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Research Title

The Story Tent – Developing Intercultural Learning in Primary Schools

Research Summary

This PhD thesis explored the possibility of applying Scriptural Reasoning (SR) principles to promote Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC) in primary schools. It did so by using storytelling and interfaith dialogue to encourage pupils to exercise ICC in classroom settings.
My research title was “An inquiry into the development of intercultural learning in primary schools using applied Scriptural Reasoning principles”.
My hypothesis was that ICC could be promoted in primary schools using faith stories delivered by faith representatives through applied SR practices.
My aim was to test this hypothesis through practical classroom research.
My objectives were:

1. To develop and refine a teaching strategy intervention that employed an age-appropriate adaptation of SR with a view to promoting ICC among primary school children.
2. To measure ICC displayed by the children during the intervention against a model currently employed by the Council of Europe’s education programmes.

This thesis takes its philosophical position from the work of Ricoeur and combines a phenomenological and interpretive approach to religious education to develop pupils understanding of both the “other” and the “self.” From this theoretical position, an age-appropriate intervention was developed based on the principles of SR in collaboration with the Cambridge Interfaith Programme. The resulting “Story Tent” RE themed day built on the established work of Julia Ipgrave’s dialogic and Esther Reed’s narrative approach to religious education.

Researcher

Dr Anne Margaret Moseley

Research Institution

Warwick Religious Education Research Unit

What is this about?

SR is an approach to studying scriptures in interreligious encounters, originally in an academic context. Its focus is on developing an understanding of religion, as experienced by faith participants through shared dialogue around sacred texts. It is a practice where people of different faith traditions come together to share their sacred texts in an environment of mutual trust and respect. Exploring difference and learning to disagree well is at the heart of the approach.
In this research I explored whether it was possible for primary aged pupils to engage with SR principles and whether this approach to reading sacred texts might encourage intercultural communication. I wanted the research to be built on applications of good classroom practice, but I also wanted to give the work a solid theoretical foundation in current academic research. Before the Intervention I developed a theoretical framework through a consideration of two primary research questions, each with associated subsidiary considerations.

1. What are the possibilities for and challenges to the development of SR strategies for promoting ICC?
2. How might SR practices be adapted to suit the experience, skills and cognitive levels of primary age pupils for them to exercise ICC?

What was done?

The underpinning work utilised Action Research methodology through a cyclical approach which took place over two iterative cycles in three different schools, each with its own distinctively different religious ethos and demographic make-up. It was unusual in combining the contributions not only of teachers and researcher but also faith representatives from local communities.
The Intervention was delivered in three schools over two iterative cycles. A research team was brought together to deliver the Intervention that consisted of academics, religious education teachers and community faith representatives.
A total of eighty-seven KS2 pupils (children aged nine to eleven years), from three different schools participated in the research. Data was collected during the Story Tent Intervention day through pupil self-assessments at the end of each teaching session, and by transcribing recordings of focused group work and research team interviews. Follow-up interviews were completed the following day with a representative sample of seventeen pupils from the three schools, using a semi-structured interview developed by the Council of Europe, “The Autobiography of Intercultural Encounter” (AIE). The data was combined to produce pupil case study portfolios and ATLAS.ti was used to support the coding process and analysis of the data.
Useful Resources:
Moseley, Anne (2018) An inquiry into the development of intercultural learning in primary schools using applied scriptural reasoning principles. PhD thesis, University of Warwick. (Available to view on the Warwick University library catalogue e-thesis – WRAP)
The Story Tent blog at CIP https://www.interfaith.cam.ac.uk/news/storytent [Accessed: Feb 2019]
Council of Europe (2009) Autobiography of Intercultural Encounters. Available at: https://www.coe.int/t/dg4/autobiography/Source/AIE_en/AIE_context_concepts_and_t heories_en.pdf [Accessed: Feb 2019].

Main findings and outputs

Primary Findings

1. Story proved to be an age appropriate genre for primary pupils to connect with and provided a familiar context in which pupils were quickly inspired and facilitated engagement. It enabled pupils to investigate difference through an authentic encounter of sacred texts with the support of a community faith representative. It provided a space where ICC could be practiced, and interpretations could be developed using applied SR principles.
2. The concept of the Story Tent “meeting” place facilitated an environment which enabled pupils to explore a “third space” place of translation, in which different viewpoints could be held in tension and explored together. Through the process of trialogue in this structured space pupils could encounter the “other” in a way that was not compromising to personal faith positions.
3. Drama proved to be an effective environment for pupils to exercise ICC. The process of working together to discover and interpret a story and present the findings provided a context in which many of the competences were being exercised in the moment.

