how can research improve classroom practice? philippa cordingley the centre for the use of research...
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How can research improve How can research improve classroom practice?classroom practice?
Philippa CordingleyPhilippa Cordingley
The centre for the The centre for the use use of research and of research and evidence in Education (CUREE)evidence in Education (CUREE)
How can research improve classroom How can research improve classroom practice?practice?
This sessionThis session
Exploring connections between the two Exploring connections between the two worldsworlds
Understanding the roles of Continuing Understanding the roles of Continuing Professional Development and knowledge Professional Development and knowledge management/ mobilisationmanagement/ mobilisation
Practising what we preach – via systematic Practising what we preach – via systematic reviews- at individual & system levelreviews- at individual & system level
A case study from EnglandA case study from England
A final metaphorA final metaphor
Knowledge modelsKnowledge models
What’s the relationship/ flow between the What’s the relationship/ flow between the two?two?
Looking closely at users and use –Looking closely at users and use –
Research - process - outcome – Research - process - outcome – agent??
Mobilising knowledge and focussing Mobilising knowledge and focussing research will help - butresearch will help - but
TeachersTeachers improve classroom practice improve classroom practice
So research > improvement means So research > improvement means looking at how looking at how theythey improve practice - improve practice - Continuing Professional Development and Continuing Professional Development and Learning (CPDL)Learning (CPDL)
IE applying research about pedagogy and IE applying research about pedagogy and about CPDL – practising what we preachabout CPDL – practising what we preach
Finding out about teaching - What can and Finding out about teaching - What can and can’t research do?can’t research do?
Research – the issue, a tool for thinking, or for action?
Practising what we preach - modellingPractising what we preach - modelling
Lack of use of Lack of use of research by research by teachers parallel teachers parallel to classroom to classroom teachers whose teachers whose students strugglestudents struggle
What would we What would we do then?do then?
“I’ll have what he’s having!”
Systematic reviews about CPDLSystematic reviews about CPDL
4 quality assured reviews into impact of CPDL 4 quality assured reviews into impact of CPDL to shape CPDL – and CUREE’s workto shape CPDL – and CUREE’s work
Explored impact on pupils as well as teachersExplored impact on pupils as well as teachers
Over 2,000 studies via comprehensive searchesOver 2,000 studies via comprehensive searches
Double blind filtering and weighing of evidenceDouble blind filtering and weighing of evidence
300 relevant studies identified & coded300 relevant studies identified & coded
Data extracted & evidence weighed for 45Data extracted & evidence weighed for 45
Very strong coherence with findings from the Very strong coherence with findings from the Timperley CPD Best Evidence SynthesisTimperley CPD Best Evidence Synthesis
BenefitsBenefits Evidence about from 4 systematic reviews about Evidence about from 4 systematic reviews about CPDL linked to improvements in student:CPDL linked to improvements in student:
motivation, responses to specific subjects & curricula motivation, responses to specific subjects & curricula performance e.g. test results and specific skillsperformance e.g. test results and specific skillsorganisation e.g. collaboration, selection of strategies organisation e.g. collaboration, selection of strategies questioning skills, thinking & responses to stimuliquestioning skills, thinking & responses to stimuli
And teachers’ And teachers’ self-confidence e.g. in taking risks and efficacyself-confidence e.g. in taking risks and efficacywillingness to continue professional learningwillingness to continue professional learningwillingness & ability to make changes to practicewillingness & ability to make changes to practiceknowledge & understanding of subject & pedagogyknowledge & understanding of subject & pedagogyrepertoire strategies & ability to choose between themrepertoire strategies & ability to choose between them
betweenbetween
Peer coachingPeer coaching
10-14 pairs of teachers – 24 10-14 pairs of teachers – 24 hrs with researcher/practitionerhrs with researcher/practitionerLearn about aspect of practice Learn about aspect of practice and peer coachingand peer coachingBuild peer coaching agreement Build peer coaching agreement for 12 weeks (min 4 peer for 12 weeks (min 4 peer coaching sessions)coaching sessions)Follow up 24 hours – exploring Follow up 24 hours – exploring students’ before and after work students’ before and after work & strategies & looking at & strategies & looking at further developmentfurther developmentE.g. Assessment for learning, E.g. Assessment for learning, early years, thinking skills; early years, thinking skills; behaviour, MFLbehaviour, MFL
Characteristics of CPD with these positive Characteristics of CPD with these positive outcomes from across reviewsoutcomes from across reviews
The use of specialist external The use of specialist external expertise expertise Peer support to create trust, enable Peer support to create trust, enable risk taking, generate commitment risk taking, generate commitment and Safety To Admit Need (STAN)and Safety To Admit Need (STAN)Observation & Observation & deconstruction/feedback from deconstruction/feedback from specialists (what isn’t within reach on specialists (what isn’t within reach on one’s own)one’s own)Observation for learning - learning to Observation for learning - learning to learn from looking learn from looking
Characteristics of CPD with these positive Characteristics of CPD with these positive outcomes from across reviewsoutcomes from across reviews
Structured dialogue rooted in evidence of Structured dialogue rooted in evidence of experiments with learnersexperiments with learnersScope for participants, via collaboration, to Scope for participants, via collaboration, to identify own CPD starting points (within a identify own CPD starting points (within a given framework)given framework)Processes to encourage, extend & Processes to encourage, extend & structure professional dialogue & reflectionstructure professional dialogue & reflectionEffective use of time to embed practices in Effective use of time to embed practices in classrooms e.g. on-course planningclassrooms e.g. on-course planning
What does that mean for how research What does that mean for how research improves practice?improves practice?
