We have just launched the first edition of the Journal of Leadership, Scholarship, and Praxis in Education (LSPE), which aims to highlight research by school leaders.
The foreword by Douglas Hutchison, Glasgow City Council’s director of education, says the journal’s focus on poverty and inclusion show that these issues “are clearly the beating heart of leaders in education”.
Articles cover topics including: inclusion in primary schools; effective use of support-for-learning workers; a systemic lack of data and options for early school leavers; how Covid-19 has shaped school leadership; transition from the broad general education to the senior phase; and Scotland’s professional review and development process.
‘Bridging gap between theory and practice’
The journal has also provided an exciting opportunity to reflect on our recent study in Glasgow on interdisciplinary learning (IDL) in secondary schools.
One article, for example, highlights the benefits of IDL while underscoring the significant impact of a strong, ongoing partnership between the University of Glasgow’s School of Education and Glasgow City Council’s education services.
This collaborative research has explored how IDL is practised in secondary schools across Glasgow; we’ve gained invaluable insights into the challenges and successes of implementing IDL in real-world classroom settings.
Such partnerships are crucial in bridging the gap between theory and practice, ensuring that the strategies we develop are grounded in the everyday realities of teaching and learning.
One key strength of this research is the active involvement of teachers, school leaders and young people in gathering evidence of IDL’s impact. Through focused feedback sessions, we collected rich, first-hand data that reflects the experiences of those directly involved in the learning process.
This evidence-based approach not only enhances the credibility of our findings but also allows a more nuanced understanding of how interdisciplinary learning can be effectively implemented in different contexts.
The feedback we’ve received from school leaders and teachers has been overwhelmingly positive, with many recognising the value of IDL in fostering critical thinking, creativity and student collaboration. By breaking down traditional silos between subjects, IDL encourages students to make connections across disciplines and apply their knowledge in real-world contexts.
This approach aligns closely with the aspirations of Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence, which emphasises the development of transferable skills that will serve students well in both future education and the workforce.
However, our research also reveals that while there is considerable enthusiasm for IDL, its implementation remains inconsistent. In some schools, interdisciplinary projects are flourishing, while in others, there are challenges around time constraints, teacher collaboration and curriculum alignment.
It is clear that for IDL to truly take root, more support is needed at both the school and system levels. This includes providing teachers with professional development opportunities, encouraging greater collaboration between departments, and offering more flexibility in the curriculum to allow for IDL as a pedagogical approach.
Impact on teaching practice
The research-practice partnership between the university and the council’s education services will continue to play a pivotal role in advancing leadership of teaching and learning.
By working closely with co-authors and a wider network of education professionals, we hope to refine our understanding of what works in IDL and share these findings with a broader audience.
The evidence we’ve gathered in this study will not only inform future research but also guide the development of more effective teaching practices across Glasgow and beyond.
We have already started planning our next piece of action research, examining the impact of IDL in primary schools.
More generally, we are incredibly excited about the potential of LSPE to become a platform for sharing innovative ideas and research in the field of education.
This first edition marks the beginning of a journey to collectively improve teaching and learning - we look forward to the conversations and collaborations that will emerge.
Jane Arthur is a senior education officer at Glasgow City Council. The Journal of Leadership, Scholarship, and Praxis in Education is available now
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