Teachers as Active Researchers...

Yesterday at the Chartered College's #ThirdSpace event there was a lively debate around the motion of 'teachers should also be active researchers'. The panel debated key principles, problems and the potential impact of practitioner research. The audience were also engaged asking challenging questions and raising pertinent points. For my part, I tried to moderate a parallel Twitter debate through #debatED. Again, there were some excellent contributions from tweeters with opinion being broadly split down the middle. I didn't get the chance to join in either of the debates so I thought I'd share my thoughts here...

Within education, there appears to be a growing sense that teachers should be engaged with research and their classroom practice should be informed by 'what works'. However, this needs to be approached with a degree of caution. Just because the EEF toolkit suggests that feedback can result in eight months progress is not to say that children will make these gains if you suddenly overhaul how you respond to pupils' work. As was noted on numerous occasions yesterday, context is very important in educational research - what works, where and for whom is a better maxim to adopt. Nonetheless, the majority of teachers I speak to see real value in engaging with research. However, there does appear to be somewhat less of a consensus over whether or not teachers should be active researchers (yesterday's poll was split 57% to 43% in favour). Personally, I'm broadly in favour, however, with a few caveats...

Training/ Qualifications:

I didn't properly engage with educational research until I began my MA back in 2013. Sure, I'd been involved in numerous working parties looking at areas of the curriculum, behaviour etc., but didn't really grapple with research theory and methodology until doing a postgrad degree 8 years into my teaching career.  My MA was fully-funded by the Local Authority with the school having to commit to releasing me for 3 study days per year. Unfortunately this scheme has now been scrapped which seems to be the norm across the country. I heard several people yesterday talking of how they've self-funded their postgrad research. I think every teacher should have the chance to study for a fully-funded MA though I appreciate this isn't going to happen during these times of budget cuts, pay caps and CEO salaries. Notwithstanding, given the rise of MOOCs and mayhem it can't be too difficult to create an online course (FutureLearn) covering some of the research basics. I think this could also create further opportunities for Higher Education Institutions to work closely with schools and teachers in providing training. I've heard of one university that puts on research-focused free sessions for teachers where researchers share their expertise and cake is provided. Yes, free cake. Below is by no means  an exhaustive list but does cover some of the areas I found most useful when starting out in educational research:

Philosophical assumptions - epistemology, ontology, axiology 
Interpretative frameworks - positivism, postmodernism, feminist theory etc. 
Methodologies - case studies, action research, grounded theory etc. 
Research methods - surveys, interviews, observations etc. 
Interpreting and analysing data
Ethics (more on that below)

Ethical frameworks:

If schools are going to embed a research culture with teachers becoming active researchers then they must have a robust ethical framework in place which cover and address fundamental areas such as informed consent, choice, risk/ harm and confidentiality. I actually believe that this should be the starting point for any school on a 'research journey'. The importance of ethical considerations when conducting research with children cannot be overstated. I would suggest consulting BERA's ethical guidelines as a useful starting point.   

Access to Literature:

Teachers already have access to Google Scholar, ResearchGate and Academia where they are able to download some research papers. While other teachers might have access to academic papers through university courses many others do not. This is one of the reasons why the Chartered College of Teaching (CCoT) offers such great value for members. Joining the CCoT gives teachers access to full text journals, ebooks and other research materials which is great value for money given than one journal article can set you back more than the annual membership fee alone. 

Additionally, there needs to be some support in developing teachers' critical reading of research; who conducted the research? Why was it done in that way? What questions were the researchers trying to answer? How might it have been done differently? Were there any sponsors? How might this research impact on professional practice? All of these questions require a critical approach when reviewing research literature. 

Dissemination of Findings:

I gather some schools who are currently involved with practitioner research already provide opportunities for their staff to disseminate findings to their colleagues. Which is great. Though I think sharing across schools would be far more powerful. I like the idea of having #TeachResMeets (maybe even doing a few #BrewEd specials) where teachers are able to share their research and also answer questions/ feedback from other attendees. Teachers should also be given support in getting their research published whether that be in a peer-reviewed journal or alternative online publication/ platform. 