For For individualsindividuals, research outputs need to , research outputs need to prompt:prompt:
Collaborative, active learning, Collaborative, active learning,
Demonstrating an expectation that findings Demonstrating an expectation that findings will be have to be interpreted for contextwill be have to be interpreted for context
Diagnosis – in context of student experiencesDiagnosis – in context of student experiences
Learning from lookingLearning from looking
Use of specialist expertise/ smart tools to Use of specialist expertise/ smart tools to explore beliefs, challenge with new ideas etcexplore beliefs, challenge with new ideas etc
Checking this outChecking this out
We obviously also check that directly We obviously also check that directly too via:too via:
Primary research eg with the Primary research eg with the National Teacher Research PanelNational Teacher Research Panel
Frequent Focus groupsFrequent Focus groups
Monitoring use and take upMonitoring use and take up
At system level it meansAt system level it means
Investigating the issues of interest to Investigating the issues of interest to practitionerspractitioners
Awareness raising re: range of useful researchAwareness raising re: range of useful research
Securing understanding of core facts and Securing understanding of core facts and issuesissues
Enabling practitioners to relate products to Enabling practitioners to relate products to own experiencesown experiences
Providing access to theory / the underpinning Providing access to theory / the underpinning rationale to enable transferrationale to enable transfer
Encouraging and/or supporting practitioners Encouraging and/or supporting practitioners in interpreting, testing & refining strategies in interpreting, testing & refining strategies from research in their own contextfrom research in their own context
Stepping stonesStepping stones
Stepping stones from Stepping stones from
2.5 minute “bites” – power points2.5 minute “bites” – power points
Tasters – micro enquiry tools based on Tasters – micro enquiry tools based on nuggets of evidence ( 400+)nuggets of evidence ( 400+)
Web digestsWeb digests
Major summaries of cornerstone Major summaries of cornerstone academic studies – hot linked to academic studies – hot linked to teachers’ studiesteachers’ studies
A wide range of CPD tools and resources A wide range of CPD tools and resources eg mystery games, treasure huntseg mystery games, treasure hunts
Coaching based CPD programmes Coaching based CPD programmes
Using External ResourcesUsing External Resourceswww.gtce.org.uk/research/tasters/
Key features:Key features:
nuggets of evidence nuggets of evidence taken from the RfT taken from the RfT summarysummaryenquiry activities to enquiry activities to find out how learners find out how learners experience experience phenomena nowphenomena nowIdeas for taking next Ideas for taking next stepsstepswhere to find out where to find out moremore
A case study from EnglandA case study from England
Systematic reviews translated into a national Systematic reviews translated into a national Policy Framework for mentoring and coaching Policy Framework for mentoring and coaching
4 pages – principles, skills, core concepts 4 pages – principles, skills, core concepts ( who, what where why when) and a venn ( who, what where why when) and a venn diagram showing linksdiagram showing links
Use of research as improvement tool central:Use of research as improvement tool central:
Facilitate access to research and evidence Facilitate access to research and evidence to support developmentto support development
Draw on evidence from research and Draw on evidence from research and practice to shape development.practice to shape development.
An example of a principle
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Research based resources Research based resources
A library designed to:A library designed to:
communicate interconnected communicate interconnected informationinformation
illustrate components in context & illustrate components in context & via videovia video
make the evidence base explicitmake the evidence base explicit
provide tools & activities for provide tools & activities for adaptation by practitionersadaptation by practitioners
Blended Learning resources for Blended Learning resources for Effective mentoring and coaching...Effective mentoring and coaching...
Route MapRoute Map
Merlin, Arthur and use of research to Merlin, Arthur and use of research to improve practiceimprove practice
The book of Merlin, T H WhiteThe book of Merlin, T H WhiteMerlin” said the King, “tell me the reason for your visit. Talk. Say you have come to
save us from this war.”
“No” replied his former tutor “it is hopeless doing things for other people. The only thing worth doing for the race is to increase the stock of ideas. Then, if you make available a larger and deeper stock, the people are at liberty to help themselves from out of it . By this process the means of improvement is offered, to be accepted or rejected according to their need. Such is our business, to open up new ideas (and practices).”
“You did not tell me this before.” Replied Arthur “You have egged me into doing things all my life, the chivalry, the Round Table. What were these but efforts to save people and to improve how things are done?
“They were ideas” said Merlin firmly, “rudimentary ideas. All thought in its early stages begins as action. The actions which you have been wading through have been ideas, clumsy ones of course, but they had to be established before we could begin to think in earnest. You have been teaching man to think.”
“So my round table was not a failure Merlin?” - “Certainly not, It was an experiment”.
Contact DetailsContact Details
Centre for the Use of Research Centre for the Use of Research and Evidence in Educationand Evidence in Education
4 Copthall House4 Copthall HouseStation SquareStation Square
Coventry CV1 2FLCoventry CV1 2FLEnglandEngland
+44 2476 524036+44 2476 524036