Supporting Research and Enquiry in the Networks

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Supporting Research and Enquiry in the Networks

• Best Practice Research Scholarships
• Research Team - Networked Learning Communities

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Best Practice Research Scholarships

• Development aims
• Distribution patterns
• Suggested areas for research 2003
• Benefits, possibilities challenges
• Role of tutor/mentor
• Supporting applications

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Development Aims

• Developed from TTA Teacher Research grant scheme
  funded by DfES, administered by Nord Anglia.
  Funding around 2,500 per grant
• Aim To enable and encourage the engagement of
  teachers in supported, school-focused research in
  order to develop their professional knowledge,
  understanding and confidence and to enhance their
  professional practice. Also, to enable and
  encourage the sharing of enquiry-led effective
  practices and professional knowledge within the
  teachers school and across the wider education
  community.
• All qualified teachers eligible
• Supports research project over 18 months

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Distribution Patterns

• Around 2,000 in total, 1,045 given in 2002,
  approx. 1,000 to be given 2003/4
• Awarded to individual teachers mentored by
  HEI/LEA link or suitable other
• Collaborative Groups may also apply together,
  through individual, but co-ordinated applications

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Some of the BPRS Suggested Areas for Research in
2003 (not prescriptive)

• Professional Development
• Making schools strong learning communities
• Managing transition - primary to secondary
  schools
• Working effectively with teaching assistants in
  the classroom and transforming the school
  workforce
• Interventions to extend subject specific learning
• Special educational needs/inclusion
• Gender issues and achievement
• Overcoming social barriers to attainment
• Thinking skills
• Creativity

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Benefits , Possibilities Challenges

• Enquiry research partnerships created and
  developed in school contexts, focused
  particularly on teaching and learning
• Teachers benefit from professional learning,
  collaborative work with colleagues professional
  development, enables exploration of processes
• Pupils and schools benefit from school based
  enquiry processes focused especially on teaching
  learning, projects can be cumulative
• Challenge of sharing processes outcomes -
  within beyond the school - a great opportunity
  for Networks

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Role of Mentor

• May be HEI, LEA, professional link or other
  suitably qualified individual. Role is to
• Assist in establishing creating a rigorous
  successful research project
• Provide statement of support in application - how
  to support, monitor evaluate findings help to
  disseminate
• Support/guidance in choosing research methods
• Recommend reading, links
• May provide research assistant help
• Support with analysis, writing dissemination
• Collaborative group applications should be
  co-ordinated by one individual and may be
  mentored together

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Supporting the Process

• Guidance application forms for 2003 available
  from bprs_at_nord-anglia.co.uk (0161 491 8452)
• Further guidance, including FAQs , case studies
  reports on website -www.teachernet.gov.uk/bprs
• Written applications must be received by Feb
  28th. To include research aims and design,
  timeline and budget. Also statements from mentor
  and member of Senior Management in school
• Collaborative group applications should be
  co-ordinated, collated and submitted together