Quality educational research outputs and significance of impact: enduring dilemma or stimulus to learning transformations between multiple communities of practice?

With the approach of the new Research Excellence framework (REF) in 2014, this paper assesses the implications for achieving both quality educational research outputs and significance of impact on educational policy and practice. It is divided into three main sections. The first outlines the background context of more than two decades of criticism of educational research, both in terms of its scientific rigour and perceived relevance. The second draws on theories of communities of practice and activity theory to provide an integrated conceptual framework for understanding more fully the nature of the current challenges facing educational research and possible solutions. The third section examines the practical implications, particularly in achieving sustainable learning transformations between academic researchers, policymakers and practitioners that can enhance both the quality of educational research output and the significance of impact.