Teacher education in Finland has followed a research-based approach for decades, but the approach has rarely been investigated from the viewpoint of in-service teachers. This study explores how in-service teachers experienced the meaning of educational science, research and theory (ESRT) and how teachers engage with educational research as part of their work. Using a phenomenologically oriented analytical approach, the informants were grouped into three categories. In the first category, teachers understood the meaning of ESRT broadly, whereas those in the second group viewed the meaning as primarily instrumental, and those in the third group considered it insignificant. The informants reportedly engage with educational research only rarely due to a lack of time and opportunities, and the fact that their working conditions do not support a research-based work orientation. This should be noted when developing both initial and in-service teacher education.