April 11, 2023 © University of Reading 2008 www.reading.ac.uk

Institute of Education

Mind the gap! Do practitioners and

researchers live in parallel universes?

Linking research and practice

John Oversby, Reading

2Mind the Gap

Overview

• What is the problem?

• Previous research

• Formation of a teacher researcher group

• Teacher-researcher group principles

• Evidence of success

• First outcomes

• Moving on

• Challenges

• Impacts

3Mind the Gap

What is the problem?

• Perceived notion that researchers output is not helpful, and can not be found!

• Perceived notion that teachers do not value research.

Solution Linking research and practice is a human

relationship matter and best solved co-operatively!

4Mind the Gap

Previous research

• The gap first reported by Dewey in 1903 and continuing ever since

• Most of the studies focus on Nursing!

• Interventions include Journal Clubs, Professional articles

5Mind the Gap

Bridging the Gap BetweenResearch and Practice -

Davis S (2007)

Davis SH (2007) Bridging the gap between research and practice: what’s good, what’s bad and how can one be sure? Phi Delta Kappan 88 568-578

Problems with researchers

• Many of us have simply lost touch with the day-today complexity of human interactions in schools.

• Academics often write for the wrong audience.

• Academics frequently use “hit and run” tactics.

• Academics can be an arrogant bunch.

• Not all research is good research.

6Mind the Gap

Bridging the Gap BetweenResearch and Practice -

Davis S

Problems with practitioners

• The seductive power of silver bullets and gurus.

• Exaggerated attributions of causality and misconceptions about chance.

• Presumed associations in different contexts.

• Wishful thinking for success.

• Generalizing from nonrandom and small samples.

• Generalizing from perceptions and self-reported data.

7Mind the Gap

Bridging the Gap BetweenResearch and Practice -

Davis S

What to do

• Empirical research looks at only a part of the picture

• Useful evidence comes in many forms, not only quasi-experimental

• Anecdotal evidence can be useful, even if it is not research!

8Mind the Gap

The Gap Between Research andPractice Revisited - Korthagen

FAJ (2007)

Korthagen FAJ (2007) The Gap Between Research and Practice Revisited Educational Research and Evaluation 3, pp. 303 – 310

• gap between professional cultures

• need for researchers and practitioners to build joint communities

• One cause has to do with teachers’ prior knowledge of how subjects should be taught based on their own experiences.

• Human beings are fairly inflexible and resistant to change.

• A cognitive stance is not enough, feelings and emotion play an essential part.

• Teaching is complex (‘teachers are often expected to accomplish complex and conflicting goals’)

• Even experts differ on how to bridge the gap!

9Mind the Gap

The Gap Between Research andPractice Revisited - Korthagen

FAJ (2007)

What can be done?• Develop partnerships between universities and

schools (Professional Development Schools)

• Instigate teacher research

• Individual coaching and mentoring (a professional mediator)

• Self-study research by teacher educators on how they bridge the gap - insider research

• Reinforced by Vanderlinde and van Braak (BERJ, 2009) on the role of teacher educators as mediators

10Mind the Gap

A literature review Broekkmann & Van Hout-Wolters

(2007)

• Broekkamp, H. & Van Hout-Wolters, B. (2007) The gap between educational research and practice: a literature review, symposium and questionnaire, Educational Research and Evaluation, 13, 203–220.

• 1. Educational research yields few conclusive results; or educational research does not provide valid and reliable results that are confirmed through unambiguous and powerful evidence.

• 2. Educational research yields few practical results; or educational research is limited in practical use.

• 3. Practitioners believe that educational research is not conclusive or practical; or educational research is not meaningful for teachers.

• 4. Practitioners make little (appropriate) use of educational research; or practitioners do not have the skills to use educational research results.

11Mind the Gap

Community of Professional Practice

Communities of practice are groups of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly. (Etienne Wenger, 2006)

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A problem

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Formation of a teacher researcher group

• Reading PGCE course (in early 90s) explicitly based on education research-based evidence and taking part in active education research. Teachers and mentors explicitly embedded in a research ethos.

• A group of new science teachers and mentors requested a group to continue this research ethos in their everyday work.

• Some financial and mentoring support through the Best Practice Research Scheme (BPRS).

• John Oversby invited to convene the group

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Our purpose - exploration

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Teacher-researcher group principles

• Respect for research-based evidence

• Respect for each other independent of experience and employment

• Critical approach to existing research aimed at improved understanding of research evidence and research methods

• Encouragement to take part in research in the classroom

• Focus on high standards of reliability, validity and analysis

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Evidence of success

• Attendance and engagement consistent. Conferences of 40-60.

• Outputs of research based on chemical education (mainly aspects of signs, symbols and equations)

• Documentary evidence of high levels of satisfaction

• Some members representing group at national and regional conferences

• Changes to Schemes of Work, lesson plans and activity

17Mind the Gap

Moving on or outward

• First research was on chemical equations

• What are notebooks for? The views of pupils, teachers, senior management and parents

• What is revision? Is revision effective?

• What is effective homework?

• Modelling:– In ecology– In explaining sound

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Challenges

• Sponsorship (RSC, ASE)

• Place and time to meet

• Maintaining interest and managing turnover

• Writing up findings

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Impacts

• Classroom practice

• Long term group sustainability

• Conferences

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What next?

• Reproduction - workshop at ASE (5.Jan.13) on how to set up a science teacher-researcher group through metacognitive modelling

• Network of groups to maintain sustainability if one fails

• Presentations of Mind the Gap

21Mind the Gap

Member comments - examples

• 1. What is the extent of your involvement with PALAVA? I attend meetings whenever I can

• 2. What influenced your decision to attend PALAVA? A desire to remain in contact with current research with teachers and John

• 3. For you, was PALAVA valuable? Yes, because I am able to listen to what is current in science education research and hear practising teachers experiences, concerns and the research they are engaged in and would like to pursue.

• 6. What have you taken from PALAVA sessions? inspiration

• 7. What could have improved/ increased what you gained? Regular attendance at meetings

• 9. Do you have any other comments? The group is led/steered/motivated by John in a way that allows all attendees to contribute or not. It is a supportive, collaborative and non threatening environment, good forum for exchange of ideas.

22Mind the Gap

Bridge the gap project

• Teacher educator thinking about sessions

• Teacher response to requests to read/take part in research

• Successful methods of mediating research

• Interventions to engage with research

• Large scale (EU FP7?) funding for international work

• Funding will need to cover meetings, salaries for members and researchers.

• Rough estimate 750K over three years