Research Leads:

Every school should have a designated Research Lead. This should be a specified role with responsibility for promoting and supporting staff with understanding/ conducting research in schools. It also needs to be fulfilled by someone with an understanding of research and passion for research. This can't just be added on to someone's already demanding TLR as this will probably amount to little more than tokenism. 

Time:

This is an obvious one. So obvious I'm going to say it anyway. If teachers are to conduct meaningful research, analyse data and present findings then they need to be given time to do this. It can't be another thing that's added on to an already burdensome workload. If so, it  will be met with justified resentment. Finding time may involve spending money which is difficult during these turbulent economic times and for that have no real solution other than the government needs to fund schools adequately and equitably. Now. 

Optional:

I'm finishing with this as I think it's the most important. My major reservation about teachers becoming active researchers is that they will be forced to do so. If research becomes another measure of teacher performativity then it almost becomes worthless. Especially if it is connected to performance management and/ or pay. I believe all teachers should be given opportunities and support to carry out research projects that interest/ drive them. To enforce a draconian and compulsory practitioner research policy will no doubt create an environment of skewed data and unreliable findings. If the aim is to support teachers in becoming active researchers then it's definitely worth doing properly.

An Education

I believe our philosophy of education is very much shaped by our own experience of school(ing). Just look at Gove and how he romanticises about the Good Old Days of rigour, rote learning and children getting the cane because they damn-well deserved it. I guess I'm equally as guilty of letting my personal experience influence how I think and feel about education, just in a completely different way. This post is a personal reflection on my education from primary to A Levels...it's An Education...My Education...

Primary School (1985 - 1992)

I don't know who this guy is. I vaguely remember him being a sportsman though I don't think he was a 100 metre sprinter. Anyhow, this image perfectly sums up my memories of primary school. Pure joy. I loved everything about it - group work, black plimsoles, signing, art, maths, science, geography. All of it. It was FUN.  We weren't taught fronted adverbials or Jolly Phonics but we did read and write lots and lots of stories. We had spelling and numeracy tests but there was no pressure. I've no recollection of doing SATs or the furore that surrounded them back in the early 90s but I do have fond memories of: 

• Playing Lots of rugby and football
• Starring as Macbeth in a year 5 production (peaked  too soon as a thesp)
• School trips to the theatre, farm, zoo and museum
• Chalky the school ghost.
• Winning a poetry competition for this masterpiece (peaked too soon as a poet):

Secondary School (1992 - 1997)

I hated secondary school. Mainly due to the factory-style conveyor belt of learning - lesson to lesson, sitting in rows, listening to a teacher and then answering questions from a textbook or a worksheet; passive, unquestioning and uninspiring. Now, this might work for some children but it's not how I liked/ like to learn. It's still beyond me how you can make maths and science duller than an episode of Downton Abbey but my teachers did a bloody good job of it. 

Also, the creative endeavours from my primary school days suddenly ceased to exist. We had one music lesson a week and drama wasn't even taught. That love of learning from primary school didn't make it past the first term. As such, I started to get into trouble, kicked out of lessons or just didn't bother turning up. The punitive punishments had no effect nor did the regular bollockings from teachers. So, by Year 8 I was more or less written off as being 'difficult' though I think 'disengaged' would be more accurate. 

KS4 wasn't any better. Yes, we had 'choices' but they were so limited - one language, one tech subject etc etc. So, essentially you could be really interested in the humanities but forced to choose between history, geography and RE. Bafflingly, this restrictive and dated model is still being used with the narrow choices offered by the Ebacc. The only two lessons I enjoyed were English and History and that was mainly because I had two fantastic teachers who who had never taught me at KS3 and were supportive and encouraging. I  only have two positive memories from my GCSE days:

• Writing a piece of history coursework on the Cold War which was completely self-researched and written. I got an A. My first and only in secondary school. 
• Being given a copy of Adrian Mole's diary by my English teacher. I still thank Mrs Rowlands for my love reading. 

