Policy makers like immediate answers but education research moves at a snail’s pace: It sometimes takes decades before a longitudinal survey yields policy-relevant insights to the burning questions we have right now. Education research also does not always focus on the questions that are most relevant to policy makers and practitioners. Nor are research results always available in a form intelligible to them. And even when they are, research will have insufficient impact if it is not used to challenge conventional wisdom or long-held beliefs in what works. Sometimes policy makers and practitioners forget that data are not the plural of anecdote, and often they are simply too busy to look for research-based answers. On top of that, education systems often lack adequate infrastructure and mechanisms to support them in using research in their daily decisions.

Across the OECD, enormous effort and investment has been made to reinforce the quality, production and use of education research in policy and practice. Despite this, using research systematically and at scale in education policy making and practice remains a challenge for many countries and systems. The OECD launched the Strengthening the Impact of Education Research project to respond to this challenge.

John Bangs (Chapter 10) is a Special Consultant to the General Secretary at Education International (EI), and Chair of the Trade Union Advisory Committee (TUAC) Working Group on Education and Skills at the OECD. John has co-authored a number of books on education and skills policy such as Reinventing Schools, Reforming Teaching (2010), Teacher Self Efficacy, Voice and Leadership (2012) and Reforming or Re-inventing Schools? (2020). He was previously a teacher in East London for 18 years, working in special and secondary schools. Building on this experience, he was Head of Education, Equality and Professional Development at the National Union of Teachers for England and Wales until 2010.