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24 July, 2014 - 10:30 - 15.30 Woburn House Conference Centre, Tavistock Square, London
24 July, 2014 - 10:30 - 15.30
Woburn House Conference Centre,
Tavistock Square, London
Agenda
10.30 Welcome to the day and speed introductions
10.40 Project (and NCCPE) updates – ‘where we are’, challenges and looking ahead
11.30 Q&A in plenary
11.45 Evaluation framework consultation – report back, responses and next steps
12.15 LUNCH
13.00 Update on SUPI Learning Project and reflections on teacher voice/involvement
13.30 Table discussions 1
14.25 Table discussions 2
15.20 Final reflections and next steps
15.30 ENDS
Project (and NCCPE) updates
• ‘Where we are’
• Challenges
• Looking ahead
Chloe Anderson
Schools Partnership Coordinator
Centre for Public Engagement
University of Bristol SUPI project
Where are we now?
• Phase 1 (Jan 2013- Sept 2013) - Collaboratively develop and
trial activities, raise awareness internally and recruit/train researchers
• Phase 2 (Sept 2013 - Sept 2014) - Run first full programme
with partner schools. Continue to recruit and train researchers, building
in learning from reflection sessions. Disseminate and discuss learning
• Phase 3 (Sept 2014 - Dec 2015) - Offer activities to schools
outside alliance via WP networks. Continue to refine and develop
activities; continue to train researchers and cement contacts in schools
• Phase 4 (Jan 2016 – onwards) – Work is embedded into
Action Plan for CPE. Continue to work closely with TSAs, contact with
individual schools. Programme built into academics’ research.
Identity Project
• Eight UoB UG students organised
lunch time workshops with yrs 7-13
with the aim to improve literacy.
• School students research identity -
personal, community, national/global.
Every group created and set up their
own blog on Wordpress.
• Group projects culminated in presentations on research. Topics
included Nelson Mandela, female emancipation, fashion & sport!
• Model will be used for WW1 commemoration theme, looking at
Bristol’s role in the war.
Extended Project Qualification support programme development
• Engages students with the process of
research, provides support
• Library visit days over June & July
including demonstration of how to use
the library resources
• Access to all journals, periodicals,
books, articles. Ability to book
independent visits over the summer.
• Academic mentoring programme piloted
with SMRT to be rolled out in Autumn
term to other schools
StAR (students as researchers)
• To assist young people to develop understandings of research
through direct engagement, acting as knowledge producers.
• Driven by students ideas (shaped and supported by postdoc
researchers), students investigate own learning experience.
• Nine students selected to participate. Four postdocs led a series of
after-school workshops (10 workshops over six month period)
introducing research methods, tools, data analysis.
• Students presented findings at CLF SLE forum and GSoE
researchers night as part of their Education Festival.
Challenges & looking ahead
1. Teacher buy in – strategic approach to relationship building
(working through SLEs, subject network groups, 6th form heads)
2. Project identity – setting up blog, communication with schools,
raising awareness internally
3. Genuine collaboration – sharing learning and experiences to
demonstrate partnership work
4. Students involved in actual research – students input into
research rather than experience/demonstration/generating data
5. Sustainable models – looking at all of the above!
Chloe Anderson
Schools Partnership Coordinator
Centre for Public Engagement
University of Bristol SUPI project
Map Your Bristol • Co-creation project of interactive map, virtually
all content user-generated
• Students can research Bristol’s history from
existing content eg postcards, flyers, oral
memories
• Students can upload content relating to local
history or community eg interviews with local
people, news, ticket stubs from concerts
• To be used for creative writing extra curricula
activity (WW1 theme); at SMRT it will be used
for yr 9 family history project in class time.
What is here for you?
SUPI routes
Route 1: ‘Off the peg’
Activities:
• subject lectures,
• lunch time debates
• established outreach such as
Chemlabs, which can be tailored
for purpose
Route 2: Pitch an idea
• Collaborative development with
academic staff eg off timetable
days, competitions or exploring
ways in which to meet a need
(eg improved performance in
Maths).
