This week, I visited Bexhill VIth Form College for the second of four facilitated action research sessions. The Head of Department, Clare Holmes, had heard about our previous action research sessions with Bicester Community College at our Active Approaches in post-16 conference in March 2013. Clare successfully applied for National Scholarship funding to fund a research programme for her entire department.

So, on Wednesday I joined 23 lecturers in mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics and psychology to develop their ideas for research in a variety of areas. The College has started using Moodle as a resource for students, and we explored strategies for promoting independent learning.  The psychology research group will be exploring the structured use of video and other revision materials on students’ engagement with independent learning and maths will be mirroring this; chemistry are researching a similar area focussing on storyboarding techniques to enhance students’ understanding of quantitative titration questions.  The physics group is looking to improve students’ understanding of mathematical relationships between quantities in physics formula and the biology group will use sequencing activities to enhance their students’ attainment on long prose questions.  I have shared a publication from Keith Jones at Southampton Education School with the maths group – Key Ideas in Teaching Mathematics, research-based guidance for ages 9-19 (ISBN 978-0-19-966551-8); as science teachers it is unusual (but hugely beneficial)  to be aware of the research base underpinning the teaching of mathematics.

All staff are anticipating the impact of moving to linear assessment on results and we discussed the importance of collecting a range of evidence, not just impact on attainment (just maintaining grades through the change might be an achievement). So, staff will be conducting interviews and focus groups, collecting questionnaire data and making observations, as well as exploring the impact of interventions on grades.  The groups are preparing to carry out a small intervention in the next four weeks and we will meet again in early February to share experiences, analyse initial results and plan a further intervention. We are planning a dissemination event in the summer term to showcase the impact of the programme to colleagues and SMT.

Clare is a hugely enthusiastic leader and has a team of similarly enthusiastic and resourceful staff.  The programme has already been seen to be beneficial:

Staff have been really buzzing with their research questions and already I have noticed we are talking more to our students about their learning so already finding out some interesting information.  Everyone is looking forward to our next session.

We are planning to provide M-level accreditation for some staff through the programme and I look forward to watching ideas develop over the next few months.  If you would like more information on action research or to discuss bringing the programme to your school or college, contact me at J.B.Griffiths@Southampton.ac.uk.

Janice Griffiths, Director, MSLC

10 January 2014