Principles for the improvement of practice, and research

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Principles for the improvement of practice, and
research
Making a Difference with Research

• Andrew Pollard
• Director TLRP

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Making a Difference with Research

• History
• 1988 and all that ..
• Biography
• What is to be done?

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Professionalism

• The essence of professionalism is the exercise
  of skills, knowledge and judgement for the public
  good.
• But teacher expertise is poorly understood in
  our society

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• Pedagogy is the practice of teaching framed and
  informed by a shared and structured body of
  knowledge and combined with moral purpose.
• By progressively acquiring such knowledge and
  mastering pedagogical expertise through initial
  formation, continuing development and reflective
  experience teachers are entitled to be treated
  as professionals.
• Teachers should scrutinise and evaluate their
  practice to make rationally defensible
  professional judgements beyond pragmatic
  constraints and/or ideological concerns.

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Problem
Issue
Dilemmas
Judgement
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Problem
Issue
Reflect
Plan enquiry
Dilemmas
Collect evidence
Evidence
Judgement
Analyse evidence
Evaluate
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Three judgements

• Which facet of classroom life should be
  investigated and why?
• What evidence to collect and how?
• How should the findings be analysed, interpreted
  and applied?

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Three challenges

• Is design of the enquiry appropriate in relation
  to the aim? (sample)
• Does the evidence really indicate the nature of
  what is being investigated? (validity) and would
  the same sort of evidence be found again, or by
  someone else? (reliability)
• Are the conclusions drawn really justified?
  (analysis)

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How is the time to be found?

• Use occasional, but explicit, classroom enquiries
  as reflective learning experiences

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TLRPs aims

• TLRP aims to contribute to significant
  improvements in outcomes for learners
• at all ages and stages in all sectors and
  contexts of education and training, including
  informal learning settings,
• throughout the United Kingdom

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Projects funding competitions and associations
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
2010 2011
Phase I
Phase II
Research training fellows
Scottish extensions
Welsh extensions
Phase III
Northern Irish extensions
Associated projects
WP in HE
TEL
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Curricular questions

• How can mathematical understanding be best
  developed?
• Does evidence-based practice in science education
  improve outcomes?
• How might the teaching of spelling be improved?
• How can ICT support teaching to enhance pupil
  learning?

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Pedagogic questions

• How can group-work be developed most effectively?
• Does developing thinking skills improve
  childrens work?
• Does learning how to learn enhance performance?
• Does pupil consultation produce educational
  benefits?

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Broader questions

• Which forms of early years provision are most
  effective?
• Does home-school knowledge-exchange improve
  learning outcomes?
• How do institutional cultures affect learning?
• Can social inclusion and performance be
  reconciled?

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• From individual projects, we expect findings on
  specific questions

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• From thematic analysis across all projects, we
  aim to highlight more enduring educational issues

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Political, economic and cultural
contexts Informal and formal learning contexts
Learners and learning through the lifecourse
Teachers, teaching and training
Curriculum and domain knowledge Interaction and
pedagogy information technology Assessment and
learning
Learning outcomes Educational issues International
comparisons
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Ten principles from TLRP
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Effective teaching and learning .......
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1. EQUIPS LEARNERS FOR LIFE IN ITS BROADEST SENSE
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2. ENGAGES WITH VALUED FORMS OF KNOWLEDGE
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3. RECOGNISES THE IMPORTANCE OF PRIOR EXPERIENCE
AND LEARNING
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4. REQUIRES THE TEACHER TO SCAFFOLD LEARNING
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5. NEEDS ASSESSMENT TO BE CONGRUENT WITH LEARNING
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6. PROMOTES THE ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT OF THE LEARNER
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7. FOSTERS BOTH INDIVIDUAL AND SOCIAL PROCESSES
AND OUTCOMES
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8. RECOGNISES THE SIGNIFICANCE OF INFORMAL
LEARNING
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9. DEPENDS ON TEACHER LEARNING
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10. DEMANDS CONSISTENT POLICY FRAMEWORKS WITH
SUPPORT FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING AS THEIR
PRIMARY FOCUS
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For more information

• www.tlrp.org
• Commentaries
• Teachers Guide to Ten Principles
• Resources for practitioner research
• www.rtweb.info
• Practitioner applications for classroom enquiry
• Notes to guide reading

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• Comprehensive support on key issues in teaching
  and learning
• TLRP Research briefings

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• Connecting evidence, practice and policy
• Monday, 24th November 2008

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Making a Difference with Research

• History
• 1988 and all that ..
• Biography
• What is to be done?