Secondary Findings

1. Some of the competences were more frequently demonstrated than others suggesting the possibility of a hierarchy of competences. These differences were most noticeable in those skills that required cognitive thinking. From the pupils’ responses, explaining and relating were more frequently demonstrated than interpreting or critical cultural awareness.
2. Just as there appears to be a cognitively-related hierarchy among the skills-orientated ICC, there also appears to be an interactional hierarchy among the attitude-orientated ICC. For example, those pupils who were able to tolerate ambiguity were more likely to demonstrate a wider range and number of competences than those who did not.
3. Personal religious identity also impacted the pupils’ responses to the Intervention. It tended to have a polarizing impact. Those who expressed no faith position during the Intervention tended to demonstrate average overall Competence, whilst those who identified a personal faith position exhibited either high or low Competence. Pupils who had a strong sense of personal identity and were open to others and able to tolerate ambiguity were more likely to demonstrate critical cultural awareness and higher levels of overall Competence.
4. The Story Tent Intervention proved to be a significant learning experience for the Action Research team. The process of presenting and participating in the Intervention provided a space where a community of learning developed and all those taking part were being challenged by the experience.

Relevance to RE

1. Using Story – The research suggests that story is a powerful vehicle for pupils to interpret meaning without the need for irreducible truth claims. It provided a context where pupils could step out of themselves and imagine different worldviews alongside their own.
2. Using groups of 3 for discussion – The research suggests that pupils working together in groups of three provided a space for trialogue which moved beyond the position of binary dialogue to provide a space where multiple interpretations were possible.
3. Using Drama to develop ICC – The research suggests that the drama session provided a context for pupils to exercise ICC and recognises its potential to explore the views of the “Other”.
4. Using faith community members – The findings from this research suggest that adult and pupil participants demonstrated similar responses to the intervention indicating there is significant value to the involvement of members of faith communities.
5. Using the Council of Europe AIE structured interview tool – The research found that the AIE interview tool was an effective resource which enabled pupils to reflect on their intercultural learning.

Generalisability and potential limitations

Whilst it is difficult to draw conclusive evidence from the Intervention as the data sample size was small, the breadth of religious and demographic composition of the research schools provided an opportunity to explore responses to the Intervention over significantly different groups of pupils which provided an interesting comparison.
During the project I became aware of the limited opportunities the team had to fully explore the contributions of the teachers beyond the Story Tent Intervention day. Whilst the faith representatives were able to see how the Intervention worked out in different contexts over the two iterations, the teachers only encountered the experience in their own school contexts. This led to different roles emerging within the research team in which the faith representatives became more involved with the development of the Intervention and the teachers took on a more advisory role in assessing how the pupils had responded to the encounter.
Whilst the AIE interview provided a useful tool for comparison, I was aware of some limitations. Some competences were more difficult to observe, for example, very few pupils demonstrated non-verbal communication, which is by its very nature not communicated verbally. It would have been interesting to video pupils’ interactions to explore this dimension further, although there would be considerable ethical implications to this course of action. Pupils also demonstrated competences that were not included in the framework for example, an ability to collaborate and work together made a huge difference to pupils’ experience of the encounter and yet it is not recorded within the ICC framework applied.
This research drew heavily on the work of Byram and the Council of Europe to build an ICC framework for the Story Tent Intervention. However, during the research a new framework emerged from the Council of Europe. Whilst there is considerable overlap with previous models, there are significant differences, in particular a section that incorporates “Values” for intercultural competence. I chose not to change my research design midway and would further argue that Byram’s model and the AIE interview are still conceptually relevant.

Find out more

Moseley, Anne (2018) An inquiry into the development of intercultural learning in primary schools using applied scriptural reasoning principles. PhD thesis, University of Warwick. (Available to view on the Warwick University library catalogue e-thesis – WRAP)

http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/112822/

Research Title

Introducing ‘Big Ideas’ to UK Religious Education

Research Summary

This report details the research undertaken at the University of Exeter to apply the ‘Principles and Big Ideas of Science Education’ model (Harlen 2010) to Religious Education. The notion of ‘Big Ideas’ has been mooted as a suitable tool with which to negotiate the tricky task of curriculum reform. At the University of Exeter, the ‘Identifying Principles and Big Ideas for Religious Education’ project sought to follow Harlen’s example, given the lack of coherence in the RE curriculum at present (OFSTED 2013). A symposium of academics, consultants and RE specialists met on Dartmoor to try to identify Big Ideas for RE with the purpose of improving curriculum content selection and sequencing, and these have since been released in a wide-ranging report (Wintersgill 2017). Professor Rob Freathy, who was one of the lead researchers on this project, has also conducted research into how RE might take full advantage of the insights found in Harlen’s work by focusing not only on Big Ideas ‘in RE’ but also by considering methodological questions: Big Ideas ‘about RE’.

