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LSRN Discussion Workshop

Spreading a culture of research: ideas and impact

Thursday 26 November 2015

80 The Strand, London WC2R 0RL

CONTENTS

Page

The workshop 2

LSRN values and purpose 3

Speaker biographical details 4

Information from participants 7

LSRN contacts 31

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THE WORKSHOP

This event is hosted by Pearson. Planning for the event was supported by a small grant made by the Education and Training Foundation to support the work of LSRN during 2014-15.

The LSRN event planning team were: Andrew Morris and Anne Thompson. It was organised by the NfER Events and Conference Team on behalf of LSRN, in liaison with Pearson.

INTRODUCTION

The importance of practitioners engaging with research and evidence is increasingly being recognised throughout education. Continuation of the Education and Training Foundation’s Practitioner Research Programme, growth of the ResearchED network and proliferation of projects such as Evidence for the Frontline at the Education Endowment Foundation are examples of this. Similar developments are taking place in other public services: health promotion, policing and social care for example. Schemes have grown up to develop skills and understanding to support this and a growing number of individuals are choosing to carry out research within a higher degree or independently.

As a result, knowledge derived from practice is gradually being added to the canon of academic studies and is being reported in journals, on websites and at conferences and workshops. The hope is that this will lead to demonstrable improvements in teaching, in student experience and in institutional norms. LSRN is proud to have been an active part of the movement that has brought about this cultural change in recent decades.

However, having made progress in raising the profile of research and evidence, a further set of challenges is becoming increasingly apparent. How can research engagement be spread beyond the minority of enthusiastic ‘early adopters’? Does engaging with evidence alter practice on the ground? Does research engagement by teachers improve the learning experiences of students?

Addressing these newer challenges is the purpose of LSRN’s November 2015 workshop. Practitioners with experience of doing or using research are invited to reflect, not so much on the substance of their work, but on the way in which it affects others. In particular:

a. The way in which it has or hasn’t influenced their own teaching and their students’ learning.

b. The means by which they have tried to spread the idea of using research to colleagues, either directly or through structures within their institution.

c. Efforts they have made to encourage students to engage with and in research.

The aim of the workshop is to develop a collective view about spreading research consciousness by inviting participants from a wide range of organisations to exchange experiences in discussion groups. Based on this, we will work together to think through the kind of advice LSRN might produce for the benefit of all. As for previous LSRN workshops, contributions from participants will be analysed and pulled together to produce a written report for public use.

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LSRN PURPOSE AND VALUES

Purpose

The network aims to help people, in going about their professional practice, engage with research and development.

The network seeks to:

Demonstrate the value of research and development by: assisting practitioners to undertake effective research and development assisting practitioners and policymakers to understand the outcomes and processes of

research and development encouraging the growth of a research culture at institutional, national, regional and local

levels.

Help build the capacity of the sector by: putting people in touch with each other providing opportunities to present and discuss research and development organising opportunities for professional development develop opportunities to undertake research and development work, collaboratively or

otherwise.

Exploring ways of increasing the influence of findings by: encouraging work across sector and discipline boundaries encouraging collaboration between parties developing conduits through which findings can be assessed and disseminated.

Values

In pursuing its purpose, the network places particular value on: An inclusive approach which:

recognises the variety of relevant methods and topics involves participants from a wide range of backgrounds, including practitioners, researchers,

developers, managers and policymakers identifies the specific role of practitioners and others in evaluating and implementing

findings.

Applying research to the concerns of practice and policy by: encouraging reviews of existing knowledge before new research is undertaken distilling and communicating key messages in appropriate ways for different audiences.

Addressing capacity by: building practitioner training into projects encouraging engagement with research through professional development activity demonstrating the value of research and development to budget holders maximising connections between regional groups.

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SPEAKER BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS

Sheila Kearney, Head of Research, Education and Training Foundation

Most of Sheila's career has been spent leading and delivering research and evaluation programmes, most recently within the further education sector. She has previously worked in a range of settings including the NHS where she was evaluating strategies to improve clinical practices. Her more recent experience is in the post-compulsory education sector. Prior to joining QIA in 2006, and subsequently LSIS, she was responsible for Ufi’s research programme, including work that underpinned the development of the learndirect brand, and the organisation’s impact and evaluation strategy. Whilst at Ufi she also undertook the first major segmentation study of the adult learning market.

At LSIS, Sheila was responsible for designing and delivering a research strategy based upon “research for the sector, by the sector”. This included a significant support programme for practitioner-led research to build research capacity in the sector, promote collaborative action research and evidence-based approaches to CPD and improvement.

Sheila has most recently been able to build on the LSIS research legacy at The Education and Training Foundation.

John Lea, College HE Scholarship Project Director, Association of Colleges

John has worked in a number of roles throughout UK adult, further and higher education over the last thirty years. Until recently he was Head of Academic Professional Development at Canterbury Christ Church University, UK, and is now the Director of the HEFCE/AoC catalyst funded project centred on enhancing scholarship in College Higher Education in England, which runs for three years from June 2015. From 2005-2011 he was Vice-Chair, then Chair of the Universities’ Council for the Education of Teachers (UCET) Post-16 Committee, and from 2010-2013 he was a co-opted member of the Staff and Educational Development Association (SEDA) Executive Committee, as an adviser on HE in FE. He is a fellow of SEDA, and a principal fellow of the HEA.

