Abstract
This paper proposes ten salient practices of research mentoring activity in high school settings for teachers and technicians based upon survey and interview findings from 96 English and Scottish high school teachers from STEM disciplines, working in research collaborations with scientists. Mentoring high school research provides career development, with teachers identifying new aspects to their professional roles including ‘teacher researcher’, ‘teacher scientist’ and ‘teacher mentor’. This study suggests the potential for using the ten salient practices to initiate individual teacher reflection and wider professional development, and, a way of framing and disseminating effective practice across the school sector.
Highlights
Over the last three decades, researchers have documented opportunities and approaches that actively involve young people in practical independent research projects (IRPs) as part of their high school1 science education (Albone, Collins & Hill, 1995; Bell, Urhahne, Schanze & Ploetzner, 2010; Bennett, Dunlop, Knox, Reiss & Torrance-Jenkins, 2018; Lombardi, 2007; Reiss, 1992). Bennett et al (2018) describe IRPs as being student-led, extended, practical investigations where the student and teacher do not know exactly what the investigation will result in
This paper proposes ten salient practices of research mentoring activity in high school settings for teachers and technicians based upon survey and interview findings from 96 English and Scottish high school teachers from STEM disciplines, working in research collaborations with scientists
This current study contributes to this research area, providing a framework for mentoring school-student research drawn from a synthesis of effective mentoring practice from higher education (Shanahan, Ackley-Holbrook, Hall, Stewart & Walkington, 2015; Walkington, Hall, Shanahan, Ackley & Stewart, 2018) combined with new insights from the experiences of high school teachers
Summary
Over the last three decades, researchers have documented opportunities and approaches that actively involve young people in practical independent research projects (IRPs) as part of their high school science education (Albone, Collins & Hill, 1995; Bell, Urhahne, Schanze & Ploetzner, 2010; Bennett, Dunlop, Knox, Reiss & Torrance-Jenkins, 2018; Lombardi, 2007; Reiss, 1992). Bennett et al (2018) describe IRPs as being student-led, extended, practical investigations where the student and teacher do not know exactly what the investigation will result in. To date, little attention has been paid to the role and practice of teachers involved in school-based science research (Rushton & Reiss, 2019). This current study contributes to this research area, providing a framework for mentoring school-student research drawn from a synthesis of effective mentoring practice from higher education (Shanahan, Ackley-Holbrook, Hall, Stewart & Walkington, 2015; Walkington, Hall, Shanahan, Ackley & Stewart, 2018) combined with new insights from the experiences of high school teachers
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
