In his recent annual lecture the Chief Inspector of Schools, Chris Woodhead, rejected the argument that schools could create new knowledge about teaching and learning.
Some interesting examples of teachers whose work might contradict this can be found on Professor Pam Lomax’s home page at Kingston University. I was particularly touched by a paper there from teacher Kay Johnson. She has presented and analysed her own MA enquiries into the use of drama with pupils with severe, profound and multiple learning difficulties.
At the same site I found news of a London seminar in July which is hoping to draw more teacher-researchers and their higher education partners together.
Pam Lomax is this year’s British Educational Research Association president and her web address is http:www.kingston.ac.uked_s477 New teachers are being trained to search for and compare information from different sources so “information research” should become a higher priority.
A free electronic journal of that name, edited by Professor Tom Wilson at http:www.shef.ac.ukispublicationsinfresircont.html offers a glimpse at the quality and quantity of what is already known in the field.
Staffroom and on-line chat might focus on the danger of children accidentally finding pornography, but Christopher Brown-Syed of Wayne State University in Detroit explains part of what makes these accidents (and others) more likely. His “Back Door Entries, Invisible Ink, and False Drops” is very informative. A back door to his article is: http:www.shef.ac.ukispublicationsinfrespaper 58.html Readers can email suggestions for Internet Insights to Sam Saunders at J.P.Saunders@leeds.ac.uk