• SUPI contact can match with a
relevant project or academic
partner to take further
Route 3: Relationship building
• Extended Project Qualifications mentoring
scheme
• Personal relationships with PhD/Post doc or
academic staff.
• UoB can support an embedded activity with
provision of student volunteers for mentoring
(tangible role models) eg Science cafes
Models of University- Schools Engagement
June Cunningham
Schools Engagement Co-ordinator
MUSE – Future developments
• Increased numbers of ECRs
Becoming an Engaging Researcher
Promotional leaflets
Credits towards PGCert
PEG website
• MUSE enabled collaboration
Explorathon, European Science TV and
Media Awards, ENGAGE, URD
• Teacher CPD
University Research Day 2014
New schools, new projects
Two new schools confirmed
New projects:
ActivChat (VIP)
History – WW1
"Who I am": Culturally and Linguistically Diverse
Pupils in Glasgow Speak Out
Science of Jelly
Signal processing
MOBILELAND – Architecture (3rd new school)(VIP)
Cardiff University Schools
Partnership Project
Project Officer – Sue Diment
Project Manager – Bruce Etherington
“Raise attainment and aspirations of young people in Cardiff and beyond through strategic working with Central South Consortium,
secondary school and other engagement organisations.”
What's happening with our “Partnership” working:
• CU restructuring - Change to College structure and centralising of professional services, new “Way Forward Document”. Community Engagement and CUSP move to Research & Innovation Services.
• Change from Cardiff Council to CSCJES -5 Local Authorities (60 Secondary Schools, Access to all head teachers and WG remit for Education improvement)
• Restructuring CSCJES - CUSP linked with CSC Numeracy Strategy “Count on Success” and Literacy Strategy “Grammer CPD” - CU to sit on CSCJES steering group from Sept 2014 to align CU school engagement projects with CSC
• Engagement Organisations – Museum restructuring (BEE project), Techniquest (New Education remit linked with WG & CSCJES), SEE Science – links via teach meet events/STEM Ambassadors
• Secondary schools and colleges – CU school engagement projects continue to work with partner schools. Only WA have specific cohort of schools they engage with. CUSP project linking CU projects with WG, CSC, WJEC and engagement organisations. Developing project CMS for school enagement.
3 objectives of Cardiff University's Schools
Partnership Project
1. Ensuring Cardiff University school engagement meets the needs of teachers and pupils
2. Increase the Skills and Confidence of Cardiff University Academics and students to Undertake engagement with young people
3. Improving Support for Cardiff University-school engagement
Progress to date………
“Ensuring Cardiff University school engagement meets the needs of teachers and pupils”
Audit of School Engagement Database Curriculum Support Website
http://sites.cardiff.ac.uk/curriculumsupport/
The site was developed in partnership with teachers and the CU Schools Partnership Network. From recommendation from the audit process, teacher panels and external organisations who wanted to link with CU.
Searchable by Month, Key Stage, Academic School, by subject, by programme.
The purpose of the Curriculum Link Website
For Cardiff University:
• All “CU people” have access the School Engagement Programme offered across the University and reduces the amount of auditing, makes school engagement visible and raises the profile of school engagement.
• To understand the purpose of school engagement. Not just UG recruitment!
• To share best practice and make it easier to link projects /programmes
• To understand the cross curricular links with School Engagement Activities. By School Curriculum not just Academic Schools
• To stop duplication of activities – to grow capacity in existing project/programmes and share resources
• To use google analytics to track which activities schools are looking at to help shape future developments
• To capture data on teachers/schools accessing the site
• To use the blog and twitter feeds to share information and events with schools
• To advertise and promote events via the featured events and by month tab
• To allow researchers to use the link to support research grant applications to demonstrate how their research will be disseminate to schools, External organisations etc.
• To advertise research project to schools and colleges to recruit participant
For Schools and External Organisations • To have access to a searchable directory of CU School Engagement Programme
• To enable schools to plan and link with appropriate CU School Engagement Activities to support their Curriculum Delivery
• To link with CU School Engagement programmes via email, twitter and specific project pages
• To allow external organisations to access to CU School Engagement Programmes to avoid duplication and support
partnership working
• To link/recruit schools to engage with research projects and initiatives at Cardiff University
• To promote opportunities and disseminate resources to ALL schools and colleges
• To reduce the “email overload” - Schools can access CU engagement programme and select what they would like to find out about. Help to target activities and events for schools.
