We must design some ethical guidelines around using and conducting research in schools

I've recently begun to think about whether the school research/evidence community has a shared understanding of the similarities and differences between research, quality improvement and evidence-based practice (EBP). This is a critical issue because if schools and school leaders are not fully aware of the similarities and differences, there's a re...

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A guide to evidence based practice: what it is, key reads and why it matters

I recently joined and met with School and University Research Enquiry (SURE), a research group which has connected several schools in Glasgow with the University of Strathclyde to exchange knowledge and conduct new research. The aim is to promote a more evidence-informed approach to educational decision-making and practice. With this in mind, I tho...

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A beginner’s guide to Professor Robert Coe

Where does he work?  Before starting his career as an academic, Coe was a maths teacher in a number of secondary schools and colleges. He left teaching in 1995 to study a PhD at Durham University, where he later became a research associate and lecturer. Coe is still at Durham, and is currently professor in the School of Education and dire...

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A beginner’s guide to Doctor Gary Jones

Best known for: Jones is an advocate of evidence-based educational leadership and management. His blog, Evidence Based Educational Leadership, explores how educators can use research more in their practice, and the pedagogical implications in doing so. In 2016 he published an online handbook for teachers and school leaders on the best uses of evide...

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Foxes vs hedgehogs: 7 evidence-based leadership tips for headteachers

Is your school full of hedgehogs or foxes? Hedgehogs are people who are committed to certain ideas, and will stick with them even when they've been shown to fail. Foxes are people know lots about everything, but not everything about anything – they are pragmatic, prone to self-doubt and willing to admit when they are wrong. In his 2005 study Expert...

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