Research School Network: Armed with Research: Learning from the Literacy Octopus

Three independent evaluations of randomised controlled trials published by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) suggest that providing light-touch support for teachers to engage with research is not an effective way to improve pupil outcomes. As a Research School with a desire to ensure that the best evidence finds its way to teachers in a way that has impact on practice, these findings obviously lead us to consider how we can best achieve this.

In the two ​‘Literacy Octopus’ trials – named after their multi-armed design – 13,323 English primary schools were involved in testing commonly used ways of disseminating evidence like online research summaries, magazines, webinars and conferences. In the first trial involving 12,500 schools, these were just sent to schools. In the second one, 823 schools were given light-touch support. In addition, 119 primary schools took part in Research Learning Communities, designed to raising teachers’ awareness, understanding, and use of educational research in their teaching practice using an ​‘Evidence Champions’ model.

There was no attainment impact of the Literacy Octopus and no evidence that the RLC trial led to improvements. There are suggestions, however, that there may be a relationship between how engaged teachers are with research and the attainment of their pupils. Both trials have not examined longer term results and this is definitely an area that future research can follow up.

So, what lessons can we learn from these?

Sharing research is a (good) start

There is nothing wrong with communicating research. For example, you are reading a blog here which is ensuring that you are engaging in research to an extent. We have a monthly newsletter and various smaller events such as our half-termly research forums – but these are only one part of the puzzle. As Professor Jonathan Sharples, Senior Researcher at the EEF, states in his reflection on the Literacy Octopus findings, “[communication] should be seen as a foundation for further activities, rather than a means to research use in itself.” The evaluations don’t dismiss the benefits of research engagement, just some of the methods of knowledge mobilisation.

It’s a consideration for us when sharing information that it should come with some appropriate next steps or signposting to further study. In our blog on sentence combining, we try to share the evidence with practical strategies which might lead to a change in practice. You can see more actionable guidance in the bank of guidance reports that the EEF has released too.

Training needs to be designed to support sustained change in schools

The next step up from sharing and disseminating research is leading professional development in order to ensure that our engagement in research has some impact. In the NFER Literacy Octopus evaluation, they write that ​“it is possible that if schools had support to navigate and prioritise that information, greater impact could be achieved. Alternatively, schools may need more support in transforming such materials into actual change in the classroom.”

As a Research School, we want to support that navigation and prioritisation, and we are clear that one-off courses or a quick twilight training session will amount to the same impact as a blog or newsletter- it will communicate but not much more. Each of our training courses are designed to lead to a change and that is built in from the start. They’re over three days, spread out across two terms, and include time for reflection, engagement with research and planning for implementation. We also want attendees to be in a position to action anything from the course and build that research engaged culture in their own context. If we take the example of our Teacher Development training course, we won’t dissuade any engaged teacher from attending, but we will target those who can actually implement a change in CPD methods etc. The Professional Development Standards give some evidence-informed guiding principles which underpin what we do and how we will ensure sustained impact.