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BECERA Conference 2011- Keynote: professor Chris Pascal from CREC
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Practitioner Research: An Intellectual and Adventurous Narrative at a Tipping Point?
Chris Pascal Centre for Research in Early Childhood
Birmingham, UKwww.crec.co.uk
Presentation aims to: Clarify what we mean by practitioner research and
its growing intellectual confidence The paradigm debate: The shift to ‘evidence
based programmes’ and/or ‘evidenced practice’ in early years
Growing a culture of practitioner research and a life of professional inquiry
Apply Gladwell’s analysis of ‘social epidemics’ to the ‘adventure story’ of PR
The emergence of “praxeology’ and BECERA...
What is practitioner research?
Practitioner Research is research carried out by practitioners “for the purpose of advancing their own practice” McLeod, 1999)
It is more than trying out new ideas or showing that something works but looks into ‘why’ or ‘how’
Practitioner Researchers explore questions which can give a more profound understanding of their work, its outcomes and impact
Deeper understanding is gained through systematic evidence gathering where the action happens
What is practitioner research?
PR is valid because it is grounded in ‘real life’ situations
PR uses theories to help reveal the underlying assumptions we have about our work – to discover why we do what we do and what works
PR is also based on a strong ethical code of action
What is practitioner research?
PR is research carried out by people involved in the situation, not outsider observers
Practitioner Researchers might include anyone who is involved in the service being studies eg front line practitioners, leaders, administrators, officers, students, trainers
The Practitioner Researcher would know the services they are studying well and have an immediate use for the results of their work
The current debate about ‘evidence’ Over recent years, practitioner research in early years
has been developing but has often been viewed as for those undertaking CPD or advanced training and not widespread across the sector
SHIFT! The demand for ‘evidence based’ practice in current
Early Intervention Strategy: Allan and Field Reviews Requirement for all practice to be ‘evidenced’ to justify
commissioning and for OfSTED accountability The promotion of alternative paradigms in the debate
The status and role of Practitioner Research is central to this debate
Why do we need to ‘evidence’ our practice?
To check we are making progress on achieving appropriate outcomes for children and families
To reveal whether our work has made a difference to their lives
To meet accountability demands and sustain funding streams (demonstrate value for money which commissioning requires)
To be able to share more widely what works To be a responsible, reflective practitioner
Centre for Research in Early Childhood St Thomas Children Centre Birmingham
Types of practitioner researchThere are many research methodologies which generate
useful evidence Some focus on measuring or rating a child or family against
a set of certain behaviours, relationships, beliefs Some have pre and post intervention measuring Some have control groups and random samples Some focus on trying to capturing the ‘lived reality’ of
complex interventions with complex family lives with complex and intermittent service use and complex and longer term outcomes
All of these types have a value as long as they are rigorously executed
Centre for Research in Early Childhood St Thomas Children Centre Birmingham
Why rigour matters Qualitative or narrative evidence gathering must be a
systematic, replicable and rigorous process NOT anecdotal, partial and imprecise
Need to ensure evidence is trustworthy, authentic and credible which gives confidence to both funders and users of services (as well as valuable feedback to practitioners and providers)
Accurate, reliable, fine grain information is needed if wise choices are to be made
Sector needs robust, fine grain, qualitative evidence to complement and ‘go beyond’ quantitative, statistical evidence and RCT evidence (similar shift in health evidence)
Centre for Research in Early Childhood St Thomas Children Centre Birmingham
Dangers and delights of evidencing practice
REMEMBER:
Evidencing practice in itself will not make things better. Constant documentation and evidence gathering with no reflection or feed through to enhance the quality of policy or practice can just become a distraction or an additional burden
BUT if we can create organisations which become learning communities (communities of practice) in which practitioners live a professional life of inquiry, in which reflection and action (praxis) becomes a way of ‘being’ will not only ensure our families receive the services they really need and make a difference to their lives but will raise the status, satisfaction and reward of our work
Centre for Research in Early Childhood St Thomas Children Centre Birmingham
Where does practitioner research sit in the current climate?
At the high table, in the minstrels gallery or amongst the masses?
With low status and low visibility but high involvement and impact?
Out in the real world but distant from the power bases? Or another place.......as a third space in which practice
and policy can come together in a process of mutual benefit and synergy where one can inform and be informed by the other
In this space PR is becoming more confident and powerful in its interactions with other evidential bases
and within local and national decision making
Gladwell’s ‘Tipping Point’
Gladwell’s ConceptsSocial epidemic: An epidemiology term applied to
the contagious spread of ideas, behaviours and products
Tipping Point: The magic moment when a virus spreads with geometric progression (doubles and doubles again) and the momentum becomes unstoppable
Stickiness: When an idea, behaviour or product becomes irresistible
Has practitioner research become ‘sticky’ and has we reached a ‘tipping point’ in its spread?
How a ‘Social Epidemic’ starts
Tipping Point theory suggests that a little input by a few is enough to get an epidemic started and spread it rapidly
The idea must become ‘sticky’ ie of obvious and enormous interest to everyone in the field
Can we see this happening for Practitioner Research?
The Law of the Few
How messages are passed rapidly through a network. This needs three types of people:
Mavens Connectors Salesmen
Are you a maven, connector or salesman for PR?
The intellectual adventure continues
A new theory for Practitioner Researchers? Praxe(i)ology is the study of human behaviour
and actions It is based on the belief that all human behaviour
is purposeful, subjective and valuable Root also from Praxis (reflection and action –
Freire) Ideal theory for practitioner researchers
The role of practitioner research networks
A forum for deliberation, innovation, ambition, aspiration and risk taking
A space for ethical association, open, inclusive and safe learning communities which aspire to be developmental and innovative
Based on mutual respect, shared curiosity and humanity
BECERA creates a new space....for innovation and new possibilities....
“There is no use trying”, said Alice, “one can’t believe impossible things.”
“I dare say you haven’t had much practice,” said the Queen. “When I was your age, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”
Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland