focus on Teacher Project worked in the field of primary teacher staff development. Its aim was to produce, from a platform of school-based research, INSET materials to suppport improvement in primary classroom teaching. The focus was specifically on teaching, rather than on other aspects of a teacher's professional work. The materials to be…

Evaluates first year of under Fives Research Liaison Officers, responsible for dissemination of educational research results on children under five to preschool practitioners. Response was largely positive. Questions were raised concerning establishment of causal sequence between practitioners' interest, research findings, changes in practice, and…

The effects on policy and practice of national surveys of education conducted in Scotland were evaluated. Surveys carried out as early as 1953 and 1963 have had little impact. Research must deal with contemporary issues and be relevant to local circumstances in order to influence policy. (SLD)

The factors that contributed to changes in policy and practice regarding corporal punishment in Scotland's public education system are explored in this paper. An overview of the context and issues traces the links between practitioners and researchers that facilitated acceptance of previously unacceptable constraints, focusing on the role of…

Governing bodies that are quasi-rational, representative, and democratic are accountable to those they govern in much the same way that social scientists are accountable to the academic community. Since they both appeal to rationality as the basis of their actions, governments and scientists must use epistemologically adequate procedures to…