Strategies for implementing evidence-based practices in educational institutions: a systematic review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.71068/ss000055Keywords:
evidence-based practice, education, implementation, research use, knowledge transferAbstract
Introduction: Implementation of evidence-based practices in educational institutions remains uneven despite the growth of research on teaching, leadership, and school improvement. The gap between available knowledge and routine use depends on institutional capacity, professional culture, mediation, and conditions that allow changes to be sustained. Method: A PRISMA 2020 systematic review of Scopus-indexed studies published from 2019 to 2024 was conducted. Search terms covered evidence-based practice, research use, educational institutions, and implementation. Explicit eligibility criteria, structured extraction, and methodological appraisal were applied. Fifteen studies formed the final qualitative corpus and were compared according to strategies, barriers, facilitators, and implementation outcomes. Results: The most recurrent strategies were leadership that protected time for evidence use, professional development connected with authentic educational problems, research-practice networks, contextual adaptation, and data-informed feedback. Barriers included lack of time, limited access, insufficient skills, and dependence on temporary projects. Facilitators were associated with research-oriented culture, collaboration, and institutionalized responsibilities. Heterogeneity in designs and outcomes precluded a common quantitative synthesis. Several studies also emphasized that evidence use improves when educators participate in interpretation rather than receiving externally prescribed recommendations. Conclusions: Sustainable evidence-based practice requires leadership, professional learning, mediation, and monitoring to be embedded in institutional routines. Availability of studies or guidelines alone does not ensure use. Implementation strategies should be adapted to educational contexts while preserving mechanisms for assessing fidelity, outcomes, and continuity.
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