Project overview
HEIs and learned societies are key contributors of knowledge and expertise to shaping science education policy, ranging from curriculum reform and diversity through to teacher shortages. HEIs primarily contribute through research, curriculum development, teacher training, and direct policy engagement, providing evidence-based recommendations and professional development frameworks. Learned societies, as ‘policy intermediaries’, complement this by providing expert policy advice and consultation responses, publishing position and policy statements, and supporting discipline-specific educational initiatives based on their subject expertise.
While the role of the two sectors is pivotal to the continuous evolution of science education in the UK, the intersection of these two communities of practice has rarely been formally examined. The isolation and lack of engagement between the two can lead to duplication of effort and overly siloed research and practice. Policy actors in learned societies often find research published in academic journals by HEI researchers too abstract, theoretical and high-level; HEI researchers often find policy recommendations from learned societies lacking in theoretical and evidential base. There are clear challenges to collaboration such as horizon mismatch, incentives mismatch, and resistance to change. This project aims to bridge these two sectors to explore future directions for research-informed policy and policy-informed research in science education.
This project is funded through HEIF Knowledge Exchange Funding.
While the role of the two sectors is pivotal to the continuous evolution of science education in the UK, the intersection of these two communities of practice has rarely been formally examined. The isolation and lack of engagement between the two can lead to duplication of effort and overly siloed research and practice. Policy actors in learned societies often find research published in academic journals by HEI researchers too abstract, theoretical and high-level; HEI researchers often find policy recommendations from learned societies lacking in theoretical and evidential base. There are clear challenges to collaboration such as horizon mismatch, incentives mismatch, and resistance to change. This project aims to bridge these two sectors to explore future directions for research-informed policy and policy-informed research in science education.
This project is funded through HEIF Knowledge Exchange Funding.
