Draft strategy as of 1 August 2009 by HM Inspectorate of Education after endorsement by HMIE
Management Board on 26 May 2009. Subject to final approval by HMIE Senior Management Group.
HM Inspectorate of Education
Research Strategy – May 2009
Improvement /
development target
Raise awareness and
increase the use of
research within all
aspects of HMIE
activity. This includes
research methodology
when planning and
implementing tasks
and using the
published outcomes of
research.
Improve our
understanding and
use of major national
and international
research projects
Actions/ activity required (timescales to be agreed and included in
final version).
1) Build research into planning a task: use the channel/ button/
prompt within the business planning tool.
2) Increase the use of the ‘call off research contract’ with
Universities. Create a gatekeeper for research requests, to liaise
with our university colleagues and our Accountant. Link in with
HMIE strategic priorities.
3) Organise the research page on the HMIE intranet: tools,
strategies, web links for sources of research, organised by
curricular areas/ curriculum for excellence themes.
4) Increase awareness of the use of archival research-based
knowledge such as that found in peer-reviewed educational
journals. Ensure all HMI are aware of how to access corporate
subscriptions via Athens.
5) Creation of a research assistant post.
6) Ensure ALL HMI get copies of major research reports, eg,
OECD, AERS research vignettes.
7) Regular email bulletin to all staff on new research publications
available online and ‘big messages’ from major research.
8) Raise awareness of local and national research digests
available online and via email subscriptions.
9) Build on the success of the PRAISE framework and provide
training on using research tools to enhance the robustness and
impartiality of inspection activities – eg conducting semi-structured
interviews using coaching questions.
10) Establish a clear remit for our own statisticians and their
interaction with the SG statistic team. Share roles/ remits with all
staff.
1) Workshops(s) on interpreting research findings at HMIE training
events, including credibility/ validity testing of research projects.
2) Presentation at national conference: raising awareness of using
research and key sources.
3) Research findings newsletter (twice or three times a year?).
Either by our own team or outsourced through SCRE or the call off
contract.
4) All GP conferences to include research input/ advice.
5) GP proforma to schools/ LAs on use of action research to widen
our knowledge of current good practice.
6) Induction assignment – research to be used when drawing
conclusions. Amend guidelines to include assessment methods/
tools/ controlling variables, etc.
7) Raise awareness of emergent websites publishing the outcomes
of research, eg, Glasgow University ‘d space’
www.dspace.gla.ac.uk or eprints service www.eprints.gla.ac.uk
Raise awareness of next practice/ future practice research sources.
8) Corporate services staff to be trained on filtering sources of
Draft strategy as of 1 August 2009 by HM Inspectorate of Education after endorsement by HMIE
Management Board on 26 May 2009. Subject to final approval by HMIE Senior Management Group.
research from a limited number of websites. Develop template
email formats to support corporate services staff in sharing
research sources with HMI in response to requests.
8) Formation of short life national research and development
group. Membership from HMIE, LTS, SG, COSLA, TEIs. Aim to
improve the use of research and develop systems for
communicating findings. At present there is no newsletter or
regular mail drop being sent to schools on research.
Use the Journey to
Excellence online
resource to encourage
evidence-based
approaches, forming
closer links between
research outcomes
and school
improvement
1) Research toolkit online with buttons and prompts. This would
include advice on using research methods, eg, questionnaires,
structured observations, etc.
2) New film clips on action research projects/ using evidence-based
approaches to school improvement. At present there are no
examples.
3) Professional development pack: using action research in school
improvement projects. Make links with new packs on improvement
through self-evaluation.
4) Outsource research contract or employ research assistant to
update the research summaries/ abstracts more regularly.
Share expertise
internally as we
continue to develop as
a learning
organisation
1) Training for all staff on the use of new communication
technologies (blogging, wiki-writing, innovative uses of
technologies identified through the futures task).
2) Encourage key staff, eg national specialists, to set up their own
internal blog regarding their activities, sharing reflections/ curricular
knowledge, offering commentary on issues affecting their area of
expertise.
3) Develop an on-line presence on key national education
discussion forums to extend opportunities for professional
dialogue.
Blogging will help us to share our expertise and reflections and
increase the impact of national specialists on improving the
knowledge of all staff. Blogs can include: written text, links to
websites, images, attachments, videos, etc.