Researchers

Professor Rob Freathy & Dr Helen John

Research Institution

University of Exeter

What is this about?

The RE curriculum has long been recognised to be a problematic issue, with OFSTED describing it as overcrowded, incoherent, and confusing for pupils (OFSTED 2013). The Science curriculum faced similar problems and has been revised based on a ‘Big Ideas’ model (Harlen 2010, 2015), drawing on the research of Wiggins and McTigue (1998). At the University of Exeter, Dr Barbara Winstergill and Professor Rob Freathy sought to identify Big Ideas that would apply to the RE curriculum. Working with Professor Michael Reiss (UCL Institute of Education), who was on the team of international scientists who produced the ‘Principles and Big Ideas of Science Education’ (Harlen 2010), they convened and directed a symposium on Dartmoor. Academics, RE specialists and consultants drafted the ‘Big Ideas for Religious Education’, which were published by the University of Exeter in 2017 (Wintersgill 2017; available online).

However, while the ‘Big Ideas for RE’ document focuses squarely on curriculum content and sequencing, Professor Freathy was also interested in developing Big Ideas about methods, methodology and epistemology. In other words, he felt it important for pupils to consider how the study of religion(s) and worldview(s) is conducted. His research thus extends onwards to consider the ‘Big Ideas about’ angle, as well. The ‘find out more’ article below illustrates how that distinction might come into play.

The key questions in the Big Ideas project can thus be summarised as follows:

• How can we improve selection and sequencing of curriculum content in RE? Might the ‘Principles and Big Ideas of Science Education’ project provide a means?
• What would ‘Big Ideas for RE’ look like?
• ‘Principles and Big Ideas of Science Education’ listed (a) 10 Big Ideas of Science and (b) 4 Ideas about Science. How might we map that distinction onto RE?

What was done?

A symposium of experts met to draft the Big Ideas for RE. Further reflections and feedback were requested from participants. The final report was edited by Dr Wintersgill. Professor Rob Freathy and Dr Helen John wrote an article engaging in critical reflection on the Big Ideas for RE report.

Main findings and outputs

The symposium found that Big Ideas for RE could usefully be used to select and sequence content in RE. They could be modelled on the Big Ideas in Science Education project. Six Big Ideas for RE were identified, and are entitled as follows (see the report for full descriptions):

1. Continuity, Change and Diversity: this big idea reflects on continuity and diversity within and between religious and non-religious traditions.
2. Words and Beyond: this big idea reflects on the difficulty in expressing some of our deepest-held beliefs in everyday language.
3. A Good Life: this big idea reflects on the concerns religious and non-religious traditions have with striving towards living a morally good life.
4. Making Sense of Life’s Experiences: this big idea reflects on religious, spiritual and transformative experiences.
5. Influence, Community, Culture and Power: this big idea reflects on the interactions between religious/non-religious worldviews and wider communities and cultures.
6. The Big Picture: this big idea reflects on the ‘grand narratives’ put forward by religious and non-religious worldviews to explain how and why the world is as it is.

Freathy and John’s article goes on to suggest that big ideas are also required to reflect on how we study religions and worldviews. They identify the following 4 ‘Big Ideas about the Study of Religion(s) and Worldview(s)’ that pupils should also be introduced to:

1. Encountering Religion(s) and Worldview(s): Contested definitions and contexts: this big idea recognises how contested descriptions/definitions are of the nature of religions/worldviews, the concepts of ‘religion’/‘worldview’ themselves, and the dynamic nature of the contexts involved, for example.
2. Encountering Oneself: Reflexivity, Reflectivity and Positionality: this big idea recognises that who we are affects (and sometimes determines) how we study, what we study, and what we find out about it.
3. Encountering Methodologies and Methods: Discernment and Diversity: this big idea focuses on the multi-disciplinary and methodologically diverse nature of our field of enquiry.
4. Encountering the Real World: Relevance and Transferability: this big idea recognises that the study of religion(s) and worldview(s) is a vital tool in understanding the world around us.

