Programmes

touchconsulting Ltd is a small organisation that co-designs and delivers big quality improvement programmes for the education and training profession

AR Lead (Train the Trainer) programme

 

Please note this page will be continually updated to provide a ‘one-stop shop’ for AR Leads. 

1. Welcome & Programme

A warm, warm welcome to the Education and Training Foundation’s AR Lead (Train the Trainer) programme. 
We recommend bookmarking this landing page.  

Video 1

In this video, Cath Gladding from the Education and Training Foundation introduces the CfEM action research programme. [4 mins:15 secs]

Video 2

Joss Kang welcomes you to this CfEM AR Lead (Train the Trainer) programme. [7 mins:13 secs]

2. AR Leads Timeline

  • Please read this guidance document (updated 9 June 2021) which contains the general timeline. A more detailed and up-to-date version of the timeline is reproduced below for ease. N.B This is an evolving timeline and we’re updating regularly! 

DatesActivity
Spring Term 2021
08 March 2021
29 March 2021, 17:00
30 April 2021
AR leads recruitment and budgeting in action plans
Nominations open for 42 AR leads
Nomination window closes
Nominees notified of outcomes
Summer Term 2021
1st June - 30 September 2021 Action Research teacher recruitment led by the AR leads (min. 4 and max. 12 people per AR group including the AR Lead) with greater emphasis on networking as required.

Mentor recruitment and induction
7 June 2021 Submission of CfEM action plan (at this stage you are not expected to provide a detailed outline of your AR project/s)
Wed 16 June 2021

OR

Wed 25 August
2:00 - 3:00
AR Method Workshop - for Leads who have not previously participated in CfEM AR training. Please note that this workshop will be repeated on 25 August 2021. You need to attend ONE workshop only.
Wed 23 June 2021
Session 1 : Getting to Grips with CfEM Action Research (T-t-T)
Cohort 1: 9:30 - 12:30
Cohort 2: 1:30 - 4:30
Wed 30 June 2021Session 2 : Designing CPD & cycles of collaborative action research (T-t-T)
Cohort 1: 9:30 - 12:30
Cohort 2: 1:30 - 4:30
Wed 25 August 2021

OR

Wed 16 June
2:00 - 3:00
AR Method Workshop - for Leads who have not previously participated in CfEM AR training. Please note that this is a repeat of the workshop on 16 June 2021. You need to attend ONE workshop only.
Autumn Term 2021
30 September 2021Confirm/convene ARG membership (4-12 teachers per ARG inc AR lead)

Convene initial ARG meeting, develop your AR plans & meetings schedule for autumn term

Schedule AR training roll out (module 1-6). (NB T-t-T packages M1, M2, M3, M4 & M6 are now ready for AR leads)

Select and make contact with mentor
By 22 Oct 2021
Module 1: Action Research - An Overview & Module 2: Project Management - customised delivery by AR leads.
Record attendance on an ONLINE REGISTER & send copies of resources to participants.
By 31 October 2021Consulted and further develop AR plan to include aims/research question, 3-6 objectives/sub-questions, focus, rationale & perhaps an outline of your first AR cycle with your ARG. Plan for first AR cycle to take place by Xmas

Book a meeting with Cath Gladding (cath.gladding@etfoundation.co.uk) to agree/firm up your project and AR training plans.

Start literature review (NB can be left until Nov if you prefer).

First meeting with mentor.
Wed 10 November 2021 Session 3 : Moving on: reviewing & planning (T-t-T)
Cohort 1: 9:30 - 12:30
Cohort 2: 1:30 - 4:30
By 30 November 2021Module 3: Literature Review - customised delivery by AR leads. Record attendance on an ONLINE REGISTER & send copies of resources to participants.

Start or continue literature review

Begin first AR cycle (NB This can be quite simple & small scale)

ETF QA survey issued to ARG practitioners who have participated in M1 & M2 AR training


By 31 December 2021Module 4: Data collection - customised delivery by AR leads.
Record attendance on ONLINE REGISTER & send copies of resources to participants.