His main research interest is in developments at the FE/HE interface and he has written widely on this subject, including two recent research reports for the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) and the Higher Education Academy (HEA) and most recently Supporting Higher Education in College Settings (SEDA, 2014). He is also the author of Working in Post-Compulsory Education (Open UP, 2003), Political Correctness and Higher Education: British and American perspectives (Routledge, 2009), and 77 Things to think about…teaching and learning in higher education (CCCU, 2012). His latest book, Enhancing Learning and Teaching in Higher Education: engaging with the dimensions of practice (Open UP, 2015) was published in August 2015.

Full details of the HEFCE/AoC catalyst funded project centred on enhancing scholarship in College Higher Education in England can be found here:https://www.aoc.co.uk/enhancing-scholarship-in-college-higher-education-the-scholarship-project

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https://www.aoc.co.uk/enhancing-scholarship-in-college-higher-education-the-scholarship-project

Paul Wakeling, Principal, Havering Sixth Form College

Having completed his Degree in English and Philosophy at Keele University in the early 1990s, Paul was hooked on education and learning. Paul completed a Masters in Language, Culture & Communication at Southampton and then a PGCE back at Keele. Paul remembers his first job in a Sixth Form College as a wonderful time, teaching English and Media to young people with their life ahead of them. Mostly he remembers the conversations with other teaching staff. There were constant, engaging conversations involving deep thinking about how to teach better, how to help the students to learn. There seemed to be time and inclination for professional discourse.

Paul moved to East London to teach Media at NewVIC and then lead & manage in Coulsdon College. He is now Principal at Havering Sixth Form College which partly reflects the culture of East London and partly of Essex.

During his time in London Colleges, Paul has always wanted to create time to learn for himself and for others. He has made time to study at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard, to complete and contribute to leadership programmes, to study for a Certificate in Advanced Educational Studies at Southampton University, to contribute to Teacher Education programmes and to complete a Research Fellowship.

Paul is a contributor to:

Gregson, M., Hillier, Y., Biesta, G., Duncan, S., Nixon, L., Spedding, T., andWakeling, P. Reflective Teaching in Further, Adult and Vocational Education. London, Bloomsbury, 2015.This book focusses on how to encourage reflective practice to improve education.

He has also written about the challenge of leadership and learning, which considers the role of leadership within a learning organisation.

Wakeling, P. & Mackay, F. Leading & Learning in Challenging Circumstances, in Challenging Professional Learning, ed. Crowley, S. Oxon. Routledge, 2014.

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Andrew Morris, LSRN National Planning Group

Andrew is an active member of the LSRN National Planning Group. He led the setting up of the network in 1997 when head of research at the then Further Education Development Agency (FEDA). As Director of the National Education Research Forum he worked on improving the links between research, practice and policy across education. Currently he works as a freelance with many organisations and individuals to continue this.

In a former life he was a teacher and senior manager in FE and Sixth Form Colleges in Waltham Forest and Islington.

Anne Thompson, LSRN National Planning Group

Anne Thompson is a long term member of the LSRN national planning group. During a career in the FE sector, concluding as Vice Principal of Waltham Forest College, she worked on a number of research projects related to Access, alternative entry to HE, and HE in FE. She has co-authored books and HEFCE publications in these areas including Readings in Post-compulsory Education with Yvonne Hillier showcasing winning papers presented at LSRN conferences.

Since leaving the college she has worked on a series of projects funded by ESRC, HEFCE and BIS related to HE in FE/CBHE and as a consultant.

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INFORMATION FROM PARTICIPANTS

All participants had the opportunity to provide information about current research they have conducted and the actions they have taken to disseminate the results and influence others.

Name: Michael AllcockRole: Functional Mathematics team leaderOrganisation: Novus (The Manchester College)Email contact: [email protected]

Research or research related activity:

Mathematics teaching: finding a key to unlock a growth mindset in prison education.

Actions taken to influence others:

I was in the privileged position of witnessing Frank Coffield deliver a key note speech at the Marriot hotel in Sunderland. He was discussing learning styles and recommended you ask: "Which instrument do you recommend? What's its validity? Reliability? Any evidence of positive impact on raising attainment or improving behaviour?" If the answer is "no idea", explain that we are professionals trying to build a solid base of knowledge about teaching and learning. Practice should be informed by evidence, not by the unexamined hunches of some guru who's making a fortune from peddling poppycock.

The comments were targeted at learning style but I started to ask myself if I should apply the same criteria to other elements of prison education, especially the length of each teaching session and the initial assessment being used, incorrectly, to bypass education. It gave me the courage and belief to challenge these ideas. I firstly changed my SUNCETT research project which now included consultations with the main stakeholders, the learners. I also set up my own website (www.fu-maths.co.uk) where I presented Blogs about the areas I wanted to change. The outcome of these were relayed to the relevant organisations, who can implement change (Education Training Foundation, Dame Sally Coates and Michael Gove). I am using my own research as a catalyst for change.

