High-quality educational research has long been a cornerstone of the Edge Foundation’s work, helping shape effective education policy and practice across the UK. While a solid evidence base is critical for impactful change, it remains profoundly underfunded. This is why Edge recently sponsored the 2nd International Practice Focused Research in Education Conference (IPFREC) at the University of Sunderland in July.
A vital platform for highlighting groundbreaking research across the vocational education and training (VET) sector, Edge’s bursary sponsorship allowed 18 delegates to present their work to an international audience of educators. With around 50 attendees from across Europe, IPFREC 2023 was a testament to the vibrant research community flourishing despite funding challenges. Here, we highlight the journeys of two PhD practitioner researchers, Tom Mudd from Barking & Dagenham College and Dr Beth Curtis from Exeter College.
Building academic and social skills using role-playing games
Tom Mudd, Curriculum Manager for English at Barking & Dagenham College, has adopted the tabletop role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons to help develop students’ basic English and maths skills. He is currently using the game in his GCSE English classroom, documenting his approach to evidence how it improves student outcomes and is nurturing confidence and social skills.
Beyond the classroom, Tom has also played a pivotal role in developing the college’s ‘Make a Monster’ competition, a creative, whole-organisation endeavour that encourages students from different departments to participate in designing a folklore monster. The pan-college nature of this work is helping strengthen the college’s sense of unity, impacting varied cohorts of students. As a result, Tom is now writing a chapter related to the topic for an upcoming book co-authored and edited by Professor Maggie Gregson.
Tom was able to participate in IPFREC 2023 with Edge’s support. He has also built a relationship with colleagues from the South East Technological University (SETU) in Waterford, Ireland, which has paved the way for a new collaboration. Alongside Professor Gregson, Tom is now a member of a special interest group (SIG) focused on arts-based educational research. His journey is a testament to the power of practitioner research and how it can transcend geographical boundaries to foster broader collaboration.
Elevating critical thinking through the performing arts
Dr Beth Curtis teaches drama and performing arts at Exeter College, where she is also conducting doctoral research on critical thinking skills. Her work has focused on using the concept of narrative to develop a dialogical exchange process in A-Level Performing Arts courses. This process aims to nurture students’ critical and higher-order thinking skills. Beth has already presented her work to fellow college staff and OFSTED inspectors, but its impact has also rippled further afield via presentations at CPD events. These are attended by FE college teachers from a wide range of disciplines and different locations across the UK and Ireland.
In keeping with her subject area, Beth has also transformed her research into an accessible stage play. Supported by her Director of Studies, Associate Professor Gary Husband, it has provided her local community with an insightful exploration into the use of critical and creative thinking in performing arts assessment. Like Tom, Edge’s support has enabled Beth to collaborate with SETU colleagues on further research studies. Once again, this exemplifies how practitioner research can impact learners on the ground, yes, but also the wider sector.
Building a community of collaborators
Tom and Beth’s experiences are just two examples of fantastic work happening across the UK’s VET sector. Nationwide, increasing numbers of dedicated practitioners are integrating research into their educational practice, proving that innovation can thrive when individuals are empowered to tackle real-world issues. Edge is proud to play a small role in amplifying these voices, supporting individuals like Tom and Beth to build confidence in presenting and sharing their work. It’s also critical to provide researchers with a safe environment to receive constructive feedback from fellow practitioners.
The creation of special interest groups (SIGs) is another area that Edge is particularly focused on right now. From arts-based education to adult literacy development and beyond, these groups provide essential catalysts for fostering effective knowledge exchange. To support this, we are contributing to an international research hub that will unite colleagues and SIGs from across the UK, Ireland, and further afield. This will mark a shift in the dissemination of practitioners' research on a global scale, ensuring their valuable insights will benefit as many as possible.
While Edge aims to provide researchers with the resources they need, the fruits of their labour go beyond the immediate context. Their findings, innovations, and collaborations contribute to Edge’s advocacy and practice work. Whether this means informing government decision-making, guiding policymakers, providing compelling insights for college leaders, or simply measuring the impact of experimental approaches, our shared goal is one – to achieve better outcomes for learners at all levels of education. We anticipate next year’s conference keenly!
With thanks to Danny Gregson for his invaluable input to this article.
The International Practice Focused Research in Education Conference (IPFREC) took place on 3-6 July 2023.
Dr Gary Husband, Associate Professor of Further, Adult and Vocational Education at the University of Sunderland
