Publications

QCDA Building the Evidence Base Review of Individual Studies from Systematic Research Reviews

Files: 

CUREE’s  first foray into mapping evidence relevant to QCA’s new and wide ranging curriculum framework took the form of a map of existing reviews of research . The results have enabled us to start to identify:

• the range and types of curriculum related research

• significant gaps in the research base

• emerging trends in research findings

63 research reviews were included in the map. Three main types of review were identified which were classified as • systematic – ie using a comprehensive search strategy, transparent inclusion criteria and a rigorous weighting of the evidence from which to synthesise across the studies• interpretive – ie using expert knowledge to identify studies, without a rigorous and transparent weighting of the evidence but with a synthesis• descriptive – ie an account of the research and the relative weight of evidence but with no synthesis

The overall findings from the review of reviews represented syntheses of research in several key areas whilst at the same time pointing to significant gaps in the evidence base.

EPPI Reviews - The impact of collaborative CPD on classroom teaching and learning

Files: 

'How does collaborative Continuing Professional Development ( CPD ), for teachers of the 5-16 age range, affect teaching and learning.'

June 2003.

Abstract/summary to be written.

CPD that has helped teachers to improve pupil behaviour.

Summary

An overview of an open national programme sponsored by the NUT, which aims to effectively tackle poor behaviour in schools. Teachers first attend a 24-hour residential, where they work with external tutors to learn peer coaching methods, and find ways of dealing with behavioural problems. Teachers then work in pairs in their schools, providing coaching based on structured observation and feedback over a period of fourteen weeks. A review residential provides a form of self-evaluation and the chance to appraise and build upon what teachers have learnt over the course. Making time for the peer coaching sessions and residentials proved to be the most problematic aspect of the programme. However, teachers on the whole agreed that the gains outweighed the costs, and teachers continued to support each other using and building on the methods they have learnt after the programme had finished. The NUT's peer coaching model is also used as a framework for a range of other CPD programmes.

Bringing Research Resources to Practitioner Users via Web Technology: Lessons Learned to date.

Summary Web resources for education , what's the problem?

Over the past few years there has been growing interest in making educational research more relevant to the concerns of consumers outside universities - in particular teachers. More and more schools and individual teachers are seeking to engage in and with research to inform their practice in a range of contexts, from classroom teaching strategies to leadership. Nowadays there is much more educational research on the web but is it accessible to teachers' What are the problems in finding relevant research through educational databases? Drawing on their experience of searching educational databases and on the results of a small scale informal survey of titles and abstracts a CUREE team explored a number of problems practitioners faced when trying to access educational research.