Then, in 1997, something quite significant happened. At the age of 15 I got into a bit of trouble with the police. It was more The Bill than Goodfellas but in hindsight it was a huge turning point. I think life sometimes has a way of grabbing you by the collar and giving you a bloody good shake when you need it most. By 'life' I mean my mum. This all coincided with the start of my GCSE exams. Being shut off from my peers I decided to start learning the stuff I hadn't bothered with in school -  this was before Google waded onto the scene with all it's encyclopaedic bravado. Of course, I had left it far too late but managed to scrape some GCSEs; 2 Bs, 2 Cs, 2 Ds, E and a F. This was much better than any of my teachers expected (apart from history and English). My formal education could've easily ended here, and I'm sure some of you would rather wish it had.

Unsure of what to do I applied for apprenticeships and had several unsuccessful interviews. I had been led to believe that's what working-class kids did - got a trade and knuckled down until you retirement. Problem is, I've always been useless at building, repairing or replacing things . Just ask my poor dad. So, eventually I decided to stay on in education although my GCSEs meant I had to do a GNVQ before moving onto A Levels. The less said about this the better. 

A Levels (1998 - 2000)

This is when I rediscovered my love of learning. It is also when education really changed who I was, what I believed and my whole life destination. It was the first time I was able to choose the subjects I really wanted to study. Of course there were still limitations but it felt less prescriptive then the previous 6 years. Against the advice of my teachers, who said I'd be lucky to get three Es, I chose politics, history and law. Politics was cool back in the late 90s...

Like primary school, I have very fond memories of A Levels as the majority of lessons were based around dialogue with the teacher and peers. We discussed The Reign or Terror during the French Revolution in history, ideologies such as fascism and socialism in politics and murder Vs manslaughter in law. This approach worked because we were given 'study periods' to do pre-lesson reading and post-lesson essay writing. I guess this was flipped learning before it got all YouTubey. Take Law as an example, I only had one hour contact per week with our visiting tutor, the rest was completely self-taught. I'd be lying if I said I didn't work harder during my A Levels  but this only happened because (a) I had found a way of learning that I enjoyed (b) subjects I loved and (c) teachers who treated me as a young adult and not as an ignorant little child. I did alright too...

Politics (A)

History (A) 

Law      (A)

For you youngsters, this was back in the day when there were no AS Levels and no A* grades (just sayin'). 

The skills I developed during my A Levels allowed me to go on and successfully study a BA Politics, MA Education and now a PhD. I have somewhat of an obsessive attitude towards learning; If I'm interested in something then I'm fully fully immersed, however, the opposite can easily manifest itself if I'm not inspired. This might, of course, have something to do with the limitations of my cognitive capacity or maybe it's just the complexity of being human. Either way, I don't think there is a best way to teach or learn as there are far too many variables at play. But hey, I'm not the one devising policy based on romanticised memories of my school days...

Muscle, Guts and QTS: The de-professionalisation of teachers

(Richard Burton in Look Back in Anger, 1959)

'It's no good fooling about with teaching you know. You can't fall into it like a soft job without dirtying up your hands. It takes muscle and guts. If you can't bear the thought of messing up your nice, tidy soul, you better give up the whole idea of life and become a saint, because you'll never make it as a teacher' (Jimmy Porter)

Now, those of you who've watched the brilliant Look Back in Anger will know that I've used  a little artistic licence on young Jimmy's lines. But it's true though, teaching is bloody tough; emotionally, physically and mentally. It takes resilience, patience and determination to make it in the classroom. You'll experience plenty of highs and lows. Probably on the same same day. You'll need to constantly reflect, adapt and develop as a practitioner. You'll definitely need to get your hands dirty. This may, of course, take its toll. I spent 12 years at the chalkface and the lines on my forehead are a testament to my time served. That aside, teaching is also a wonderfully creative and artistic craft. If you've had the pleasure of observing a brilliant teacher in full-flow you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. The way they move the lesson along may seem effortless but it's no accident. I know many teachers and the effort they put in on a daily/ weekly/ termly basis. Not everyone thinks this is the case mind:

