How to … plan your research project

Often people realise too late that more time spent at the planning stage of their research activity would have been a good idea. Thinking time before you embark on a project can be crucial to its eventual success. In this helpful guide Mark Rickinson asks what research is, what it involves and how you can plan research so that it is effective.

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This article is about the process of planning research so that it is effective and manageable. It aims to provide:

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      string(3634) "specialises in research and evaluation,research reviews and research training (www.markrickinson.co.uk). He is also a Research Fellow atOxford University Department of Education and thePolicy Studies Institute, London.Dr Mark RickinsonEducational Research ConsultantIsis Innovation CentreHowbery ParkWallingfordOX10 8BA.■■■■■■■20How to… plan your research project……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………➜How to…References: Bell, A.J. (1993). Doing Your Research Project. Buckingham: Open University Press. ■ Gillham, B. (2007). Developing a Questionnaire.London: Continuum. 2nd edition. ■ Gillham, B. (2000). The Research Interview. London: Continuum. ■ Handscomb, G. and MacBeath, J. (2003). TheResearch Engaged School. Essex: Forum for Learning and Research Enquiry (FLARE), Essex County Council. ■ Morris, A. (2004). From Idea to Impact: aGuide to the Research Process. London: Learning and Skills Research Centre. ■ MacBeath, J., Demetriou, H., Rudduck, J. and Myers, K. (2003). ConsultingPupils: a Toolkit for Teachers. Cambridge: Pearson. ■ Robson, C. (2002). Real World Research: a Resource for Social Scientists and Practitioner–Researchers. Oxford: Blackwell. ■ Morris, A. and Norman, L. (2004). Collaborative Research in Practice. London: Learning and Skills ResearchCentre. ■ Morris, M. and Twitchin, R. (1990). Evaluating Flexible Learning: a Users’ Guide. Slough: NFER. ■ Nutley, S., Solesbury, W. and Percy-Smith, J. (2003). Models of Research Impact: A Cross-sectoral Review of Literature and Research. London: Learning and Skills Research Centre.■ Stenhouse, L. (1975). An Introduction to Curriculum Research and Development. London: Heinemann. ■ Wagner, J. (1993). Ignorance ineducational research: or how can you ‘not’ know that?, Educational Researcher, 22, 5, 15–23. ■ Wellington, J. (2000). Educational Research.Contemporary Issues and Practical Approaches. London: Continuum ■ www.gtce.org.uk/teachers/rft/ The General Teaching Council forEngland’s research page for teachers, formerly called ‘Research of the Month’. ■ www.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/research The DCSF’s ResearchInformed Practice site with searchable digests of research for practitioners. ■ www.ttrb.ac.uk The Teacher Training Resource Bank (TTRB)with resources for teacher educators, practitioners and student teachers. ■ www.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/ntrp The website of the NationalTeacher Research Panel, an advisory body of teacher researchers. ■ www.eep.ac.uk The Educational Evidence Portal (eep), which bringstogether educational evidence from a range of reputable UK sources using a single search. ■ www.essexflare.org The Forum for Learningand Research Enquiry (FLARE) website is dedicated to promoting practitioner and student enquiry and research, and includes guidancerelating to the research engaged school. ■ www.pre-online.co.uk/ Practical Research for Education (pre), NFER’s online summaries ofresearch for schools and education professionals."
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Professional Development

