What is this research project about?
The project sets out to explore tangible strategies that researchers and research organisations can implement to become more successful in recruiting and retaining schools for their research projects. The project will also develop insights into the decision-making process of various educational settings (including early years settings such as nurseries, primary and secondary schools, and post-16 settings such as colleges) when being invited to take part in research projects. In addition, this project wants to hear from leaders of educational settings and other relevant stakeholders on what – in their views – would be considered as appropriate research incentives.
What are the benefits of the project?
Insights developed as part of this project will allow educational research organisations like the EEF to become more successful in recruiting and retaining educational settings for their research projects. Recruiting and retaining settings in our research projects is crucial for generating high-quality evidence to show what works on boosting students’ attainment across the educational phases. Moreover, the perspectives of leaders of educational settings and other relevant stakeholders on appropriate research incentives will help us ensure that the settings’ contribution to the projects is fairly acknowledged.
About the research team and the funder
This project is a collaboration between Dr. Natthapoj Vincent Trakulphadetkrai (Associate Professor of Education, University of Reading) and the EEF, and is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).
What will happen in this project?
To help us elicit the aforementioned perspectives, we will be administering an on-line questionnaire and conducting virtual interviews with leaders of educational settings and other relevant stakeholders from across England.
- As a small token of appreciation for your support with completing our on-line questionnaire (for the Main Study stage), you can choose to enter a lucky draw. Each of the 10 lucky winners will receive a £30 Amazon e‑voucher.
- As a small token of appreciation for your support with taking part in our on-line interview (for the Main Study stage), you will – by default – be offered £30 Amazon e‑voucher.
Timeline
- End of March 2024 – Recruiting leaders of educational settings and other relevant stakeholders to take part in the project’s Pilot Study stage
- April 2024 – Pilot Study stage’s data collection (on-line questionnaire and interviews)
- April – May 2024 – Recruiting leaders of educational settings and other relevant stakeholders to take part in the project’s Main Study stage
- May – July 2024 – Main Study stage’s data collection (on-line questionnaire and interviews)
What’s next?
We hope that you will support us as part of our project’s data collection effort. To express your interest in taking part in this project, please directly contact Dr. Trakulphadetkrai at vincent.trakulphadetkrai@eefoundation.org.uk.