Developing Children as Researchers

Emma Palastranga, Primary Deputy Head

I have looked at the proposal and I'm very impressed. A few years ago I was involved in a project to develop children as researchers, it was as the authors described. It was led by an academic from university and was dependent on their input. It is a topic I nearly researched for my MA!

The authors clearly recognise the time pressures teachers are under and also the value of enabling children to have their voice heard. I therefore think that there is a market for such a text. The sample chapters are very accessible in terms of language and layout, the addition of icons/images/boxes brings the page to life and signposts different sections of the research protocol for teachers and children.

Teachers would find this easy to access and the examples are written with children's experiences in mind. I really like the way that the research can start alongside the training as I agree that for most children engaged in this, they just want to get going on their own research. However it is also flexible to run as a training programme in isolation. The chapters are clearly set out and cover each aspect of research in simple steps with further reading recommendations should it be required.

In terms of longevity it can be linked into the curriculum though is not dependent upon it therefore it will not have an 'expiry date' and also has international appeal. The authors are knowledgeable and sensitive to classroom practicalities hence this quality proposal for a very useful text. It is one I shall be looking to purchase once published.’

Joanne Newell, Primary Teacher

This proposal is an exciting vision of how education may evolve in the future. It is challenging in the current educational climate, because there is a general tendency to veer towards a knowledge based curriculum, where children are fed a number of facts and expected to remember and regurgitate them. This is exactly why a book like this is needed at this particular time. It will open up teachers' minds to new possibilities and remind them that there are many ways for pupils to take control of their own learning. I would suggest that the main difficulty with the book is that the audience who will engage with it could potentially be limited because teachers feel so bogged down by the curriculum that already exists that taking on something that they could see as an extra subject in the curriculum could seem to them unfeasible. However, that is the worst case scenario. Good teachers and open minded leaders will recognise that these skills are applicable right across the curriculum. They are higher order skills that not only prepare children to be independent learners, but also prepare them for the academic skills that they will need throughout secondary school and at University level. So in that sense, this book nurtures ambition in young learners, which is a very positive thing.

I hope that the book would show plenty of examples of the work produced by children who piloted the resources. This is a big seller for teachers because they like to know (if they are taking on an initiative that is new to them in an already frantic environment) that the new methods they are going to try out are tried and tested. It is good to be able to see what they are aiming and aspiring to.

The suggested age group range is unclear. It is suggested that it is upper key stage 2 and bottom of secondary, but I would suggest that it would be better to stick to one or the other. If I had to choose I would suggest sticking with Key Stage 2 as it is much easier to integrate initiatives that are not specific to one subject into the primary curriculum.

Reading through the lesson notes, I would have been interested in which specific year group the activities were trialed in. The main aspect that the written activities seems to lack is differentiation; it must not be forgotten that there are some children who would really struggle with these activities, either because they find discussion difficult or because the activities are so multi layered.