DCSF Gender Agenda regional seminars:
Improving gender-related performance in schools and improving boys' and girls' life chances
- pulling together what we know from the evidence, emerging messages for practice, on going research-
Now with revised content - to include 14: 19; subject choice and gender issues..
9 March, Leeds Metropolitan University, Leeds
19 March, University of Warwick, Coventry
24 March, London Metropolitan University, London
To register for a place e-mail: research.summaries@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk
The Department for Children Schools and Families is planning its last round of regional events on gender and education as part of its 'Gender Agenda': a themed programme of activities spanning an 18 month period of activity - with the aim of improving gender-related performance of certain groups of under performing girls and boys - and encouraging different stakeholder groups to talk about evidence as part of this process.
The DCSF writes:
We are now registering participants for the final round of events . These provide an opportunity to discuss the outcomes from the Gender Agenda activities, including inputs from some of the teachers who have been carrying out their own gender action research, and to review its participatory model - i.e. civil servants working in partnership with researchers to review and share evidence. It will also attempt to clarify 'What works and what doesn't' when tackling gender issues in the classroom and to discuss the value of ‘Practitioner research and gender issues'.
These events will cover new ground as well as synthesise work across the programme and will include the following:
Leeds Metropolitan University - 9th March:
This event is being co-hosted with BERA, the National Teacher Research Panel and Leeds Metropolitan University. It will focus particularly on HE partnerships with schools and will include presentations from schools and networks which have undertaken different aspects of gender-enquiry research. There will also be inputs from Lori Beckett (Leeds Metropolitan) on gender action research and Gaby Weiner (University of Edinburgh) on gender equity in education. in addition, Rob Batho will present findings from DCSF gender agenda projects - including what those schools are doing that are narrowing the gender gap. Liz MacGarvey (Liverpool Hope University) will also talk about the work of a local authority (Knowsley) in supporting its schools to research gender as part of school improvement.
University of Warwick, Coventry - 19 March:
This event will distil the findings from the Gender Agenda activities and will review its participatory model - i.e. civil servants working in partnership with researchers to review and share evidence - and the different projects with teachers. The event will specifically attempt to specify 'What works and what doesn't' when tackling gender issues in the classroom - as well as proposed outputs for schools including a guide to Mythbusters. The event will also look at 14-19; subject choice and gender issues (Jill Collins, Sheffield Hallam University), as well as revisiting the value of ‘Practitioner research and gender issues'; and include inputs from some of the teachers who have been carrying out their own gender action research . in addition there will also be contributions from Ros McLellan (University of Cambridge) from the research team which undertook the Department's original raising boys achievement project, and from Ruth Chalkley from Hartlepool LA who will provide a local authority perspective on the outcomes of the Gender Agenda.
London Metropolitan University - 24 March:
This event will distil the findings from the Gender Agenda activities and will review its participatory model - i.e. civil servants working in partnership with researchers to review and share evidence - and the different projects with teachers. The event will specifically attempt to specify 'What works and what doesn't' when tackling gender issues in the classroom - as well as proposed outputs for schools including a guide to Mythbusters. The event will also look at 14-19; subject choice and gender issues provided by Kate Myers (University of Keele) author of the Genderwatch series, as well as revisiting the value of ‘Practitioner research and gender issues'; and include inputs from some of the teachers who have been carrying out their own gender action research . in addition there will also be contributions from Mike Younger (University of Cambridge) from the research team which undertook the Department's original raising boys achievement project, and from Ruth Chalkley from Hartlepool LA who will provide a local authority perspective on the outcomes of the Gender Agenda.
If you would like to register for a place at one of these events - please e-mail your name, instititution and preferred venue to research.summaries@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk
Events are aimed at researchers, local authorities and those working in practice...
More about the Gender Agenda....
The Gender Agenda has included a range of activities so far:
- researching schools which have narrowed or closed the gender gap e.g. raised boys' progress but not at the detriment of girls- which we've called 'gap buster schools'
- supporting schools in undertaking action research on gender issues relating to thier local context - and helping them to share their findings with other schools e.g. at the National Teacher Research Panel conference in November.
- sharing new and emerging research on gender among academics, local authorities and education field staff
- synthesising evidence from research and data to look at what works and what doesn't work when tackling gender issues in the classroom
- looking at the interplay between gender, ethnicity and class and what it means for practice and policy
- undertaking thematic gender work including improving boys' literacy, looking at how boys and girls access and use technology, examining the gender dimension in PE and sport and what that means for school engagement
- providing mechanisms for gender research and evidence to be shared among stakeholder groups including teacher educators (e.g. through the teacher training resource bank), local authorities and practitioners
- providing mechanisms for researchers to work with other researchers and civil servants to ensure that best and emerging evidence can be used to inform policy making.
A key feature of the Gender Agenda has been its participatory model - and in the areas above we have been working with all stakeholder groups and a diversity of people within those groups in terms undertaking new research and enquiry, as well as sharing new and emerging research on gender issues so that we can work together to improve boys' and girls' outcomes and life chances.
There will be a conference report featuring all presenters' work and key discussion points from the day. This will be written by the Department in partnership with Canterbury Christ Church University as part of its work in running the TDA funded Teacher Training Resource Bank (TTRB), which is designed to support evidence-based initial teacher education. This report will contribute to the final outputs and recommendations from the Gender Agenda and will be presented to senior civil servants and ministers.
The reports of the first and second rounds have already been published on the TTRB.