Embedding Research into Practice: Using Change Projects

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Embedding Research into Practice Using Change
Projects

• Practical research for education conference,
  London, 11 July 2007

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During the next 45 minutes

• You will
• Find out what we do at research in practice
• Consider some theoretical ideas about how
  research can embed in practice
• Discover how we use a unique model of research
  engagement in our Change Projects
• Explore how our most recent Change Project
• Engaging and re-engaging young people in
  learning (run in collaboration with NfER) is
  helping support research-informed practice

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What we do at research in practice

• Our mission
• to improve services and promote positive outcomes
  for children and families through the use of
  research evidence
• Our method
• we support and encourage practitioners, managers
  and policy makers to develop their research
  knowledge and become more reflective and
  evidence-informed (EIP)

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research in practice

• Our mission to promote positive outcomes for
  children and families by improving the use of
  research evidence.
• The largest research implementation venture in UK
  nearly 100 agencies (local authorities and
  national organisations) in England and Wales
  and growing.
• We seek to improve access to research and
  strengthen its understanding and adoption.
• A collaborative partnership.
• Our professional sponsor is the Association of
  Directors of Childrens Services
• A department of The Dartington Hall Trust and run
  in collaboration with the University of
  Sheffield.

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Research Use
findings
dissemination
implementation
adoption
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How we fulfil our mission

• We have five main strands to our work
• Change Projects
• Learning Events
• Network Exchange
• Publications
• Website

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Research into Practice

• Some ideas about the relationship between
  research and practice

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research to practice the linear model
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research and practice the cyclical model
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Dissemination is not enough..

• Limited evidence of the impact of traditional
  dissemination activity
• Traditional avenues of dissemination often bypass
  the intended recipients
• The necessity to innovate/promote new methods of
  encouraging research use is an important factor
  in promoting research use

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First of all a little theory

• Three models of research use
• Research-based practitioner model
• Embedded research model
• Organisational excellence model
• Using evidence How research can inform public
  services
• Sandra Nutley, Isabel Walter and Huw Davies

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Research-based practitioner model

• Linear approach
• Practitioner responsibility to keep up-to-date
  and use research
• Professional education and training

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Embedded research model

• Linear process
• Embedding EIP in systems and processes (policies,
  standards etc)
• Responsibility lies with policy makers and
  service delivery managers
• Rewards and sanctions used to encourage EIP

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Organisational excellence model

• The service agency is key leadership,
  management and organisation
• Develops a research-minded culture
• Local adaptation of findings
• Learning organisations
• Partnerships with external supportive agencies

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Change Projects Key features

• The key features of a Change Project are that
• it involves a group of people sharing learning on
  a topic
• an evidence-informed approach is essential to all
  aspects of project development, and its execution
  results in improved outcomes for
  children/families
• it generates learning event(s) and/or practice
  tools which arise out of original work undertaken
  by participants
• tools are piloted, refined and evaluated before
  being made publicly available.

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What is a Change Project?

• Collaborative approach to developing more
  effective ways of putting sound research into
  everyday practice
• Combining experiment with innovation, reflection,
  evaluation and action-learning
• Dynamic process working together to design
  handbooks and other practical tools that
  translate research evidence into practice.

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Change Project stages

• 1 idea generation
• 2 literature search
• 3 experts knowledge exchange - firming of
  Change Project proposal and plan
• 4 first Change Project group
• 5 production of the pilot Action Pack
• 6 piloting and evaluation of the Action Pack
• 7 production of the final Handbook
• 8 launch, promotion and implementation

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Change projects

• Engaging and re-engaging young people in learning
• Social work and the use of research evidence in
  the family court
• NIFTY 3
• Front-line partnership working
• Young people, alcohol abuse and offending
• ICT research utilisation

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Completed change projects

• 1. TEAMWISE using research evidence A practical
  guide for teams
• VideoCD
• 21 Tools
• 2. Firm
  Foundations
• 
  Organisational support for
• the
  use of research evidence

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3. Leading Evidence-Informed Practice our most
recent Handbook

• A tried and tested Handbook
• 31 agencies involved
• theoretical ideas
• tools / exercises
• wise words top tips
• audio CD of experiences
• real examples
• dig deeper resources on the website
• . a tour

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Our most recent Change Project

• Engagement and re-engagement in education at Key
  Stage 3
• A collaboration between research in practice and
  NfER and funded by the DFES. Linked to the Change
  Project is a scoping review of the key research
  messages related to disengagement at KS3

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Change Project participants will be

• Introduced to key research messages from a recent
  scoping review of UK and European research
  evidence based focussed on pupil engagement,
  disengagement and disaffection at Key Stage 3.
• Encouraged to design and develop the resulting
  key messages in relevant and accessible ways to
  local policy-makers, managers and front-line
  practitioners in education and social care in
  their agencies.
• Supported in an identified project designed to
  inform practice or planning, informed by
  research, in this area in their agency.
• Involved in the development, design and
  refinement of guidance and tools to improve young
  peoples engagement with learning, to reduce
  under-achievement and to support attendance.

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Our participants

• Assistant Head Teacher (Portsmouth),
  Exclusion and Reintegration Officer (Lambeth),
  Educational Psychologist (Brighton and Hove),
  Senior School Improvement Officer for Inclusion
  (Staffordshire), Education Officer for Children
  in Care (Hampshire), Assistant Head, PRU
  (Portsmouth), Corporate Parenting Manager
  (Sheffield), Learning Manager (Suffolk),
  Strategic Project Manager (Devon) and more ..
• What they have in common? A concern about
  educational exclusion .

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Identified Projects so far .

• Early identification of those pupils likely to be
  at risk of disengagement at Year 7 and to work
  with school staff to design action plans to
  identify, support and re-engage pupils within
  school and the PRU (Assistant Head, PRU/Assistant
  Head Teacher. Secondary School)
• Identification of ways of improving work with
  young people at KS3 by developing relationships
  between YOT and local schools (Educational
  Psychologist/Inclusion worker)
• Work with an individual school to build
  understanding of the needs of LAC (looked after
  children) within KS3 (Advisory Teacher for looked
  after children)

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Questions?

• Is it a model you could use in your own work
  setting?
• How research-informed is your own organisation?
• What are the challenges and opportunities for the
  promotion of the use of robust research in your
  work?
• Would your agency like to contribute to the
  piloting of the materials?