Relevance to RE

The Big Ideas are designed to be overarching concepts that help draw together and make sense of the many disparate facts that pupils might encounter in the classroom. Using the Big Ideas report (Wintersgill 2017), teachers might be encouraged to think about how they could orient schemes of work around Big Ideas. In addition, they might introduce pupils to different ideas about the study of religion(s) and worldview(s) from Freathy and John’s article. The RE-searchers approach (a primary resource but adaptable for secondary; see resources on RE:Online) could be used to encourage reflection on the Big Ideas about side of this research.

Generalisability and potential limitations

The Big Ideas for RE body of research is in its infancy but, given the success of the Science Education project, there is great promise for its success in RE. Teachers are encouraged to offer feedback to Professor Freathy.

Find out more

23. Freathy, R. and John, H. (2019). Religious Education, Big Ideas and the Study of Religion(s) and Worldview(s). British Journal of Religious Education. 41(1): 27-40. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01416200.2018.1500351

https://socialsciences.exeter.ac.uk/media/universityofexeter/collegeofsocialsciencesandinternationalstudies/education/research/groupsandnetworks/reandspiritualitynetwork/Big_Ideas_for_RE_E-Book.pdf

Research Title

‘Growing, Together?’

Research Summary

‘Growing, Together?’ (2018) looks into how schools might unlock potential for powerful two way support by involving their local inter-generational community in creative projects to help them with RE and SMSCD. What sort of development are we aiming for when it comes to spirituality and RE, if it is to be of long term value?

Researchers

Liz Mills

Research Institution

Farmington Institute

What is this about?

‘Growing, Together?’ (2018) looks into how schools might unlock potential for powerful two way support by involving their local inter-generational community in creative projects to help them with RE and SMSCD, especially in terms of their provision for spiritual development. What sort of development are we aiming for when it comes to spirituality and RE, if it is to be of long term value?

What was done?

This was a piece of Action Research practically trialling a series of creative projects over the course of 2 years, linking a school with its local inter-generational community to see what potential might be unlocked for a better understanding of spiritual development and ways to encourage it in the longer term.

This was coupled with extensive reading into spiritual development, especially in later life, and ongoing work as a teacher; as well as practical involvement in groups for older people, locally and nationally, and networking with others involved in inter-generational community projects involving schools.

Main findings and outputs

That spirituality is not necessarily something which develops in a conventional ‘progress’ model, but more something that develops like a photo being ‘developed’ or realised, at any stage in life. There is much potential to be gained by involving older people in schools’ work in this area, though there are barriers to overcome. The next stage will be to investigate further ways to overcome the barriers, in order to harness the potential.

Relevance to RE

Teachers might develop their own ways to involve the local inter-generational community in RE. They might be helped by reading about the barriers that appeared and how these were overcome.

Generalisability and potential limitations

This is small scale research, which others may be interested in following up and developing.

Find out more

http://www.farmington.ac.uk/?s=growing%2C+together%3F

Research Title

The Doughnut and the Hole: Spiritual Development in Primary schools

Research Summary

‘The Doughnut and the Hole’ (1997), aimed to try to find through talking with teachers, advisers, children, researchers and reading widely, some simple, appropriate ways to encourage Spiritual Development in Primary Schools. The resulting images from this research have been useful in further work by myself and others. Seeing ourselves as spiritual in the sense of being Holy Doughnuts: Holy Wholes with Holy Holes, and the need to allow time for openings: as Windows, of wondering about the Wows and Ows of life; as Mirrors (of reflecting on this;) and Doors (of opportunity to express and act on what is being learnt from this). This piece of research can be found via the link below and supports other work in which I am now involved.

Researchers

Liz Mills

Research Institution

Farmington Institute

What is this about?

‘The Doughnut and the Hole’ (1997), aimed to try to find some simple, appropriate ways to encourage Spiritual Development in Primary Schools.

What was done?

This was a piece of Action Research in schools involving interviewing and working with teachers, children, parents and governors as well as background networking with advisers and researchers around the country, together with wide reading.

Main findings and outputs

What is spiritual development? Here a simple definition image was offered: a Holy Doughnut. An image which might help us see ourselves as ‘spiritual’ in the sense of being like doughnuts with holes: Holy Wholes with Holy Holes. Secondly, how might spirituality be developed? Here an alternative understanding of the word ‘development’ was offered: development as a process of realisation, like developing a photo, rather than a continuous push for ‘progressive’ development.