How to plan your research project

22 Sep 2009

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      string(5761) "knowledge and social developments. This recognition of the potency of local knowledge is longstanding and spans the ages. In the 18th century Giambattista Vico (1725) captured its significance in the following description: “This is a sort of knowing which participants in an activity claim… the knowledge of the actors as against the audience, the ‘inside story’ as opposed to the ‘outside’ vantage point; knowledge by ‘direct acquaintance’ …or by sympathetic insight into those of others.” It also features centrally in contemporary thinking and practice. Powerful examples are the work of Bryk, Gomez, and Grunow (2011) exploring practitioner engagement in local problem solving through Networked Improvement Communities, and the proposals around design-based research partnerships which take a solutions approach and focus on long-term, in-depth work within a local district (Coburn, Penuel and Geil, 2013).In all of this, recognition of the importance of the insider’s knowledge, coupled with and empowered by an inquiry state of mind, is about acknowledging a different outlook and the improvement leverage that such knowledge can bring:“Inquiry as stance is neither a top-down nor a bottom-up theory of action, but an organic and democratic one that positions practitioners’ knowledge, practitioners, and their interactions with students and other stakeholders at the center of educational transformation.” (Cochran-Smith & Lytle, 2009)Case study examplesThe following case studies provide examples of how schools have successfully harnessed the benefits of enquiry as an integral feature of professional learning.  The first case study (Box2) shows how a group of primary schools collaborated to establish a consortium wide approach. The second example (Box 3) outlines how a secondary school made school-based enquiry the foundation of its learning community and improvement in student learning. All reflect the dynamic between research engagement, professional learning and school improvement which is at the heart of this chapter. Above all, they demonstrate that it is teachers who will change the world of the classroom by understanding it (Stenhouse, 1985).Box 2: Case Study 1: Collaborative professional learning and research engagement – Rural primary schools consortium:Four small rural schools within a Primary Schools Consortium in Essex worked in partnership with the University of Cambridge Department for Education on a school improvement research initiative. The group of schools had established themselves into a consortium for some time. The success of the consortium was reflected in the investment each school made in terms of:Consortium management – regular management meetings attended by all headteachers; robust consortium management proceduresDevelopment planning – all schools committed to specific actions to implement in the consortium development planFinance – each school investing £1 per pupil into the consortium financesProfessional development – common non-pupil days and common weekly staff meetings agreed across the consortium to enable joint professional development linked to the consortium development plan.This research project arose out of several years experience of working together for professional development purposes, including work with Cambridge University.  At consortium management meetings the schools’ headteachers consider the individual needs of schools and identify areas for shared INSET provision and school improvement projects.The project focused on school based enquiry. It was decided that three non-pupil days involving all (40) teaching staff at the above schools would be devoted to this project and two twilight sessions per term for staff.  An accreditation outcome was the award of the Cambridge Certificate of Further Professional Study.  Teachers would pursue some school-based enquiry using research methods to study aspects of Teaching and Learning linked to monitoring and evaluation.  Theoretical aspects of teaching and learning and monitoring and evaluation linked to management (subject leader roles) and school based enquiry were introduced on the two non-pupil days.   Following practice in research techniques – carrying out interviews, questionnaires, observations – each school chose to focus on enquiries which were relevant to their own school development. These were:How effective is the ICT suite in supporting children’s learning.Improving writing. Linking writing to motor skills at KS 1 and strategies to improve spelling at KS2. Investigating ways to improve children’s ability to read and write for information.Investigating the development of Listening Skills.Developing thinking skills.  Whilst each school pursued its own lines of enquiry it used schools in the consortium to help with planning and test out ideas and development.  Assistance from the university staff with theory and research methodology enabled some rigour to the investigations.The project involved staff from all schools engaging in research based improvement. Originally a select range of staff from each school participated. However, as the popularity of the project grew many more took part and in some schools all the staff, including support staff, conducted a research project.  This meant that there was a critical mass of research development in each school. “Both children and staff in each school have benefited from the research and progress has been made in the development of our schools as"
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Professional Development

Professional learning through enquiry!

13 Feb 2019

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      string(3428) "stimulus: Flags of the world, and/or TheInternationalist magazineProject aim and plan: To consider the future ofnationalism and internationalism, and engage others inthat consideration by:l	Discussing the concepts of ‘nationalism’ and‘internationalim’, to reach working definitions forpurposes of research.l	Researching what feelings young people have towardstheir national flags or sports teams by communicatingwith schools in two or more countries.l	Scripting an imaginary dialogue or meeting betweenthemselves and some of the young people they havecommunicated with, to be set in 2050, and to centre oninternationalism as it might be then.l	Making an audio recording of the dialogue, to form partof a presentation to another class or year group.Sample C. Area of study: Technology and the EconomicDividePossible stimulus: Website of AfriConnect, a privatecompany developing internet access in Africa (www.africonnect.com/index.htm), and/or the BBC news reporttitled ‘Mobile growth fastest in Africa’ (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4331863.stm)Project aim and plan: To research the extent of internetand/or mobile use in LEDCs (Less Economically DevelopedCountry), particularly Africa, and to assess the currentand future impact of this technology in such countries,including first-hand client accounts by:l	Discussing the concept of ‘LEDC’, bearing in mindaspects of ‘development’ that may not be measuredeconomically.l	Doing further research into the concept of ‘development’,e.g. by following links in the website (www.ioe.ac.uk/TeachNetUK/worlddevelop.htm).l	Making contact with a range of internet/mobile usersin one or more countries, via a company, organisationor government department (such as Department forInternational Development, UK).l	Developing and use a questionnaire as the basis for areport and assessment of LEDC technology use.l	Sending the report to a school contact in an LEDCto inform further discussion with them, and possiblyprovide the basis for some ICT feedback that could beput onto a webpage for the project.Comment.These are short outlines, and teachers will know thatprojects can take on their own life and grow in unexpecteddirections. In this course, though, that is precisely whatis hoped will happen (again, acknowledging timeconstraints). The best projects will almost certainly bethose over which the students feel they have ownership,from start to finish. They will, after all, have ownership – or,more accurately, stewardship – of the planet for decadesto come, and in constructing their learning path throughthis course, one could say that ‘the world is their oyster’.I cannot resist ending with the hope that many pearlsmay result!Roger Sutcliffe taught English, Maths andCritical Thinking for 25 years, and is now afreelance trainer in Philosophy for Children(P4C) and related fields. He is President ofSAPERE, the UK network for P4C. He draftedthe advisory report on Global Perspectives forthe CIE, and has continued to help them inthe development of the IGSE Note: Any school could offer this qualification fromSeptember 2008, though they would need to be accreditedas a CIE centre (which involves inspection etc). Also, atpresent, IGCSEs are not accredited by QCA, and thereforeschools would not get funding for offering it. For furtherdetails, contact: international@cie.org.uk."
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Creative Teaching & Learning

Global perspectives examined

14 Feb 2008