“impressed by what is on offer, if I was a teacher I would probably go to the department I was interested in first. As you have so much to offer I think you have covered all bases with how to search.” - Careers Wales
“This looks excellent; really easy to navigate and to find relevant information. It is a major step forward in improving links
between Cardiff University and schools and colleges and will ensure that teachers have good notice of all the future events that are suitable for the curriculum that they deliver.” – St David's College
The site goes live in AUGUST 2014 and will be promoted by Welsh Government Education Services, CSCJES, WJEC and Careers Wales .
“Ensuring Cardiff University school engagement meets the needs of teachers and pupils”
Enriching Secondary School Engagement Project The Enriching Secondary School Engagement Project (ESSE) supports Academic
Schools, Research Institutes and School Projects across the University to develop new or existing secondary school engagement activities to enrich Cardiff University’s
Secondary School Engagement Programme.
ESSE project aims:
• To develop a programme of engagement activities that meets the needs of secondary schools.
• To develop a programme of engagement activities that meets the needs of Cardiff University.
• To develop a strategic approach for Cardiff University to work with secondary schools to support curriculum engagement activity beyond the duration of the project
ESSE Project Development
Project Pilot • May –July 2013 - Enriching STEM with Cardiff University was a National Science Academy funded project
to build upon existing secondary school science engagement activity within the University to develop a programme of activities that meets the needs of secondary schools, teachers and pupils.
• The project began by undertaking an audit of existing STEM activities offered by staff throughout the University’s departments.
• Following this, teachers from schools in the Central South Consortium area were invited to come to the University to find out more about the existing activities relevant to their subject areas.
• 19 teachers attended 4 days covering all the sciences within the secondary school curriculum. The teachers then identified strengths and weaknesses in the current provision and suggested new activities that covered gaps.
• During these events, the teachers and academics identified 55 new activities, or improvements to existing ones, and selected half of these to be developed through the funding attached to this project.
• 6 of these activities were piloted within the period of the project with the remaining 22 being further developed and piloted by the University after the project’s end date
Benefits included:
• Developing relationships between teachers and individual researchers.
• Teachers having the opportunity to update their subject knowledge. There were over 50 days of Teacher CPD provided through the project.
• Teacher involvement in the development stage of an activity allowed them to be proactive rather than responding to changes planned by others.
• Developing new professional links.
• The overall process was less time consuming for University staff as they were getting feedback early in the process.
Barriers included:
• Planning requirements of secondary schools meaning that teachers need more notice of
events than the University can currently give.
• Supply cover costs prevent some schools from participating unless this can be funded. This was not true of all schools and colleges and so we need to make sure that the University does not work solely with the schools that can afford to work with us.
• There remain structural issues within universities that mean that outreach and engagement are not supported sufficiently which can lead to fragmentation of engagement work.
• Communications between schools and the University is not simple.
Outcome of Pilot Project
• This project developed a model for working between academics and teachers that provides CPD opportunities for teachers as well as activities that are tailored to the needs of their pupils. It provides academics with access to teachers who can help ensure that their activities are relevant to the curriculum and to teaching methods within schools. This will help these academics to inform their undergraduate teaching.
• A new Teacher Website (Curriculum Support) for Summer 2014 to make it easier for schools to find out about the activities on offer.