Three images resulted from this research, to help schools to plan practically. Windows (of wondering about the Wows and Ows of life), Mirrors (of reflecting on this) and Doors, (of opportunity to express and act on what is being learnt from this).

Relevance to RE

Teachers might use the research to help develop appropriate, inclusive ways to understand the term spiritual development in primary schools; and to do practical, creative work with this in RE, SMSCD or throughout the curriculum.

Generalisability and potential limitations

Other teachers might like to make use of and build on the ideas contained in the research.

Find out more

http://www.farmington.ac.uk/index.php/ps12-the-doughnut-and-the-hole/

Research Summary

This article explores the interpretation and influence of Genesis 1-2 – the biblical Creation accounts – in relation to Christian responses to contemporary ethical issues. It invites GCSE/A-level students and teachers to engage in a careful and critical examination of the texts. This is essential for a nuanced understanding of the variety of ways in which the texts have been interpreted. The article explores how Genesis 1 and 2 have been influential in forming a variety of Christian responses to such issues as gender equality, animal rights and environmental care. The article offers a partner piece to the newly updated ‘Beyond Stewardship’ resources produced by the University of Exeter for use in GCSE/A-level RS.

Researchers

Professor David G. Horrell & Dr Helen C. John

Research Institution

University of Exeter

What is this about?

This article explores the interpretation and influence of Genesis 1-2 – the biblical Creation accounts – in relation to Christian responses to contemporary ethical issues. It invites GCSE/A-level students and teachers to engage in a careful and critical examination of the texts. This is essential for a nuanced understanding of the variety of ways in which the texts have been interpreted. The article explores how Genesis 1 and 2 have been influential in forming a variety of Christian responses to such issues as gender equality, animal rights and environmental care. The article offers a partner piece to the newly updated ‘Beyond Stewardship’ resources produced by the University of Exeter for use in GCSE/A-level RS.

What was done?

The article begins with a close examination of the texts themselves, including an accessible comparison of the two accounts side-by-side. It then goes on to illustrate the enduring influence of these creation stories in the ethical debates in which appeals to these texts are made (often on opposing sides). The article outlines the biblical creation stories, noting the context of and differences between the two. It then considers what these texts have to say about (i) human status and the image of God; (ii) gender and equality; (iii) non-human animals and the question of vegetarianism; and (iv) human responsibility for the environment.

Main findings and outputs

This article – alongside the website resources – emphasises that the biblical texts have a complex legacy: there is no simple, singular ‘Christian’ response to gender equality, animal rights, or environmental issues. Appeals to Genesis 1 and/or 2 have been made to support or deny gender equality, to support or deny the rights of non-human animals, to support or reject vegetarianism, and to support stewardship or to support the domination of the natural world. The article offers insight into how and why those polar opinions have been supported by the biblical creation accounts.

Relevance to RE

This article would make excellent background reading for teachers and could be used as a think piece with A-level classes (or higher ability GCSE classes). It relates to issues of gender equality, animal rights, vegetarianism and environmental care.
The accompanying website resources, developed within the University of Exeter’s ‘Beyond Stewardship’ project, are designed for use in RE/RS classrooms when tackling issues related to environmental ethics. They encourage students to think beyond a simple equation of ‘Christian ethics’ with ‘stewardship of the environment’. Resources are available under the following subtitles:

1. Is Christianity to blame?
2. Origins of stewardship
3. History of stewardship
4. Contemporary Christian views
5. Catholic teaching explored further
6. The Future of Earth
7. Criticisms of stewardship
8. Alternatives to stewardship
9. The Exeter Project
10. Humans and (other) animals

Generalisability and potential limitations

The article and resources are primarily aimed at teachers and KS5 students. However, able KS4 students will find them useful as stretch and challenge materials and/or revision activities. They focus solely on Christian perspectives but do tackle the considerable variety therein.

