The use of research in education is rapidly becoming a strong priority for educators, both in Ireland and internationally. Yet, very little is known about how and why educators use research in their practice. This not only poses unique challenges for school principals, who are often tasked with leading increased and improved integration of research into practice, but also for leadership teams who, as leadership is increasingly distributed, are tasked with the same responsibility.

Researchers from the Monash University Q Project have begun to shed light on what it means to use research well, in practice. Following the ideas raised in Gavin Murphy’s recent chapter in ‘Ireland’s Education Yearbook’, this article draws on recent Q Project findings to provide school principals with three initial considerations to encourage improved use of research in their schools.

However, time is necessary to access and review different sources of research and evidence for potential use in practice. As suggested by Murphy, the need to ‘promote time, space, and joined-up thinking about, and focus on, putting research into practice’ is critically important’. How schools go about doing this will depend on many factors unique to them – highlighting a second consideration for using research well - that research must be relevant to, or adapted for specific contexts.