ESSE1 Projects following Pilot
• ESSE1 Project - Aimed at Academic Schools in the College of AHSS
• Launched in Oct 2013 and ran until July 2014 (Extended from April 2014)
• 4 AHSS Academic Schools , 2 STEM Academic Schools, 2 Professional Services
• 51 teachers involved, 77 CU staff and 800+ students
• Main issue for CU – Timing, Lack of infrastructure in AHSS 4 Academic Schools pulled out of project due to restructuring
• Main Outputs – Partnership Working with CSC & St David's College, Support for the development of SHARE with Schools and the award winning Careau Project, SOCSI to link with WG and WJEC for further WBQ support. PHARMYs first research project with schools, STEM Conference – first College level event at the University with all Academic schools working together coordinated by CUSP
• Final Report due in September – to include case studies
• Type of Activities developed with teacher:
Academic School Ref No Activity CARBS CARBS1 SOCSI SOCSI1 Infrogaphic for Schools - WBQ support SHARE SHARE1 Pathways and Transition Workshop SHARE SHARE2 University Information Pack SHARE SHARE3 WW1 Reception and Lecture sci-SCREEN SCI1 sci-SCREEN for Schools Pharmy PHARMY1 Apothecary of Bees Careers -CEP CAREERS1 Count on Success College of PS&E PS&E1 STEM Conference
ESSE2 Projects
• ESSE2 Project invited Academic Schools, School Projects and Research Institutes to apply to be part of the project.
• The project was launched in June 2014 and is due to end in December 2014
• Over 20 projects applied, 18 were successful. (Copy of paperwork available)
• 16 Teacher Panels have been funded
• 4 projects are developments from the NSA Project, 2 are a continuation from the ESSE1 project, 2 linked with WG, 1 WJEC, 3 CSCJES, All have partner school links
• Toolkits and project management support offered by the Schools Partnership Project Officer
• Links to strategic aims of the University and partner schools and organisations established for each school engagement project.
SEE HANDOUT - ESSE Project Flow diagram and information booklet
“Ensuring Cardiff University school engagement meets the needs of teachers and pupils”
Secondment programme to Launch in September 2014
• Pilot -Development from ESSE as part of SOCSI project
• Curriculum Mapping Project with College of Physical Science and Engineering
• CSC – Outstanding teacher Programme
NEET project
• Scoping meetings on going
• Link with Cardiff University Flagship Projects
• Link with SHARE with Schools community project
• CSCJES NEET project
“Increase the Skills and Confidence of Cardiff University Academics and students to undertake engagement with young people “
1. ESSE Project
2. Engagement module development
• Organised presentation of current engagement modules delivered at Cardiff University and invited Engagement Staff and interested others from across the University – presentations by Bioscience, SHARE, Physics.
• Following presentations several CU staff invited to join a steering group .
• Project ideas:
Online resource - Audit of exist support within the Uni and links to external resources/websites
Developing engagement module for UG with College of Physical Science and Engineering – School of Physic/Bath University
Links with Registry to support on-line module development
“Improving Support for Cardiff University-school engagement”
• Central point of contact across the University ….Me
• Curriculum support Website
• School Partnership Network
• Project communication plan developed with network
• Ongoing development of the ESSE Project Model – Project management/communication/training from feedback/evaluation
• Linking School Engagement to WG, WJEC, CSCJES and Careers Wales
• Partnership working across the University, growing capacity in successful projects, linking projects to share resources and training. (evidence with feedback from STEM Conference)
• Steering groups – Numeracy, WBQ, Literacy (with linked projects using Curriculum linked Website)
• Development of CMS for School Engagement
• Twitter (All ESSE projects and CU School Projects)
• Development of Website for School Engagement
• Linking School Engagement to strategic aims of the University – not just UG/WA……. Research dissemination, Employability skills, improving teaching and learning, Raising aspirations, research influence education policy etc.
Where we (Lancaster) are…
• Relationship with lead school firmly established and growing confidence in the interaction
• Beginning to work more with the other alliance schools
• Project gaining visibility in the institution and region
• Lots of ‘learning’ about how the various institutions function, the hurdles to be overcome and methods of working
Recent Events Early Career Researcher Workshops February 2014 The Engaging Researcher – delivered by Vitae, attended by 23 participants. March 2014 Introduction to Public Engagement – delivered by the NCCPE, attended by 43 Early Career Researchers
South Lakes Federation-Lancaster Chemistry Competition April 2014 Twenty five sixth form students from across the South Lakes visited the Chemistry Department at Lancaster University to compete in the inaugural South Lakes Federation-Lancaster Chemistry Competition
EPQ mentoring • 20 Early Career Researchers (ECRs) from Lancaster University
were recruited and trained to join the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) mentoring scheme.
