Climates of trust, innovation, and research use in fostering evidence-informed practice in French schools

In France as elsewhere, various arguments suggest that evidence-informed practice (EIP) in education may positively impact student outcomes. However, while these arguments are beginning to mature in countries such as England, uptake of EIP theories in the French context is still nascent. The study presented in this paper seeks to address this knowledge gap. Findings suggest that French school staff generally believe that research evidence could inform educational practices as well as school organization at large. A trusting environment was positively associated with positive perceptions of EIP, but it is relatively less important than a school climate that encourages and supports research use. An interesting challenge for school leaders is how to establish cultures of research use and of innovation.