Lincolnshire Learning Lab Terms of Reference

Lincolnshire Learning Lab: Terms of reference written February 2021 – reviewed yearly

 

Purpose / role of the group:

Lincolnshire Learning Lab is a group set up to improve the learning of all children and the working environments for teachers within Lincolnshire. The purpose is to bring academic rigour and evidence-based research into the classroom by engaging the three key stakeholders – teachers, academics and anyone involved/interested in the education system (parents/ educational consultants etc.).

The Lincolnshire Learning Lab is so called to enable research to be carried out in schools in a rigorous and innovative manner ensuring that time is spent productively on research that will benefit all (staff / children / families) whilst offering teachers the opportunity to work with academics to ensure that research is effective for all.

The group was established by the School of Education at the University of Lincoln in February 2021 and hitherto will remain the founders and leads of the Lincolnshire Learning Lab.

The main aims are to:

1. Provide opportunity to work innovatively within the ‘lab’ style approach with a range of educational professionals to provide opportunity for research to become embedded in practice.

2. Devise, lead and carry out research projects that will provide evidence for educational innovation.

3. Provide all teachers, academics and other educational stakeholders the opportunity to develop practice across the county to engage all in improving educational outcomes for all children.

The key outcomes are to:

1. Develop research projects funded or otherwise where the sole purpose is to improve education primarily in Lincolnshire but also potentially more widely.

2. Produce research articles – journals etc. that will advertise the Lincolnshire Learning Lab as an effective group/hub/centre.

3. Plan events that will advertise and promote the Lincolnshire Learning Lab both within Lincolnshire and beyond.

 

Membership:

Membership to the group is for the following:

1. Any academic within the School of Education or who works at the University of Lincoln.

2. Any teacher who works in a Lincolnshire education setting (primary, secondary and alternative settings).

3. Any other stakeholder that is fitting within the aims of the group.

4. Charities, organisations and funding bodies will be invited to become members if their remit fits within the aims of the group.

Membership lasts for 1 year but can be extended and reviewed.

 

Review

Lincolnshire Learning Lab will review the relevance and value of its work on a yearly basis but it is anticipated this will be more often as required depending on the research being carried out. The terms of reference will be reviewed yearly too from the first full meeting.

 

Working methods / ways of working:

Lincolnshire Learning Lab will work in a shared learning approach – practices will be shared, and research projects will be devised to offer the rigour to investigate the effectiveness of the approaches.

Subgroups will be convened focussing on primary, secondary, and alternative educations but these groups may and should convene as a whole to allow for opportunities that benefit all.

 

Meetings:

There will be three meetings a year – via TEAMS and face to face at the University of Lincoln when possible. Combination of online and present members is also acceptable to allow for the distanced incurred in Lincolnshire for travel.

The meetings will fall within the school year – with planned meetings in October, February and July.

The meetings will be organised by Dr Rachael Sharpe and will be Chaired by ________.

Agenda topics will be led by the members, but the first few meetings will be to organise the key areas of focus. Meeting will encourage particular areas pertinent at the time such as mental health, academic attainment… There will be small breakout group meetings focussing on areas that arise during the meetings and at times non-members who specialise in given areas will be invited by invitation from the Chair. Secretariat will be led by Dr Rachael Sharpe and will deal with the running of the group.

 

Sharing of information and resources (including confidential materials):

Data sharing will fall within the educational remit of GDPR and will ensure that all sharing of materials will be carried out under the educational protocols and procedures that are carried out within educational settings.

All documentation will be kept via the University of Lincoln webspace and documentation will be sent via password protected as and when required.