The TES’s central role in disseminating educational research findings to teachers is underlined by the Plymouth survey.
When asked to identify which publication they consulted, 25 of the teachers (71 per cent) referred to The TES, and 16 (56 per cent) said they did so on a weekly basis.
“A total of 44 other publications were identified with the following getting more than two mentions: British Journal of Special Education (3); Child Education (6); Education Guardian (3); Junior Education(3); Primary Science Review (6),” the researchers say.
“Trade union publications got a total of six mentions. . . Academic journals focused on education studies did not get a single mention.”
The researchers then add: “The TES is certainly the nearest equivalent (to the BMJ) which reaches most teachers. Although we have no grounds for challenging Professor Hargreaves’ assertion that, in comparison, it gives relatively little space to research, the exposure which is given is far from negligible.”
One teacher told the researchers: “The regular reminders from The TES do assist the ‘ordinary classroom teacher’ in keeping informed, flexible, more in tune with the needs of pupils and more able to denounce some of the myths prevalent amongst those less involved in education.”
