Spotlight on Research – getting to grips with what’s available

“We need to make sure that research findings get into the hands of teachers in ways that are most likely to have an impact. We know how challenging this can be”

Sir Kevan Collins, Chief executive of the Education Endowment Fund

EEF findings last year suggested that teachers need “structured and intensive support” to engage with new research if outcomes are to improve, and the Carter Review of Initial Teacher Training also recommended that new teachers should be inducted in where and how to access relevant research in order to help instil an evidence-based approach to teaching.

Challenges

It’s not easy for teachers and schools to engage with research in a consistent and meaningful way, and with the many demands placed on teachers it is difficult to find time to get to grips with the many resources and networks that are now available.

So, where to start? If you are keen to become more familiar with research and the impact it can have, here are some good places to start:

researchED Events

The goal of researchED is to bridge the gap between research and practice in education. Researchers, teachers, and policy makers come together for a day of information-sharing and myth-busting.

Look out for researchED Cambridge, coming soon!

What’s so good about this?

It’s a really accessible event, from a well-established network of educators. They cover all areas of the UK and even have international events! Each version of researchED covers a range of ideas so there’s something for everyone. 

Research Schools Network Blog

The Research Schools Network is a collaboration between the Education Endowment Fund (EEF) and the Institute for Effective Education (IEE), creating a network of schools which support the use of evidence to improve teaching practice. On their blog, members of the network share what they know about putting research into practice, with articles including Improving Communication, Language and Literacy in the Early Years, Making Sense of Metacognition, and Putting Evidence to Work in your Classroom.

What’s so good about this?

It’s great to hear from people working at the coal face where the agenda is to champion the use of evidence and research in practice. There’s some really interesting stuff here, particularly looking at guidance from the EEF and how this can be put into practice in the classroom.

Best Evidence in Brief Newsletter

We’ve mentioned the Best Evidence in Brief fortnightly e-newsletter before, as it is very accessible and great for helping you to get to grips with meaty research. The newsletter gives an overview of education research from the Institute for Effective Education (IEE), at the University of York, and the Center for Research and Reform in Education at Johns Hopkins University.

What’s so good about this?

The newsletter is great for giving an overview of long-term studies, and it is easy to search for approaches with evidence of effectiveness.

EEF Key Resources

The Education Endowment Fund website has a wealth of practical evidence-based resources and tools designed to help inform the practice of teachers and senior leaders. These include a range of guidance reports on a selection of high-priority issues and practical interactive tools to support teaching practice.

What’s so good about this?

We particularly like the Promising Projects resource, which provides information about the latest EEF-funded projects which have shown promising impact in trials. It’s easy to search and filter so you can see the latest research projects in areas that you are interested in.