Complete literature review & submit to Cath (copying in RML)

Complete first AR cycle & analyse data

ARG meet before end of term to discuss findings from first cycle and start to plan cycle 2
Spring Term 2022
By 31 January 2021Meet with Cath Gladding to discuss initial findings and plan/review next cycle

Begin AR cycle 2

2nd mentor meeting (at latest – further meetings can be earlier)

Focus groups with sample of AR teachers who’ve participated in M3 and M4 AR training
By 28 February 2022Module 5: Data Analysis - customised delivery by AR leads.
Record attendance on ONLINE REGISTER and send resources to participants.
Wed 9 March 2022Session 4 : So what, Now what? (T-t-T)
Cohort 1: 9:30 - 12:30
Cohort 2: 1:30 - 4:30
By 29 April 2022Module 6: Reporting & Dissemination - customised delivery by AR leads.
Record attendance on ONLINE REGISTER and send resources to participants.
Summer Term 2022
June/July 2022CfEMLive 2022:
Friday, 24 June 2022
Thursday, 29 June 2022
Friday, 1 April 2022
Autumn Term 2022 - Spring Term 2023
September - March 2023AR leads to start new AR projects with refreshed ARG membership.
Summer Term 2023
April - July 2023
(beyond the end of the funded programme)
CfEMs to continue action research cycles and disseminate findings
  • AR Leads & AR topics

Cohort 1 AR Lead & Topic
CPD sessions for Cohort 1 will take place on the dates in the table above between 09:30 - 12:30
Gateshead CollegeEleftheria Bourtzinakou
Leeds City College Matthew Hanson & Ben Smith
Nelson & Colne CollegeGeorgina Davies & Kate Griffiths
Wilberforce College Lucy Rowe
Grimsby Institute of Further and Higher EducationNathan Loughlin & Leigh McLachlan
Lakes College West CumbriaFiona Dixon & Nadra Sawirous
Tameside CollegeLorna McMahon & Laura Skermer
Newcastle and Stafford Colleges GroupVicky Tomlinson & Rob Harrop
Warwickshire College GroupDebbie Trueman
Leicester College GroupGeorge Higgit & Glenn Cowlan
New College StamfordMargaret Lovick & Ross Coupland
Cohort 2AR Lead & Topic
CPD sessions for Cohort 2 will take place on the dates in the table above between 1:30 - 4:30
East Kent College Shabana Raman
Greater Brighton Metropolitan CollegeNicola Pearton & Paloma Hanlon
Fareham CollegeNaomi Smith & Rosie Sharp
Newham College of Further EducationElizabeth Hopker & Rebecca Atherfold
Christ the King Sixth Form CollegeKaty Sillem, Sam Amin & Elaine Gates
Leyton Sixth Form CollegeByron Sheffield & Jane Barnett
City College PlymouthKatie Fremlin
Weston College of Further EducationKatheryn Cockerton
Harlow College Vivian Kimeng & Beka Zarnadze
Cambridge Regional College Monika Bolton & Julie Savage

3. Professional development dates & links

Please note that booking links for each of the CPD Sessions will be released shortly.

Sessions DatesTrainers
Session 1 23 June 2021Cath Gladding, Joss Kang and Lou Mycroft
Getting to Grips with CfEM Action Research Cohort 1: 9:30 -12:30
Cohort 2: 1:30 - 4:30
Session 2 30 June 2021Cath Gladding, Joss Kang and Lou Mycroft
Designing CPD & cycles of collaborative action researchCohort 1: 9:30 -12:30
Cohort 2: 1:30 - 4:30
Session 3 10 November 2021 (N.B date change)Cath Gladding, Joss Kang and Lou Mycroft
Moving on: reviewing & planning Cohort 1: 9:30 -12:30
Cohort 2: 1:30 - 4:30
Session 4 9 March 2022Cath Gladding, Joss Kang and Lou Mycroft
So what, Now what?Cohort 1: 9:30 -12:30
Cohort 2: 1:30 - 4:30

4. Supporting you

Masterclasses

Made with Padlet

 

Slack

We will be using Slack for all of our communications, not email. You will be sent a link to join the Slack Workspace for Action Research Leads. Please join the Slack Workspace as soon as you receive the invitation as the link will expire. Should you have any difficulties accessing Slack, please do get in touch.

Video

Watch this ‘how to’ video if you haven’t used Slack before.

FAQs

Please add any questions you may have to this collaborative document, where they will be answered.

Quality

You can see more on the Education and Training Foundation’s Quality Assurance Process here and Independent Evaluation here. (To be added shortly).

  • By 30 November 2021: ETF will issue a QA survey issued to ARG practitioners who have participated in M1 & M2 AR training, gathering their views and feedback of the their training experience.
  • By 31 January 2022: ETF will hold a series of focus groups with a sample of AR teachers who’ve participated in M3 & M4 AR training

Mentor

As part of the programme we recommend that you access confidential mentor support to support your AR lead journey. If you would like to access mentor support please discuss with your Centre Lead.

5. Resources

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