Find out more

The article is entitled ‘Creation, Humans, Animals, and the Environment: Understanding the Influence of Genesis 1–2’ and appears in the November 2018 edition (Issue 51) of Dialogue magazine (pp. 3-8).

http://humanities.exeter.ac.uk/theology/research/projects/beyondstewardship/

Research Summary

Religious Education naturally draws on various aspects of the academic study of religions to ensure the accuracy and currency of its content and pedagogy. This paper sets out the case for a more intense dialogue between RE and the field of biblical studies, by explaining two recent major shifts within biblical scholarship: a greater understanding of the first century Jewish context within which Christianity was formed, and the emergence of new forms of biblical interpretation which draw on the perspectives of previously marginalised groups, including women, people of colour, and the disabled. It then shows how these might fruitfully be applied to the teaching of RE in schools.

Researcher

Susan Docherty

Research Institution

Newman University Birmingham

What is this about?

The paper brings perspectives from current biblical scholarship to bear on teaching the bible in RE in schools.

What was done?

Some recent trends in academic biblical scholarship were identified and explained. It was then shown how they might be applied to topics commonly taught in secondary school RE, such as the identity of Jesus, the problem of evil, or ethical issues.

Main findings and outputs

Lesser known primary texts are analysed to reveal: the common roots of Judaism and Christianity; the variety and historical development of these religions; and the plurality of interpretation of texts and issues possible within them. Contemporary works of biblical scholarship are then investigated to draw out some ways in which the use of the bible in schools can be enhanced by attending to previously neglected interpretative voices and to global perspectives.

Relevance to RE

This paper sets out to address weaknesses highlighted by recent Exam Board reports and other studies in the teaching of Christianity in UK schools, and specifically in the use of biblical material in the classroom. It discusses developments in academic biblical studies which potentially have important and positive implications for RE: demonstrating the breadth and variety of the religions of early Judaism and Christianity; offering new information about central topics on current RE syllabi; raising important wider questions about the plurality and ‘ownership’ of the interpretation of sacred texts; encouraging greater nuance in applying biblical texts to contemporary theological and ethical debates; and providing space for people from varied backgrounds to engage directly with the biblical texts in informed and innovative ways.

Generalisability and potential limitations

The research aims to support all teachers in making effective use of the primary texts of the Christian scriptures (the New Testament) in their teaching and in preparing students for public exams in RE. It is therefore more useful for those working with syllabi which cover Christianity in detail.

Find out more

Susan Docherty (2018) A new dialogue between biblical scholarship and Religious Education, British Journal of Religious Education, 40:3, 298-307, DOI: 10.1080/01416200.2018.1493272

https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/Yup26q3NkKDaPIbSqye6/full

Research Summary

ICT is now embedded in society. The question is no longer whether to use it in education but how to. Studies associate small improvements in pupil achievement with the use of ICT, but there is no causal link. It is probable that more effective schools and teachers are more likely to use digital technologies more effectively than other schools. The issue is to consider how well the technology is used to support teaching and learning. ICT has to be effectively aligned with what is to be learned. There is no general evidence that ICT improves learning as such.

Researchers

Steven Higgins, ZhiMin Xiao & Maria Katsipataki

Research Institution

Durham University

What is this about?

• Teachers inevitably face questions about how to use ICT to boost learning – it is no longer whether to.
• But there is no general evidence that ICT improves learning, in general.
• It is likely that the most effective use happens because ICT resources are matched well to particular learning or subject demands.
• What do we know about how to do that?

What was done?

• A meta-analysis was undertaken as follows – * A systematic literature search search revealed 48 studies which synthesised primary research studies of the impact of technology on the attainment of school age learners (5-18 year olds).
• These studies were analysed and key findings and recommendations identified.

Main findings and outputs

• Small group or pair use of ICT is usually more effective than individual use.
• ICT use can be effective as a short-term, focused learning boost, e.g. in catch-up or remedial learning situations; sustained use over longer periods is less effective.
• ICT should be a supplement to teaching, not a replacement for it.
• ICT-related CPD should focus on successful pedagogical use.
• Questions need to be considered –
  Will learners work more efficiently, more effectively, more intensively? Will the technology help them to learn for longer, in more depth, more productively? Or will the teacher be able to support learners more efficiently or more effectively? Will the technology help learners gain access to learning content, to teachers or to peers? Will the technology itself provide feedback or will it support more effective feedback from others, or better self-management by learners themselves? What will we stop doing, when we use ICT – what will it replace, and how will it be additional?

Relevance to RE

The research is not subject-specific, but refers to school learning in general. RE teachers and departments might reflect on its findings when developing policies for ICT use or lessons that make use of digital technology resources, asking questions such as: how will this particular ICT resource improve RE-specific learning in this case? The key message from the research is to use ICT judiciously and not through a sense that we ‘should’, or ‘because it is there’, though pupils can undoubtedly be motivated by it.

