Research School Network: Research-leads – Part 2: The ​‘Brokers’


Research-leads – Part 2: The ​‘Brokers’

by Huntington Research School
on the

All things to all people: the life of a school Research-lead

Playing poker has never really been my thing, too much subliminal thinking and tactical strategy I think. The role of a Research-lead can sometimes feel like you are playing poker: sometimes being the dealer for the house, controlling the deck, precisely and meticulously distributing (cards) in an orderly rotation; or alternatively, as a player knowing when toact’ (to make a play at the required time) to make a crucial contribution to the game.

We may need balance’ – playing very different hands in the same way – to be successful. However, what is clear is that whatever strategy we adopt will ultimately affect the outcome. The role of a Research-lead is essential in allowing teachers and school leaders to make better and more informed decision in our schools. These decisions and actions can be far reaching for the students we teach.

Just as ripples spread out when a single pebble is dropped into water, the actions of individuals can have far-reaching effects’. 

The Research-lead is required to act as a broker, or gatekeeper, for all the good’ things we encounter: the magpie of the educational world, the dealer trading in research evidence rather than the player betting in chips’.

The job’ becomes high-stakes because we are dealing with real people: students as our commodity; students who matter and are affected by the decisions we make, whether these decisions are right or wrong. We are therefore a champion for the refined[better] use of the available research evidence.

Filtering the evidence into a useable format for your teachers will be crucial; it not only saves time for busy teachers but also allows for better decision making in the classroom. This informed’ decision-making process could see you supporting your school in a number of different ways. The role is diverse and the following typifies this.

Diversity of the Research-lead role 

When a teacher is looking to get better at teaching children how to revise more effectively for their GCSE examinations, the Research-lead can support with identifying and signposting the most appropriate research. This could, for example, be Strengthening the Student Toolbox’ by John Dunlosky.

When the SENCO is deciding upon a new literacy package, the Research-lead can ask about the evidence for the proposed packages, or signpost to a better solution. Links to the EEF website and specifically the promising projects’ pages or the guidance reports’ could be invaluable in this case.

The Research-lead should also have a prominent role in steering or leading CPD within their school. They should distil and summarise the best available evidence, ensuring that training and resources have a basis in sound evidence. Does your school, for example, consult the government’s Standard for teachers’ professional development as a reference guide?

Bringing people together and mobilising teachers

Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” Marie Robinson

Can we ever really hope to change people’s classroom pedagogy long term, knowing how notoriously difficult this is to do? It is certainly a difficult proposition. Nevertheless, we may find that we can in the first instance, begin to get people thinking differently and that ultimately is the role of a Research-lead.

The following offer minimal time investment on your part and some quick, easy wins for your teachers:

  1. Encourage your teachers to sign up to the EEF newsletter: https://www.eef.org.uk/login/newsletter
  2. Every two weeks the IEE publishes the Best Evidence in Brief’ newsletter, a round-up of the latest education news focusing on stories with practical implications for schools and teachers. https://www.york.ac.uk/iee/publications/beib/.
  3. Visit The Learning Scientists’ website. A group of cognitive psychological scientists interested in research on education and focussing on the science of learning:http://www.learningscientists.org/.

Finally…

Remember, above all else, a Research-lead should display a can do’ attitude even in demanding situations. A problem solver, whose first answer, is yes, I’ll make it happen’.

Is it the impossible job…I think not!

by Stephen Foreman, Huntington School Research-lead

You can take part in our Building Confident Research-leads’ training programme here.

Related Reading:

You can read Part 1 of this series – the Research-lead as Storyteller’ HERE.

Building Re Lead Sep 17 Front V6

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