Challenges of translational education research: Teachers’ interpretations of embodied learning

This paper addresses growing calls to address research-to-practice gaps by critically examining ways in which practitioners actively filter, interpret, re-purpose and enact research messages in their context, and the implications for developing translational resources. Analysis drew upon in-depth semi-structured interviews with ten teachers across the UK involved in three online workshops designed from both embodied learning research and STEM teacher educator expertise. Through a grounded theory approach, thematic analysis revealed three tensions in how teachers interpreted and enacted research messages in their practice: (1) extent to which ideas were seen as novel or pre-existing (less impression; more relatable), (2) value of resources (immediate appeal; potential message distortion), and (3) complexities of integrating practitioner insight into messages. The paper proposes ways these tensions might be navigated by contributing two additional guidelines for translation frameworks: (i) early exploration of existing perceptions and priorities for different audiences of translation, and (ii) early consideration of how messages can translate to accessible translational resources that can scale impact. The paper advocates greater researcher involvement in the development of these resources requiring ongoing consideration of how research messages are interpreted differently across audiences.