Generalisability and potential limitations

The research draws on a large number of existing international studies and analyses. Rather than offering recipes it underlines the need for teacher professional judgement and careful planning, but this is to be weclomed, and it does offer sound underlying principles.

Find out more

The report is freely downloadable from https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/evidence-summaries/evidence-reviews/digital-technology/

Research Summary

The Panpsycast Philosophy Podcast is an audio learning tool which provides content aimed at students to help improve their knowledge outside of the classroom. The podcast offers discussions and analysis dedicated to the topics set by the OCR Religious Studies specification studied in the UK. It also provides content which has the potential for synoptic links across modules and possibly other subjects the students are learning. The research project aimed to gauge how classroom teachers and their students perceived the usefulness of the podcast when using it as a flipped-learning tool.

Researchers

Andrew Horton, Jack Symes, Amy Houghton-Barnes & Anu Tester

Research Institution

The Panpsycast

What is this about?

Is podcasting, more specifically ‘The Panpsycast Philosophy Podcast, a useful tool for flipped-learning?

– How did teachers use the podcast?
– Has the podcast improved the students’ learning?
– Has the podcast improved the quality of teaching?
– What are the limitations of the podcast as a learning tool?
– How much do students enjoy listening to the podcast?

What was done?

Teachers were asked to choose episodes of the podcast and then set their students homework to listen in preparation for a discussion or written task. The staff and students were then required to fill in a feedback questionnaire which they accessed online. Teachers addressed questions relating to their thoughts on how the podcast was best employed as a learning tool and how it benefited their teaching practice, if at all. Students answered questions concerning their enjoyment of the podcast medium and how it compared to their other methods of learning.

Main findings and outputs

The initial data suggest that both teachers and students enjoy The Panpsycast as a method for flipped-learning. However, there are some stipulations, particularly from the student perspective. The podcast appears to work best when there is plenty of time to listen at the pace of the specific student. The podcast should also be used intermittently, perhaps every 2-4 weeks as one of the teachers prescribed. The findings here cannot offer clear quantitative evidence regarding the improvement of students’ learning, but instead, they give an initial insight into how The Panpsycast has been received in the short-term. Further long-term studies will need to be conducted if there is to be a clearer understanding of the benefits.

Relevance to RE

The initial data suggest that The Panpsycast is an effective method for flipped-learning and that both teachers and students enjoy it. The podcast should be used as a flipped-learning tool intermittently, perhaps at the start of a new topic, as one of the teachers prescribed.

Generalisability and potential limitations

The podcast appears to work best when there is plenty of time to listen at the pace of the specific student. The podcast should also be used intermittently, perhaps every 2-4 weeks as one of the teachers prescribed. The findings here cannot offer clear quantitative evidence regarding the improvement of student’s learning, but instead, they give an initial insight into how The Panpsycast has been received in the short-term. Further long-term studies will need to be conducted if there is to be a clearer understanding of the benefits.

Find out more

https://philpapers.org/rec/HORTPF-5

Research Summary

The National Foundation for Educational Research set out to explore evidence-based practice in schools: how teachers use evidence in the classroom, and what they feel are the most effective approaches to engaging with research and using it to inform their practice. Clear benefits were found, including getting teachers thinking about their teaching, giving teachers new ideas, boosting confidence, stimulating professional discussion and breaking down subject barriers.

Researchers

Michelle Judkins, Oliver Stacey, Tami McCrone & Matthew Inniss

Research Institution

National Foundation for Educational Research

What is this about?

The key questions were:

1. What makes for an evidence-informed school?
2. How do teachers use research evidence in the classroom?
3. What do they feel are the most effective approaches to engaging with research and using it to inform their practice?

What was done?

The data were collected through 17 telephone interviews with members of the senior leadership teams (SLT) within a sample of United Learning schools; and 39 face-to-face interviews with teachers from seven case-study schools. United Learning is a group of schools committed to evidence-based practice.

