teaching and learning research programme tlrp – a simple review and the significance of...
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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
Many independent,
but interlocking and cumulative, research activities
A dilemma: encouraging creative diversity and coordination to maximise overall effect?
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008/9
Phase I
Phase II
Scottishextensions
Phase III
PROJECTS
Welsh extensions
Northern Irish extensions
Associated projects
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008/9
Phase I
Phase II
Scottishextensions
Phase III
SECTORS
Early Years educationPrimary education
Secondary educationThrough schooling
Further and post-16 educationHigher education
Workplace educationCPD
Lifelong learning
Welsh extensions
Northern Irish extensions
Associated projects
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008/9
Phase I
Phase II
Scottishextensions
Phase III
THEMES
User engagementCapacity building
Neuroscience
Learning outcomesLifecourse
InternationalICT
Impact
New Thematic seminars?
Welsh extensions
+ Task Groups?
Northern Irish extensions
Associated projects
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
• 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
•A parsimonious set of key factors•Cumulative evidence of their empirical significance •Conceptual clarity
To even begin to offer a conceptual framework, we would need:
• An accessible language of description• Imaginative anchors into existing culture
To influence everyday thinking, we would need:
Teaching and Learning Research Programme
Informal learning contextsFormal learning contextsLearnersLearningTeachersTeachingCurriculumInteractionInformation technologyAssessmentOutcomesEducational issues
CONCEPTUALISATION?(cross-Programme analysis)
DATA-BASE DESIGN(areas of expertise/particular interests)
META-TAGGING (data-retrieval/integration)
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