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mailto:[email protected]

Name: Sam BroadheadRole: Head of Research Organisation: Leeds College of ArtEmail contact: [email protected]


PhD thesis: ‘I always wanted to be creative’: Post-access to the art and design students, phronesis and democratic education

The thesis drew upon the findings of a longitudinal study about post-Access to HE students’ experiences as they undertake their degrees in art and design. It used the theoretical frameworks developed by Basil Bernstein alongside Aristotle’s notion of phronesis or practical wisdom to analyse the data. Through narrative inquiry (Andrews, 2014; Butler-Kisber, 2010; Clandinin and Connelly, 2004) it has been possible to show that these students used continuous reflexivity and practical wisdom in order to meet both the demands of the degree programme and those of their families. At the same time they were pursuing the dream of becoming an artist or designer; seeing this as part of living a good life. The institutions where the students studied appeared to be mostly inflexible so that post-Access students had to be adaptable and responsive in order to achieve excellence in their art and design work. The imagined future was an important strand of the students’ stories. In this future the aim was to be paid for creative work whist paying off the student loan. The degree was seen, in some cases, as being instrumental in gaining employment in the art and design industry and not an end in itself. Some students began making external links in their first year with a view to gaining experience for the future. Post-Access students did not always enjoy their academic achievements due to worry and self-doubt coming from a perception that they were different from the other students in their cohort. It was found that some aspects of art and design pedagogy positioned mature students as ‘other’, but both post-Access and traditional students on occasion drew upon their past experiences and character to act well on their degrees for themselves and others; often through generous acts of friendship. This was sometimes stymied by the managerialism of the institution so students did not always maintain or develop self-confidence; feel included or participate politically in their education (important facets of Bernstein’s democratic education).


Sam Broadhead has drawn up recommendations for Access tutors, Access students and those teaching in higher education art and design.

There was a meeting with CERTA, (Access Validating Agency for Yorkshire and Humberside region) on 12th November 2015 with plans to disseminate research to Access students during their meeting in January 2016 and to present findings in CERTA’s annual event that brings together Access tutors and students from different institutions and subject areas.

Sam will be meeting with a professor from Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Italy to disseminate findings and to consider carrying out similar research again in Italy.

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Name: Jim CrawleyRole: Senior Lecturer – Education StudiesOrganisation: Bath Spa UniversityEmail contact: [email protected]


1) Creator and convenor of TELL (Teacher Education in Lifelong Learning) research network. Non funded voluntary network with over 200 members since starting in 2011. Activity includes at least four network meetings per year (approx. 80 attendees across all meetings); website / blog (new version about to be launched); PCET TEd book in production (see item 2); involvement in international research project with WERA (World Education Research Association); first TELL research project due to start in 2016.

2) Editor of research-based book due in Autumn 2016 – ‘Post Compulsory Teacher Educators: Connecting Professionals’ (Critical Publishing) a multi author book which aims to be ‘a call to action for teacher education and education professionals both in the UK and internationally to unite around key principles and practices as presented in this book. There is no text such as this currently available. It is written by Post Compulsory teacher educators but should appeal to all teacher educators in all education settings and educators and education decision makers across the world.

3) Development of the concept of the ‘connected professional’ – article due to be published in next edition of Research in Post Compulsory Education (RPCE)

4) MESH Guide just published - Pedagogy in Further Education and Vocational Teacher Education


I concentrate on bottom up networking to help ‘grow connections’ between teaching practitioners, particularly PCET Teacher Educators, as my research suggest this offers the best chance of building towards greater localised autonomy, and a more democratic, connected professionalism. To meet this aim I have:

- Started the TELL research network, which has no funding, yet has a thriving membership which is growing research and professional confidence in the neglected field of PCET TEd

- Convene the SW Teacher Education Forum, which is another practitioner network- Engaged in collaborative research / development and publishing in this field at every

opportunity- Worked to build a greater awareness through projects and publication of the work carried

out by the PCET sector, ultimately raising its profile and improving the professional situation of those working in the sector.

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http://www.meshguides.org/guides/node/347


Name: Norman CrowtherRole: National Official Post 16 EducationOrganisation: Association of Teachers and LecturersEmail contact: [email protected]


Presentations on Professionalism in FE (available online and with background papers: http://Academia.edu)


Presentations given in colleges and conferences on research into professionalism and how communities of practice can benefit from engaging in research, as well as showing how research has helped develop strategies around forming communities of practice.

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Name: Sarah CrowsonRole: Critical Studies LecturerOrganisation: Hereford College of ArtsEmail contact: [email protected]


The ‘greyspace’ research project looked at supporting outcomes of L5 students by identifying areas of ‘least learning’ during session times and transforming these into non-formal learning spaces. You can explore the research here.


Learners:Learner feedback regarding the research project is excellent, a fact also evidenced by high attendance figures at non-formal optional discussion sessions. To maintain momentum in a time of austerity, we designed a multimodal learning space. The site incorporates links to Padlet boards that hope to foster opportunities for critical informal discussion as well as support participative learning. Student response will directly affect the structure of our Scheme of Work. It is very early days, but I have great hopes for this method of delivery. We are currently trialling the use of larger online pinboards– a ‘studio space’ in the cloud designed to support collaborative research.

