Embedding Research
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The document discusses an organization called Research in Practice that aims to promote the use of research evidence to improve outcomes for children and families. It does this through Change Projects, which involve practitioners collaborating to develop tools to apply research findings in practice. The document describes a recent Change Project focused on re-engaging young people in learning at key stage 3. Participants were introduced to research on disengagement and will work to inform local policies and support practitioners on this issue.
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Embedding Research
- 1. Embedding Research into Practice: Using Change Projects Practical research for education conference, London, 11 July 2007
- 2. During the next 45 minutes … You will: Find out what we do at research in practice Consider some theoretical ideas about how research can embed in practice Discover how we use a unique model of research engagement in our Change Projects Explore how our most recent Change Project Engaging and re-engaging young people in learning (run in collaboration with NfER) is helping support research-informed practice
- 3. What we do at research in practice Our mission: to improve services and promote positive outcomes for children and families through the use of research evidence Our method: we support and encourage practitioners, managers and policy makers to develop their research knowledge and become more reflective and evidence-informed (EIP)
- 4. research in practice Our mission: to promote positive outcomes for children and families by improving the use of research evidence. The largest research implementation venture in UK – nearly 100 agencies (local authorities and national organisations) in England and Wales … and growing. We seek to i mprove access to research and strengthen its understanding and adoption. A collaborative partnership. Our professional sponsor is the Association of Directors of Children’s Services A department of The Dartington Hall Trust and run in collaboration with the University of Sheffield.
- 5. Research Use findings dissemination implementation adoption
- 6. How we fulfil our mission We have five main strands to our work: Change Projects Learning Events Network Exchange Publications Website
- 7. Research into Practice Some ideas about the relationship between research and practice…
- 8. research to practice… the linear model
- 9. research and practice… the cyclical model
- 10. Dissemination is not enough….. Limited evidence of the impact of traditional dissemination activity Traditional avenues of dissemination often bypass the intended recipients The necessity to innovate/promote new methods of encouraging research use is an important factor in promoting research use
- 11. First of all – a little theory… Three models of research use: Research-based practitioner model Embedded research model Organisational excellence model Using evidence: How research can inform public services Sandra Nutley, Isabel Walter and Huw Davies
- 12. Research-based practitioner model Linear approach Practitioner responsibility to keep up-to-date and use research Professional education and training
- 13. Embedded research model Linear process Embedding EIP in systems and processes (policies, standards etc) Responsibility lies with policy makers and service delivery managers Rewards and sanctions used to encourage EIP
- 14. Organisational excellence model The service agency is key – leadership, management and organisation Develops a research-minded culture Local adaptation of findings ‘Learning organisations’ Partnerships with external supportive agencies
- 15. Change Projects: Key features The key features of a Change Project are that: it involves a group of people sharing learning on a topic; an evidence-informed approach is essential to all aspects of project development, and its execution results in improved outcomes for children/families; it generates learning event(s) and/or practice tools which arise out of original work undertaken by participants; tools are piloted, refined and evaluated before being made publicly available.
- 16. What is a Change Project? Collaborative approach to developing more effective ways of putting sound research into everyday practice Combining experiment with innovation, reflection, evaluation and action-learning Dynamic process working together to design handbooks and other practical tools that translate research evidence into practice.
- 17. Change Project stages 1: idea generation 2 : literature search 3 : experts’ knowledge exchange - firming of Change Project proposal and plan 4 : first Change Project group 5 : production of the pilot Action Pack 6 : piloting and evaluation of the Action Pack 7 : production of the final Handbook 8 : launch, promotion and implementation
- 18. Change projects Engaging and re-engaging young people in learning Social work and the use of research evidence in the family court NIFTY 3 Front-line partnership working Young people, alcohol abuse and offending ICT & research utilisation
- 19. Completed change projects 1. TEAMWISE using research evidence: A practical guide for teams VideoCD 21 Tools 2. Firm Foundations: Organisational support for the use of research evidence
- 20. 3. Leading Evidence-Informed Practice: our most recent Handbook A tried and tested Handbook 31 agencies involved theoretical ideas tools / exercises ‘ wise words’ & ‘top tips’ audio CD of experiences real examples ‘ dig deeper’ resources on the website … . a tour
- 21. Our most recent Change Project Engagement and re-engagement in education at Key Stage 3 A collaboration between research in practice and N f ER and funded by the DFES. Linked to the Change Project is a scoping review of the key research messages related to disengagement at KS3
- 22. Change Project participants will be: Introduced to key research messages from a recent scoping review of UK and European research evidence based focussed on pupil engagement, disengagement and disaffection at Key Stage 3. Encouraged to design and develop the resulting key messages in relevant and accessible ways to local policy-makers, managers and front-line practitioners in education and social care in their agencies. Supported in an identified project designed to inform practice or planning, informed by research, in this area in their agency. Involved in the development, design and refinement of guidance and tools to improve young people’s engagement with learning, to reduce under-achievement and to support attendance.