Teaching is a skilled profession. It takes years to master one's craft. Not only do you need extensive subject knowledge but also a detailed understanding of how children learn. More importantly, you need to be able to form meaningful and mutually respectful relationships  with unpredictable young people. That's why we have teacher training though. It's to prepare you for what will hopefully be a long and prosperous career helping young people to fulfil their ambitions and potential. Yeah, there's quite a bit riding on initial teacher training. I currently work with trainee teachers and know the amount of effort and heartache (and financial strife) they go through in order to become qualified teachers. It's a huge and honourable commitment. But sadly one that has been undermined by government policy which seems intent of de-professionalising teachers. 

According to recent statistics, over half a million children are currently being taught in classrooms across the country by unqualified teachers. This figure has been on the rise since the government relaxed the requirements for schools to employ teachers without QTS   back in 2012. This raises worrying questions about the level of professional expertise of some teachers. I'm not suggesting that every unqualified teacher in is incapable of doing the job but, as a parent, I won't my children to be taught be trained teachers in the same way they are to be treated by trained nurses. There is also a wider concern. If we are heading towards a growth in Scripted Direct Instruction and the use of Comparative Judgement then there's no reason why this would need to be done by a highly qualified teacher. 

During these worrying times of school budget cuts there is a danger that more schools will be forced to hire unqualified teachers as a way of saving money (approximately £10,000 per member of staff on the equivalent QTS scale). Relaxing the need for QTS undermines the profession, de-skills teachers and potentially harms children's learning. It is also massively disrespectful to all the teachers who invested so much into become qualified.  Or, as Jimmy would  say, 'you're doing what? When I think of what I did! What I had to endure?!'

Why I still love EduTwitter

EduTwitter can seem like a bit of a dark place at times. Take yesterday for example. That George Monbiot article really seemed to polarise opinion; especially amongst some quarters who, amongst other things, seemed pretty annoyed that someone who isn't a teacher had something to say about the current educational system. For me, there were things I agreed with:

1. Our exams systems is archaic. 
2. The curriculum is too narrow. 
3. The best teachers use character, creativity and inspiration. 
4. Teachers are leaving the profession in their droves.
5. Children love learning. 
6. Forest schools are great. 

And things I disagreed with:

1. Not all teachers 'stuff kids with facts'

2. Schools teach skills that are redundant.

3. The Essa Academy is what we should be aspiring towards. 
4. We should ditch traditional subjects. 

What I came away with is that, yes, the education system needs serious reform. However, we're not going to get from here to there (if that's where we want to be) overnight. I suppose what's really reassuring is that debates are even happening. Ten years ago teachers didn't have such a platform to voice and challenge different views. 

Anyhow, this wasn't really the focus of the post. Having read much of the debate yesterday I was reminded that I am very much guilty of only reading philosophers and ed theorists that confirm my own worldview. So, I asked EduTwitter for a bit of guidance. Within minutes people responded. So, I'd like to thank the following for their help and suggestions:

@mfordhamhistory 

RS Peters

Michael Young

@imagineinquiry 

Kieran Egan

Gert Biesta

@EdSacredProfane

Margaret Archer

Dave Elder-Vass

@GFThommo 

Ranciere

@MrMStuchbery 

Nietzsche 

@complexsoc1

Brent Davis and Dennis Sumara

John Creswell

@sputniksteve

Stephen Gorard

And the less helpful @nickcorston, @gracerobinson46. @chrisrossiter and @@alanwhitfield80 for suggesting I read The Daily Mail......

