Transcript
Page 1: Teachers and Learners as Researchers - and better still -  Teachers as Learners and Researchers

Teachers and Learners as ResearchersTeachers and Learners as Researchers

- and better still - - and better still -

Teachers as Learners and ResearchersTeachers as Learners and Researchers

Sarah FletcherSarah FletcherJohn HewittJohn Hewitt

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Building Websites for Building Websites for Teacher ResearchTeacher Research

In our presentation we focus on 5 core questions:In our presentation we focus on 5 core questions:

How are we creating TeacherResearch.net?How are we creating TeacherResearch.net? What are the pedagogical challenges?What are the pedagogical challenges? What are the technological challenges?What are the technological challenges? How are we assisting teachers to build websites?How are we assisting teachers to build websites? What are we learning as we assist the teachers?What are we learning as we assist the teachers?

In our post-presentation discussion we focus on:In our post-presentation discussion we focus on:

How can we support access to teachers’ websites?How can we support access to teachers’ websites? How might we create an interactive TR database?How might we create an interactive TR database?

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A need for websites:A need for websites:

Teacher Research has an increasingly high Teacher Research has an increasingly high profile nationally and internationally, but it profile nationally and internationally, but it remains largely invisible and the knowledge remains largely invisible and the knowledge created by teachers is often unseen, unshared created by teachers is often unseen, unshared and uncelebrated … websites are one solution.and uncelebrated … websites are one solution.

There are many websites relating to teacher There are many websites relating to teacher research but, as yet, we have not solved the research but, as yet, we have not solved the problem of how to harvest and disseminate more problem of how to harvest and disseminate more than a small fraction of this research. Neither is than a small fraction of this research. Neither is this problem unique to the UK.this problem unique to the UK.

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A Croatian Viewpoint: The teacher A Croatian Viewpoint: The teacher as mediator or technician.as mediator or technician.

In our country, teachers are In our country, teachers are most frequently perceived most frequently perceived as mediators or technicians as mediators or technicians whose task is to prepare whose task is to prepare and implement the tuition and implement the tuition based on devised out-of-based on devised out-of-school expert instructions. school expert instructions. Their role is more artisan-Their role is more artisan-like, less professional and like, less professional and creative. creative. Branko BognarBranko Bognar

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School websites can promote School websites can promote research by their teachers:research by their teachers:

In-House MA Programme:In-House MA Programme:

Since September 2000, we have run an in-house MA Since September 2000, we have run an in-house MA programme with Bath University. The tutoring for this has programme with Bath University. The tutoring for this has taken place on site after School on Wednesdays 4.00-taken place on site after School on Wednesdays 4.00-6.30pm. The group has consisted of ten or so staff from 6.30pm. The group has consisted of ten or so staff from Westwood and three or four from other local schools. The Westwood and three or four from other local schools. The MA is action research based and as such has been very MA is action research based and as such has been very flexible in meeting the needs of all participants. Colleagues flexible in meeting the needs of all participants. Colleagues are encouraged to reflect on their current practice and are encouraged to reflect on their current practice and investigate how it can be improved. investigate how it can be improved.

Westwood St. Thomas School, SalisburyWestwood St. Thomas School, Salisbury

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Creating TeacherResearch.netCreating TeacherResearch.net

This website is popular and attracts readers This website is popular and attracts readers from all over the world. from all over the world.

It arose from a need to have a resourced It arose from a need to have a resourced knowledge exchange to support Sarah’s MA knowledge exchange to support Sarah’s MA tutoring and DfES BPRS funded mentoring.tutoring and DfES BPRS funded mentoring.

The current site, launched in March 2005, The current site, launched in March 2005, reflects our learning about pedagogical and reflects our learning about pedagogical and technological needs of teacher researchers and technological needs of teacher researchers and others who support teacher research … others who support teacher research …

In future, this site needs to incorporate video to In future, this site needs to incorporate video to provide access to v-mentoring pedagogy. provide access to v-mentoring pedagogy.

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Pedagogical Challenges:Pedagogical Challenges: Providing a useful, accessible resource to assist teachers Providing a useful, accessible resource to assist teachers

researchers to collaborate in research projects.researchers to collaborate in research projects.

Creating an extensible teacher knowledge repository on-line. Creating an extensible teacher knowledge repository on-line.

Enabling access to teachers’ accounts in an attractive stimulating Enabling access to teachers’ accounts in an attractive stimulating way and reviews of other useful resources.way and reviews of other useful resources.

Offering support to teachers who work alone as well as Offering support to teachers who work alone as well as collaboratively with colleagues in LEAs and HEIs.collaboratively with colleagues in LEAs and HEIs.

