The power of Acon Research


Praconer-­‐Led Acon Research can be empowering for praconers, as it enables them to idenfy and enquire into real problems or issues that they encounter in their work. The outcomes of their research can empower them to make changes in their pracce which they might not otherwise have been able to do. For example, in 2014, researchers at Colchester Instute drew on the work of Dweck et al (e.g. 2010) to invesgate what movates young people on vocaonal courses to make progress in maths and English (the learners were working towards GCSEs, having not achieved grade Cs in school). The team found that staff and learners had quite different views on the topic and that there were some clear acons that staff could take, for example, to improve learning conversaons and the seng of learning goals which connect the development of English and maths skills with vocaonal excellence. The findings were incorporated in the college’s Connuous Improvement Plan, an empowering outcome for the researchers who had led the work. The Spelling Strategies workshop that was offered to vocaonal staff during the research project became a popular CPD acvity at the college.


The PLAR process itself also develops praconers’ capacity to crically queson their experience and reflect on their acons. For example, a researcher from Key Training, reflected on her own experience of having Irlen Syndrome and discovering the benefits of using colour overlays when she was reading on page and screen. This led her to develop an assessment for learners using colour overlays and to research the impact of this support strategy on her learners.


Mulmodal Reporng


Praconers on the naonal PLAR programme were encouraged to use mulmodal reporng approaches, such as the producon of videos, blogs and deeply layered posters. By promong the use of mulmodal reporng, we drew on the work of Cope and Kalantzis (2000). We will share the raonale behind this approach in more depth in a later arcle. In brief, we hoped to encourage the producon of reports that were accessible, more rapidly assimilated and more memorable for praconers who rarely have the luxury of me to study in a self-­‐directed way. In regional research peer groups, we discussed mulmodality in the context of the researchers’ audience who, we felt collecvely, would be largely other praconers, as well as managers and the wider educaon sector and public and who could access reports freely on the programme website. Furthermore, we ancipated and found that, as praconers became more proficient and confident in exploring a mulmodal approach in recording and presenng their research data, they felt more confident in exploring similar teaching approaches with their learners.


Literacies PLAR projects


As well as the work carried out around marking and feedback and introvert/extrovert English language learners, there were many projects over 2 years that centred on literacies (English, maths and ICT). Literacies research in 2015 included the following: • Resing GCSE Maths: do growth mindset messages make a difference? (see Sarah Richards’ arcle in this journal)


• Will our Virtual Maths Centre (Maths Central) increase learner confidence and greater success in maths skills?


• Will compleng an addional formave assessment tool, prior to undertaking pracce tests, help to improve pass rates for Funconal Skills Maths L2?


• What is effecve pracce in the marking of spelling, punctuaon and grammar? • If ESOL learners are disadvantaged when moving on to Funconal Skills, how can we bridge the gap?


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