Peers:Following dissemination of research within our organization (via a symposium presentation), we have been approached by a range of staff members expressing interest in PLAR as a manageable and achievable research framework.

Wider educational community:Senior management has asked to second me from my current role to assume the responsibilities of Scholarship Manager at HCA (as part of the AOC Scholarship project). I intend a range of initial actions; to develop and curate online collaborative spaces where we can create a shared definition of ‘ Research and Scholarship’; to deliver targeted CPD to identified practitioners; to capture and disseminate good practice within the college and to map out potential frameworks for individual staff and student research.

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http://prezi.com/xbesmuffodhd/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy&rc=ex0share

http://padlet.com/s_crowson/crafts1

https://l5criticalthinking.wordpress.com/reflection-textile-design/

https://l5criticalthinking.wordpress.com/

https://transforminglevel5learning.wordpress.com/


Name: Denise Dickens Role Transition Coordinator within Additional Learning SupportOrganisation: City of Bristol College Email contact: [email protected]


The research has a focus on young people in care/ care leavers and disabled learners in FE and HE and the barriers they face within the post 16 education environment.

I aim to provide supporting guidance for teaching and learning staff to work together to reduce and remove barriers, to build retention and achievement for learners.


Research projects completed by me over the last few years have focused on the gathering of learner and teacher voice, resulting in infographics and leaflets on the research to share with staff. By conversation to gain knowledge, I also aim to support and guide teachers throughout the process in regard to barrier removal.

Following the last two research projects and the presentation for ETF/emCETT, colleagues and I have presented to college teaching and learning staff, to the wider post 16 network in the Bristol area, the virtual school which feeds to social worker teams and Care & After worker teams who support young people in care/care leavers.

The City of Bristol College has supported this research and I have presented another scope to our Executive lead who is favourable for me to continue further research in this field for this academic year. I hope to develop the learner voice element to consider the importance of transition and the requirements for young people transitioning to college from school in the area.

I have done several smaller projects over the last few years in this area, working originally with a colleague, then last year I worked with two other colleagues, and other people within the support team to develop the message further. The Executive and my manager within the college have been positive and supportive, so I hope to further develop the message throughout our college.

The college has a Research Steering committee which I have been part of for several years, with an FE focus. It has now moved to be guided by HE colleagues. This group originally funded a small scale project which enabled me to develop my research practice. I subsequently presented my journey to new researcher bursary holders in the college and to groups of PGCE (L&S) learners. I also presented with a colleague to Plymouth university for a project on hidden disabilities in study.

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Name: Colin ForrestRole: Research AssociateOrganisation: University of BathEmail contact: [email protected]


‘Inspection and Improvement’ published in RPCE Aug 15. This revealed the significance of ‘professional dialogue’ between leaders in three colleges and HMI. I was also part of the University of Bath team working with another practitioner group examining ‘the role of the clerk to the corporation of further education colleges in England in ensuring high quality college governance’. This was funded by the Education and Training Foundation.


The findings have been presented in reports, peer reviewed journals and through a workshop at the BELMAS conference summer 2015. The findings have also been shared with the AoC clerks’ network and the research participants. The Education and Training Foundation have published the research reports. It is apparent however that complementary approaches are necessary to both build on the findings and their application to different contexts.

These follow up approaches have included discussions with Norman Crowther, ATL national official for post-16 education, regarding further research to conceptualise what ‘professional dialogue’ means in the context of the contemporary policy levers in further education. We feel that this new study could influence the recruitment, training, support, development and assessment of staff at all levels. In framing the professional dialogue space, and defining tensions within it, we feel that the findings will have potential to reduce ambiguity and make the power associated with the main players explicit. Enhanced clarity here will mean that FE staff will potentially be better equipped to engage with ‘professional dialogue’ with the inspectorate and/or architects of area reviews.

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Name: Dr Graham HallRole: LecturerOrganisation: Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor, Dolgellau, WalesEmail contact: [email protected]


Research is being carried out by Graham Hall and Suzie Slaney, mathematics tutors at a Further Education college, into effective ways of integrating numeracy into vocational courses. The project has examined:

Numeracy requirements of employers, which are found to extend beyond mathematics techniques and include wider numeracy skills such as: problem solving, accurate measurement, estimation, use of computer technology, and effective communication.

Identifying areas of numeracy which can be integrated into vocational courses, such as: developing connections between number and algebra, interpreting graphs and statistics, using geometry in two- and three-dimensions, and solving logic problems.

Experimenting with practical approaches for introducing numeracy into course activities, such as: measurement and processing of data, mathematical modelling, handling ill-defined problems, and designing numeracy projects.


At the start of the project, the researchers were invited to give a presentation at a meeting of the college staff. Through this, contacts were made with colleagues who have participated in the practitioner research.

A Moodle VLE page has been produced to record and share details of research activities and findings. This page is used to inform other staff of progress with the project, and to invite and encourage further participation.