- 23. Our participants …… Assistant Head Teacher ( Portsmouth ), Exclusion and Reintegration Officer ( Lambeth ), Educational Psychologist ( Brighton and Hove ), Senior School Improvement Officer for Inclusion ( Staffordshire ), Education Officer for Children in Care ( Hampshire ), Assistant Head, PRU ( Portsmouth ), Corporate Parenting Manager ( Sheffield ), Learning Manager ( Suffolk ), Strategic Project Manager ( Devon ) and more …….. What they have in common? A concern about educational exclusion …….
- 24. Identified Projects so far …. Early identification of those pupils likely to be at risk of disengagement at Year 7 and to work with school staff to design action plans to identify, support and re-engage pupils within school and the PRU ( Assistant Head, PRU/Assistant Head Teacher. Secondary School ) Identification of ways of improving work with young people at KS3 by developing relationships between YOT and local schools ( Educational Psychologist/Inclusion worker ) Work with an individual school to build understanding of the needs of LAC (looked after children) within KS3 ( Advisory Teacher for looked after children )
- 25. Questions…? Is it a model you could use in your own work setting? How research-informed is your own organisation? What are the challenges and opportunities for the promotion of the use of robust research in your work? Would your agency like to contribute to the piloting of the materials?
Editor's Notes
- Funding: Subscriptions/ ADSS/ DFES….. Lisa’s 4:1
- Started in 1996 with 25 members – 10 th anniversary last year. A network – part of the benefit comes from being part of this practice community and the connections it offers. Don’t do primary research. A partnership – not a service you simply purchase. Partners are expected to give as well as get. The more you give, the more you get. It’s a collaboration – we explore issues together, develop solutions to meet a particular agency’s needs. 17 FTE + Associates. Staff based in Devon and Sheffield.
- Use props List of publications sent to Los sharing ideas via the website/email groups (eg questions about policy/service development) regional meetings LOAM, DPF, Inter-professional conference
- Eg contact research ?Re-registration
- All change projects follow the same process. Idea generation comes from within the Network, where a need has been identified - the change project is designed as a practice-focused project to address a particular issue, hence the name. At this stage a tentative timeline and budget is also thought through. Literature search is carried out by the lead on the change project. This allows the project leader to really get to grips with the issues, make sure no work is repeated and pull out the most important messages for the change project group to work with Experts Knowledge Exchange takes place to firm up direction and plan. Experts in the field that the change project is addressing will meet and discuss the findings of the literature search, the pressing practice issues and what is the best way to meet them. It’s a brainstorm, organised by the Project Lead. Then the Change Project group is formed from interested Partner Agencies. It’s facilitated by the project lead who decides with the co-facilitator (if there is one) and group about how many meetings, structures and responsibilities. The group is generally supportive of each other with the Project Lead co-ordinating meetings and work. The first tangible product to come out is the pilot action pack, worked on by all in the change project group. The action pack is then piloted in agencies who have expressed an interest in the project (sometimes agencies who wanted to be in the initial change project group, or those who wanted to be involved but could not commit the necessary time) As a result of the pilot the action pack is refined, changed and formatted into a way that will maximise learning throughout the network and beyond the messages from the change project. These are becoming increasingly multimedia based, often with CD-Roms, downloadable resources etc. It will generally be launched at a big event - for instance, the pilot Leadership Action Pack was launched at LOAM this year. Sometimes the messages will be taken further and linked in with other strands of RiP e.g. workshop on Learning Events Programme. We have just begun to use regularly updated posters to keep our partner agencies up-to-date about the progress of Change Projects and to provide info on forthcoming ones. So I’ll show you the posters and tell you a little about each Change Project.