This issue of BERA Bites is focussed on promoting research practice in schools. Through 11 articles drawn from the BERA Blog it explores the distinction between schools being research-active and research-informed as a consequence of research conducted within them, and asks how they should both use and generate research. Knowledge production in the school system is, Potter argues, a vital element of school improvement, so the collection offers a variety of opinions and models of what self-improving, ‘research alive’ schools might look like.
Among the topics it covers are:
- educational research as continuing professional development, and ‘self-improvement’, for teachers
- the challenges of encouraging teachers and schools to become ‘research literate’
- the importance of fostering a culture of research and research-use, particularly for school leaders
- how schools can work with the university sector and other schools to create ‘collaborative spaces’ between research and practice
- ethical issues and ‘risk-taking’ in research-active schools
- professional doctorates and the power of insider research.
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