Abstract

Research on promising interventions is more accessible than ever before, thanks to the growth in organisations that generate, curate and promote evidence in education research. We know that there is a need to build research capacity so that teachers can make evidence-informed decisions (Siddiqui & Wardle, 2020). Developing relevant research skills during initial teacher training is a logical first step. The first research module on an international PGCE course requires trainees to select a school-based intervention and carry out a case study, collecting data in their schools. The expectation is that trainees discuss their findings in relation to published evidence. Given that international schools operate within a differing range of local, regional and national approaches to keeping children safe in education, the onus is on the university to build an appreciation of research ethics on top of the trainees’ understanding of safeguarding. This presentation will share typical research undertaken, ethical guidelines provided, and several examples of ethical dilemmas faced by trainee teachers undertaking school-based research during their placements. These include adhering to ethical approval, doing no harm, and the role of insider-researchers, focusing on developing the conscience and ethical code of the researcher (BERA, 2018).
References
British Educational Research Association [BERA] (2018) Ethical Guidelines for Educational Research, fourth edition, London. https://www.bera.ac.uk/researchers-resources/publications/ethicalguidelines-for-educational-research-2018
Siddiqui, N. and Wardle, L. (2020) 'Can users judge what is `promising' evidence in education?', Research intelligence., 144. pp. 20-21.