Transcript Slide 1

Teaching and Learning Research
Programme
TLRP – a simple review
and the significance of
‘underlying conceptions
of learning and teaching’
Teaching and Learning Research
Programme
Background issues
• Criticisms of education research
(More positive views of TLRP, but continuing general issues. NERF
review. TLRP alliances with research associations and many others)
• Pressure for economic competitiveness
(Unrelenting, but TLRP’s relevance being promoted)
• ‘Reform’ throughout the education system
(But public service ‘delivery’ problems accumulating)
• Aspirations for evidence-informed policy
(A rhetoric which opens doors for researchers)
• New researcher/practitioner/user alliances
(Offering many opportunities to influence policy and practice)
Teaching and Learning Research
Programme
Positive statements?
‘Social science should be at the core of public policy
making.’
‘In my field of education, and others, we want to
work with social scientists on how we can do better.’
‘I commit myself to trying to work with you.’
Charles Clarke, MP, Secretary of State for
Education and Skills (ESRC Summer Reception,
Millbank, 24th June 2003)
Teaching and Learning Research
Programme
Events to increase user engagement and
awareness of TLRP
Westminster Showcase, 25th June 2003
Scottish Showcase, 17th November 2003 (+ annual
conference)
Welsh Showcase, Tuesday 24th February 2004
(+ capacity building conference)
Northern Irish Showcase (tbc), Wednesday 26th May
2004 (+ award holders’ conference)
Teaching and Learning Research
Programme
• Still large (£26m+, 40+ investments etc, 300+ researchers)
• UK-wide (England, Scotland, Wales, N. Ireland, with new ‘extensions’)
• All phases of education covered (but some important
issues omitted, hence ‘associated project’ opportunity)
• Empirical work 2000-7 (with particular impact emphasis 2008)
• RCBN (Gareth Rees, Chris Taylor and colleagues) (new initiative 05/08)
• Media Fellow (Martin Ince)
• Chair (David Watson to Bob Burgess) and Steering Committee
• Directors’ Team (Andrew Pollard, Mary James,
Alan Brown, Kathryn Ecclestone, John Siraj-Blatchford)
Teaching and Learning Research
Programme
AIMS:
• Learning
• Outcomes
• Lifecourse
• Enrichment
• Expertise
• Improvement
Teaching and Learning Research
Programme
A dilemma: encouraging creative diversity
and coordination to maximise overall effect?
Many
independent,
but interlocking
and cumulative,
research
activities
PROJECTS
2000
2001
2002
Phase I
Phase II
Scottish
extensions
Welsh
extensions
Phase III
Northern Irish
extensions
Associated projects
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008/9
SECTORS
2000
2001
2002
Phase I
Phase II
Scottish
extensions
Welsh
extensions
Phase III
Northern Irish
extensions
Associated projects
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008/9
Early Years education
Primary education
Secondary education
Through schooling
Further and post-16 education
Higher education
Workplace education
CPD
Lifelong learning
THEMES
2000
2001
2002
Phase I
Phase II
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008/9
User engagement
Capacity building
Neuroscience
Learning outcomes
Lifecourse
Impact
ICT
International
Scottish
extensions
Welsh
extensions
New
Thematic
seminars?
Phase III
Northern Irish
extensions
Associated projects
+ Task
Groups?
Teaching and Learning Research
Programme
PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT:
• Early user engagement
• Knowledge generation by project teams
• Knowledge synthesis by thematic groups and
seminar activity
• Knowledge transformation with further user
engagement and proactive task groups
• Outputs for impact
Teaching and Learning Research
Programme
TLRP offers added value through:
1. analysing key issues
2. responding to contemporary events
3. building international cooperation
4. conceptualising key factors in teaching
and learning
Teaching and Learning Research
Programme
1. Analysing key issues: thematic
groups, commissioned reports, etc
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User engagement and research
Defining and researching outcomes
Learning though the life-course
Developing research capacity
Multi-disciplinary research
Transformation and impact
The use of ICT in teaching & learning
Neuro-science and education
Teaching and Learning Research Programme
2. Responding to contemporary
events: ‘task groups’
Short-term groups supported by the
Media Fellow and Directors’ Team, to
work at short notice across the
Programme on issues of immediate
relevance to policy and/or practice,
and to rapidly publish the outcomes
Teaching and Learning Research Programme
3. Building international cooperation:
ERA-NET
proposal
being in
preparation
Many other
international
links
Teaching and Learning Research Programme
4. Conceptualising key factors in
teaching and learning:
An overarching challenge?
The most enduring difference we could make
would be to influence the basic ways in which
people think about learning and teaching
Teaching and Learning Research
Programme
To even begin to offer a conceptual
framework, we would need:
• A parsimonious set of key factors
• Cumulative evidence of their empirical significance
• Conceptual clarity
To influence everyday thinking,
we would need:
• An accessible language of description
• Imaginative anchors into existing culture
Teaching and Learning Research
Programme
CONCEPTUALISATION?
(cross-Programme analysis)
DATA-BASE DESIGN
(areas of expertise/particular
interests)
META-TAGGING
(data-retrieval/integration)
Informal learning contexts
Formal learning contexts
Learners
Learning
Teachers
Teaching
Curriculum
Interaction
Information technology
Assessment
Outcomes
Educational issues
Teaching and Learning Research
Programme
Conceptions of learning and
teaching
What conceptions of learning and teaching,
broadly interpreted, underpin each project and
the Programme as a whole?
To explore and understand the similarities, differences and
opportunities across the Programme as a whole, and to
develop foundations for new thematic work in the future
Teaching and Learning Research
Programme
Lewis Macdonald, MSP
Deputy Minister for Enterprise
and Lifelong Learning, Scottish
Executive
Teaching and Learning Research
Programme
Conceptions of learning and
teaching
What conceptions of learning and teaching,
broadly interpreted, underpin each project and
the Programme as a whole?
To explore and understand the similarities, differences and
opportunities across the Programme as a whole, and to
develop foundations for new thematic work in the future
Teaching and Learning Research
Programme
A ‘directive mode’ thematic seminar competition?
• To be structured following the Edinburgh Conference
• To focus on and synthesise enduring cross-Programme issues with
long-term analytic power
• To contribute to the development of an empirically-based conceptual
framework in respect of teaching and learning
• Competition: Spring/Summer 2004. Selection: Summer/Autumn
2004. Start - 2004/5 academic year. End by December 2007
• Provisionally, maybe six awards of up to £45k over three years?
• Selection by peer review and Steering Committee decision