• April 2014 – ECRs and 6th form students met for a 1-to-1 conversation about research skills.
• May-July - E-interactions via school Moodle site
Research Poster Event Six teams of students visited campus on Friday 4 July to spend the day with research staff from across Science and Technology . In teams they carried out practical work and background literature searches on their chosen topics. The pupils then returned to campus on Monday 14 July to present their findings as research posters and talks to teachers, students and faculty staff.
PhD student Oliver Thorne discussing research into RE with Gemma Winter from Queen Elizabeth School in Cumbria.
Staff development
4 Teachers now undertaking part-time PhDs
The Department of Educational Research, based in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences has developed an innovative approach to respond to requests for a school-based Educational Research PhD programme. Four school staff have been offered places to research topics that will enhance their individual engagement in the research process and research topics of relevance to school improvement:
• The link between cultural experiences and achievement • The extent to which Pupil Premium pupils’ attainment gap is caused
by issues with self-perception • The validity of lesson observations • The impact of reporting to parents
Looking ahead…
Sustainability….. The trust and confidence has been built The project now entering the ‘cultural change’ phase where the ‘project’ activity develops into ‘the norm’ Now feels like a research project in its own right
Talk to Us update July 2014
Lindsay Wager
39
This year….. • Countess of Wessex opens LifeLab, one of the 6 sub-
projects supported by Talk to US. • Full schemes of work and programmes of study
completed. • Four ‘hard to reach’ schools successfully signed up. • 10 local schools and approximately 400 pupils taken part
so far.
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Up and coming activities…. • Planning action research training
programme for teachers involved
where researchers train teachers
in the relevant subject areas of
the project.
• Building relationships with newly
signed up schools
• Investigate more linked up ways
of working with outreach
department and colleagues in
ITT.
41
Current challenges…. • Getting a foot in the doorway.
• Collecting data.
• Maintaining the good will of academics.
Evaluation Framework Consultation
• Initial analysis of feedback
• RCUK response
• Responding to feedback and next steps
• Q1: To what extent has inclusion been enhanced by the programme? Project feedback ahead of the survey suggested that: - 'inclusion' requires further definition (it may be too closely linked to SEN for some without this) - projects are working with a diversity of schools and pupils of different backgrounds and attainment levels (including high achievers) so specific impacts on inclusion may be challenging to measure
• Summary of Feedback from Survey
- Define ‘inclusion’
- No baseline therefore how can we define ‘enhanced’
- Is this part of SUPI?
• Q2: To what extent has the programme enabled researchers to acquire and apply relevant engagement skills? Project feedback ahead of the survey suggested that the SUPI programme has enabled participating HEIs to develop their researcher training programmes in a variety of ways and that relevant data is being gathered.
• Summary of Feedback from Questionnaire
- Overall good question
- For some difficult to measure additionality – as the training is part of a wider training programme
- Would be helpful for RCUK to list PE skills for SUPI for cross comparison between SUPI teams
- For one SUPI, not current focus for evaluation
Q3: How has the programme influenced teaching & learning in the engaged schools? Has this influenced attainment and aspiration? Project feedback ahead of the survey suggested that: - it may be difficult to evidence a causal link between participation in a SUPI project and increased aspiration/attainment (this would require a long term sustained approach/study and a control group) - it may be more realistic to measure the impact of SUPI in terms of pupils gaining transferable research and communication skills
Summary of Feedback from Questionnaire
Part 1 – ok
• But reliant on teacher feedback and can’t be triangulated. Possible alternative could be: ‘how has programme influenced teachers’ reflections on teaching and learning?’
