Using research in your school and your teaching

Visit the following links to read an expanded online version of the GTC leaflet Using research in your school and your teaching, together with detailed background information and case studies, and a list of relevant online resources. The leaflet is based on the evidence generated by the 'Investigating the research engaged school' project.

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	Using research in your school and your teaching
	What are the core principles of research informed professional practice?

	Understanding the needs of learners
	By engaging in research, staff can better understand the needs of learners.

	Whole school impact
	Amongst the core principles of being a research-engaged school are that it is focused on school improvement, it is shared among all staff and is focused on improving teaching and learning.

	Research engagement as effective CPD
	Research activity is about finding out new information and gaining insights that can be applied in practice. As such, it provides a wonderful professional development opportunity.

	Developing research questions linked to school improvement
	Some schools may decide to embark on a research journey with a specific topic in mind. Others may wish to involve members of the school community in deciding on their research focus.

	Support from mentors, researchers and the local authority
	It can be very useful to have someone to help you make sense of the process of research. All researchers need help and support from others, particularly as the process can be both intellectually and emotionally challenging.

	Who can be involved in the research team and what role they can they play?
	It is possible for schools engaged in research to have a range of different staff involved in the project.

	Examples of research methods
	A range of research methods can be used when schools embark on their own research.

	Planning and managing your research project
	It is useful to have a plan for your project from the outset. Using a month by month planning calendar can help manage the research and ensure all the deadlines and targets are met.

	Sharing your research with others
	Sharing your research with others is of key importance to professional practice. What could be more disappointing than to put all that effort into your research and end up keeping it to yourself?

	Ethics in research
	Every researcher has a duty to make sure that their research respects those who take part.

	Can teachers be researchers too?
	One of the questions that worries people approaching research for the first time is: ‘Can I be a researcher?’

	Using other people’s research
	It is hard to find the time to read other people’s research, but it is important for all professionals to keep up to date with evidence on effective practice and for researchers to locate their own research in a wider context.

	Dealing with the open-ended nature of research
	Teachers and support staff can find it disconcerting to venture into an exploratory study, without a clear idea of where it will lead. Research opens up a multitude of exciting possibilities but this very characteristic can also threaten to become overwhelming. Here are some suggestions that may help.

	Finding time for research
	Finding time for research is the biggest challenge.

	Research informed professional practice: online resources
	Research resources on the web


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