Again, this evening I asked for a bit more help with a session I'm delivering tomorrow about teaching history through film. Having posted the question 'what's the #BestHistoricalFilm?' I was inundated with awesome suggestions. I don't have the time to list all the responses but would like to thank the following tweeters for some great suggestions:

@memneon
@Sue_Cowley
@ian_bec
@Gwenelope
@DisIdealist
@Wp1Wendy
@Phillallman1
@brighton118
@complexsoc1
@cjs76
@zwalfy
@EYBrofessional
@_PaulHamilton
@SkimStoneTheatr
@DackBlog
@TeaLadyJune
@GlynRogers
@Joga5
@MooreNixie8
@JonHegerty
@kenradical
@NLWallis
@Thembinkosi
@5N_Afzal

Apologies if I've left anyone off the list but trying to write this quickly so I can watch a film! 

Guess what I'm trying to say is that Twitter is still a wonderful place to connect with fellow educators. Promote and challenge ideas and share great practice. It's probably worth remembering that. 

Finally, shameless plug:

If you're interested in joining the #debatED then please get involved on a Tuesday evening between 8.30 - 9pm. 

Critical Pedagogy: A Brief Introduction

For me, the purpose of education should be to develop critical, creative, thoughtful and reflective individuals who can contribute positively to society and challenge systems of injustice and inequality. Kincheloe and Weil (2004) argue that during this time of unprecedented opportunity and accelerating change we must take seriously the challenge of developing children’s criticality. Indeed, ‘criticality is a practice, a mark of what we do, of who we are, and not only how we think’ (Burbules and Berk, 1999, p. 62). Broadly defined, critical pedagogy is a philosophical approach to education which is concerned with the creation of a more socially just and equitable world (Breuing, 2011).

Much has been written about critical pedagogy’s aim to integrate a vision of human equality and justice into teaching and learning (hooks, 1994; Kanpol, 1999; Kincheloe, 2011). However, Freire (1970) argues that in order to achieve this justice-orientated vision students need to have their critical consciousness developed. Critical consciousness is not only ‘developing a language of critique but also a vision of a better world for which it is worth struggling’ (Moen, 2010, p. 10). Critical pedagogy sees society as being divided by unequal power relations which should not be ignored. Teaching, when viewed through a critical pedagogical lens, should be seen as a political act where educators have a responsibility to pursue social justice (Deleon, 2006). The focus here is on developing a democratic culture which inspires and empowers students to analyse the social, economic and political underpinnings of society (McLaren, 1998; Cho, 2010). Furthermore, the task of critical pedagogy is to bring members of oppressed groups; whether through class, gender or race to a critical awareness of their situation (Burbules and Berk, 1999; Breuing, 2011). Critical pedagogy is ultimately about equality, liberation, freedom from oppression and anti-marginalization.

Historically, critical pedagogy is rooted in the literature of the critical theory of the Frankfurt School where it was ‘argued that schools provide a distorted view of history…that in turn, undermine the kind of social consciousness needed to bring about change and social transformation’  (Beuring, 2011, p. 4)  During the early part of the twentieth century the influential philosopher Dewey (1910) wrote about the importance of democracy in schools and the need for education to promote values such as justice and equality. Throughout the 1970s Freire developed a critical pedagogical approach which was borne from his experience of teaching adult literacy programmes in the slums of Brazil. Critical pedagogy has since been developed by educators such as Henry Giroux,  bell hooks, Michael Apple, Peter McLaren and Joe Kincheoloe. While approaches and discourses may vary a central component of critical pedagogy is the role that schools play in conveying information about social and political life (Beuring, 2011). Indeed, critical pedagogy is not about developing a set of teaching techniques but rather a philosophical underpinning which places social justice and equality at the very heart of education.