Part 2 – not ok
• Lack of cause/effect link; no benchmark or control; need different evaluation approach outside remit/timing of SUPI
• The suggestion re impact of SUPI in terms of pupils gaining transferable research and communication skills was thought more relevant and measurable – with potential inclusion of skills in engagement and citizenship
• Q4: How has the programme facilitated the development of structured, strategic, sustainable and equitable partnerships between the schools and universities? Project feedback ahead of the survey suggested that: - SUPI is supporting the development/consolidation of partnerships with schools from the HEI side (though these are often reliant on particular people) so this would seem to be a worthwhile evaluation question - the same question, however, would need to be asked of school partners in order to accurately determine impact
• Summary of Feedback from Questionnaire
- Need to ask all partners ie schools and HEIs
- Look for barriers/challenges too
- Break down into key enablers/blockers of partnerships
- Some haven’t focussed on this, but can provide information about the processes they went through to develop their partnerships
- Key indicators include sustainability of the partnerships, inclusion of schools engagement in pathways to impact plans
• Q5: What have been the most effective models for engaging pupils with contemporary research? Project feedback ahead of the survey suggested that SUPIs have a lot of intelligence/data available to address this question. It is suggested that we should gather case studies, not just of effective models but also of 'failure'.
• Summary of Feedback from Questionnaire
- Case studies of successes/failures (that can be shared risk free!) that capture the diverse range of approaches
- Break down into ‘what worked well’ etc
- Enablers/blockers
- ‘Effective’ is dependent on context – ‘fit for purpose’
• Q6: What key factors have influenced interest and ambition in pupils engaged, across all abilities? Project feedback ahead of the survey suggested that this question should be rephrased so that, rather than 'abilities', we refer to 'attainment'/'attainment levels'. Or that the question be reframed as follows: 'What key factors have influenced interest and ambition in pupils engaged, paying specific attention to outcomes for diverse pupils groups.'
• Summary of Feedback from Questionnaire
- Like reframed question but needs work.
- ‘interest’ in what? research?
- ‘ambition’ for what? remove this
- Hard to achieve
- may not have access to pupil attainment information
• Q7: Has the facilitation of learning across projects been effective to: a) support project development? b) share learning with other stakeholders? Project feedback ahead of the survey suggested that SUPIs would be in a good position to feed back on this and have ideas about how data could be gathered to answer the question eg running a coordination meeting as a focus group to discuss it (participants could then be asked to identify key themes from a recording of this [with NCCPE/RCUK then collating feedback].
• Summary of Feedback from Questionnaire
- Some understood this to be learning within own SUPI therefore questions need clarification
- Most thought this is NCCPE/RCUK responsibility and keen to participate through eg focus group
• Q8: What have been the most important learning points from this programme? Project feedback ahead of the survey suggested that SUPIs have amassed lots of important learning points to feed back to inform future school-university partnerships activity (including on the theme of project sustainability).
• Summary of Feedback from Questionnaire
- Can we use coordination meeting to agree themes and then use as call for evidence across SUPI?
- Split into relevant sections
- Be specific about the term ‘programme’
Do you have any suggestions for RCUK in terms of evaluating the project as a whole? (For example, are there other questions that you are addressing with your evaluation that you think would be relevant to the overall evaluation of the SUPI programme.)
• Internal infrastructure to support partnerships in HE and schools
• Analysis of ECRs who’ve taken part
• Has SUPI affected their interest in teaching?
• Perceptions of research of pupils/teachers
• To what extent have pupils been enthused to consider STEM EPQ/CREST/Nuffield Bursary?
• The different SUPI projects will have varied in the approach towards evaluation and the partnership they setup with the schools in their region. RCUK need to recognise these differences before they interpret the findings of their evaluation.
Do you have any concerns about the approach being taken to evaluating the SUPI programme as a whole and how that relates to your own evaluation? If so please share them here. / Please provide any other feedback.
• Small evaluation budget/team so focus on where added value • Questionnaires from RCUK for project/teachers take time bear this in mind • Make questions very clear and be consistent across SUPI reporting requirements • Would have been good have at start • One size doesn’t fit all therefore evaluation framework needs to flexible for
diversity of SUPI • I think the RCUK needs to acknowledge (I'm sure they do already) that the
different SUPI's will have different emphasis in their evaluation. E.g. we will have nothing on pupil attainment, but a huge amount on research perception.
• The evaluation will be at its most valuable if we can join together as much as we can.
• We're not all working within the same educational system, and not all projects are working with teaching school Alliances. The point being that there should be the chance for projects to explore the context within which they're working.