The material collected is being compiled into chapters of a book, with an intended publication date of Easter 2016. It is intended that an electronic version will be made freely available to teachers through the Internet.

On conclusion of the project, a paper will be presented at a national conference session of the British Society for Research into Learning Mathematics, to invite colleagues in the wider mathematics education community to examine our research results and conclusions.

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Name: Dr Craig A. HammondRole: Research & Scholarship LeaderOrganisation: University Centre Blackburn CollegeEmail contact: [email protected]


Establishing an infrastructure, (budget, processes, procedures) and environment of research & scholarship within a College based setting


Research & Scholarship Committee; Research & Scholarship Grant Application Form/Process, (aligned to College Strategic Plan, Pedagogical Priorities, Teaching & Learning Strategy – and, identifying impacts/outputs); robust R&S staff development and training package.

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Name: Paula JonesRole: CEO/ChairOrganisation: Learning South West/South West Centre for Excellence in Teacher Training( SWCETT)Association of Centres for Excellence in Teacher TrainingEmail contact: [email protected]


Initial Teacher Training and professional development- particularly linking to the delivery of national projects and programmes in support of maths, English as well as those practitioners who work with learners with learning difficulties and disabilities (SEND).

Support of young people to create their own south west manifesto and learn how to become effective campaigners to make the most impact in support of their key issues and desires for change.


Establishing collaborative regional or national cross sector partnerships to share effective practice and bid together for improvement work to contribute to effective change to benefit learners

Distribution and partnership delivery and full Evaluation of a DfE £1 million grant to enable practitioners to undertake the Level 5 Working with Disabled Learners Diploma – these programmes allow a focus on small contextualised research based activities. 311 practitioners completed the programme

Commissioned Marchmont Observatory ( SW) to produce a report on ‘The benefits of Adult Learning’ and sent ‘soundbites’ from this report to senior decision makers in the region, including LEP leads, MPs and key employers.

The facilitation of regional practitioner networks and conferences- including Maths and English Forum ,Teacher Educator Forum our conference attracts senior figures from BIS/DfE, Ofsted, Education and Training Foundation, and University colleagues who share their research and thought pieces and recent publications.

The facilitation of south west regional Ofsted surgeries- an informal opportunity for colleagues to meet the inspectors and exchange questions, ideas and thoughts

The coordination of the south west UK Youth Parliament through our regional Youth Work team at Learning South West – these activities involve facilitating regular youth summits where young people learn new skills on campaigning. Off shoot projects have included supporting young people to improve their own public perception image by engaging with media training and writing regular articles for local newspapers. ( Sounds Positive) and a Young Researcher Project which enabled young people to research key historical figures and produce materials to share and disseminate.

Publication of the Learning South West ‘What’s Hot’ newsletter- an accessible collation of key policy news, national and local improvement activity

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Name: Samantha JonesRole: Advanced Practitioner – Teacher Development and ScholarshipOrganisation: Bedford CollegeEmail contact: [email protected]


My research in the past has looked for models of CPD for Associate Lecturers (casual hourly paid staff), and at the barriers and motivators for effective CPD for all lecturers. This year my research focuses on how identity and pedagogy affect engagement with CPD.


I have co-founded and chaired the Bedford College Research Network (BCRN) – a meeting of likeminded individuals at the college to support research and the dissemination of findings to the SMT and across the college.

As part of my role in the college, this year I am leading other lecturers through an Action Research CPD programme.

As part of both initiatives, I am planning the college’s inaugural poster conference in May 2016. This is an opportunity for those staff on the action research programme, the members of the BCRN and those conducting small-scale research as part of the PGCE programme, to present their research to each other and members of the senior team.

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Name: Tami McCroneRole: Senior Research ManagerOrganisation: National Foundation Educational ResearchEmail contact: [email protected]


How to provide meaningful experience of the world of work for young people as part of 16 to 19 study programmes.

The provision of work experience for young people is a core part of 16 to 19 study programmes. It is increasingly recognised that young people need to develop their employability skills, along with qualifications, to prepare themselves for the world of work.


Based on the research findings we produced a Top Tips guide to offer advice to schools and colleges wishing to further develop work experience opportunities. It identifies some ideas that have been tried and tested and recommends techniques to develop relationships between employers and education providers. It is based on case studies carried out as a part of a qualitative project to highlight effective and innovative approaches in terms of the work experience strand of study programmes, commissioned by the Department for Education.

In addition we ran a seminar that brought together school leaders with responsibility for 16 to 19 study programmes, with employers and learners. Participants shared case stories of effective and innovative practice, showcased meaningful experiences of the world of work for young people, and discussed how schools and colleges have overcome challenges in providing work experience. We recorded the seminar and interviews so that others could access information on the innovative approaches to offering work experience.

As well as the report http://www.nfer.ac.uk/publications/DFIA01we produced the following outputs to spread the messages from the research:

Top tips for senior leaders in schools and colleges http://www.nfer.ac.uk/publications/DFIA02

Video case studies from our work experience event in April 2015 .

