Here at Shiplake College, we remain committed to delivering an academic experience of the highest quality. As well as through our excellent teachers, one such way that we remain on top of the game is through our very own staff-led Learning Research Group (LRG). In addition to the resulting articles being produced as printed and bound publications, there have been presentations at Staff INSET and there is also the chance to present and discuss findings to Shiplake governors.
The LRG is run by Assistant Head (Learning and Enrichment), Mr Shaw, who says:
‘It is with relief and pride that I present to you the third installation of the Shiplake Learning Research Journal. This document is testament to the hard work and dedication of our colleagues, who in addition to the many and varied roles they undertake, have found the time to investigate their own practice and share their findings with us.
All members of the learning research group signed up to different topics. These include areas for college development, with AI (Artificial Intelligence) being, perhaps unsurprisingly, very popular. Indeed, many of the articles here have been assisted by the development in the technology - all referenced of course! Other topics of investigation include memory and recall, further work on peer observation and pupil voice, and a direct study of the Thinking School initiative for SEN pupils. Throughout the year these groups have met to discuss research in these fields, applied research to their classes and contexts, observed each other's attempts, and carried out and reported on their own interventions.
I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the group leads for all of the work that went on behind the scenes, in searching for research and adapting a timeline, to the changing demands of the year and the commitments of their members. I should also like to thank all those who took part and found the time to engage in this valuable approach to CPD. I hope you enjoy reading this issue as much as I have editing it, and I hope the work of your colleagues may inspire you to take part in the year ahead.’
The LRG runs through each academic cycle and in 2023-2024, topics included:
- The Effectiveness of Explicit vs Embedded, and Summary vs Spaced Retrieval Practice
- Enhancing Outcomes for SEN Pupils Through Teachers' Understanding of Neuroscience and the Learning Process
- What do Pupils Think Makes Great Teaching?
- Future Perfect? AI vs Shiplake College
- Sixth Form Views on uses of AI for Criminology and Sociology
- AI - Is it Being Used, and if so, how?
You can read all of the findings in the journal below.