The term ‘research’ is thrown about a lot in schools, but often what happens is far from any real definition of the word. “The research shows…” has become a favoured line, when the ‘research’ is an essentially an ‘untested hunch’, a thought gleaned from an oft-biased, non-peer reviewed, glossy opinion piece, or a ‘no-expense-spared’ video peppered with edu-babble, stop-motion animation, well-positioned indoor plants, a minimalist background and a self-claimed ‘expert’ with a clicker. The last of these I find particular misleading, even dangerous – some of us get caught up in the hype and lose the ability to critique, pose questions, ask why, how etc… and many blindly adopt. If the ‘research’ is questionable, then our teaching can be built on ‘shaky ground’. Also, context matters – as Dylan Wiliam has said: “everything works somewhere and nothing works everywhere” – and it is important that we ask questions of research: what question/problem was posed, details about how it was conducted, what measures were put in place to ensure validity, reliability and trustworthiness, how the findings were located etc… We need to check its ‘robustness’, how it would stand up to critique, and what evidence is foundational to the claims. ‘Shaky ground’ research is a danger to schools and everyone in them. As Stephen Dinham tweeted recently: “we all need to be critical consumers of educational research before we waste time, money and human potential on untried, disproved or known harmful practices.”[i] I couldn’t agree more.

I am a teacher, but also a researcher (I’ve written on this before here). In many ways, all teachers are researchers – it is a matter of professionalism and how we extend ourselves. Teachers, however, rarely live in the same professional culture as researchers, and there is often little relationship between the academic community and teaching community. As Joe Kincheloe argues, “teachers must join the culture of researchers if a new level of educational rigor [sic] and quality is ever to be achieved”.[ii] Research conducted by teachers shifts the ownership of research solely from the academic community. It can generate research findings that directly relate to the problems teachers face, and is concerned with teachers critiquing their own praxis with a view to applying understandings gained to improve future praxis. It empowers teachers in that it allows research into their own pedagogical choices within the classroom that specifically work to meet the needs of all involved. Such research can be more persuasive, authoritative, relevant and accessible to teachers, with the locus of control returned to the classroom level. Research conducted by teachers can also offer context-specific professional development – it can be bound to sustainable improvement in teaching and learning. Such improvement requires the continued critical examination of both existing research and teacher dialogue surrounding their own perspectives and reflections on an issue, theory or action. This form of research is all well and good, but it has to be ‘good’ (informed, critical) research, otherwise we are part of the problem.

Though I am relatively new to education research, I am aware of the transformational power of ‘good’ research on our profession. I am even more aware of the benefits that conducting my own ‘good enough’ research offered my teaching (remember, I am a good enough teacher!). I found answers to the questions I wanted answered – and I encourage other teachers to to the same: ask questions of research and their own practice. Though I make to claims to expertise on this, I am passionate about ‘trustworthy’, evidence-based education research findings. In July this year, I will be running a ResearchMeet entitled Conducting Valid, Reliable and Trustworthy Research Projects in Schools (more information here, and at the bottom of this post). This ResearchMeet will offer practical strategies at formulating research questions and acting from evidence-based ‘platforms’ of data that are generated through the research process. Whether you have a ‘yet unasked’ question in mind, or are a little way down the ‘research pathway’, I am sure you will gain something that will be of benefit to your thinking and practice. A particular focus of the session will be the ‘action research’ methodology, specifically the ways in which we move through the stages of planning, acting, observing and reflecting on our actions. This methodology is perhaps the most ‘useful’/useable approach for working within environments characterised by rapid change, and an example study will be offered to align with the practical discussion.

I would very much enjoy your attendance and contribution to this event. It is being held at The Hub, St Andrew’s Anglican College, Peregian Springs (click here) on Wednesday 25 July, from 5pm – 6.30pm. If you are interested in being involved, please RSVP to cbonar@saac.qld.edu.au by Friday 20 July.

Hope to see you there.

[i] See the wonderful discussion thread here: https://twitter.com/sdinhamunimelb/status/1005019301437296641

[ii] Kincheloe, J. L. (2012). Teachers as researchers: Qualitative inquiry as a path to empowerment. Routledge. p. 18

Image credit: TEACH.org/about