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http://www.nfer.ac.uk/research/education-to-employment/sharing-innovative-approaches-and-overcoming-barriers-in-delivering-16-19-study-programmes-principles.cfm#_blank

http://www.nfer.ac.uk/publications/DFIA02

http://www.nfer.ac.uk/publications/DFIA01


Name: Heather McGouranRole: Lecturer in Specific DifficultiesOrganisation: Wirral Metropolitan CollegeEmail contact: [email protected]


My first degree was in Psychology, followed nearly twenty years later by a Masters degree, with the years spent teaching in secondary and more recently in college. Research into the effectiveness of reading schemes; attendance and social choices; using mobile phones to support students with dyslexia; exploring the best apps for dyslexic students; looking at catering skills to improve dexterity.


I have had many one to one discussions and encouraged other colleagues who have become involved and undertake their own research.

Working with other staff in the development of the ideas and the implementation of my own projects has meant that other staff have become involved in the process of developing and refining the ideas, conducting parts of the research and reviewing the implications of any findings, thereby taking ownership themselves.

Discussing the projects with other staff through both formal and at informal meetings has made more staff aware.

Learning fairs at college have provided a platform to introduce the topics to both other staff and to students. One colleague suggested using key information on key fob tabs to disseminate her information and these free give always proved extremely popular with students who could use the information contained on them and also with staff as reminders of resources to suggest to the students.

Submitting a short article to a publication, and changing the format to submit for another proved fruitless and time consuming. Although I know you should expect a few rejections I have not had the time to submit anything further.

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Name: Dr Deborah MeakinRole: Scholarship and Research ManagerOrganisation: Hull College GroupEmail contact: [email protected]


Prior to teaching in FE I undertook research work at post-graduate level for my PhD (in Zoology) and was involved in supporting undergraduate research projects. I have published with collaborating authors in peer referenced journals and written reports for industry.

In the development of Subject Learning Coaches with colleagues in my organisation, a short time-scale action research approach was developed which enabled staff to trial different teaching strategies and experiment with their teaching delivery.

For the recent HEA Grade Point Average project I participated in the collaborative work sessions and contributed the organisational findings for the final project reporting on behalf of Hull College Group.

I am the Secondee supporting the Scholarship Development Manager appointed to Hull College Group as part of the AoC Scholarship Development Project.


Within our HE Governance structure we have a Research and Scholarship Committee to which I have been secretary for the past three years. This has involved guiding agenda items with the Chair, and providing papers on areas which support the committee including the development of a staff profile for research and scholarship and supporting the dissemination of ethics. This role has also involved organisation of our internal HE conferences, one of which is for research.

I have given workshops and presentations at our internal conferences and this year I co-presented external workshops on scholarship activity including at the AoC Research and Scholarship conference.

Recently I have begun a support group for colleagues who are pursuing, or wish to pursue, research qualifications, including at doctoral level.

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Name: Kevin OrrRole: ProfessorOrganisation: University of HuddersfieldEmail contact: [email protected]


The University of Huddersfield has been a centre for research in the field of learning and skills for decades and in particular has a focus on initial teacher education for teachers in Further Education. Both through the Education and Training Consortium (a network of colleges based at the University) as well as through the University itself we have led research on, for example, teacher educators; the impact of professional development; policy in FE; and vocational pedagogy.


We attempt to influence practitioners, policymakers and other researchers, each in slightly different ways.

For practitioners we have published guides based on the findings of our research, both paper and on-line, aimed at specific groups of practitioners such as English and Maths teachers in colleges. We also hold dissemination events and an annual conference aimed at practitioners where our researchers present their findings. Perhaps most importantly, practitioners are also our researchers and so are intrinsically involved in the production and application of research-based knowledge. We have also found it helpful to work with national organisations such as ETF to promote research-based findings.

For policymakers, we have written brief reports for local and national politicians based on, for example, our research on NEETs. We also send reports to the media, which can lead to coverage which is picked up by politicians and we speak at events organised by politicians or think-tanks. Essentially, we take every chance to get our research out to policymakers, but that means simple clear messages; and, rightly or wrongly, statistics seems to speak most loudly.

For other researchers we publish in journals read by ‘our community’ such as JVET and RPCE and we speak at conferences. We also deliver seminars at other institutions based on our research.

So, we do nothing extraordinary, but we try to be consistent in promoting our research as well as taking opportunities as they arise.

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Name: PUK Research and Efficacy TeamRole: Conduct research activities to support the various business streams in Pearson UKOrganisation: Pearson UK Email contact: [email protected]


As an example of a research project: The work was commissioned by an internal team to understand how a particular

qualification was being delivered in various settings – was there a difference in approaches between setting types?

Research approaches included:o qualitative case studies in 20 centres (teacher and senior leadership interviews)o A series of online surveys o Analysis of qualification outcome data

Typically we only report internally, due to commercial sensitivity


Including key stakeholders in research design through interim reporting and regular meetings

Internal full report, executive summary and recommendations Internal presentations to relevant teams

Name: Javier RamirezRole: Engineering Curriculum Development Team LeadOrganisation: Pearson EducationEmail contact: [email protected]


Writing effective learning outcomes


Using the ABCD model and selecting the appropriate action/command verb from the 3 learning domain.

