LSRI Projects
LSRI has benefited from research projects funded by UK research councils, charities, government agencies and other organisations concerned with promoting educational innovation. This work, as with associated doctoral projects, has included close collaborations with other academic schools at this University.
Current and recent projects
Establishing a Midlands Oracy Education Group
The ‘Midlands Innovation: Inclusive Transformation Theme’ research project, seeks to understand the varying experiences and expectations of spoken language in education and workplaces.
The project’s definition of oracy includes both the development of spoken language skills and the use of spoken language as a strategy for collaboration and learning The notion of establishing a ‘Midlands Oracy Education group’ will also be investigated.
Principal Investigators: Dr Rupert Knight and Dr Denise Sweeney
Research Associate: Dr Ben Scott
Funding body: Midlands Innovation
Further information: Project webpage
Academics of Working-Class Heritage Talking: A participatory critical storytelling project with Russell Group academics
Despite a rhetoric of increased diversity and inclusion in HE contexts, there is a paucity of sources discussing the lived experiences of academics identifying as being of working-class heritage (WCH) in Russell Group institutions. This study used storytelling methods of inquiry to increase the possibilities of expression when representing what it is to be and become an academic of WCH. The work challenged the canonicity of a narrow range of stereotypes representing academics of WCH as a seemingly homogenous group. These characterisations include the plucky hero overcoming adversity or the historically victimic individual lacking agency. Through sharing, interrogating and (re)interpreting events from their life histories, eight participants form different institutions created a space where their lived experiences became sites of critique and analysis. Using composite storytelling approaches, the participants worked with an illustrator to produce three interactive comics representing biographical roots, and routes into academia; career transitions into, and through higher education and developing epistemic confidence to speak up and be heard as an academic of WCH. The interactive layers included audio monologues and dialogues created using verbatim dialogue and themes from the narrative data produced throughout the study. Other content includes synopses of key texts exploring themes of class and links to academic sources. Overall, this work contributes to pedagogic discussions identifying innovative methodologies which challenge the epistemic injustice of denying people from working-class backgrounds with access to quality HE experiences.
Project duration: September 2021 to January 2023
Principal Investigator: Dr Charlie Davies
Funding body: Society for Research into Higher Education
Further information: Project website
Primary Science Teaching Practice and Pupil Experience and Achievement
This project will investigate the impact of primary school teachers’ background and professional practice on pupils’ experiences and attainment in science.
Recent Ofsted reports note that science is not treated as a priority in primary schools, with disproportionate amounts of curriculum time being spent on English and mathematics. Fewer than a third of senior primary leaders see science as "very important". There are also concerns that teachers lack subject knowledge. Pupil performance is declining in national science sampling tests at Key Stage 2 (KS2) and in international assessments. Primary school is an important time for pupils to begin developing scientific literacy, an interest in science, and confidence in their science ability.
The research will use data from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), which assesses the skills and knowledge of primary and secondary pupils in more than 60 countries. The impact of teachers’ science experience, qualifications, professional development, knowledge, confidence, and classroom practice on pupils’ attainment in TIMSS tests will be explored alongside school level factors. Data from the National Pupil Database will be used to link achievement in TIMSS with teacher-informed KS2 assessments.
Project duration: July 2022 to December 2023
Principal Investigator: Professor Mary Oliver
Investigator: Dr Michael Adkins
Funding body: Nuffield Foundation
Further information: Project website
Promoting Children’s Positive Attitudes towards Pro-Environmental Behaviours: Encouraging Understanding, Agency and Motivation through Gamebooks
Climate change is a major problem currently facing society. While many individuals understand actions can be taken to combat it (for example turning off electrical devices), actual behavioural change is limited. Failure to change behaviour is often attributed to cognitive barriers, patterns of reasoning that inhibit action (such as, my effort is a drop in the ocean).
Drawing on the Reasoned Action Approach, this project aims to increase children’s (9 to 11 years old) intentions to engage in pro-environmental behaviours. Using a Design-Based Research approach, educational materials will be co-created and evaluated. Materials include a gamebook (a non-linear narrative) and accompanying dialogic lessons that allow children to explore the impact their decisions can have on their future. Project findings will contribute practical resources for teaching wishing to promote pro-environmental behaviour. Furthermore, the project will provide a theoretical contribution regarding how psychological theories (cognitive barriers and the Reasoned Action Approach) and pedagogical methods (dialogic teaching) can underpin education about pro-environmental behaviours
Project duration: 2020 to 2023
Principal Investigator: Jonathan Halls
Investigator: Shaaron Ainsworth
Funding body: The British Academy
SRHE Newer Researcher
Despite a rhetoric of increased diversity and inclusion in HE contexts, there is a paucity of sources discussing the lived experiences of academics identifying as being of working-class heritage (WCH) in Russell Group institutions. This study seeks to develop participatory research approaches aimed at mobilising critical storytelling methods offering academics identifying as being of WCH opportunities to create knowledge about their lived experiences on their terms. Participants’ stories of their routes into academia will be transformed into multimodal artefacts which communicate to students of WCH considering, or in, postgraduate studies that people with similar life histories to them exist in HE. Through this work, I will contribute to pedagogic discussions identifying innovative methodologies which challenge the epistemic injustice of denying people from working-class backgrounds with access to quality HE experiences.
Project duration: September 2021 to December 2022
Principal Investigator: Charlie Davis
Funding body: Society for Research into Higher Education (SRHE)
Further information: Project website
Impact of the IB Enhanced Primary Years Programme
This study investigated the impact of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP) exhibition on the development of students’ international-mindedness, critical thinking and attributes of the IB learner profile. The exhibition takes place in the final year of the PYP and is the culmination of a substantial piece of research involving group collaboration, inquiry, social action and a presentation to an audience..
Project duration: 2018 to 2021
Principal Investigator: Jane Medwell
Funding body: International Baccalaureate
Further information: Project website
PEAS (PISA: Engagement, Attainment and Interest in Science)
This project will explore student and school level factors associated with achievement, engagement and interest in science among the 2016 GCSE cohort when they were aged 15 years.
Project duration: 2018 to 2021
Principal Investigator: Mary Oliver
Funding body: Nuffied Foundation
Further information: Project website