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Have you tried to find solutions to challenges you’re facing in the classroom and hit roadblock after roadblock? Engaging in research may be for YOU!
The Research Ripple Effect
Research Practice Partnerships can advance educational change and build on the broader knowledge base.
Successful interventions you test may be scaled to other classrooms, schools, or districts. Your participation helps build evidence for what works (or doesn't, which is just as important) in real contexts.
What's the process to engage in research?
What's the process to engage in research?
University researchers must follow a specific workflow when engaging in school-based research. Requirements come from both their university’s IRB (Institutional Review Board) and Worcester’s research application processes. Depending on who data is being collected from (students, teachers, guardians, etc.), researchers must get specific approvals and consents.
Additionally, most school districts require school principals to first agree to research occurring in the schools. Check with your principal about your interest in engaging in research.
You could 1) become involved in active, ongoing, or already approved research projects or 2) connect with a researcher to co-develop a research question based on challenges and ideas you have in your classroom.
To learn more, here are the steps that need to be taken before formal research can begin with students HERE.
What should teachers expect when participating in a research project?
What should teachers expect when participating in a research project?
What could this look like in my classroom?
The design of a research project depends on its goals. It could look like:
inviting a researcher into your classroom to observe
completing a survey
providing students a link through Google Classroom
observing and video-recording a lesson for later analysis
keeping a reflection journal or exit tickets
piloting a new strategy/technique/tool and comparing results to a control classroom
What are the goals of research?
Each project will have different goals. For example, research can explore:
impacts of different instructional strategies on reading comprehension
impacts of different classroom groupings on student participation
impacts of different feedback methods on student discourse
What are the time commitments of engaging in research?
This varies significantly by the study so its important to know what kind of time commitment you are willing and able to give. For example, completing a survey or assingning a link to students through Google Classroom requires minimum time commitment while co-designing a study could require weekly check-ins.
Do I need to be concerned about Data Ownership?
Yes and No. While student data privacy is a significant concern in research, in order for a study to even be approved by the Office of Research and Accountability (that’s what it’s called in WPS), it must meet laws to protect students.
Are you ready to engage in research?
Are you ready to engage in research?
Think about ways to make research work with your schedule:
What does my practice, classroom, or school need from this research experience?
Do I have the school’s support and time to participate?
Will participating in research add demands on my students that pull from their current responsibilities/routines?
What capacity do I and my team have for data collection and feedback?
What level of involvement am I capable of having?
How can I get started?
How can I get started?
There are multiple ways to initially connect with researchers. Reach out to have an initial conversation. No commitment is required to express interest.
Join a Professional Development Opportunity: Find a workshop or a training that interests you. Here you can make new connections.
Join an upcoming research opportunity often shared through:
The ERC's Current Research Opportunities
Direct outreach
School announcements (university researchers often share opportunities through school leadership)
Educational Conferences
Internal Postings on (e.g., WPS uses TeachPoint and Vector)
Co-create research opportunities:
Speak with your Principal and/or Curriculum Director who can act as a bridge between classroom teachers and local university researchers
Join the Education Research Collaboratory and email the Directory with your grade, subject, and classroom challenges/areas of interest.
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