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Teaching Times

About this programme

Modes of learning:

  • This is an online, asynchronous learning programme with flexible start times.

  • Participants will work their way through the material at their own pace.

  • Through engagement with case studies, academic evidence, theory and leadership strategies, participants develop an understanding of school needs and strategies for improving them, underpinned by world-leading knowledge/scholarship in the area of school research-engagement.

  • Teachers, middle leaders and senior leaders working individually or in teams will carry out an enquiry-based project for school improvement, grounded in the needs of their classrooms or school.

Three levels of engagement

The level 1 (Bronze) Complete full online asynchronous learning of five modules.

Level 2 (Silver) Includes a package of tailored coaching for their individual project and submission of a summary that showcases what has been learned and the impact of your project (at additional cost).

Level 3 (Gold) Supplementary online material on leading research informed change, followed by the submission of a project outline, its implementation and its evaluation, with feedback from a coach and verification visit (virtual or in person).

Key benefits

  • Improving the culture of professional learning and challenge

  • Increasing ability to access and critically employ research-based evidence

  • Developing skills of conducting enquiry and understanding research outputs

  • The lessons will have a balance of videos, presentations and text.

  • Enhancing professional dialogue around areas for school improvement

  • Increasing agency for improvement at all levels of staff/leadership

  • Improving diagnostic of school needs

  • Developing tools for ongoing school improvement initiatives

  • Improved outcomes for students

Course Content

Structure: X areas, subdivided into chapters of Y lessons.

  • What is this and how to use?

  • Research engaged school – needs analysis school as learning organisation. To what extent – what factors can we engage in to make the project more impactful

  • The research project – Asking

  • The research project – Conducting

  • Evaluating /embed

Overall objectives

  1. What is this and how to use?

  • How to use this course 

  • An introduction for school leaders (whole school theme/aim/link to SIP?)

  • Why engage with research?

  • Understanding ‘what works’

  • Research-informed professionalism

  • How does research lead to improvement?

  • Knowledge mobilisation (KM) what does this mean and what are the issues to consider?

  • Leading through research – senior leaders (modelling the lead learner and research use)

  • Leading through research middle leaders and teachers (use of research champions)

  1. Research engaged school – needs analysis school as learning organisation. To what extent – what factors can we engage in to make the project more impactful

  • What is a research-engaged school?

  • Research use – ways of getting research into action

  • Auditing my school – identifying existing capacity and building on it. Identifying areas to improve

  • Culture of enquiry and research engagement

  • The school as a learning organisation

  • The cycle of research (Ask, Conduct, Evaluate, Deepen)

  1. The research project – Asking

  • What are the issues?/What do we want to improve (and why)?

  • Linking to school improvement plan

  • Baseline (Understanding Theories of action espoused theories (the talk) theories in use (the walk)

  • What is known about our focus for improvement? Connecting with the research base

  • Constructive conversations with staff

  1. The research project – Conducting 

  • How to formulate a research question

  • Building in impact evaluation from the start

  • Choosing appropriate methods

  • Case studies of enquiry and action from schools (Cognita, City of London School, etc)

  • Developing and applying new research-informed strategies

  1. Evaluating /embed

  • Assessing impact

  • KM- sharing, reflecting, implementing change

  • Planning ahead

  • Embedding, deepening and refining

  • Theory engaged leadership (avoid the bypass model)

Course curriculum

    1. Course overview

    1. How to use this course

    2. Before we begin...

    1. Module Overview

    2. How to engage in this module?

    3. Fact or fiction – Quiz

    4. The importance of avoiding mind myths and focus on valid evidence

    5. The importance of evidence-informed practice (Part 1)

    6. Understanding school research engagement and its benefits (Part 2)

    7. Leadership and knowledge mobilisation (Part 3 )

    8. The context for research-engagement (Part 4)

    9. Whole Wobo

    10. Mapping out the flow of knowledge in your organisation

    11. What do we mean by school improvement? (to be voiceover)

    12. What do we mean by improvement (questions)

    13. References and resources

    1. Before video what is a research-engaged school

    2. What is a research-engaged school?

    3. School Research-Engagement Audit

    4. After the research engagement audit

    5. Before A. Values, leadership and culture

    6. A. Values, leadership and culture

    7. Making teacher engagement with research a reality

    8. Case study of a research engaged school - Part 1

    9. Part 1

    10. Case study of a research engaged school - Part 2

    11. Part 2

    12. Case study of a research engaged school - Part 3

    13. Part 3

    14. Case study of a research engaged school - Part 4

    15. Part 4

    16. References and Resources

    1. If you could make one difference

    2. Making a Difference at Different Levels

    3. Making a Difference at Different Levels Questions

    4. The Impact Framework

    5. Enquiry: A Leader’s Perspective

    6. Enquiry: A Leader’s Perspective

    7. Providing Supportive Professional Environments for Enquiry to take place

    8. Creating your own impact framework

    9. Stimulating Learning Conversations

    10. How to Write your Exploratory Questions

    11. Writing your Exploratory Questions

    12. The ‘Walk’ and the ‘Talk’

    13. How to Gather Baseline Data

    14. Gathering your data

    15. Finding your Sweet Spot

    16. Finding your Sweet Spot questions

    17. Accessing Credible Sources of Research

    18. Revisiting your Sweet Spot

    19. Revisiting your Sweet Spot

    20. Writing your Evaluative Question

    21. Integrating with your Development Plan

    1. Describing your innovation

    2. Thinking more deeply about strategy

    3. Thinking more deeply about the ‘nature’ of your innovation

    4. Creating an action plan

    5. Learning from the experience of others

    6. Planning your steps to success and tracking impact

    7. References and Resources

About this course

  • 60 lessons
  • 3.5 hours of video content

Who you will learn with

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