This paper is about the classification and differentiation of various kinds of research practiced in the educational field, at various levels. First, in order to get a more realistic insight into this phenomenon, it presents a comprehensive analysis of published academic articles dealing with the issue of the impact of educational research on teaching practices. Then, since there is a wide range of approaches, going from action research to basic research, that can influence – and actually influence – in a more or less direct way what schools and teachers do, these data are classified through an inclusive framework. This tool will serve as reference in analyzing the role of educational research and the dynamics of its relationship with school change and innovation. The growth of the above described research traditions happened as a consequence of the difficult but steady journey of education towards becoming an emerging independent scientific field during the last decades (Condliffe Lagemann, 2000). Both their interaction with the practitioners and their concrete outcomes are finally compared with what occurs in neighbouring disciplines, like psychology, sociology, anthropology and medicine. This will help in developing a better understanding of the mutual differences and similarities existing within the area of research and development between these various fields. Moreover, particular attention is paid through the whole study to teachers’ and schools’ effective use of knowledge coming from research, both in everyday teaching practices and by means of the use of innovative tools and methodologies.

Condliffe Lagemann, E. (2000) An Elusive Science – The Troubling History of Educational Research. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press