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Name: Carol Savill-SmithRole: Research ManagerOrganisation: City & GuildsEmail contact: [email protected]


City & Guilds is undertaking a UK-wide research project examining learning in the workplace from the perspectives of both employers and their employees (aged 16-25). We want to find out how important the workplace context is in developing young people’s maths and English skills and thus their ability to do their job and progress at work. The project is examining:

Skill acquisition - to find out which skills are the most important, and how best these can be developed, retained and applied

Engagement – to find out what factors affect motivation at work and how this might be increased

Attainment and progression to further study/employment – to find out the impact of the workplace, transferability of skills and course unitisation.


This study is work-in-progress. The data collection stage has just been completed, which has involved focus groups with employers and young employees (aged 16-25) and a large-scale survey.

It is currently expected that a project report will be available around March/April 2016 which will allow employers and employees to have a powerful voice in updating others, including the policymakers, about the maths and English skills needed by the workforce and about related issues. A conference paper and journal article are also expected to follow.

This timing of this research is especially relevant given the a) Functional Skills Reform Programme headed up by the Education and Training Foundation, which will be completed by August 2016; and b) the Government’s commitment to create 3 million apprenticeships by 2020.

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Name: Rob SmithRole: Reader in Education Organisation: Birmingham City UniversityEmail contact: [email protected]


Over the past five years or so, I have engaged in a number of developmental projects around SfL, subject specialist and vocational pedagogy. These projects offered the opportunity to undertake and develop participatory research approaches. Taking participants’ experience and views as a data source, this way of researching then involved them in i) looking more closely at policy and ii) casting a critical eye over some of the literature from the field. Participation did not stop there though as people were encouraged to join in collaborative writing on the theme. In the most successful examples, this led to the coordination and writing of journal articles that were later published in academic journals. But the focus of this kind of research is not just on the end product, rather it is on the process as the developmental projects provided an ideal platform or practitioners to engage in critical reflection with others beyond institutional boundaries.


Journal articles are restricted to a fairly small (academic) audience, but they become more powerful if communicated and disseminated via social media like Twitter.

In terms of influencing others, apart from interviews and discussions with a range of Principals about the way FE is funded, I can’t claim to be very influential. But until recently, the values based approach of ITE that was promoted on the courses I taught on and managed was a key way of influencing students, but also mentors and teacher educators through the Partnership arrangements. I think that influence comes through organising groups and coordinating collective actions. The Partnership I was involved with functioned well in that way.

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Name: Stephanie TaylorRole: College Leader, North & South CollegesOrganisation: HMP Dovegate (SERCO) Offender LearningEmail contact: [email protected]


Offender Learning – Empowering Prison Learners. October 2015 to May 2016 – Action Research Project

Engaging prison learners in English and Mathematics through project-based learning with iPad technology (or other IT equipment dependent on security rulings) to enhance their employability.


2015 has seen a culmination of the outcomes from all four (over the last four years) of the research projects we have undertaken at HMP Dovegate (SERCO) to advise, up-date and improve our teaching and learning processes. We have set up tutor study groups with all our tutors and this has been extremely successful and we have used information from the research to move over from graded to ungraded lesson observations.

We continue to work collaboratively with Dr Anne O’Grady, Faculty of Education at Nottingham Trent University sharing good practices and working together to improve our teaching and learning processes.

Steph has had a busy year talking at various conferences and events throughout the UK to share good practice and to raise the profile of education in offender learning.

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Name: Karen Tobias-GreenRole: Dyslexia coordinator; MA Module Leader Research Methods, Research Cluster leader Organisation: Leeds College of ArtEmail contact: [email protected]


Stories from an art institution: writing lives of students with dyslexia (PhD research, Sheffield Hallam University)

The purpose of this study is to interrogate the prevailing narratives around writing and dyslexia in an art institution. It will use a narrative inquiry methodology to explore the constructions of identity of the institution, dyslexia, the student and writing.

My research questions are: How do art students with dyslexia construct their personal and institutional identities? How are these identities shaped, moulded and reshaped by their narrative reflections?

How can knowing more about students’ writing lives influence practices related to writing in an art institution?


I am running a run a series of writing interventions for undergraduate and post graduate students and for staff.

I have initiated tactile writing workshops. Their aim is to break down the barriers between image and text and to explore the tactile and aesthetic qualities of writing, making connections between theory and practice and between visual and textual language. The workshops provide an opportunity to interact with writing, materials and academic text in a purposeful, non-threatening environment.

I work with students to create site specific writing which arises from their studio practice. This method has been trialed successfully with a small group of MA students who worked with me to produce both written and visual outputs in a studio setting using a workshop format.

I have taken my writing workshops to artists’ studios and, most recently, to the festival of dyslexic culture at London Metropolitan University

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Name: Richard TurnerRole: Course Leader Foundation Degree Business & ManagementOrganisation: Kirklees CollegeEmail contact: [email protected]


Title: It’s The Teaching & Learning Isn’t It? Persuading students of the value of HE study in an FE environment

Related activity:Developing progression from level 3 to higher level study with students who don’t fit the ‘university’ mould. Using our ‘Community of Learning’ approach to learning and teaching that isn’t just classroom focussed. Involving students in designing some learning activities. Developing a deeper understanding about how these students learn and how they assess their own learning.