Promoting and retaining the practitioner element of Teacher Promoting and retaining the practitioner element of Teacher Research where research is done by/with teachers in their schools.Research where research is done by/with teachers in their schools.

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Technological Challenges:Technological Challenges:

• Creating and sustaining a core identity across its files.Creating and sustaining a core identity across its files.

• Ensuring it interacts effectively with search enginesEnsuring it interacts effectively with search engines ..

• Making it visually attractive and maximising ‘click through’, while Making it visually attractive and maximising ‘click through’, while encouraging visitors to check back in.encouraging visitors to check back in.

• Ensuring the website is easy to maintain regularly.Ensuring the website is easy to maintain regularly.

• Uploading large numbers of files with different formats.Uploading large numbers of files with different formats.

• Enabling an key word search facility across the site.Enabling an key word search facility across the site.

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Useful websites:Useful websites:

http://www.TeacherResearch.nethttp://www.TeacherResearch.net

http://www.cfkeep.orghttp://www.cfkeep.org

http://www.evaluation.icttestbed.org.uk/http://www.evaluation.icttestbed.org.uk/

http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/ntrp/http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/ntrp/

http://http://www.bathspa.ac.uk/schools/education/cpdwww.bathspa.ac.uk/schools/education/cpd//

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Supporting Teachers as Researchers:Supporting Teachers as Researchers:Master’s Degrees in TeachingMaster’s Degrees in Teaching

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MTeach:TT500MARMTeach:TT500MAR

This MA level module at Bath Spa enables This MA level module at Bath Spa enables teachers to be ‘research mentors’ for one another.teachers to be ‘research mentors’ for one another.

Teachers are encouraged to investigate a small Teachers are encouraged to investigate a small aspect of their practice in classrooms through aspect of their practice in classrooms through action research and create a web-based Snapshot action research and create a web-based Snapshot to represent their own research project.to represent their own research project. This MA module is being piloted at Bitterne Park This MA module is being piloted at Bitterne Park Secondary School in Southampton by 20 teachers.Secondary School in Southampton by 20 teachers.

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What are we learning as we What are we learning as we assist teachers in TT500MAR?assist teachers in TT500MAR?

Though some teachers may be initially reticent, with Though some teachers may be initially reticent, with appropriate support most are eager to represent and share appropriate support most are eager to represent and share their research projects through their websites.their research projects through their websites.

They enjoy freedom to create a web-based Snapshot They enjoy freedom to create a web-based Snapshot since they have creative ownership of the process.since they have creative ownership of the process.

The Carnegie Foundation KEEP toolkit provides a flexible, The Carnegie Foundation KEEP toolkit provides a flexible, accessible, content-free scaffold for teachers. accessible, content-free scaffold for teachers.

It is essential for research mentors to assist teacher It is essential for research mentors to assist teacher researchers by modelling how to create a Snapshot.researchers by modelling how to create a Snapshot.

Teachers’ Snapshots could be linked to school websites.Teachers’ Snapshots could be linked to school websites.

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Creating Web-based SnapshotsCreating Web-based Snapshots

What are we learning in assisting teachers to create KEEP Snapshots?What are we learning in assisting teachers to create KEEP Snapshots?

• Teachers need a simple accessible format which allows them to Teachers need a simple accessible format which allows them to share and discuss their ideas with one another.share and discuss their ideas with one another.

• Teachers enjoy creating Snapshots to communicate learning and Teachers enjoy creating Snapshots to communicate learning and can assist students to create them too. can assist students to create them too.

• Teachers do not yet have access to a Template that will assist them Teachers do not yet have access to a Template that will assist them in creating an MA level portfolio submission.in creating an MA level portfolio submission.

• Teachers need a ‘customised’ Template to scaffold MA level Teachers need a ‘customised’ Template to scaffold MA level submissions and allow linking of their Snapshots.submissions and allow linking of their Snapshots.

• We need web-based templates to support teachers as a matter of We need web-based templates to support teachers as a matter of urgency so we can upload their work in an interactive database. urgency so we can upload their work in an interactive database.

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Why do we need a database for Why do we need a database for teacher research?teacher research?

To create an extensible collection of teacher To create an extensible collection of teacher research documents that will -research documents that will -

encourage teachers to make their ideas encourage teachers to make their ideas and work more accessible,and work more accessible,

enable users to find relevant materials enable users to find relevant materials more easily andmore easily and

allow consideration of user-based allow consideration of user-based evaluation.evaluation.

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Post-presentation DiscussionPost-presentation Discussion

How can we improve access to teachers’ How can we improve access to teachers’ research through their own websites -research through their own websites -locally, nationally and internationally?locally, nationally and internationally?

How might we create an easily extensible How might we create an easily extensible interactive Teacher Research database?interactive Teacher Research database?