• Judging these questions against the SUPI aims on RCUK's website (http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/pe/PartnershipsInitiative/#open) (see table below) only "bring contemporary research into formal and informal learning contexts" seems to be missing.
Lunch & Voting
• Please have a browse of the potential discussion topics while you lunch
• If there’s something you’d like to discuss that’s not there, please add it
• Use your voting stickers (these will be given out) to indicate the three topics you’d most like to discuss – by 12.45 please, so we can organise groups
SUPI Learning Project Update
SUPI Learning Project
• Literature review
• 14 interviews
• Survey (42 people)
• Workshop with SUPI
• Learning Event to reflect on outcomes from the work
SUPI Learning Event
• How are school-university partnerships perceived by different stakeholders?
• What are the conditions required for sustainable school-university partnerships?
• How can such partnerships secure ‘collaborative advantage’ for both parties?
• Is there emerging evidence of shared benefits and impact?
• Are there shared challenges and opportunities that would benefit from further work and exploration and how might such a collaborative project be designed?
Findings from the literature review
Where partnerships are more successful, three factors seem to be present:
• Power and control: all voices to be heard.
• Mind the gap – cultural differences.
• The importance of leadership.
Themes from survey and interviews
• Policy and funding initiatives influence institutional priorities and commitment, and shape the partnership landscape
• Partnership activity which is closely aligned with institutions’ strategic priorities is more likely to succeed
• Developing a quality evaluation model which places intermediate process targets (or outcomes) at the centre of the development of partnership activity is a necessary condition for successful and sustainable partnerships
• Sustainable partnerships can thrive or falter depending upon the stability of partnership structures and culture
• Partnerships are only sustainable for as long as they are mutually beneficial: shorter term partnerships can have value; longer term partnerships tend to be institutional.
Themes discussed at workshop • Limited evidence of impact/benefits from partnerships
and a lack of investment in evaluation
• Lack of shared vision/agendas at policy level and between universities and schools
• Recognising, rewarding and communicating excellence in partnerships
• Lack of recognition of the skills and capacity required for key brokerage roles and the associated expectations of researchers and practitioners
• Policy pressures (which make partnerships difficult, including accountability, imposed models and timescales)
• Cultural barriers make partnerships difficult – how to create a ‘3rd space’
NEXT PHASE
Long term potential impact • Quality: enhanced professionalism, high quality Initial Teacher
Education and CPD and more evidence-informed teaching in schools leading to improved outcomes for children
• Equity: raised aspirations for higher education and supported career pathways for disadvantaged groups thanks to strong links between schools and university WP/access schemes
• Competitiveness: raised aspirations and pathways for STEM careers thanks to enhanced links between research and the school curriculum and careers advice
• Impact: greater impact for research and stronger public engagement linked to more effective professional development for researchers and wider university staff
• Criticality and professionalism: a more robust debate around the nature of education and professionalism in a self-improving school system
Reflections on teacher voice/ involvement in SUPI
Why engage with universities?
• Professional development
• Institutional development
• Access to expertise
• Networking
• New ideas
• Motivates students
• Students engage with latest research
• Improvement in take up of science in 6th form
What helps / hinders?
• Mutually beneficial
• Timeliness – should not be made sustainable if they are no longer necessary/ mutually beneficial
• Personal link - Interest and prof needs of individuals
• Time, money (and who can access it), change of staff
• Expectations, paperwork, deadlines difficult to marry
• Avoid schools being practice, university being theory/ expert
• Itt preferred as always funding – the changing nature of how researchers engage with schools means difficult to keep in loop
How can we ensure the teacher voice is heard within SUPI?
• November co-ordination meeting
• Reporting
• Evaluation approach
• How best support teachers?
4 x Table Discussions on popular topics (including ‘Teacher involvement […]’)
• What are the key challenges/threats around each issue?
• What has been effective in helping to overcome these challenges/mitigate these threats?
• What are the opportunities going forward
…for SUPI projects?
…for RCUK/NCCPE?
…for S-U partnerships generally?
Final reflections & next steps
