The applied pedagogic research group is a peer-support network for staff engaged in pedagogic research within the School of Health Professions. It is led by Dr Jane Morris and Professor Gaynor Sadlo, and co-ordinated by Ms Lisa Hodgson.
The over-arching aim of the group is to undertake and implement applied pedagogic research to support educational practice for quality health and social care delivery. To this end, the group has identified a number of key concepts which have been categorised into three main strands of research:
Pedagogic research, in the context of the group, is seen broadly as original investigation carried out to gain knowledge and understanding of learning and teaching. The group focuses on the application of this pedagogic research to practice.
The vision of the applied pedagogic research group is that all teaching staff are not just supported whilst doing research into their own subject but also when researching how students learn that subject.
Another underpinning rationale behind the applied pedagogic research group is the notion that research and teaching are inextricably linked and that one supports and feeds back into the other. Research underpins teaching by; feeding back into policy, guiding curriculum development, influencing teaching methods as well as linking evaluation with change. Where the group excels is that, due to the researchers being practising teachers, almost all of the pedagogic research carried out by the group becomes immediately applicable to teaching.
The applied pedagogic research group functions within the remit of the University of Brighton's Learning and Teaching strategy and shares the aim of 'enabling research evidence to inform the enhancement of student and staff learning and teaching activity and experience.' (UoB, 2008; p.1). In particular, the group holds similar aims to the strategy in terms of; curriculum development, research culture and student and staff experience.
There is contention regarding where evaluation ends and research begins. According to the RAE definition, 'descriptive and anecdotal accounts of teaching developments and evaluations do not constitute pedagogic research' (RAE, 2005). The challenge to the applied pedagogic research group is to support the transition from evaluation to research, and to encourage publication of evaluation research . The group will include, in its definition of research, projects that may be seen by others as evaluation.
The applied pedagogic research group also functions as a peer-support network, with members meeting regularly to give and receive informal feedback regarding their ongoing or planned research projects. It also enables staff to see the research that others are engaged in, or are planning, as well as facilitating collaboration on projects.
Group members are all involved in the application of pedagogic research to their own teaching practice. Members of the applied pedagogic research group hold a wide variety of research interests embracing the whole gamut of factors that students experience, from their first days in the university through to their development into practitioners and beyond. These interests cover both curriculum-based and practice-based learning and fit into the three strands detailed above.
Applied pedagogic research group
Supporting student research
Support for students who are themselves undertaking pedagogic research is also available from the applied pedagogic research group. Students are welcome to attend meetings and benefit from the expertise of staff researching similar issues. One aim of the group is to encourage the mapping of dissertation projects onto the strands supported by the group. This would enable a concentration of research to build, facilitate the supervision process and allow staff to supervise projects relevant to their area of expertise, as well as enabling students to actively participate in larger-scale, 'real world' research projects.
Further information
For further information please contact Ms Lisa Hodgson.
The contact person for research degrees in applied pedagogic areas is Professor Gaynor Sadlo.
References
Department of Health (2005) Self Care – A Real Choice [Online] London, Stationery Office. Download (pdf 592Kb)
[Accessed 11th Jan 2008]
RAE (2005) Guidance on submissions, June 2005
University of Brighton Learning and Teaching Strategy 2007-2010