Main findings and outputs

• Overall, engaging in research evidence was perceived to encourage teacher reflection and open-mindedness.
• Teachers’ openness to adopting different approaches was considered to make lessons more engaging for learners, and engaging with research was seen to encourage this: ‘Using research evidence can give you new ideas; it helps to stop you getting stale and using the same teaching strategies over and over again . . .’ .
• Interviewees also believed that teachers benefit from research evidence through its use to inform professional development and through the confidence acquired from implementing new approaches: ‘research provides evidence that a teaching strategy is effective. This in turn gives you more confidence to try out something new in the classroom and to take a risk’.
• SLT members explained the benefits of using research evidence in terms of its ability to drive school improvement initiatives; to substantiate the reasons behind change; and to underpin staff professional development: ‘[Engaging in research evidence] provides a process for thought and examination of practice. It opens minds ….. and prevents teachers becoming compartmentalized within their own subject areas’ .

Recommendations:

•  Be open-minded when drawing on research evidence to shape teaching – teachers need the confidence to fail and try again, learning from the experience.
• Create time e.g. in department meetings to read and discuss research.
• Make research findings accessible.

Relevance to RE

RE teachers might adopt these findings into their practice, as research-based ways to develop teaching and learning. RE-related research has been made accessible via this website, for instance. A department or other group of RE teachers might select one of its research reports as the basis for a meeting, discuss the report in the meeting, devise some follow-up teaching activities aimed at putting the findings into practice and then report back in a future meeting.

Generalisability and potential limitations

The researchers say that evidence-based practice in school is in its infancy, and recommend building on their study with further research in schools. The scale of their study is fairly small but does show that within one group of schools, teachers and others are finding that the use of research evidence helps generate improvements to teaching and overall culture.

Find out more

The report is: Teachers’ Use of Research Evidence: A case study of United Learning schools. It can be accessed freely at https://www.nfer.ac.uk/publications/IMUL01/IMUL01.pdf

Research Summary

Engagement of teachers in research about practice is a feature of professional learning and career development in the United Kingdom. But what are the challenges? This is a small-scale study of the experience of primary and secondary teachers conducting action research as part of a development project promoted by a school alliance with university researchers. Interviews took place about the teachers’ motivations, experience and outcomes. Though the teachers felt reluctant and constrained by management directives, the experience was ultimately beneficial, resulting in improvements to their teaching.

Researchers

Andrew Lambirth & Ana Cabral

Research Institution

University of Greenwich

What is this about?

• What do teachers stand to gain from engagement with research, in the sense of carrying out their own action research projects with the support of university researchers.
• What are the obstacles to such engagement – why might teachers feel reluctant to do it?
• What are the professional advantages to teachers of researching their own work?

What was done?

11 teachers from 6 schools in South-East London designed and implemented an action research project aimed at improving an area of teaching within their classroom and / or school. Regular meetings with university staff were held, where advice on e.g. research methodology was given and the projects’ progress reviewed.
The research draws on 9 semi-structured face-to-face interviews with the teachers conducted by the research team and field notes collected from a total of 9 meetings.

Main findings and outputs

• Teachers were compelled to take part in the project by managers, as part of accountability or ‘box-ticking’ exercises.
• These also affected project choices, e.g. ‘cognitive acceleration’ in Science or ‘data-driven improvement’ in literacy.
• But as the projects developed, the teachers began to develop a sense of their own agency, because they were having to think themselves about the changes produced by their actions and how to learn from them.
• They began to be ‘intrinsically’ motivated to think about what children think, like to do and are interested in. Adapting teaching to children’s responses was a new approach, experienced as just and democratic.
• Teachers who want to be researchers do need scholarship time, and support to publish.
• They also find high value in collaboration with colleagues from the university and other schools.

Relevance to RE

RE teachers might be encouraged by the research to undertake small-scale research studies of their own teaching, on the basis of the evidence that this promises valuable professional development. In line with the conclusions of the research, they should identify research questions arising as important in their own practice, rather than to satisfy managerial demands, press for scholarship time and seek collaborations with university staff and colleagues in other schools. The research underlines the potential of e.g. Farmington scholarships or master’s programmes to generate RE teachers’ professional development and development within RE.

Generalisability and potential limitations

The researchers acknowledge that the study is small-scale. The account of the pressures on teachers would be recognised widely, however, and the experience of the few teacher-researchers studied may illustrate possibilities for the profession in general. The findings resemble those of other studies. See e.g.

https://www.nfer.ac.uk/publications/IMUL01/IMUL01.pdf

Finding out about what motivates RE pupils and using the knowledge to build up RE pedagogy

Find out more

The full article is: Andrew Lambirth & Ana Cabral (2017) Issues of agency, discipline and criticality: an interplay of challenges involved in teachers engaging in research in a performative school context, Educational Action Research, 25:4, 650-666.

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09650792.2016.1218350