To further support the project teams’ understanding of practitioner-led action research, a series of project-related professional development events were held. These have included: an initial event to bring the providers together and prepare them for their projects; an event on how to conduct practitioner-led action research, and a half-day event with Professor Jean McNiff, who is a leading international expert on practitioner-led research, to explore this topic further, once the project teams had begun their work.

An interim dissemination event was held where projects were able to share their early findings. At this event our ‘conference artist’ Graham Ogilvie1 produced a number of illustrations to capture the main messages of the event and to represent the projects. We have used digitised versions of his work throughout this booklet.

The events were very well-received, with participants reporting on improvements in their understanding, changes to their personal identity as teachers, trainers, etc. and renewed enthusiasm and confidence to undertake research-informed practice.

Breaking into academic exclusion zones

Through working on these projects, 22 teachers and trainers without degree qualifications, and who might often describe themselves as “non-academic” (or even “anti-academic”!!) began producing commentaries and research reports of their activities.

In prisons, FE Colleges and training providers, vocational teachers and support assistants followed Professor Jean McNiff’s encouragement to “describe and explain” their inquiry activities and produce reports.

In five projects especially, vocational tutors and support staff without HE qualifications broke through the academic glass ceiling to present their insider research. Project leaders adapted research report writing frameworks and diary formats to help practitioners capture their experience.

Project leaders prompted teachers, trainers and SSAs to explain their practices and then used workshop activities to help them compare their practical thinking with published theory. This gave the self-styled “non-academic” staff confidence to begin researching and reporting in a pragmatic form; project leaders remained sensitively at hand to act as proof-readers and “critical friends” for their emerging writing.

As one SSA noted in her research diary (provided by the project lead): “We were given a voice”.