Describing research as 'relevant' implies that there is an aim that it should serve; asking further how such work can be fostered raises questions about the encouragement and control of research practices. This chapter explores the idea of relevance in the context of research on educational communications and technology, and considers the mechanisms through which groups such as researchers and policy makers foster work that serves their interests. Firstly, historical patterns of cycles of promise then disappointment for technologies are noted. Then, the idea of relevance is considered in relation to the audiences with interests in work in this field. Next, mechanisms for fostering particular kinds of research are discussed, using concepts from Communities of Practice to frame the discussion. The chapter concludes by identifying ways of fostering relevant research that are distinctive to work in this field, such as the use of templates for knowledge representation and processes such as participative design, and problems that will persist in achieving this, such as the need to contextualize research claims in relation to specific teaching contexts.