Having the support of the Head of Teacher Education who was involved in this research project

Promoting a research based approach to L & T Dissemination at the following events in college: Course Team meetings. We have a standing agenda item to discuss learning and teaching College wide online and face to face HE Forum for all staff teaching at HE level Staff Conference Days where staff from outside HE teaching can engage in the process Attendance at wider conferences (the ETF Conference in Jul 2015) and having the

opportunity to share good practice with colleagues in the sector Presenting posters or giving a paper on the subject

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Name: John WebberRole: Teaching and Learning Advisor/ResearcherOrganisation: Sussex Downs College; the work described below is primarily with Collyer’s 6th Form CollegeEmail contact: [email protected]


Investigating approaches that inspire and enable students to engage with higher order learning both in class and during independent study. In parallel with this, investigating approaches that foster greater ownership and agency in their (students’) learning. And transferring this latter principle to teachers i.e. trialling and evaluating approaches to CPD that enable teachers to take greater ownership of their own professional learning and development.


1) Listening to teachers, curriculum leaders/managers and teaching and learning development advisors to help identify their primary concerns and challenges they want to address

2) Sharing relevant research (both individually and with whole cohort of teachers)

3) Supporting the creation of teacher learning communities (TLCs) chosen by teachers that bring them together with colleagues with similar interests / challenges.

4) Focussing development time and resources on supporting these TLCs and peer observation / collaborative development using the action research project cycle. Supporting with ongoing mentoring from the development team drawing on relevant formal research and sharing learning from other projects across the college.

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Name: Jayne WhistanceRole: Associate Lecturer in English as a Foreign LanguageOrganisation: Southampton Solent UniversityEmail contact: [email protected] / [email protected]


Jayne has just completed an MA in Applied Linguistics and TESOL and explored the link between language, culture and identity in her dissertation. She is currently working on journal articles for publication related to this topic. In addition, Jayne enjoys using technology to support learning and uses Twitter and Pinterest regularly to engage students. She presents at conferences on this topic annually and also delivers training to staff at other Higher Education Institutions.


Presenting at conferences; publishing (or, rather trying to!) in journals; using social media professionally; using Academia.edu to promote work.

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Name: Hayley WoodRole: Acting Deputy Head of Department – Discipline Lead FE and Secondary ITEOrganisation: University of DerbyEmail contact: [email protected]


Working with FE collaborative partners, research has been conducted about the position of FE staff in vocational areas that are substantially workshop-based and who may be new to the profession, in temporary, part-time or associate-professional roles such as vocational coaches. The key area of exploration has been around initiatives that could improve their experience and transition into educator roles. The initial point for exploration has been to conduct an investigation among FE staff who have recently completed teacher training qualifications to help the research team develop new strategies to better support these professionals as they continue to develop as teachers.


Whilst this research activity has yet to be fully completed and analysed, interim analysis highlighted that there were key amendments that could be made to the process of supporting newly qualified practitioners teaching vocational subjects completing University of Derby FE and Skills initial teacher training qualifications. Amendments include:

Development of a former trainee PDP document to provide structure and focus in reviewing own professional practice post qualification.

Development of subject specific pathways to PGCE Post 14 and Certificate in Education FE and Skills programmes to enable new teachers to develop their knowledge of subject specific pedagogies.

Creation of networks of former trainees to support each other in the delivery of vocational subjects utilising social media (Yammer).

Therefore, findings from half way through the research activity have enabled staff working in initial teacher education contexts to respond swiftly and positively to better support the ongoing professional development of new vocational teachers working in the FE and Skills sector.

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NEWSLETTER

A regular newsletter is produced and circulated. Please contact Andrew Morris ([email protected]) to be included on the circulation list or to include material.

REGIONAL AND LOCAL NETWORKS

Regional networks were created following the first national conference in 1997. Their level of activity has varied over time and across the country. During the time when LSDA provided support and links with their regional coordinators regional conferences were held and regional research projects supported. More recently the networks are entirely reliant on volunteers and support in kind from institutions. However, there continue to be regular network meetings in most regions as well as regional events, and convenors are members of the national planning group. Recently local groups are also being organised often based around a city or lead college.If you would like to find out about these activities please contact the relevant convenor.

East Mike Smith [email protected] Midlands Peter Tunnicliffe [email protected] and South East Sai Loo [email protected](co-convenors) Rania Hafez [email protected] East Maggie Gregson [email protected] West Joel Petrie [email protected](co-convenors) Lydia Redican [email protected] West Claire Gray [email protected](co-convenors) Robert Cook [email protected] Midlands Rob Smith [email protected] & Humber Kevin Orr [email protected]

People who organise activities at a local level which are open to external participants are encouraged to provide contact details. Currently these include:Bristol area: City of Bristol College [email protected] Coast: University of Brighton/City College Brighton [email protected]

Martyn Howe: [email protected] Andrew Morris to be added to the list [email protected]

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