Teachers who wish to become critical pedagogues must also begin to question how the traditional model of education cements the teacher/ pupil power relations. Within critical pedagogy ‘the authority of the teacher is dialectical…they assume the mature authority of facilitators of student inquiry and problem posing’ (Kincheloe, 2011). Through critical pedagogy the teacher no longer acts a transmitter of knowledge but instead becomes a learner too through open and meaningful dialogue with their students (Freire, 1970; Kincheloe, 2011). Consequently, critical pedagogy is the antithesis of ‘knowledge banking’ and didactic teaching as it aims to provide opportunities for students to develop their critical consciousness through discussion and debate (Burbules and Berk, 1999; Breuing, 2011). Shor (1992, p. 17) describes critical pedagogy as an approach which, amongst other things, is ‘participatory’. ‘problem-posing’, ‘dialogic’ and ‘democratic’. This critical pedagogical approach ensures that students are not simply passive consumers of knowledge but are instead active learners. Not only does this develop students’ love of learning but also encourages them to become active democratic citizens. Hence the focus is on fostering criticality in order for students to question authority rather than simply kowtow to the whim of those in power. As Shor (1992, p. 22) argues, critical pedagogy ensures that ‘meaning and purpose are constructed mutually, not imposed from top down as orthodoxies’. Furthermore, for critical pedagogy, knowledge is not presented as universal truths but rather as a problems that need to be solved through inquiry (Freire, 1974). This negates the dogmatic imposition of pre-determined knowledge and culture. It also enables students to see themselves as knowledgeable individuals rather than ‘cultural deficits’ (Shor, 1992, p. 37). However, in order for this to occur requires teachers to adopt a pedagogical approach that situates and relates learning to students' everyday lives.

One of the main goals of teaching and learning is to provide students with opportunities to develop their own criticality and creativity. An effective way to achieve this objective is through open dialogue between the teacher (or facilitator) and students (Shor, 1992; Beuring, 2011). According to Freire, dialogue is the only way to understand and answer political questions and truly grasp the nature of one’s being. This pedagogical approach is rooted in the idea that learning should be participatory and not passive. As such, ‘critical pedagogy can offer a set of tools to help students become critical readers, researchers, and producers of the word and the world’ (Gurn, 2011, p. 151).  This is hugely important as ‘the classroom with all its limitations, remains a location of possibility’ (hooks, 1994, p. 207). 

References:

Breuing, M. (2011), ‘Problematizing Critical Pedagogy’, International Journal of Critical Pedagogy, Vol 3. No. 3, pp 2- 23.

Burbules, N. Berk, R. (1999), Critical Thinking and Critical Pedagogy: Relations, Differences, and Limits. In Popkewitz, T. and Fendler, L.(eds) Critical Theories in Education. New York: Routledge. Pp. 45 – 66.

Cho, S. (2010), ‘Politics of Critical Pedagogy and New Social Movements’, Educational Philosophy and Theory, Vol. 42, No. 3. pp. 310-325.

Deleon, A. (2006), ‘The time for action is now! Anarchist theory, critical pedagogy, and radical possibilities’. Journal for Critical Education Policy Studies, Vol. 4, No. 2, pp. 72 – 94.

Freire, P. (1970), Pedagogy of the Oppressed. New York: Herder and Herder.

Freire, P. (1974), Education for Critical Consciousness. London: Continuum.

Gurn, A. (2011), ‘Critical Pedagogy in the Classroom and the Community’, Curriculum Inquiry, Vol. 41, No. 1. pp. 143- 152.

hooks, b. (1994), Teaching to Transgress; Education as the practice of freedom. London: Routledge.

Kincheloe, J. and Weil. D. (2004), Critical Thinking and Learning: An Encyclopaedia for Parents and Teachers. Connecticut: Greenwood Press.

McLaren, P. (1998), Life in Schools: An introduction to critical pedagogy in the foundations of education. New York: Longman.

Moen, D. (2010), ‘Ethical Responsibility as Educators to Not Pretend to be ‘Objective and Value Free’: Inculcating a Critical Political Consciousness’, The Journal of Engaged Pedagogy, Vol 9, No. 1. pp. 3 – 19.

Shor, I. (1992). Empowering Education; Critical teaching for social change. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.