Action Research Proposals

							                          S7 Action Research Projects

As a consortium of colleges, we are constantly looking for ways to learn from and with
one another to ensure that our professional practice in every sphere becomes and
remains outstanding.

Through a recent joint bid to the Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS), the
S7 consortium has secured funding to allow S7 staff the opportunity to achieve
innovation through collaboration. Specifically this will be through working together with
a colleague or colleagues from at least one other S7 institution on an area of joint
action research. Most straightforwardly this might be about subject colleagues
combining to develop some new mutual practice to improve outcomes for students; or
it may be that your interest lies in researching a process or system that might have a
college-wide impact. This opportunity will support investigations into completely new
areas of activity, theory or technology and will achieve shared outcomes that will be
tried and tested out through action research in more than one college environment.

The S7 Action Research Project calendar begins in January 2009 with the bid process
opening up to all S7 staff - teaching and non-teaching – to complete a costed bid
proposal for submission to an S7 panel in March 2009. All the projects under
consideration will be expected to reach and have published their conclusions by July
2010 or sooner. Short write-ups of each project will be required for publication on a
new S7 micro-site dedicated to Action Research. Start times and project length will
vary depending on the nature and focus of each project.

In particular circumstances, you may wish to make a case for collaborating with a non-
S7 college for your action research project. These project proposals will be considered
on exactly the same terms as S7 collaborations, but additionally will require the signed
commitment of that College’s Principal to any time implications of the project for the
member/s of staff concerned.

In putting together your costed proposal for consideration by the S7 panel, you might
like to consider the following criteria that will be used for selection. All S7 Action
Research Project Proposals should be:

      Genuinely innovative
      Seeking to improve or enhance existing practice and / or outcomes
      Learner centred
      Sensibly and effectively costed
      Clear and realistic in timescales
      Demonstrably collaborative
      Supported by a senior manager from your organisation



                 Final version of Project Bid Document for circulation 19.1.09
If you are interested in undertaking an S7 Action Research Project in 2009 - 2010,
then you need to find at least one other research partner from another S7 College and
jointly complete the attached form to outline your proposal.

      This proposal form will need to be submitted in completed electronic form to
       s7colleges@gmail.com by 12pm on Friday 13th March, 2009
      All completed proposals that meet the criteria listed above will then be
       considered by an S7 Panel.
      The S7 Panel will be made up of S7 Principals.
      The S7 Panel will meet on Friday 20th March, 2009 with outcomes made known
       to all project applicants during the week beginning Monday 23rd March, 2009.
      Successful action research project bids will receive funding up to and including
       the full amount requested.
      Each awarded project will also receive the help and allocated support of the S7
       Consortium Officer with logistics and finance claims and of the S7 Consortium
       Manager in terms of reflection and review dates.


In considering what financial considerations there might be in putting your project
together, you might also want to consider the following:

      All S7 action research proposals will be considered on their merits, initially in
       College, before being put forward to the S7 Panel. Guideline remuneration
       amounts to individual staff for any one project would likely be between £300
       and £600 depending on the nature of the project and the number of project
       partners involved.
      Teacher release time should be costed at £160 per day if you know you will
       need cover for lessons. At certain times of the year this cost impact can be
       minimised through the agreement of release time with your College – perhaps
       as part of your 30 hours CPD commitment.
      Travel costs to meet with project partners and others should be included at 35p
       per mile for own vehicle use and as real terms costs for public transport use.
      Proposed capital expenditure on large items should be kept to a minimum:
       where purchases are proposed, clear evidence needs to be shown as to how
       access and ownership will support all project partners and with which institution
       licence agreements and maintenance liability would reside.

If you would like to explore your project ideas further or to talk through any difficulties
in putting your project proposal together, then do contact the S7 Consortium Manager,
Jo Trump on 07765 256942 or by email at s7colleges@gmail.com .

For enquiries about process, dates and procedures, then please contact the S7
Consortium Officer, Sharon Kemp at s7enquiries@gmail.com or on 07825 156241




                  Final version of Project Bid Document for circulation 19.1.09
ACTION RESEARCH PROPOSAL BY: Sara Matos Godalming College and
Reigate College
(Names and Colleges)

PROJECT TITLE:

Using elearning to encourage students to ask for help and extension
questions. Encouraging students to support one another via the forum

Project summary (max 50 words):
This project is intended to promote collaborative learning between teacher and
students and among the students themselves in a number of teaching groups. It
will provide an online space where students can request help when they need it. It
is aimed at students who need more stretch and challenge and those who need
support on the basics

What are the specific aims/intentions of this project?
   To improve the quality and productivity of learning associated with
     independent study
   To spend less time in the classroom on knowledge content giving
     more time for thinking and application
   To create a culture of mutual support among students in and out of the
     classroom (and among different teaching groups)

Explain why you think this project is innovative and include details of any
research carried out

New technology allows students and teachers to communicate in more flexible
ways that were not possible before
Before I started the project I spent time with the our elearnign coordinator and members of
my department to make sure that is was a feasible task and would be useful to other
teachers



How will the outcomes of the project benefit learners and other S7 Colleges?

The outcomes will help students to learn more independently and encourage them
to ask for help instead of struggling as individuals. More able students will extend
their learning by accessing more material and activities independently. Other S7
Colleges who use Moodle can adapt the idea for a range of subjects




                   Final version of Project Bid Document for circulation 19.1.09
How will you know you have achieved it (what will you use to measure it)?

The following milestones will be achieved in the project:

   1. Create a “Homework Help” forum on the Biology AS Godalming Online site and
      target it to appropriate groups

   2. Introduce the Forum to the 3 Unit AS Groups using the following strategies, use a
      starter question, explain the benefits to each group, set boundaries and
      expectations and finally link to effort grades and UCAS references

   3. Strongly encourage the use of the forum to help with weekly homeworks. Closely
      monitor usage and overtly help students to use the forum

   4. Collect student feedback about use and benefits of Forum

   5. Use the Forum to allow students to ask questions about the ISA assessment

   6. Dissemination to Dept, Faculty and other colleges. Creation of a How2/Tips sheet

What are the key dates and milestones for this project?

Please see details above to be completed by Xmas 2009

Please give a concise breakdown of the anticipated costs of the pilot:

Staff hours will be in the region of 20 @ £30 to include support time from Liz Cross
and Joe McCarthy Holland

Total cost of the project :                    £600


S7 contribution requested:                     £600




                   Final version of Project Bid Document for circulation 19.1.09