What does research mean to me? Exploring the relationships between teachers' signification and use of research

Purpose This article explores the relationships between teachers' signification of research and their willingness to use it in professional practice. Design/methodology/approach This article adopts Baudrillard's (1968) semiotic theory of consumption to examine how teachers' perceptions of the desirability or value of research affect their use of it in their everyday practice. A sample of 608 teachers working in elementary, primary and secondary schools in five European countries – Catalonia, England, Poland, Slovenia and Romania – were surveyed regarding how their signification of research relates to their use of it in professional practice. Findings The findings show that teachers are more likely to use research when they signify it as relevant, useful, and as having a positive impact on their students, classroom practice and school – a pattern consistent with the existing literature. More surprisingly, years of teaching experience do not influence how teachers signify research; instead, factors such as alignment with school goals, leadership support and colleagues' engagement with research prove to be more decisive. Research limitations/implications The reliance on self-reported survey data for both signification and research engagement may introduce common method bias and social desirability effects, meaning teachers may overestimate their engagement with research. As a result, findings should be interpreted as reflecting perceived rather than actual practices. In addition, relatively small national sub-samples limit the generalisability of the results across and within the five countries. The cross-sectional design also prevents conclusions about causal relationships. Practical implications The findings inform school leaders in fostering research-engaged cultures through visible modelling and collective inquiry structures, guide researchers in ensuring practical classroom applicability and support teacher educators in embedding research engagement across career stages while balancing institutional priorities with teacher autonomy. Originality/value This article adopts Baudrillard's (1968) conceptualisation of signification to uncover the deeper, symbolic values teachers allocate to research use beyond its immediate utility in their day-to-day practice.