Sarah van Ingen

How Do Preservice Teachers Understand the Use of Research to Inform Practice? Foundational Knowledge for Bridging the Gap

ABSTRACT Despite widespread discourse about the need for teachers to utilize education research, little is known about how teachers learn to engage in this practice. How do preservice teachers understand the use of research to inform their teaching? Set within the context of a mathematics methods course, this study provides a detailed analysis of the written research implementation plans of 29 preservice teachers. The data were analyzed using the principles of grounded theory, and four themes were developed regarding preservice teacher ability to understand research, create an implementation plan, modify the plan, and evaluate the plan. The findings problematize the complex process of research implementation and indicate microskills that teacher educators can address when preparing novices to engage in the process of research utilization.