Past event
The future of educational research in Wales
If you would like to view this in Welsh,
please click here.
The education system in Wales is currently on an ambitious and innovative reform journey and research and evidence informed practices are crucial to its success. This exciting conference held jointly by Welsh Government and the British Educational Research Association will provide a platform for the education community in Wales to discuss and share ideas about the opportunities for research and evidence informed practice in this evolving context.
Teachers, researchers and education stakeholders are invited to get involved in a showcase of educational research, contribute to discussions about how evidence can shape classroom practice and build partnerships.
The day will include contributions by the Cabinet Secretary for Education, Kirsty Williams, leading researchers and headteachers who are advancing the use of evidence informed practice.
Programme
| 09:00 | Registration, refreshments and poster exhibition |
| 09:50 | Welcome and introductions Professor David James, Cardiff University |
| 10.00 |
Harnessing research to practice – what international evidence suggest will make a practical difference in Wales |
| 10.30 | Panel discussion Eithne Hughes OBE, Ysgol Bryn Elian; Dr Kevin Smith, Cardiff University; Dr Rachel Bowen, CollegesWales; Dr Kevin Palmer, Welsh Government |
| 11.20 | Chair’s commentary |
| 11.30 | Cabinet Secretary’s address Kirsty Williams AM, Cabinet Secretary for Education |
| 12.00 | Poster session including networking and lunch (provided) |
| 13.30 |
Close to Practice Research: What is it, and how can its quality be improved? |
| 14.00 | Parallel cross-sector discussion groups Facilitators: Professor Gary Beauchamp, Cardiff Metropolitan University Dr Andrew Davies, Aberystwyth University Professor Alma Harris, Swansea University Professor Emma Renold, Cardiff University Lisa Taylor, University of South Wales Professor Enlli Thomas, Bangor University Dr Jane Waters, University of Wales Trinity Saint David |
| 15.00 | Plenary debate on the strategic direction of educational research in Wales Chairs: Professor Sally Power, WISERD and Professor John Gardner, University of Stirling |
| 16.00 | Networking reception |
| 17.00 | Close of event |
ONLINE POSTER EXHIBITION
The Welsh Government and BERA invited to submit a poster for The future of educational research in Wales conference. The posters highlighted educational research currently undertaken in schools, colleges and universities in Wales. They were displayed during a special session at the conference and are now available to view online – please click on the titles below:
- A Health Economic Approach to Evaluate Interventions in Education
- Animal-assisted interventions in educational settings
- Assessing the Impact of Support During a Teacher-Led SAFMEDS Numeracy Intervention
- Building a multilingual learning environment at primary
- Children’s Rights in Early Years Education
- Current Implementation of Computational Thinking in Welsh Primary Schools
- Developing an Evidence-Informed School Cluster
- Development of the new curriculum in Pioneer schools
- Enabling Talk and Reframing Messages
- Evaluating the effects of multilingual literacy learning in the bilingual context in Wales
- Evaluating the impact of ‘Numeracy Mats’
- Exploring the impact of metacognition and self-regulated learning strategies
- Exploring the impact of metacognitive strategies when problem solving
- Headteachers: Leaders of Learning or Business Managers?
- How does the explicit teaching of group discussion skills impact participation and the quality of group discussion
- Model newydd ar gyfer Cymraeg Ail Iaith?
- Narratives of Trust, Accountability and Professional Autonomy
- Negotiating professional roles and responsibilities during a period of culture change
- Power and Play in School Grounds
- Questioning ability grouping in the Welsh Foundation Phase
- SF4All in rural schools
- The linguistic dynamic of staff within a Welsh medium primary school setting?
- The possibilities and dangers of inquiry based professional development
- The School Health Research Network
- Understanding Implementation of the Digital Competence Framework
Parallel cross-sector discussion groups
In the afternoon, conference delegates were invited to participate in focused workshops on the current strengths, challenges, and potential future of educational research in Wales. These diverse groups were comprised of individuals from across the education sector, and were facilitated by representatives from universities across Wales and beyond. The purpose of these discussions was threefold: 1) to understand the context of current engagements with educational research, 2) to share perspectives and experiences of educational research that can lead to sustainable and productive collaborations across the education sector, and 3) to develop a vision of, and strategies for, the increased capacity for high-quality educational research in Wales.
BURSARIES
A limited number of bursaries of up to £250 are available to fund travel expenses for students, early career researchers and teachers. To apply for one of these bursaries, please email events@bera.ac.uk with a 250-word statement outlining the benefits of attending for your learning and/or career and why you cannot get funding elsewhere. Bursaries are offered on a first come, first served basis. Travel expenses will be reimbursed after the event in accordance with BERA travel policies.