The Redland Papers - UWE Bristol

The Redland Papers ISSN 1360 1334 Issue Number Eleven, Autumn 2004 The Redland Papers is a peer-reviewed occasional journal published up to
two times per year by the Faculty of Education, University of the West of
England, Bristol. The editorial group wishes to attract contributions from
a range of professionals concerned with educational matters, including
teachers in all sectors, managers, researchers and practitioners in
education and related fields. Contributions are especially welcome from
previously unpublished authors and from individuals who have produced
suitable material as part of an accredited programme of study. They may
comprise analyses of existing practice, methods and programmes; critical
discussions and accounts of new ideas and methods; reviews of developments
and controversial issues; and reports on research activities with either
empirical or theoretical emphases. Notes for Contributors can be found
inside the back cover. Coordinating Editor
Dr Martin Ashley Editorial Group
Dr Gaynor Attwood, Professor Jacky Brine, Dr Kim Diment, Dr Richard Eke,
Dr Penelope Harnett, Professor David James, Elizabeth Newman. Layout and Word processing
Louise Shelley Distribution/Back issues/Correspondence
Enquiries concerning distribution and purchase of back-issues should be
addressed to Research Manager, Faculty of Education, University of the West
of England, S Block, Frenchay Campus, Bristol BS16 1QY. Please address all other correspondence to the co-ordinating editor, Dr
Martin Ashley, Faculty of Education, University of the West of England, S
Block, Frenchay Campus, Bristol BS16 1QY. Email: Martin.Ashley@uwe.ac.uk The Redland Papers ISSN 1360 1334 Issue Number Eleven, Autumn 2004 Contents: Editorial Martin Ashley Page 3 Yosanne Vella
Research on the Effect of Intervention on Children's Learning in History Page 6 Bernadette Fitzgerald and Marelin Orr-Ewing
Keeping it Real: Developing a community of practice with a group of
secondary teachers near the start of their careers. Page 14 Helen Bovill
The Academic Vocational Divide in the Education of 14-19 Year Olds. Page 21 Steve Sujoldzic-Lambert
The Induction of Sessional Staff Page 36 Sian Breeze
Using Circle Time as a Vehicle to Improve Self-Esteem in the Primary
Classroom
Page 40
Graham Capel
Citizenship as a Major Permeating Curricular Issue: The role of geography.
Page 57 Martin Ashley
Still Searching for a Pedagogy: A personal narrative
Page 69
Editorial MARTIN ASHLEY University of the West of England, Bristol. Ring out the old! This is the last edition of Redland Papers in its traditional format. 2005
should see the launch of New Redland Papers, an exciting new venture in
publishing by UWE's Faculty of Education. More of that shortly. Redland Papers was originally founded by Andrew Pollard and was intended,
not only to be a showcase of the Faculty's research work, but also to be a
means of encouraging new authors into print. It was felt that there was a
need for a journal that stood midway between peer reviewed academic journal
and professional journal. It was always understood that if one published
in Redland Papers, one could also submit to another journal, having used RP
as a stepping stone. Things have moved on since then. There have been highly significant
developments in the post 1992 sector linked to the RAE and the development
of research training on doctoral level programmes. There seems to be a new
academic journal founded almost every week and, of course, there has been
the growth in e-publishing. The result has been that those colleagues who
publish anyway tend to publish in the established peer reviewed journals
that are relevant to their fields and colleagues new to publishing
increasingly do so too. Redland Papers has not, in the last few years,
enjoyed the degree of success we would have liked in encouraging new
authors. Nevertheless, it's good to quit while winning. This final issue of Redland
Papers will, we hope, pay tribute to the vision of it founder. Yosanne
Vella is a former UWE doctoral student now working in Malta and presents
interesting field work carried out there on children's use of primary
sources in history. It is an interesting piece that shows how important
skilled intervention continues to be in the development of process skills.
Bernadette Fitzgerald and Marelin Orr-Ewing are two experienced faculty
colleagues who report on fascinating work with local, recently qualified
secondary teachers. The notion of a "community of practice" in which
teachers working in collegiate style and using research techniques in
collaboration with HE take a lead in continuing professional development is
very timely. There are growing signs of a re-empowerment of teachers as
professionals, and this work is of considerable value in pointing out paths
forward and the not inconsiderable difficulties that still need to be
overcome in following them. Helen Bovill is another home grown researcher and writes on a subject dear
to my own heart - parity of esteem and the academic/vocational divide.
Again, this article is timely as the 14 -19 review begins to bite and
Tomlinson enquires seriously into the reform of national qualifications for
young people. Helen's article confirms the steepness of the gradient that
will need to be climbed. We are pleased to welcome contributions from
outside our own Faculty. New author Steve Sujoldzic-Lambert from North
East Surrey College of Technology provides some useful thoughts and
feedback on the induction of sessional staff. Again, this is topical as so
much teaching now relies on the support of visiting lecturers and hourly
paid staff. It is not only that these colleagues deserve high quality
induction and support, but also that the quality of the student experience
is, of course, dependent upon their receiving it. Steve's piece should be
read by all module leaders. It is not only Redland Papers that is coming to an end, but also the
Faculty's four year undergraduate initial teacher education award. As of
this September, students are entering the new three year degree. This is
an exciting new innovation of which we will doubtless hear more through New
Redland Papers in times to come. Nevertheless, one thing that I think will
be sadly missed is the extended fourth year dissertation work in which some
of our students are able to produce work of a standard that would be
creditable on master's level courses. I am delighted to be able to include
two such pieces. Graham Capel's is an empirical investigation into
geography and the teaching of citizenship, whilst Sian Breeze contributes
an erudite review of literature on circle time in primary schools. Finally, I hope I will be forgiven for including a piece of my own. Still
Searching for a Pedagogy is a biographical narrative that first reflects
the growing interest in narrative as a research methodology and second
reflects the buoyant concern with pedagogy. Robin Alexander has stirred
the pot with his recent piece Still no Pedagogy? We also have a university
funded project on KS2 pedagogy and a DfES funded project on Steiner schools
which is very much concerned with pedagogy. I am involved in both, so put
my pedagogical prejudices into the public domain. Ring in the new! So, looking to the future, and New Redland Papers. Much of the inspiration
for this new journal comes from the concept of the UWE academic. The UWE
academic is expected to be "an excellent teacher, an excellent researcher
and an excellent administrator". In being an excellent researcher, the UWE
academic can concentrate on pure, basic research and publish in peer
reviewed academic journals. Alternatively, she or he can concentrate on
applied research and publish in profession journals - or both! I have
suggested that the demise of Redland Papers is due as much to the
burgeoning plethora of academic journals as anything else. It is also the
case that there are very few journals that offer the applied researcher the
opportunity for peer reviewed publication targeted principally at the
practitioner rather than academic community. That is precisely the gap in the market that New Redland Papers will fill
in an innovative and trail blazing fashion. New Redland Papers is to be a
professional journal of applied research in education. It will be based on
the principle of analytic research into practice in the tradition of the
reflective practitioner. Its target audience is practising education
professionals in all phases of education. It aims to contain a balance of
articles that will interest administrators, lecturers, managers, policy
makers, teachers and researchers at all levels concerned with a critical
approach to the maintenance and furtherance of professionalism in
education. It will be fully peer-reviewed and will stand as a journal of
some prestige in its own right. The format will be double column A4 and
the "look" will, we hope, be innovative and eye catching. Contributions are sought far and wide. UWE staff will contribute
significantly as will, we hope, ex UWE students who are now practicing
reflective professionals. E