The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) has released a new report, Developing and Validating Measures of Research Evidence Use, Research Capacity, and Partner Experiences with the Regional Educational Laboratories. The report presents validated survey measures that Regional Educational Laboratories (RELs) and other research partnerships can use to assess how partners use research evidence in decision making, their capacity to engage with research, and their experiences with research products and services. The study identified reliable measures for 14 distinct constructs, supported through survey analysis and follow-up interviews.
Findings indicate that respondents draw on a combination of research evidence, professional experience, and local data when making decisions, while identifying a need for research that is more relevant and applicable to local contexts and for stronger organizational support for evidence use. The newly validated measures can help researchers and research-practice partnerships better understand how evidence is used and tailor professional learning, resources, and supports to strengthen research use in practice.
To access the report, please visit the Institute of Education Sciences website.