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| Research-Led Teaching: A Personal Perspective |
One University in its learning and teaching policy defines research-led teaching as that which introduces students to the latest findings in their subjects and develops students' powers of critical insight and intellectual synthesis. This idea is supported by writers such as Tushman & O'Reilly (2007), Anthony & Austin (2008,) Prichard (2000), and Paul & Rubin (1984) who see the role of research and its connection with teaching as enabling knowledge growth and improving practice and/or teaching.
Embedded in this definition is a reason for engaging in research-led teaching that is, to keep students informed of current developments in their chosen field and to aid the development of a cognitive skill. Another reason for engaging in research-led teaching in education and related careers, include the fact that it enables students to effectively function in many educational and related roles such as (Teaching, Educational Management or Administration in schools, Youth work, Community and Charity work, or the caring professions generally) which require:
- the skill of critical analysis
- critically evaluating knowledge
- making rational judgment in light of good evidence
- gathering and reflecting on the evidence
- being creative in light of rapid change and uncertainty (Brew 2010 and Brew, & Boud 1995).
So what exactly constitutes research-led teaching?
To answer this question I pull on personal experience 'in the field'. My experience in this area involves:
- Sharing research with students. I do this in four ways:
One, I use personal research reports as teaching material during classes to enrich both postgraduate and undergraduate students' learning. For example, my 2001 research on the church school relationship in the Cayman Islands resulted in the publication of a book with a similar title. This book is required reading for a module I teach. During specific sections of the module, the work is discussed and students are encouraged to critically think about, evaluate and challenge the claims made.
Two, during teaching, I utilise personal experiences and anecdotes/stories related to my own research to convey points of interest to students. For example, I might tell of interviewing a research participant and her responses, which betrayed her true belief about an educational issue.
Three, in addition to using personal research publications and personal stories during teaching, there is a list of required and recommended readings provided for all modules I teach. It is my responsibility to research the local archive, libraries, journals, and to order text books for all these modules. These readings are discussed during lessons and used to guide and broaden students' thinking about the subject being studied and to actively engage them in critical examination of literary sources.
Four, I utilised the knowledge gained and data from own research on reflective teaching to construct face-to-face, online and hybrid modules for undergraduate teacher education students. Examples of my research used are:
- Reflective Teaching and... (Paperback and Kindle Edition)
- Reflective teaching: Properties, Tool, Benefits and Support (Paperback)
- Reflection and Reflective Teaching, A Case study of Four Seasoned Teachers in the Cayman Islands (Paperback).
- Reflective Teaching as Self-Directed Professional Development: building Practical or work-related knowledge.
- The Role of Reflection in the Differentiated Instructional Process.
- Valli's Typology of Reflection and the analysis of pre-service teachers' reflective journals.
- A Reflective Approach to Teaching Practicum Debriefing.
- Engaging students in enquiry based learning
Firstly, this involves encouraging students to engage in research by making it a required element of modules I develop and teach. By engaging in a small research project, they develop an understanding of the research process; examine the literature; pass judgement about what counts as evidence, and reflect on the evidence (Brew 2010 and Brew, & Boud 1995).
Secondly, I involve students in personal research. For example, undergraduates were involved in searching the literature which contributed to the production of the following piece: Reflective Teaching, Critical Literacy and the Teacher's Tasks in the Critical Literacy Classroom (A Confirmatory Investigation).
Thirdly, students are required to produce a final thesis as a course requirement in a department of Education for which I was in charge. This further facilitated their induction in to research, for their involvement in the actual production of a high quality research thesis results in a greater appreciation for, and involvement in the research process.
- Researching and Reflecting on own Teaching (Scholarship of Learning and Teaching.
In this approach I am involved in researching and reflecting on my own teaching and the students' learning via action research or applied research, which involves identifying a learning/teaching problem, researching the problem, applying the solution to my teaching and publishing the results. Current examples of this occurrence are:
- Encouraging Secondary Students' Deep Reflection-on-learning: a case for a Reflective Approach to Student Learning Evaluation.
- Reflective Teaching and Disruptive Behaviour in Regular High School Classrooms in London, England.
- Teaching Tasks and the composition of a 'piece' using music technology in the classroom: Implications for the education and training of teachers.
I reflect on or critically think about my own teaching. Via this process, I reflect on what steps need to be taken to improve the learning and teaching process, using a variety of evaluation methods (i.e., reflective journals, students' evaluation form, and personal and peer observation) and then act on them in practical ways.
Here are a few strategies for encouraging and enabling research-led teaching
The development of a culture of research is one way of encouraging and enabling research-led teaching in a HEi. This can be achieved by developing and facilitating faculty's professional development, which enables and encourages them to engage in the 'scholarship of teaching'. This may include instituting awards /incentives that recognize outstanding teaching, based on researching and/or studying ones' teaching; developing policy and criteria for this recognition scheme; facilitating in-house training in the area of the scholarship of teaching, and organizing a special lecture series by noted scholars to address the idea of the scholarship of teaching.
Developing or facilitating faculty's engagement in research and publications is another way to encourage and enable research-led teaching in a HEi. Strategies to encourage this may include: building time in the teaching schedule for faculty to engage in research; providing funding for faculty attendance and participation in local and overseas conferences; developing policies to regulate faculty attendance and participation in local and overseas conferences; providing internal forums for faculty to showcase their research, for example, a lunch hour series that is broadly advertised, where faculty can talk about and present their research ideas for discussion, and present research that they have completed; encouraging internal review of publications that faculty are planning to submit to journals or conferences, and encouraging students' research by requiring (where appropriate) the completion of a thesis or portfolio.
Other ways to encourage and enable research-led teaching in a HEi is to encourage consultancy work by faculty by showcasing to the local university and wider community their credentials, experiences and achievements; hosting and organizing annual or biannual conferences at the University to address issues relevant to education; and using the University's website to display faculty research and scholarship achievements.
References
Anthony, E. K & Austin M.J. (2008). The Role of an Intermediary Organization in Promoting Research in Schools of Social Work: the Case of the Bay Area Social Services Consortium. Social Work Research 32(4) 287-294
Brew, A. (2010). Imperatives and Challenges in Integrating Teaching and Research. Higher Education Research & Development 29, 139-150.
Brew, A, & Boud, D. (1995). Teaching and research; establishing the vital link with learning. Higher Education, 29, 261-273
Paul, C.W and Rubin, P.H. (1984) Teaching and Research: The Human Capital
Paradigm. Journal of Economics Education 15(2), 142-147
Prichard, R. (2000) Future Directions for Research in Caribbean Higher Education Institutions. Chapter 11 in Higher Education in the Caribbean: Past, Present & Future Directions. 251-265, ISBN 9789766400798
Tushman, M & O'Reilly III, C. (2007). Research and Relevance: Implications of pasteur's quadrant for doctoral programs and faculty development. Academy of Management Journal 50(4), 769-774