Action Research

Research

Primary

Children exchange a box of objects with an Indian school

Two teachers assess their pupils' attitude to other cultures as they take part in the Brilliant Box Project! At Stamford Park Primary School in Manchester, headteacher Cathy Downing and Year 4 class teacher Beth Matthews video their pupils discussing family values and choosing objects to represent these values. They then place them in a box to send to India. Meanwhile a class in New Delhi does the same thing and sends its box to Stamford Park. When the Indian box arrives the children guess what is inside and then open the box with much excitement. They are puzzled by some of the contents and their discussions are captured on video. Rittika Chanda Parruck from the British Council in Delhi discusses the project with Cathy, Beth and their cluster leader Tim Gartside, to discover what they have learned and how the project could develop.

A Box for India

The school in India opens its box from Britain

Primary children in India learn about the UK through exchanging a box of objects with a school in Manchester as part of the Brilliant Box Project. Their teachers capture their discoveries on video as the children at Apeejay school in New Delhi discuss family values. The pupils then describe objects that represent these values and place them in a box to send to the UK. Meanwhile in Stamford Park Junior School in Manchester, a Year 4 class does the same thing and sends their box to Apeejay. The Indian children excitedly open the UK box and wonder what the objects mean. Finally, the programme shows heir reactions as they see how their objects are received in the UK,and how they come to the conclusion that despite their differences they are the same inside.

A Box for the UK

Case studies on use of action research in primary and secondary

Three case studies reveal the growing use of action research, a process where teachers assess teaching and learning to improve both teacher and student learning, in this whole-school video for primary and secondary teachers. Each of these case studies highlights the way in which action research projects can work within a school and provides a valuable insight into the problems that various schools have faced. St George's Primary School in Birmingham started an action research project due to the high level of newly arrived children at the school. Their research led to the development of a welcome pack that gave children a defined focus for action. At Colmore Infant and Nursery School in south Birimingham, reading at KS1 had been identified as a development priority for teachers. Their research project led to the introduction of a succesful bookmark scheme that encouraged more reading at home. At Douay Martyrs School in Middlesex, head of Year 11 Simon Cheale is engaged in action research as part of his school-based MA in education. His research is centred on a motivational scheme for improving boys' performance at GCSE level.

Pupils get to re-cut archive video to create revision DVDs

Michael Keenan, AST at St Austin's Primary School in Liverpool, has opened his video archive to his pupils, allowing them to re-cut them into bite-size DVD revision guides. Michael has captured the process on video, asking the pupils how they are using the new resources and what they like about them. The pupils are now very enthusiastic about their revision, even sharing their resources with their siblings. The screening of his video is followed by a discussion led by consultant Adrienne Jones with Michael, headteacher Noel O'Neill and teacher Emma Vallely. They ask whether interactive resources really improve motivation and learning, and if pupil ownership the key.

Bite-size DVD

A look at how dance can be used across the primary curriculum

At Broadway Junior School in Gateshead, teacher Chris Horn and his colleagues have been using dance to engage learners of all abilities across the curriculum. Chris documents this process in his video, Dancing Across the Curriculum. Watch Chris and his class in action as they combine words in extended sentences and express these as short dance sequences. There's also a chance to see an example of geography combined with dance, with children asked to use dance to explore ideas about scale from mountain to sand. Chris joins educational consultant Adrienne Jones plus teacher Andrea Noble and headteacher Margarita Acklam to discuss the benefits of this approach to pupils' learning. In particular, the group discuss the approach in terms of creativity, self-esteem and achievement. They conclude by considering how teacher video supports CPD and can help non-specialists embrace this kind of innovation.

Dancing Across the Curriculum

A look at some useful strategies for motivating reluctant readers

In this episode of Action! Teacher Video, teacher Heather Ravenhall presents her inspiring film, How to Motivate Reluctant Readers. Featuring action research carried out at Greet Primary School in Birmingham, the video explores the different methods and strategies used to encourage young children to read and enjoy books. The video is part of a unique showcase of videos made by teachers about their work in schools. Presenter Xanthe Steen is joined in the studio by Heather, as well as education consultant Adrienne Jones and teacher Chris Horn, to discuss the project. They look at what the school's research has revealed to date and the discuss the strategies that have proved successful. They also consider the wider implications of using teachers'videos to record and assess children's learning and to aid teacher CPD.

Foundation Reading

A primary school runs a gifted and talented pupil voice project

Meet Lucy, a Year 6 pupil who has helped implement her school's pupil voice project on how to improve gifted and talented provisions. Lucy is part of a small group of pupils from all years who make up the research group at Tipton St John Primary school in Exeter. They conduct research into learning across the whole school and analyse responses to their questionnaires. Lucy talks through the findings and discusses how the research work itself has challenged them. She shows how the school has taken on board their views and some of the changes they have made, from more pair work in class to whole school 'think days'. Tipton St John Primary is one of several schools that took part in a South West Gifted and Talented Education pupil voice action research project.

Gifted and Talented Pupil Voice - Lucy

Delivering the creative curriculum with the use of characters

At Coney Hill Community Primary School in Gloucester, teacher Melissa Harrison is delivering the creative curriculum with the use of colourful characters like Granny Smith. Melissa captures her Year 2 pupils' encounters with Granny Smith on video - but Granny Smith has actually never been seen! She lives in a shed in the corner of the classroom and leaves notes with tasks for the children to do for her. Following the video, consultant Adrienne Jones leads a studio discussion with Melissa, her colleague Danielle Brayshaw and Mandy, whose daughter Chloe is taught by Melissa. The group's discussion covers not only the impact of Melissa's creative approach, but the differences between boys and girls and how the pupils could make their own videos.

Granny Smith

A look at the novel approach to teaching at Hook C.E. Primary

Janet Huscroft, headteacher at Hook Church of England Primary School in Yorkshire, aims to develop lively, enquiring and creative minds through schemes of work that are based on transferable skills and a thematic approach. The school takes a novel approach to curriculum time, there are no doors on the classrooms, no timetable and no fixed playtime! Class teacher Di Meyer provides an insight into the school through a video she has made, Hooked on Learning, which is her first use of video in the classroom. In the studio discussion that follows, consultant Adrienne Jones is joined by Di, Janet Huscroft and another headteacher, Kate Rowley, from a school in the local network. They explore the benefits of this creative approach on pupils' learning, the impact on interpersonal skills, confidence and attitudes to school and learning. They also consider the wider implications of using a teacher-made video for assessment and CPD and conclude that video is a key tool for them to use in the future.

Hooked on Learning

UK teachers delivering CPD to teachers in a rural Ugandan school

"Whitefriars First and Middle School in north London delivers professional development to teachers in Uganda through teacher exchanges, with the benefits being apparent at both schools. Headteacher Lynne Pritchard has been instrumental in setting up the initiative, with the video shot on location in Uganda demonstrating how the project is affecting teaching practice in Masindi and how the UK teachers have also gained from their experience as teacher trainers. In the discussion that follows, consultant Adrienne Jones is joined by Lynne, teacher-trainer Helen Davies, co-founder of the project, Ronnie Katzler and a visiting teacher from Uganda, Isaac Kizito. Discover the issues facing UK teachers supporting colleagues in a rural Ugandan school, how the Ugandan teachers see the project and what impact is it having, and how making a video changes the way they perceive children?s reactions and the attitudes of teachers."

Professional Development for Quality Teaching

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