Teaching and Learning Research Programme CREATING KNOWLEDGE TOGETHER IN THE CONTEXT OF RESEARCH ASSESSMENT

Teaching and Learning Research Programme

CREATING KNOWLEDGE TOGETHER

IN THE CONTEXT OF RESEARCH ASSESSMENT


PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT:

1. Early user engagement

2. Knowledge generation by project teams

3. Knowledge synthesis by thematic groups

4. Knowledge transformation with users & task groups

5. Outputs for impact


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


1. Analysing key issues: thematic activity

• Conferences • Thematic Groups• Thematic Seminar Series • Directors’ Team portfolios • Sectoral reviews• Northern Irish, Scottish, Welsh (and

English) initiatives on application


2. Responding to contemporary events: ‘policy task groups’

Short-term groups working at short notice on issues of immediate contemporary relevance to policy and/or practice, and rapidly publishing the outcomes


TLRP Commentaries

• Personalised learning

•14-19 education

• e-strategy and electronic knowledge management in education


3. Building international cooperation:

ERA-NET proposal being in preparation

Many other international links


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


•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:


Political, economic and cultural contextsInformal and formal learning contexts

Learners and learning through the lifecourse

Teachers, teaching and training

Learning outcomes Educational issues

International comparisons

Curriculum and domain knowledge

Interaction and pedagogy Information technology

Assessment and learning

Research approaches

Research capacity

Programme development

Neuroscience and learning

User engagement

Knowledge transformation, impact


CONCEPTUALISATION?(cross-Programme analysis)

DATA-BASE DESIGN(areas of expertise/particular interests)

META-TAGGING (data-retrieval/integration)

RAE provisional timetable to 2008

Nov/Dec 2004 Panel membership announced and guidance for panels issuedFebruary 2005 First round of panel meetings beginsJune 2005 Guidance on submissions issuedAugust 2005 Draft criteria and working methods of main panels and sub-panels issued for consultation November/December 2005 Final criteria and working methods of main panels and sub-panels issued31 July 2007 End of assessment period (and cut-off point for publication of cited outputs)31 October 2007 Census date30 November 2007 Closing date for submissionsDecember 2008 Results published

RAE on applied and practice-based research

The RAE should produce sound and well respected judgements of excellence for the full range of research undertaken in HE across the UK, including applied and practice-based research.

1. Guidance to all panels on recognising excellence in applied research on an equal footing with excellence in basic research. Wherever necessary and possible, they should do so by identifying appropriate criteria for excellence in relation to such work and the specific evidence to be considered in applying these criteria. We expect that the criteria and evidence sets, which may vary between disciplines, will be identified and developed with a strong input from appropriately qualified panel members and in consultation with key stakeholders.

2. Panels to include people from a practitioner or user perspective. This means identifying and recruiting panel members who have experience both in conducting research and in commissioning and applying it at a senior level. This would include where appropriate the conduct and application of research linked to professional practice.


PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT:

1. Early user engagement

2. Knowledge generation by project teams

3. Knowledge synthesis by thematic groups

4. Knowledge transformation with users & task groups

5. Outputs for impact

Pasteur’s quadrant

High scientific quality

Low relevance

High scientific quality

High relevance

Low scientific quality

Low relevance

Low scientific quality

High relevance


Project outputs:

RoutledgeFalmer

• Gateway books Improving Learning series

• Practitioner books and materials (A4)

Taylor & Francis/Carfax

• Journal articles (badged)

• Special issues (badged)


Improving Learning cover blurb:

The Improving Learning series provides accessible introductions to a new type of educational research combining ‘relevance’ and ‘quality’.

Relevance comes from a focus on significant contemporary issues and a very high level of practitioner and researcher collaboration throughout each project. Research quality comes from the use of advanced social scientific methods within the UK’s largest ever coordinated education research initiative.

Books in the Improving Learning series provide a concise overview of the work of each project – a ‘gateway’ to key findings and their application.

RAE sub-panel possibilities

Continued primacy of attention to research quality of outputs in social scientific terms?

More attention to applied and practice-based research, and ‘specific evidence’ to be considered?

Some form of permeating consideration of research culture, capacity building, research strategies, etc?

A larger, cross-sectoral sub-panel, with more user members?

A higher proportion of outputs being ‘read’?


Will there be ‘constructive alignment’ between the aims, strategies and outputs of the Programme and the criteria,

working practices and judgements of the RAE?

Elements of the TLRP strategy

• Working together with respect

• Building on the positive

• Facing key issues

• Communicating openly


The underlying rationale

• Social capital

• Engagement

• Collective action

• Transformative commitment

• Strategic positioning (after Sachs, 2003)


What then is?

Still many weaknesses and challenges, uncertainties, threats to educational research……

…….. But also strengths, commitment, energy, opportunities and, not least, hope?


and what might be?

• We support the constructive, collective development of expertise among UK educational researchers

• In alliance with research users, we contribute our knowledge and understanding about educational issues within democratic processes


and what might be?

• We strengthen the status of educational researchers and the respect in which they are held across the UK

• Culturally embedded conceptualisations of learning and teaching become more sophisticated and evidence-informed


and what might be?

• Over time, outcomes for learners of all ages and settings across the UK improve


Documents

Teaching and Learning Research Programme CREATING KNOWLEDGE TOGETHER IN THE CONTEXT OF RESEARCH ASSESSMENT