Reshaping boundaries between teaching and research: an example of collaborative research in ‘Assessment for Learning’

Reimann, Nicola and Montgomery, Catherine (2007) Reshaping boundaries between teaching and research: an example of collaborative research in ‘Assessment for Learning’. In: Society for Research into Higher Education (SRHE) Conference, 11 - 13 December 2007, Brighton, Sussex.

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Abstract

This paper discusses research in Higher Education that deliberately blurs the boundaries between research and teaching, between researching and being researched. The study attempts to explore a different approach to developing knowledge of practice and for practice by recasting the roles of the educational researcher and the researched practitioner. Instead, two equal co-researchers engage in a longitudinal collaboration in which research data and responses to that data are mutually constructed by researcher and researched. The study is part of a wider research project relating to assessment for learning (AfL), an approach that requires staff and students to review their perceptions of assessment as meaningful learning and integrated understanding of ideas rather than end-point ‘testing’ (Carless et al, 2006). In the context of this English Language module under investigation, the emphasis is on peer review, feedback and building collaborative learning environments involving students and staff. Data analysis suggests that the reflective dialogue between the researchers contributed to the continual development and fine-tuning of the AfL model and this approach helped students to develop and apply their understanding of ideas and theory. Data includes classroom observations, interviews, student written work, tutor think aloud protocols as well as a series of recorded, reflective conversations between the two co-researchers, during which the module and the AfL activities are discussed as they unfold. By engaging in this dialogue and including it as data, the study emphasises the importance of talk for professional development and culture change in education (Frankham and Howes, 2006) and tries to model everyday conversations between lecturers as these have been shown to contribute to continuing professional development (King 2004). There are resonances with Allwright’s (2005) notion of ‘exploratory practice’ which adopts an ethical, non-technicist approach involving a ‘first person plural notion’: ‘“We research our practice” (to be compared with the academic researcher’s “I research your teaching,” and with the Action Researcher’s “I research my teaching”).’ (Allwright, 2005: 357). By adopting such an approach, the study highlights the similarities between researching and learning (Brew, 2003) and makes a contribution to the development of practitioner research methodologies (Furlong and Oancea, 2005).

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)
Subjects:	X300 Academic studies in Education
Department:	Faculties > Health and Life Sciences > Social Work, Education and Community Wellbeing
Related URLs:	Organisation
Depositing User:	EPrint Services
Date Deposited:	18 Oct 2010 09:17
Last Modified:	12 Oct 2019 14:39
URI:	http://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/1057

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